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At least 25 people have been killed in a suicide bomb attack at the main court complex in the centre of the Syrian capital, Damascus, state media report.

The bomber detonated an explosive vest after police tried to stop him entering the Palace of Justice, which is close to the famous Souk al-Hamidieyh market. Two hours later, a second bomb blast was reported in Rabweh, to the west.

The bombings come on the sixth anniversary of the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.

What began as an Arab Spring uprising against an autocratic ruler has mushroomed into a brutal proxy war that has drawn in regional and world powers. Activists say more than 320,000 people have been killed and 11 million displaced.

Police said the suicide bomber blew himself up at 13:20 (11:20 GMT) on Wednesday, as officers tried to search him at the entrance to the Palace of Justice.

Ahmed al-Sayyid, a senior legal official, told state TV that the area was crowded with lawyers, judges and civilians at the time. «We were terrified because the sound of the explosion was enormous,» a lawyer who was inside the complex during the attack told AFP news agency. «We took refuge in the library which is on a higher floor,» the lawyer added, speaking on condition of anonymity. «It was a bloody scene.»

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An oil tanker has been hijacked by suspected pirates off the coast of Somalia, reports say, the first such hijacking in the region in five years.

The ship sent a distress signal on Monday evening, saying it was being approached by high-speed boats. The gunmen have told a local official they are fishermen whose equipment was destroyed by illegal fishing vessels.

Piracy was rampant off the Somali coast until increased patrols by European naval forces contained the problem.

The Sri Lankan-flagged vessel was en route from Djibouti to the Somali capital, Mogadishu, and was then diverted towards the port of Alula in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland. Its tracking system has reportedly been switched off.

Ali Shire Mohamud Osman, the district commissioner in the town of Alula, near where the ship has been taken, said he was trying to find out if the gunmen really were fishermen or were organised pirates. «The men who are holding it claim that they are fishermen who suffered from the illegal fishing in the area. However, if we confirm that they are pirates, I will ask them to leave the area immediately. Otherwise, we will see how we can save the vessel,» he said.

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The death of a man whose body was found in mysterious circumstances on Saddleworth Moor will be examined at an inquest later.

David Lytton, 67, from London, was discovered at Dove Stone Reservoir in Greater Manchester on 12 December 2015.

It took police more than a year to establish his identity and a «provisional» cause of death was given as «strychnine poisoning».

A full inquest is scheduled to begin at Heywood Coroner’s Court at 14:00 GMT.

The death sparked worldwide interest as a police investigation was launched to identify the body of the man, first nicknamed Neil Dovestones by mortuary workers at Royal Oldham Hospital. It was discovered Mr Lytton had lived in Pakistan for 10 years and had flown to London Heathrow, two days before his body was found.

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Attacks by Russian hackers could threaten British democracy, GCHQ has warned politicians.

The spy agency’s computer security chief has written to political parties offering advice on preventing hacks, according to The Sunday Times.

US intelligence officials have accused the Kremlin of using cyber-attacks to influence the November election. But Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said there was so far no evidence of successful attacks in the UK.

In a letter to politicians, Ciaran Martin, chief executive of GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), said: «You will be aware of the coverage of events in the United States, Germany and elsewhere reminding us of the potential for hostile action against the UK political system. «This is not just about the network security of political parties’ own systems. Attacks against our democratic processes go beyond this and can include attacks on parliament, constituency offices, think tanks and pressure groups and individuals’ email accounts.» He said GCHQ would offer tailored seminars to help political parties understand the threats and reduce the risk of information being stolen.

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Carlos the Jackal, the Venezuelan man behind a series of attacks in France in the 1970s and 80s, is on trial again over a deadly shopping centre attack.

He is already serving two life terms for several killings in the name of Palestinian and communist causes.

Carlos, whose real name is Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, was given his nickname when he was one of the world’s most wanted terror suspects. He spent years on the run before being captured in 1994 in Sudan.

Ramirez, 67, will appear before three judges in a Paris court on Monday over a hand grenade attack on a shopping centre in the French capital’s Latin Quarter in September 1974. Two people were killed and 34 others were injured in the attack.

Ramirez has pleaded not guilty and his lawyer, Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, said the trial was a waste of time and money.
«What exactly is the point of having a trial so long after the events?» she said. But Georges Holleaux, a lawyer representing the victims, said the families relished the chance to see him in court. «The victims have been waiting so long for Ramirez to be judged and convicted. Their wounds have never healed,» he said.

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