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PARIS — The Algerian doctoral student suspected of attacking police officers in front of Notre Dame Cathedral — with cries of “This is for Syria!” and a hammer — was identified Wednesday by a relative and a friend as an ex-journalist who firmly believed in democratic values and showed no signs of radicalization. The Paris prosecutor’s office said a search of a residence linked to the suspect in the suburb of Cergy-Pontoise uncovered a declaration of allegiance to the Islamic State group. A nephew in Algeria, lawyer Sofiane Ikken, said he was mystified by the finding because his uncle, Farid...

BREAKING NEWS: Terror in Paris as Algerian student screaming 'This is for Syria' attacks policeman with a hammer and knives outside Notre Dame Cathedral before being shot by cop

PARIS -- A police officer shot and wounded a man who attacked a group of three officers with a hammer near Notre Dame Cathedral on Tuesday, authorities said. Interior Minister Gerard Collomb told reporters that the man yelled "this is for Syria" when he attacked the officers. Collomb said that an officer used his weapon to shoot the assailant. The man was also armed with kitchen knives, Collomb said. Paris police tweeted that one officer was wounded in the attack. CBS Radio News' Elaine Cobbe reports that the investigation has been handed over to the police's anti-terrorism unit. The incident...

rench police have shot a man outside Notre Dame cathedral in Paris after he tried to attack them with a hammer and shouted "This is for Syria", according to the interior minister. He was also in possession of two knives. One policeman was lightly injured in the attack. The main square has been evacuated and a police operation is underway. Paris police say the situation is now "under control". Anti-terror prosecutors have launched an investigation meaning they consider the attack terror-related. Two "blasts" sparked panic among tourists amassed outside Notre Dame. A man was then seen "lying on the ground...

Police have responded to an alert at Paris's ND cathedral amid reports of gunshots and panic. Officials warned people to stay away from the area saying there was an "incident" at the popular tourist attraction.

Footage captured by a London resident who goes by the Twitter handle @MarkAntro shows a CNN crew distributing signage props reading “peace group” and “Turn to Love for London” while staging a photo-op portraying Muslims protesting the Islamic terrorist attacks in London, England this weekend. This latest attack in England claimed the lives of seven victims with another four dozen wounded in area hospitals. CNN British journalist Becky Anderson set up the scene and is heard “reporting” on the staged event. According to @MarkAntro, several of the journalists on set called him a “weekend warrior” as he captured their ruse.

AN AREA in east London has been locked down after a "disturbance" left several people, including two police officers, injured. Police found a number of injured people at the scene earlier this evening. They have now been rushed to hospital. Two police officers were also hurt, although they are not in a serious condition. Social media users said people had been shot and stabbed. One person said: “So there's been 3 stabbings and 2 people shot at barking road.” Another said: “Having to go round a crime scene trying to get home where someone has died (body is covered).What the...

The US is preparing to attack North Korea, according to Geopolitical Futures founder George Friedman—setting the stage for a difficult, messy war with potentially catastrophic consequences. Speaking Monday to a rapt audience at the 2017 Strategic Investment Conference in Orlando, Friedman said that while it is unlikely the US will take action before President Trump returns home at the weekend, North Korea’s actions appear to have “offered the US no alternative” to a clash. According to Geopolitical Futures analysis, evidence is mounting that the enmity between the two is escalating to a point where war is inevitable. Friedman revealed that...

The first victim of the Manchester Arena suicide bombing has been named as West Lancs teenager Georgina Callander - who once met Ariana Grande. Several reports say the 18-year-old, an ‘Ariana superfan’ was killed during the terror attack at the arena which left 21 other people dead and 59 injured. Georgina’s former school, Bishop Rawstorne, in Croston near Burscough posted their condolences online. It said: “Following the shocking events in Manchester yesterday, we have been informed that one of our former students, Georgina Callander, has died as a result of injuries sustained. “Georgina was a lovely young student who was...

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a bombing at a pop concert in Manchester which left 22 people dead. In a statement released by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's official Amaq news agency, they said it was revenge for attacks on "Muslim lands". "One of the soldiers of the Caliphate was able to place an explosive device within a gathering of the Crusaders in the city of Manchester," it said, appearing to challenge the Manchester police theory it had been a suicide attack.

