Image copyrightUNIVERSAL TV / REUTERSImage captionThe attack was claimed by Islamist militants
Two large explosions in Somalia’s capital city Mogadishu have killed at least 18 people and injured dozens.
One attack took place at the gates of the presidential palace, while a second hit near offices of the national intelligence agency.
Officials say five of the attackers were shot and killed.
The Islamist militant group al-Shabab, which opposes Somalia’s UN-backed government, says it carried out the attacks.
The attack on the palace began when militants failed to stop at a checkpoint, resulting in an exchange of gunfire, state-owned media say.
Then a parked car blew up near a hotel, security officials say.
However, al-Shabab said it had targeted “a national security forces’ base”.
A spokesman for the group said both car bombs had involved suicide bombers.
Image copyrightREUTERSImage captionInjured civilians were taken to hospital
The group said the attacks had killed 15 soldiers, without providing any evidence.
A police spokesman told Reuters news agency: “There were many military soldiers who guarded the street adjacent to the palace.”
The attacks came a day after the security minister warned of a possible car bomb attack in Mogadishu, Somalia’s Radio Simba reports.
They are the latest in a series of high-profile incidents attributed to al-Shabab, which once controlled Mogadishu before being forced out by African Union troops in 2011.
In October last year, more than 500 people were killed by a truck bomb in the city.
Officials blamed al-Shabab for the bombing but the group never said it was behind the attack.
Media captionEC President Donald Tusk rejected any idea of the UK being able to join a “single market a la carte”
The UK’s approach to the next stage of Brexit negotiations seems to be based on “pure illusion”, Donald Tusk says.
The European Council president told a news conference in Brussels that the UK was still trying to “cherry pick” its future relationship with the EU.
Mr Tusk said he could only go on media reports of Brexit talks at the PM’s country retreat Chequers on Thursday.
Theresa May is set to deliver a key speech setting out British ambitions on Friday.
Mr Tusk, who is due to meet the PM the day before, said media reports suggested the “cake philosophy is still alive” in the UK.
He added: “If the media reports are correct I am afraid that the UK position today is based on pure illusion.”
He went on to reject – as he has done before – any notion of the UK “cherry picking” aspects of its future relationship with the EU or being able to join a “single market a la carte”.
Mr Tusk said the EU would continue to be “extremely realistic” during the forthcoming negotiations.
The second phase of Brexit negotiations will cover transitional arrangements after the UK leaves and economic and security co-operation in the future.
Mr Tusk, who spoke at an informal meeting of 27 European heads of states and governments, said he would present draft guidelines on the future EU-UK relationship at a summit in March.
“Our intention is to adopt these guidelines, whether the UK is ready with its vision of our future relations, or not,” he said.
“Naturally it would be much better if it were. But we cannot stand by and wait.”
He said he hoped to have more clarity when he meets the PM in London next week.
The leaders also spoke about the EU’s post-2020 budget, the composition of the European Parliament, Turkey and Syria.
Image copyrightJAY ALLEN/DOWNING STImage captionThe cabinet’s Brexit sub-committee discussed the government’s approach for eight hours at Chequers on Thursday
The government is set to pursue a policy which puts the UK outside a customs union with the EU – but matching EU rules in some industries in an attempt to achieve “frictionless trade”.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who did not attend the meeting of senior ministers, said despite “divergent views” there was a “central common understanding”.
He said some sectors could align regulations with European regulations, adding: “But it will be on a voluntary basis, we will as a sovereign power have the right to choose to diverge.”
Media captionJeremy Hunt tells Today the government has ruled out staying in a customs union after Brexit
Jeremy Hunt has said there is no possibility of the government backing a customs union with the EU after Brexit.
The health secretary said the UK wanted “frictionless trade” but would “find a different way” to achieve that.
A Conservative MP says she has cross-party support for an amendment calling for the government to form “a” customs union with the EU after Brexit.
