Local officials held for sedition

Turkey: Four prosecutors and a former commander have been arrested for halting two convoys of trucks suspected of smuggling weapons into Syria early last year.

The convoys were organised by intelligence officials who claim immunity from arrest under the law.

Warrants for the five provincial officials were issued on Wednesday on charges of trying to overthrow the government in conspiracy with US-based clergyman Fetullah Gulen.

Blaze brings major Rome airport to halt

Italy: A major fire at the international terminal of Rome’s Fiumicino airport yesterday morning destroyed 4,000 square feet of retail space and caused the cancellation of most flights.

It took firefighters five hours to bring the blaze at Italy’s busiest airport under control after it broke out in the small hours.

Nineteen long-haul flights were allowed to land in the morning, but all other flights were cancelled.

Civil nuclear firm to cut 6,000 jobs

France: Nuclear reactor construction firm Areva announced plans yesterday to slash up to 6,000 jobs worldwide.

The company is beginning talks with unions over plans to cut its labour costs by 18 per cent after making losses of billions of euros.

Up to 4,000 jobs could go in France alone, where the government is restructuring its large but ailing nuclear power industry.

Ex-Auschwitz guard ‘too sick’ for trial

Germany: The trial of a 93-year-old Auschwitz death camp guard was adjourned yesterday after he claimed to be too sick to get out of bed.

Former SS sergeant Oskar Groening, whose job it was to sort inmates’ stolen valuables, is being tried on 300,000 counts of accessory to murder.

He faces a possible sentence of between three and 15 years if convicted.

New Ebola cases hit 2015 low of 18

West Africa: The World Health Organisation has reported that the number of new Ebola cases reported in Guinea and Sierra Leone last week dropped to 18, the lowest weekly total this year.

The UN agency said the situation was “encouraging” but cautioned that it was still unable to track the spread of the epidemic, which has killed more than 11,000 people.

In Liberia, the outbreak will be declared over on May 9 unless any new cases are announced.

Cop arrested after biting man’s testicles

United States: An off-duty Maryland police officer has been arrested after biting another man’s testicles.

Anne Arundel County Police Department officer Michael Flaig groped a woman in a bar, prompting an argument with her roommate.

Mr Flaig and an accomplice later followed the man home and assaulted him. The cop ended up on his back with the victim sitting on his chest, at which point he bit the man’s genitals.

One dies in latest Nkurunziza clash

Burundi: One person was reported killed yesterday during protests in the capital Bujumbura against President Pierre Nkurunziza’s bid for a third term.

The death brings the total number of people killed to 10. More than 30,000 people have fled to neighbouring countries.

Protesters said there would be no peace until Mr Nkurunziza abandoned his presidential campaign.

Cuba sends medical team on quake job

Nepal: Cuba has sent a medical brigade to the earthquake-stricken Himalayan nation.

Nepali Health Minister Khem Karki said on Wednesday that a mobile hospital facility was being set up for the arriving Cuban health workers.

The team will provide much-needed aid in the country, where many hospitals have been damaged or destroyed.