Deadly blast hits metro in Belarus capital

11/04/11 19:22 CET

world news

| |

Several people are reported dead in an explosion at a metro station in Minsk, the capital of Belarus.

Eleven people are said to have been killed. Dozens more were injured. The blast reportedly happened as two trains were pulling into the Oktyabrskaya metro station near the offices of president Alexander Lukashenko.

There is as yet no indication of what caused the explosion during the evening rush hour in Minsk city centre.

But it comes amid political tension surrounding the controversial re-election of President Lukashenko in December, in a poll widely denounced as fraudulent. Many opposition figures were detained and some remain behind bars.

More about: Attack, Belarus, Minsk

| |

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)…