Theresa May will make a speech on the UK’s future relationship with the EU next Friday.
And Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn is set to outline Labour policy on a customs union on Monday, amid reports that his party’s position on it is “evolving”.
If he backs membership of a customs union, it could mean Mrs May faces a Commons showdown over the issue – with pro-European Conservative rebels joining forces with Labour MPs.
Former prime minister Tony Blair said he would welcome a shift in policy from Labour towards a customs union – and if there was an “impasse” in Parliament on the issue, it made the case stronger for a referendum on the final Brexit deal.
But Labour Brexiteer Kate Hoey told the BBC: “A referendum would be ridiculous, less than two years after we had one”.
Conservative MP Anna Soubry says she has cross-party support for an amendment to the Trade Bill, currently going through Parliament, urging the government to pursue as a negotiating objective forming a customs union after Brexit.
Media captionTony Blair calls for a second referendum
A customs union means countries club together and agree to apply the same tariffs to goods from outside the union – but it does not allow members to strike their own trade deals.
Supporters of the UK being in a customs union argue it is vital to protect businesses – but opponents fear it would mean “Brexit in name only” and the UK should make its own arrangements.
Jeremy Hunt told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme a customs union was “one way of getting frictionless trade but it is not the only way”.
The government wanted to agree “frictionless trade by agreement between two sovereign bodies, the United Kingdom and the European Union”, he said.
Asked if there was any possibility of the government coming round to the idea of a customs union with the EU after Brexit, he replied: “No”.
Image copyrightJAY ALLEN/DOWNING STImage captionThe cabinet’s Brexit sub-committee discussed the government’s approach for eight hours at Chequers on Thursday
The health secretary was not at the meeting of senior ministers at Chequers on Thursday but said a broad agreement had been reached ahead of a discussion by the whole cabinet and the prime minister’s speech next week.
“You have divergent views on a big issue like Brexit as you would expect – but the central common understanding is that there will be areas and sectors of industry where we agree to align our regulations with European regulations,” he said.
“The automotive industry is perhaps an obvious example because of supply chains that are integrated.
“But it will be on a voluntary basis, we will as a sovereign power have the right to choose to diverge, and what we won’t be doing is accepting changes in rules because the EU unilaterally chooses to make those changes.”
‘No majority’
Home Secretary Amber Rudd, who was at Chequers, told the BBC: “We all got behind the prime minister and we’ve agreed the basis for her speech next week and looking forward to it going ahead.”
But pro-EU Labour backbencher Chuka Umunna – an ally of Anna Soubry – warned Theresa May her plan to leave the customs union could be defeated by MPs.
“There is no majority in the House of Commons for us not to participate in the customs union, that is absolutely clear… it’s the reality of the parliamentary arithmetic.”
Of the government, he said: “If they are not going to change their position they are going to lose votes in the House of Commons, it’s a straightforward as that.”
Tony Blair told BBC Radio 4’s The World at One that any “comprehensive customs union” would “mitigate considerably the problems of a hard border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland” and “protect what we have achieved on the island of Ireland over these past couple of decades”.
‘Cake and eat it’
On Mr Hunt’s comments on frictionless trade without a customs union, he said: “I’m going to be really interested to see that deal because I literally don’t understand what they mean.
“This is ‘cake and eat it’ – it’s not just that Europe has made it clear that it won’t agree that, it’s that the nature of the single market is such is that it has one system of regulation.”
Meanwhile the Times has reported that the prime minister is planning a U-turn over the right of EU citizens who arrive in the UK after Brexit, but during the “transition period”, to remain in the country permanently.
Conservative Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg told the BBC that would be “quite wrong”: “I’d be astonished if Mrs May would make U-turn of that kind; she is a lady of great backbone and for her to kowtow to the European Union is, I think, unconscionable.”
Image copyrightGETTY IMAGESImage captionJoan of Arc is also known as “the Maid of Orleans” for her role liberating the city in 1429
Authorities in the French city of Orléans are investigating racist tweets about a teenager set to play Joan of Arc.
