Ankara bomb Blast Kills 28

A large blast in the middle of Ankara, the Turkish capital, left 28 people dead and 61 injured. A vehicle full of explosives was detonated close to parliament and military headquarters, just as army buses were passing by. Most of the victims were military personnel, but a number of civilians were also affected. No group has yet taken responsibility for the attack. President Erdogan said in a statement: “Our determination to retaliate to these attacks, in Turkey and abroad, which aim at our unity, togetherness and future, is increasing with such actions.”

Jessica Murray

 

Calais Jungle Residents To Be Rehoused
French authorities have given 800-1000 migrants one week to leave a seven-hectare section of the camp which Calais prefect, Fabienne Buccio, plans to bulldoze, halving the size of the refugee camp. Buccio added that authorities would help relocate the disrupted refugees to an alternative, purpose-built facility created using converted shipping containers, or to other accommodation centres in France. There are now over 4000 refugees living in squalid conditions at the ‘Jungle’ camp in Calais, leading French authorities to reduce its size to 2000 people in order to, as they claim make the camp more ‘organised’ and ‘dignified’.

Lydia McMath

 

Petition Calls For Hunt ‘no confidence’ Vote

A petition calling for the government to debate a vote of no confidence in the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has attracted over 250,000 signatures.
The petition reached over 100,000 signatures within 24 hours of being launched, and the issue will now be considered for debate in parliament.
The petition comes as a result of the Health Secretary’s controversial decision to impose a new junior doctor contract.
The British Medical Association are said to be considering ‘all options’, and a full walk-out from accident and emergency departments is not being ruled out.

Jonny Chard

 

Viola Beach Members Killed In Car Crash

Members of the Indie Band, Viola Beach, have been killed in a car accident in Sweden, hours after playing their first international gig. Kris Leonard, River Reeves, Tomas Lowe, Jack Dakin, and manager Craig Tarry, aged between 19 and 32, plunged 25m into a canal through a gap in a bridge, after it had been opened to let a boat pass through. An investigation into the cause of the crash is now under way. Viola Beach were due to play a homecoming gig in Warrington in March and their fans have now begun a campaign to encourage people to buy their music to get them a place in the charts.

Jonny Chard

Image courtesy of Pascal Rossignol