Parents and children reunited after nursery siege

13/12/10 18:38 CET

world news

| |

French police have freed the final five nursery school pupils and their teacher taken hostage by a suicidal teenager.

The 17-year old, armed with two butchers knifes, burst into the building in the eastern city of Besançon and took 20 children hostage as they arrived at the start of the school day.

He was known to suffer from psychological problems.

Elite police moved in and negotiators spent the morning talking to the youth by telephone as parents waited anxiously outside.

The teenager was finally overpowered after police used a stun gun.

The ordeal at the Charles Fourier school lasted four hours until the unharmed children were reunited with their relieved parents.

More about: France, Hostage taking

| |

Mali: Rebel groups agree to creation of Islamic state

Two Rebel groups have agreed to merge and create an independent Islamic state in Northern Mali. After seizing Azawad – an area larger than France – two months ago, the groups had initially disagreed, with the secular Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA)…