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Knife attack on soldier in Paris treated as terrorism
French anti-terrorist investigators are handling the case of a soldier stabbed while on duty near Paris on Saturday evening, prosecutors have confirmed.
The soldier was wounded while on patrol in La Defense, a business district west of the French capital.
Private First Class Cedric Cordier was approached from behind and stabbed in the neck with a small-bladed knife.
Defence Minister Jean Yves Le Drian told reporters that he had been targeted because of his profession.
His attacker, said to be a bearded man of North African origin, escaped and a police hunt is under way.
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French army in key Mali withdrawal
France has begun a key stage of its military withdrawal from Mali, four months after sending troops to push Islamist rebels out from the north.
A convoy of dozens of lorries left a base outside the capital, Bamako, on its way south to Ivory Coast.
France began withdrawing some of its 4,000 troops from the country in April.
They plan to gradually hand over to the Malian army and a UN peacekeeping force, which will deploy in July ahead of planned nationwide elections.
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M23 rebels declare truce for Ban Ki-moon visit
M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have declared a ceasefire for UN chief Ban Ki-moon's visit to the conflict-hit area, a spokesman for the group says.
Mr Ban has arrived in the regional capital Goma, where one person was killed in a rocket attack on Wednesday.
He said he was deeply concerned by the renewed fighting there.
On Wednesday, the World Bank unveiled a $1bn (£660m) aid package to help DR Congo and its neighbours.
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Woolwich attack and suspects known to security services
Both suspects in the killing of a serving soldier in London were known to security services, senior Whitehall sources have confirmed to the BBC.
One of the suspects is understood to be 28-year-old Muslim convert Michael Adebolajo, according to sources.
He and another man are under arrest in hospital after being shot by police after Wednesday's attack in Woolwich.
Prime Minister David Cameron has said the UK will "never give in to terror or terrorism".
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King Edward VIII bugged during abdication crisis
King Edward VIII was bugged by the government at the height of the 1936 abdication crisis, files released by the National Archives show.
The Home Office ordered "interception of telephone communications" between royal residences and "the continent of Europe".
The King's divorced mistress, Wallis Simpson, was in France at the time.
The file also shows police had earlier investigated a reported bomb threat against Mrs Simpson in London.
The information is included in Foreign Office and Cabinet Office papers, which date from World War II and the early Cold War period.
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US confirms four American citizens killed by drones
The US attorney general has acknowledged four US citizens have been killed in drone strikes since 2009.
In a letter to the Senate judiciary committee, Eric Holder defended the targeted killing of Anwar al-Awlaki.
But he said Awlaki's 16-year-old son as well as two other individuals were "not specifically targeted by the US".
The disclosure comes as President Barack Obama prepares to make a speech on counter-terrorism and the drone programme on Thursday.
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M23 rebels declare truce for Ban Ki-moon visit
M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have declared a ceasefire for UN chief Ban Ki-moon's visit to the conflict-hit area, a spokesman for the group says.
Mr Ban has arrived in the regional capital Goma, where one person was killed in a rocket attack on Wednesday.
He was deeply concerned by the renewed fighting, Mr Ban said.
Earlier, the World Bank unveiled a $1bn (£660m) aid package to help DR Congo and its neighbours.
World Bank head Jim Yong Kim, who is also visiting DR Congo, said the money would be used for health, education, cross-border trade and hydroelectricity projects.
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French court questions IMF chief Christine Lagarde
French judges in Paris have been questioning IMF chief Christine Lagarde over a controversial payout made to a tycoon when she was finance minister.
She is being asked to explain her handling of a dispute in 2007 which resulted in some 400m euros (£342m; $516m) being paid to Bernard Tapie.
She appeared before the Court of Justice of the Republic (CJR), which investigates ministerial misconduct.
The IMF chief insists the award was the best solution at the time.
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Saudi Arabia arrests more Iran spy ring suspects
Saudi Arabia has arrested 10 more suspects in what it says is a spy ring linked to Iran, state media report.
Those detained include eight Saudis, a Turk, and a Lebanese citizen. Eighteen people were arrested in the same case in March.
Saudi Arabia, which is predominantly Sunni Muslim, has recently repeatedly found itself at odds with Iran, an overwhelmingly Shia Muslim nation.
Iran has denied any involvement in spying in Saudi Arabia.
Those arrested in March included an Iranian, a Lebanese and 16 Saudis. The Lebanese suspect has subsequently been released, officials said.
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Gunmen kill 12 in Baghdad brothel
Seven women and five men have been shot dead in a brothel in Baghdad, state and medical officials say.
Unknown armed gunmen are said to have burst into the brothel in the well-to-do eastern district of Zayouna on Wednesday afternoon and opened fire.
Prostitution is prohibited under Islam, the dominant religion in Iraq.
The killings come two days after multiple bombings killed at least 70 people - more died in fresh blasts on Tuesday.
In recent months Iraq has seen a rise in attacks linked to growing political and sectarian tension.
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