Dutch shooting: Utrecht police arrest suspect after three killed

Image copyright @PolitieUtrecht / Twitter Image caption Police released this image of Gokmen Tanis A man has been arrested following a shooting on a tram in the Dutch city of Utrecht which left three people dead, police say. Five others were injured in the incident, and authorities say the attacker’s motive remains unclear. Gokmen Tanis, […]

Yellow vest protests: Paris police sacked, rally bans planned

Media captionProtesters in Paris lit fires and vandalised buildings as violence flared once more The French government will replace the Paris police chief and ban rallies in some areas, after Saturday’s violent protests. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said the authorities would act as soon as “radical groups” were identified in the worst-hit areas. Last Saturday, […]

Armando, the ‘Lewis Hamilton of pigeons’ sells for record €1.25m

Image copyright Pipa Image caption Armando, pictured, is now enjoying his retirement A champion pigeon has been sold for a record €1.25m ($1.42m; £1.07m). Auction house Pipa called Armando the “best Belgian long-distance pigeon of all time”. He’s also been dubbed the “Lewis Hamilton of pigeons”. Before this sale, the record was €376,000 (£321,800). However, […]

Russia human rights: Chechnya court jails Memorial activist

Image copyright AFP/Getty Images Image caption Oyub Titiev says his case was “fabricated” A court in Russia’s Chechnya republic has sentenced a prominent rights activist to four years in jail for possessing illegal drugs. Oyub Titiev, who heads the regional branch of rights group Memorial, said the case was “politically motivated”. Amnesty International said the […]

Equal Pay Day: Cheaper travel for Berlin women

Image copyright AFP Image caption Berlin women travel more cheaply than men to mark Equal Pay Day Berlin’s public transport authority BVG is offering women a 21% discount on fares in the capital to mark Germany’s Equal Pay Day. BVG says the aim is to draw attention to the average 21% pay gap between men […]

Utrecht shooting: ‘One dead’ as man opens fire in tram

Image copyright EPA Image caption Anti-terrorism police are at the scene A gunman has opened fire inside a tram in the Dutch city of Utrecht. Several people have been injured and one is feared to have died in the shooting at about 10:45 local time (09:45 GMT) near the 24 Oktoberplein junction, reports say. Police […]

Yellow vest protests: France to tighten Paris security

Media captionProtesters in Paris lit fires and vandalised buildings as violence flared once more The French government is expected to announce extra security measures shortly to protect central Paris from further vandalism during violent gilets jaunes (“yellow vest”) protests. French media say police could in future cordon off the famous Champs-Elysées avenue. Chic boutiques and […]

Eurostar industrial action continues to hit services from Paris

Image copyright Tom Corban/REX/Shutterstock Image caption Passengers have complained of long queues Eurostar is again telling passengers only to travel from Paris to London “if absolutely necessary”. Its services have been hit again by long queues caused by industrial action by French customs officers. The officers are working to rule, and only one of the […]

Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank in formal merger talks

Image copyright Reuters Germany’s two biggest lenders, Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank, will hold formal talks about a merger. The announcement caps months of speculation that the two struggling banks would attempt to combine. A merger could result in massive cost savings, in particular by closing branches. But critics say integrating the firms would be complicated […]

Sinn Féin criticised for ‘England get out of Ireland’ banner

Image copyright Sinn Féin Image caption Mary Lou McDonald taking part in New York’s St Patrick’s Day parade with the banner Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald has been criticised after she posed with a banner reading ‘England get out of Ireland’. Ms McDonald was photographed with the banner during the New York St Patrick’s […]