INTERNATIONAL

Reports from Nigeria say at least two bombs have ripped through two bus stations in the northern city of Gombe. At least 29 people have been killed in the blasts, a Red Cross official told the Reuters news agency. Earlier in the day, suicide bombers killed at least 11 people in neighbouring Cameroon. At least 49 people were killed in ...

Greece has taken a crucial step towards a bailout after its parliament passed a second set of reforms. The passage of the measures means that negotiations on an €86bn European Union bailout can begin. The reforms include changes to Greek banking and an overhaul of the judiciary system. Thousands demonstrated outside of parliament as the bill was debated, with protests ...

What may be the world’s oldest fragments of the Koran have been found by the University of Birmingham. Radiocarbon dating found the manuscript to be at least 1,370 years old, making it among the earliest in existence. The pages of the Muslim holy text had remained unrecognised in the university library for almost a century. The British Library’s expert on ...

The Greek parliament is to vote later on a second set of reforms needed to secure its bailout deal. If MPs approve the financial and judicial reforms, Greece will be able to press ahead with negotiations for an €86 billion bailout from its creditors. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has been trying to rally his Syriza colleagues, saying the Greek people ...

A suspect has been identified in the suicide bomb attack that killed 32 young activists in Turkey, the country’s prime minister has said. Ahmet Davutoglu, speaking near the scene of the blast in Suruc near the Syrian border, said the suspect’s international and domestic links were being investigated. He said there was a “high probability” the Islamic State group was ...

Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza is standing for a third consecutive term in elections that have been denounced by his opponents as unconstitutional. The opposition says the president is only entitled to stand for two terms. Public anger over his bid for a third term provoked violent protests in April and a failed coup attempt in May. Polls opened at 06:00 ...

African footballers as young as 14 are being trafficked to Asia and forced to sign contracts, the BBC has learnt. Six minors are still with top Laos side Champasak United, after it imported 23 under-age players from West Africa to an unregistered football academy in February, a BBC investigation found. Fifa regulations prohibit the movement of players to a foreign ...

A bomb attack has killed at least 28 people and wounded nearly 100 others in the Turkish town of Suruc, across the border from the Syrian town of Kobane. The explosion may have been caused by a female suicide attacker, officials say. The blast targeted a group of young people who planned to travel to Kobane to assist with rebuilding. ...

At least 43 people have been killed in shelling by Yemeni Houthi rebels in the southern city of Aden, officials say. They say at least 120 others were wounded in Sunday’s bombardment, which came amid attempts by government forces to tighten their grip on the city. Aden has seen months of heavy fighting between rebels and loyalists. Pro-government forces, backed ...

Greek banks are reopening after three weeks of closures sparked by the deadlock over the country’s debt. Athens reached agreement with its international creditors last week, in a cash-for-reforms deal that helped Greece avoid exiting the eurozone. But several restrictions remain in place, and Greeks also face price rises with an increase in Value Added Tax. Meanwhile Germany has said ...