The city chose Mathilde Edey Gamassou, 17, on Monday to act as the folk heroine at annual celebrations in May.
But a number of tweets and far-right websites have condemned the pick because of the teenager’s mixed-race heritage.
Joan of Arc is celebrated throughout France, but is also a far-right symbol.
On Friday morning, the public prosecutor in Orléans announced there would be an investigation into two racist tweets.
The first compared the teenager to a baboon, while the second posted images of bananas in response.
The account that posted the baboon comparison has since been deleted.
What’s the celebration?
The city of Orléans picks a teenager to play Joan of Arc every year.
Joan of Arc liberated the city from England in 1429, and the chosen teen acts as the historical figure in a parade on 8 May.
The selected girl must have lived in Orléans for at least 10 years, be a practising Catholic, be educated in an Orléans high school and must dedicate her free time to others.
Image copyrightGETTY IMAGESImage captionThen-economy minister Emmanuel Macron shakes hands with the Joan of Arc impersonator in 2016’s parade
On Monday, the Orléans Joan of Arc Association chose Mathilde, who has a Polish mother and a father from Benin.
The city’s mayor, Olivier Carré, supported the choice on Twitter, saying it was an honour to present her to the city in a special ceremony.
Far-right supporters quickly voiced their anger online.
One Twitter user complained that the choice was designed to enforce a multicultural ideology.
A comment piece on the far-right website Résistance Républicaine meanwhile complained that next year Joan of Arc would wear a burqa.
The French gender equalities minister, Marlène Schiappa, tweeted her condemnation of the online abuse, saying racial hatred had no place in France and fully backing Mathilde.
On Friday, the public prosecutor announced a preliminary investigation into the racist tweets, on the grounds of incitement to racial hatred.
Authorities will have to trace the true identity of the tweeters through their accounts, and will contact Twitter for help.
The charges carry a maximum prison sentence of five years.
Who was Joan of Arc?
Image copyrightREUTERSImage captionA statue of Joan of Arc outside the Front National headquarters in Nanterre
Joan of Arc, known as the Maid of Orléans, was born in 1412.
She claimed to have visions telling her to help France take back lands from England during the Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453).
In 1429, she was sent to the siege of Orléans as part of a relief mission. She was celebrated for her role when the city was liberated nine days later.
The lifting of the siege was seen as a turning point in the war, which led to a series of victories and culminated in July with the coronation of the French King Charles VII, whom Joan had supported.
However, the next year she was captured and handed over to the English. In 1431, she was burned at the stake for alleged heresy, dying at the age of 19.
Since then, she has been venerated throughout France as a hero of national resistance and liberation.
In particular, however, she is feted by the far-right, including the Front National.
Image copyrightGETTY IMAGESImage captionMr Macron and Mrs Merkel said cuts to EU programmes could be damaging
Germany and France have warned that funding cuts to EU programmes after Brexit could damage efforts to tackle illegal immigration and terrorism.
The leaders of both nations said on Friday that spending on these areas should not be compromised.
But other wealthy member states have argued that a smaller EU – without the UK – should mean a smaller budget.
It comes as leaders meet in Brussels to decide whether to raise contributions or reduce funding to EU programmes.
Arriving for the informal discussions on Friday, German Chancellor Angel Merkel said it was important not to reduce financial support to operations that had proved effective in tackling issues such as terrorism in the Sahel region of north and west Africa.
“We are all contributing financially to the anti-radicalisation military operations in this region and that is starting to pay dividends,” she said. “We also need to work together… with Libya to combat illegal migration.”
French President Emmanuel Macron, who arrived alongside Mrs Merkel, said that France was also “committed” in the fight to “eradicate terrorism” and the “trafficking of humans” through Africa.
Separately, it has been announced that the UK Prime Minister Theresa May is to deliver a speech setting out her vision for the UK’s future relationship with the EU on 2 March 2018.
