Continuity IRA claim responsibility for two Dublin shootings

The Continuity IRA, a hard-line republican group aiming to carry on the original IRA mission, have claimed responsibility for the shooting of another man in Dublin on Monday night, in what police believe is a follow up to the killing of David Byrne last Friday. Byrne was killed in an armed attack on a Dublin hotel in retaliation to his role in the shooting of Alan Ryan, a leading member of another dissident republican group, four years ago. In light of the attack, Irish Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald announced that ‘the Irish police will take all necessary steps to try to prevent further bloodshed’. Mike Johansson

 

Taiwan earthquake death toll rises

An earthquake hit Taiwan at 4am local time on Saturday, the Lunar New Year holiday. 38 people have been officially confirmed dead, with 100 still missing. William Lai, the mayor of Tainan, suggested the death toll would far exceed this number. Most of the casualties were found in the rubble of the Wei-guan Golden Dragon apartment block in Tainan. Many have claimed that the 17-storey building, constructed in 1994, was defective. The government announced it will investigate the earthquake resistance of other old buildings.

Nao Takahashi

 

Train crash in Germany kills 10

At least ten people have been killed and scores more injured in a head-on collision between two trains near the Bavarian town of Bad Aibling, about 60km south-east of Munich. The German transport minister has stated that both trains were travelling at around 100km/h (62mph) on a single track route before crashing on a bend, largely without braking. The stretch of line in question has an automatic braking system in place, designed to halt any train that passes a stopped signal, and it is not yet known why this failed. Two of the three data recorders have been recovered and investigations continue into the cause of the crash.

Jonny Chard

 

Trump & Sanders March-on at New Hampshire Primaries

Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders have shaken up US presidential elections this week with landslide victories in the New Hampshire primaries. Sanders who won the vote against rival Hilary Clinton said “the people of New Hampshire have sent a profound message to the political establishment, to the economic establishment, and by the way, to the media establishment”.  Sanders won 60.4% of the vote, whereas Clinton received 38.0%. Trump received 35.3% of the vote, beating his fellow Republican candidates such as Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and Jeb Bush. He ended his victory speech by stating “we are going now to South Carolina. We’re going to win in South Carolina.”

Zoe Bancroft

 

(Image: Sam Yeh)