Two Syrian cities have been hit by a wave of bombings which the Islamic State group says it carried out. State media reported that more than 80 people died in blasts in a suburb of Damascus. Activists say about 60 others were killed in Homs. More details from Jim Muir. IS's not really a party to any ceasefire thing and it's not as though it would be trying to improve its position on the ground as it were in advance of peace talks. But it has a strong interest conversely in disrupting peace moves and it could well be that motivates the series of really deadly and grisly bombing attacks both provocative in sectarian terms carried out in one case near the main Shiite in Damascus and in an Alawi dominated area of Homs.
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson has announced that he will campaign for Britain to leave the European Union. Mr. Johnson said the EU was gradually eroding the country’s sovereignty. His decision is a blow to the Prime Minister David Cameron who has been urging members of his Conservative Party to back continued membership ahead of a referendum in June. With more on Boris Johnson's announcement, here's Alex Forsyth. Amid a scrum of newspaper journalists and TV cameras, he confirmed he would campaign for the UK to leave the European Union. He texted David Cameron his decision some ten minutes earlier, but had told Downing Street a day before that he was likely to back the leave campaign. He said after decades of personal frustration and what he described as the undemocratic nature of the EU, this was his chance to do something about it.
The Hungarian authorities have strengthened security along with countries border with Serbia to try to prevent a new influx of migrants. Police and troops are patrolling the 4-meter high razor-wire fence. Earlier Hungarian officials revealed that more than 1200 people had breached the barrier so far this month.
Votes are being counted in Bolivia in a referendum on whether to allow President Evo Morales to seek for a fourth term in office. If the proposal to amend the constitution is approved, Mr. Morales could potentially remain in power until 2025. Our Americas Editor Leonardo Rocha reports. When Evo Morales came into power in 2006, many expected the introduction of frantic socialist measures in the event of collapse of the economy. But Bolivia has grown more than its neighbors and the social policies of President Morales have drastically reduced poverty in one of South America's poorest nations. That explains the president's popularity. But there is a growing feeling even among some of his supporters that allowing him to serve 19 consecutive years could damage Bolivia's democracy.
A siege at a government building in Indian-administered Kashmir is continuing into a third day. Indian security forces are engaged in a standoff with militants who occupied a training institute after attacking a military convoy. At least six people have died during abortive attempts to storm the building including a civilian hit in crossfire. World news from the BBC.
An Egyptian center that helps victims of torture and documents human rights abuses says it will continue to work despite plans by the authorities to close it on Monday. The Nadeem Center has filed an urgent court application to try to prevent the shutdown. One of the founders said the decision to close it was political. Campaigners accused Egyptian police of regularly torturing people in secret detention centers. The authorities denied the allegations.
It has emerged that a man arrested in the US state of Michigan following a series of shootings which left six people dead was a driver for the taxi service Uber. Prosecutors say they are investigating reports that the suspect Jason Brian Dalton picked up passengers between the attacks. Shootings took place in various locations over the course of four hours. The local police chief said the attacks appeared to have been senseless, random acts of violence.
A memorial service is being held in New Zealand to mark the fifth anniversary of a devastating earthquake that struck the city of Christ Church five years ago. 185 people died in the country's worst natural disaster in more than 80 years. Phil Mercer reports. Almost 2/3 of those killed in the Christ Church earthquake were inside the Canterbury television building. It housed a language school and the victims were of many different nationalities. Grieved families from Japan have flown to New Zealand for the fifth anniversary of the disaster. A public memorial has been held as the nation remembers the day the earth shook so violently that the center of Christ Church was left in ruins along with thousands of homes.
The government in Fiji has called on private sector companies to help provide transport and relief supplies for victims of the most severe cyclone to hit the country in living memory. At least six people have died. Outlying islands where aerial survey show whole villages were flattened have yet to be reached. Fiji's government has declared a 30-day state of emergency, and that's the latest BBC news.