DAMASCUS, SYRIA (4:50 P.M.) – Following the loss of Tabqa and three villages in northern Raqqa, the Islamic State launched a localized counter-offensive against the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) beginning on Wednesday evening.Targeting Kurdish-held territory in western Raqqa, convoys of ISIS vehicles attacked the villages of Ayed al-Kabeer, Ibad and Al-Mashirfa where SDF garrisons came under enormous pressure, forcing them to call upon US air support to repel the attack.With skirmishes persisting throughout the night and early hours of Thursday, ISIS had not been able to break through the Kurdish defensive line.Thus far, 26 ISIS militants have been...

DEVELOPING – A stabbing attack on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin on Monday killed one person and wounded at least two others, emergency workers said, as school officials confirmed a suspect was in custody.

Turkish special operations police attacked a cemetery in Hakkari's Gever district and wrote “carcass” on tombstones. Turkish special operations police attacked the cemetery in Orman neighborhood in Hakkari's Gever (Yüksekova) district. After a demolition of some graves, special operations police wrote “carcass” on tombstones. According to locals, the police opened random fire around after their attack on the cemetery which is being targeted by state forces for the second time. The cemetery was also subjected to attacks by Turkish forces during the 79 day-long “curfew” in the district last year. People rebuilt the cemetery after the end of the curfew...

AFRIN- Turkish occupation army has extended its attacks on Afrin canton and is bombarding Mullah Khalil and Çeqela Jorin in Shia district.Meanwhile, the Turkish occupation army is bombarding Çeqela Jorin and Mullah Khalil villages, coinciding with this is the Turkish bombardment on Firfirk and Qerebaba villages in Rajo district which also extended to Maydan Akbis village in the same district.People Protection Units have repelled the attack and responded amid reports of deaths among the Turkish occupation army’s ranks in Shia and Rajo districts.The Turkish bombardment is ongoing.

Editor’s Note: We have received the following report from our Catholic brothers in the Archdiocese of Niterói (a municipality close to the City of Rio de Janeiro), Brazil, about a very serious incident that occurred last Ash Wednesday at São Domingos de Gusmão (Saint Dominic de Guzmán) parish church. We kindly ask you to read it and then meet our requests for Catholic action at the article’s conclusion. MJM Last Ash Wednesday everything was ready for the celebration of the Holy Mass at São Domingos de Gusmão parish church. The faithful entered the church and prepared themselves to ask God’s...

CNN)American Airlines is investigating after a video surfaced on social media showing a confrontation between a passenger and a flight attendant aboard one of its flights.

YPG reported that the Turkish army and allied gangs continue their activities and attacks on the lands of Rojava, particularly Efrîn Canton. YPG (People's Defense Units) Press Office released a statement providing detailed information about the continued attacks and activities of the Turkish army and affiliated gangs on Rojava soil. Reporting activities by Turkish UAVs over Kobanê border on April 11, YPG said Turkish-backed gangs attacked the villages of Maranez, Malikiye and Elkamiye with howitzer fire the same night. Following the bombardment, Maranez village was targeted with DShK fire. According to the statement, Turkish-backed gangs shelled the village of Beshemre...

Two men have been arrested in Marseille, southern France, on suspicion off planning an "imminent" terror attack just five days before presidential elections. The two suspects, aged 23 and 29, were arrested on Tuesday morning by intelligence agents and elite anti-terror police in Marseille's 3rd arrondissement. --SNIP-- The police source said the two men appeared to have turned to radical Islam during a term in prison. A search of a rented apartment was underway.

"Trump has escalated military operations in Iraq to a degree that has hugely increased civilian deaths in the war against Islamic State militants.... Furthermore, sending in more U.S. forces to fight alongside the opposition (which includes jihadist groups formerly affiliated with al Qaida) will plunge the U.S. deeper into a conflict against Russia. The destabilizing impact of such a move has to be fully contemplated. While the images and videos of children struggling to breathe and survive is sickening, there must be some sober consideration about the realities on the ground in Syria. The truth is hard to come by...

Exclusive interview with British Journalist Tom Duggan in Damascus at the French Hospital tells us about the chemical attacks accusations. Interview conducted by Hanin Elias   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjOSZ6QgGgY