Ahead of Friday’s talks, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the EU needed to have “new priorities and policies”. He added that if an agreement could not be reached to reduce funding for certain programmes, “we will have to pay more”.
Mr Juncker also said he was concerned about a “rift between east and west”. “Sometimes it gets wider and sometimes differences are bridged. I don’t want any new divisions in Europe. We’ve had enough of those.”
Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaitė said leaders had “a lot of new challenges” to address, but said the financial impact of Brexit was high on the agenda.
“Between the payments after Brexit and the promises of new policies, there is a lack of financial resources of about 20%,” she said.
Estonia’s Prime Minister Juri Ratas said it was “not an option” for the EU’s future ambitions to be compromised. “We would like to see a stronger, safer and more united European Union,” he said.
Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel said his country was not willing “just to pay more”, adding that Europe needed to be “more efficient”. “It’s possible to change some expenses” he said.
Deciding how to fill the budgetary hole that Brexit will leave is problematic, says the BBC’s Kevin Connolly, as net contributors such as Austria and the Netherlands take a sharply different view from net beneficiaries such as Poland and Greece.
While wealthier Northern countries make the case for a reduced budget, poorer member states in eastern and southern Europe are unhappy about the possibility of cuts to programme funding.
At Friday’s talks, leaders will also debate structural issues within the bloc, such as appointing the successor to the EU Commission president and looking at whether future elections to the European parliament should include transnational lists of candidates.
Meanwhile on Twitter, the Vice-President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, hit back at UK Environment Secretary Michael Gove for suggesting that EU laws were hampering UK efforts to ban plastic drinking straws.
Mr Timmermans, using the hashtag #EUDoesntSuck, tweeted that new legislation was coming shortly.
Zwei Personen verstorben nach Gewaltdelikt an der #Lagerstrasse. Die Situation ist unter Kontrolle. Es besteht keine Gefahr für die Öffentlichkeit. ^sa
In addition to the 12% who say they have been raped, 58% have been subjected to disturbing propositions and 43% to “sexual touching without consent”, the study says.
Most of the women reporting such abuse have experienced it several times, it adds.
The report highlights the “heavy consequences and long-term repercussions suffered by the victims”.
Puritanism?
But the “rat on your pig” movement has generated national debate around what constitutes harassment.
Last month French movie star Catherine Deneuve was one of 100 women who signed an open letter claiming the movement had gone too far. It warned of a new type of “Puritanism” and insisted men should be “free to pester women”.
“Rape is a crime, but trying to seduce someone, even persistently or clumsily, is not – and nor is men being gentlemanly a chauvinist attack.”
Image copyrightGETTY IMAGESImage captionGender equality minister Marlene Schiappa wants to outlaw harassment
Deneuve later clarified her position saying the letter was not meant as a defence of harassment and “fraternally” paid tribute to victims of sexual assault.
The French minister for gender equality, Marlène Schiappa, has vocally defended “balance ton porc”, “Me Too” and similar movements.
Last year Ms Schiappa set out plans for a law cracking down on sexual violence and harassment.
The proposals would include on-the-spot fines for catcalling and lecherous behaviour in public.
As well as cracking down on harassment, the legislation will also give people who experienced sexual assault as a child more time to make a police complaint, and toughen laws on sex with minors.
Image copyrightREUTERSImage captionNearly 400kg of cocaine was found at the Russian embassy in 2016
Argentina’s security ministry says it has foiled a plot to use the Russian embassy’s diplomatic courier service to smuggle cocaine to Europe.
Police seized nearly 400kg of the drug from diplomatic luggage in an embassy annex after being told about it by the Russian ambassador in December 2016.
They then mounted a sting operation, replacing the drugs with flour and adding tracking devices.
The operation has led to arrests in Argentina and Russia, officials say.
Argentine Security Minister Patricia Bullrich said the cocaine found in the Buenos Aires embassy was worth 50 million euros ($62m; £45m) and was of very high purity.
