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Syria’s President Bashar-al Assad says reports of a chemical attack by his forces were « 100% fabrication ».

In an exclusive video interview with Agence France-Presse, he said « there was no order to make any attack ».

More than 80 people were killed in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun on 4 April, and hundreds suffered symptoms consistent with a nerve agent. Witnesses said they saw warplanes attack the town but Russia says a rebel depot of chemical munitions was hit. Shocking footage showed victims – many of them children – convulsing and foaming at the mouth. Sufferers were taken to hospitals across the border in Turkey.

Mr Assad told the AFP news agency that the Syrian government gave up its arsenal of chemical weapons in 2013, adding « even if we have them, we wouldn’t use them ».

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A big explosion in the Turkish city of Diyarbakir which originally appeared to be an accident was actually the result of a terror attack, the interior minister says.

Suleyman Soylu told Turkish TV that explosives had been planted in a tunnel dug beneath the police headquarters.

Three people died in Tuesday’s blast in the mainly Kurdish south-eastern city. No-one has claimed responsibility, but Kurdish militants have carried out previous similar attacks.

Turkey is also four days away from a key referendum on granting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sweeping new powers.

Diyarbakir has repeatedly been hit by militants targeting security services, but nonetheless Tuesday’s blast was spectacular – leaving a large crater and drawing crowds of onlookers on to the streets. « It turned out that the explosion was the result of a terrorist attack, » Mr Soylu was quoted as telling Haberturk television. « The attack was carried out through a tunnel dug from the outside. They dug a tunnel and placed the explosives in the ground. »

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German police are investigating a possible Islamic extremist link to the bombing of the Borussia Dortmund football team’s bus, German media say.

A letter found near the scene cites the Berlin Christmas market attack and military operations in Syria. It is not yet clear if the letter is genuine.

Meanwhile, German federal prosecutors, who normally lead investigations related to terrrorism, are taking over the probe.

German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung said the letter, beginning with the phrase « in the name of Allah », mentioned Germany’s use of Tornado jets in the coalition forces fighting so-called Islamic State (IS).

IS said it carried out the attack on a Christmas market in Berlin. But it is possible the perpetrators are deliberately trying to mislead the investigation, Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported, adding that an analysis of the letter by experts is under way.

The German news agency DPA also reported there is a second letter circulating online, claiming an anti-fascist group had carried out the attack. The second letter, posted on an anti-fascism online portal, claimed the attack was motivated by the club’s alleged tolerance for racists and right-wing fans. The club has clamped down on such fans in the past.
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Spanish police have arrested a Russian programmer following US allegations of large-scale hacking.

Pyotr Levashov was held in Barcelona on Friday and is remanded in custody.

Spanish police said Mr Levashov controlled a botnet called Kelihos, hacking information and installing malicious software in hundreds of thousands of computers.

The arrest was part of a « complex inquiry carried out in collaboration with the FBI », police said.

Mr Levashov is subject to a US international arrest warrant and a Spanish court will hear whether he can be extradited. Much of his alleged activity involved ransomware – blocking a computer’s access to certain information and demanding a ransom for its release.

Mr Levashov’s wife Maria told Russian broadcaster RT that the arrest had been made in connection with allegations that Russians had hacked the US presidential election. She said Spanish police had told her the arrest was in connection with « a virus which appears to have been created by my husband and is linked to [Donald] Trump’s victory ».

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The way you tilt your mobile while you’re using it could allow hackers to steal your pin numbers and passwords, according to new research.

The way you tilt your mobile while you’re using it could allow hackers to steal your pin numbers and passwords, according to new research.

Experts at Newcastle University analysed the movement of a smartphone as the keyboard was used. They say they cracked four-digit pins with 70% accuracy on the first guess and 100% by the fifth guess.

The team of cyber-experts claim tech companies know about the problem but can’t figure out what to do about it.

Dr Maryam Mehrnezhad, from the university’s school of computing science, said: « Most smartphones, tablets, and other wearables are now equipped with a multitude of sensors. « But because mobile apps and websites don’t need to ask permission to access most of them, malicious programmes can covertly ‘listen in’ on your sensor data. »

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