She said it was destined for Russia and probably also Germany.
Ms Bullrich added that the alleged mastermind of the smuggling operation was in Germany and she expected this person to be arrested by German police.
Two people have so far been arrested in Argentina and three in Russia.
Russian security services had helped in the investigation and one of those arrested in Argentina was a serving police officer in Buenos Aires, she said.
The disappearances of Ms Spiers, Jane Rimmer, 23, and Ciara Glennon, 27, have previously been described as Australia’s longest-running and most expensive murder investigation.
Western Australia Police said the latest charge was a “significant development” in the case, but did not make further comment.
Long-running investigation
Ms Spiers went missing from a Claremont nightspot on 27 January, 1996, at the end of a night out with friends.
She had called a taxi, but when the driver arrived there was no sign of the teenager.
Ms Rimmer disappeared in same upmarket suburb on 9 June, 1996. Her body was discovered two months later in bushland about 45km (30 miles) south of Claremont.
Ms Glennon went missing on 14 March, 1997. She was found dead three weeks later near Eglington, about 50km away, in the city’s north.
Despite a dedicated police taskforce and 10 independent reviews by crime experts, the disappearances frustrated police for nearly two decades.
Authorities said they made a breakthrough in 2016, when they arrested Mr Edwards over the murders of Ms Rimmer and Ms Glennon.
Mr Edwards will face a court in Perth on Wednesday.
Image copyrightREUTERSImage captionBarnaby Joyce says he will quit as Australia’s deputy leader
Barnaby Joyce says he will resign as Australia’s deputy prime minister following a politically damaging saga that began with his affair with a former staffer.
Mr Joyce said he would step down on Monday as leader of the Nationals, the junior government partner.
He had previously resisted calls to quit amid intense scrutiny over his ministerial conduct.
The scandal has dominated Australian politics for more than two weeks.
He described his decision on Friday as a “circuit-breaker” for his family and new partner, with whom he is expecting a baby in April.
“This current cacophony of issues has to be put aside,” he told reporters.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull issued a statement shortly after thanking Mr Joyce for being “a fierce advocate for rural and regional Australia”.
Rumours of an affair started to spread after Mr Joyce and Vikki Campion, his former media adviser, were photographed together at a bar in Sydney in February 2017.
In April, Mr Joyce’s estranged wife Natalie reportedly confronted Ms Campion about the rumours.
In the following months, Mr Joyce was described by his Nationals colleagues as becoming “a mess”.
Mr Joyce finally admitted to the affair with Ms Campion earlier this month but initially refused to resign, insisting that “private matters remain private”.
Image copyrightEPAImage captionMr Joyce has repeatedly denied breaching ministerial standards
In an interview with Australia’s Fairfax Media newspaper on Wednesday, the couple called for scrutiny of their relationship to stop, appealing to the media and the public to “move on”.
Mr Joyce also said he was concerned and “deeply annoyed” at the thought that their child might be perceived as “somehow less worthy than other children”.
He has previously apologised to Natalie, their four daughters and Ms Campion for the public manner in which the scandal has played out.
He has described the breakdown of his marriage as one of “the greatest failures of my life”, while Mrs Joyce described the situation as “devastating”.
On Friday, Mr Joyce said he hoped his decision would help his family. “This has got to stop. It’s not fair on them,” he said.
Why did Joyce come under political pressure?
The revelation of the affair led to questions over whether Mr Joyce had misused his position in parliament to conduct his relationship with Ms Campion.
He said he faced a “litany of allegations” in the weeks after a newspaper exposed the affair.
Political opponents also questioned him after two unadvertised jobs within his party were taken up by Ms Campion last year, and over whether he sought a gift of free housing from a businessman.
He has repeatedly denied breaching ministerial standards.
Image copyrightGETTY IMAGESImage captionMalcolm Turnbull banned sex between ministers and staff following the Joyce scandal
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