Germans rally against US-EU trade deal

Thousands have gathered to protest against TTIP on the streets of Hannover

Thousands of people have marched in the German city of Hannover against a proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) deal.

They say the deal would drive down wages, and weaken environmental protection and labour rights.

US President Barack Obama - who is pushing hard for the agreement - says it would create millions of jobs and increase trade by lowering tariffs.

On Sunday, he will visit the northern city to open a huge trade fair.

'Trojan horse'

Protesters are angry over the secrecy of the ongoing TTIP negotiations

German police estimate that more than 30,000 took part in the peaceful protest rally in Hannover.

Many carried placards with slogans that read: "Stop TTIP!"

The demonstrators have also been voicing their anger over the secrecy surrounding the ongoing TTIP negotiations.

"The TTIP between the American continent and Europe is very dangerous for the democracy, for our nature and for the rights of the workers," protester Florian Rohrich told the BBC.

"The rights in America for workers are much lower. It's like the Trojan horse. They can't change our whole system. But they will - because TTIP is written by the groups, by the companies, not by the politicians," he added.

The negotiations were launched three years ago, and the next round is due to open on Monday in New York.

Defending the TTIP, President Obama has said that the agreement would mean "new growth and jobs on both sides of the Atlantic".

The TTIP aims to cut tariffs and regulatory barriers to trade between the US and EU countries, making it easier for companies on both sides of the Atlantic to access each other's markets.

Industries it would affect include pharmaceuticals, cars, energy, finance, chemicals, clothing and food and drink.

What is TTIP for?

The aim is to boost the economies of the EU and the US by removing or reducing barriers to trade and foreign investment.

How would TTIP work?

By eliminating almost all tariffs (taxes applied only to imported goods) on trade between the US and the EU.

Why is TTIP controversial?

Much of the concern is about the regulatory aspect: that it would lead to lower standards of consumer and environmental protection and safety at work.

North Korea 'fires submarine missile'

April 23, 2016 16:41

It comes ahead of a party congress meant to cement leader Kim Jong-un's (right) grip on power

North Korea appears to have fired a ballistic missile from a submarine off its eastern coast, South Korea says.

It is not clear whether the test was authentic, and if it was, whether it will be considered a success by the North.

A successful test would be significant because submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) are hard to detect.

It comes as North Korea gears up for a rare and significant party congress next month.

North Korea is banned from nuclear tests and activities that use ballistic missile technology under UN sanctions dating back to 2006.

'Fabricated'

"North Korea launched a projectile which was believed to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile around 6:30 pm (0930 GMT) in the East Sea (Sea of Japan) near the north-eastern port of Sinpo," a South Korea defence ministry spokesman said.

"We are keeping close tabs on the North Korean military and maintaining a full defence posture," he said.

North Korea has yet to report the test in its own official media. The secretive state has claimed to have carried out similar tests before but some doubt those claims.

• Can South Korea defend itself?

• Dealing with the North: Carrots or sticks?

• How advanced is North Korea's nuclear programme?

• How potent are the threats?

The US says photographs supposedly showing one launch in December were manipulated and others think the North has fired missiles from submerged platforms, but not submarines.

Regarding this latest test, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile travelled about 30km (19 miles), whereas a typical SLBM can travel at least 300km (186 miles).

North Korea has so far conducted four nuclear tests - the first one in October 2006 and the latest in January this year.

The UN Security Council responded to the latter by imposing its strongest sanctions to date over the North's nuclear weapons programme.

Last month North Korea said it had developed nuclear warheads small enough to fit on ballistic missiles, although experts cast doubt on the claims.

Analysts believe the North may be gearing up for a fifth test as a show of strength ahead of the North Korean Workers' Party Congress, the first since 1980.

Bangladesh professor hacked to death

Professor Siddique taught English at the local university

A university professor has been hacked to death in Bangladesh, in an attack police say is similar to killings of secular bloggers and atheists by suspected Islamist extremists.

AFM Rezaul Karim Siddique, 58, was a professor of English at Rajshahi University in the country's north-west.

He was attacked with machetes as he left home to go to work.

So-called Islamic State militants say they killed him for "calling to atheism" in Bangladesh.

The claim was made by IS-linked Amaq Agency, cited by US-based SITE Intelligence Group which monitors jihadist groups.

However, Siddique's colleagues earlier said that he had not written anything controversial and was not an atheist, unlike previous victims.

Police believe that he may have been targeted by suspected Islamist extremists because he was involved in cultural activities.

Hardline Islamist groups dislike anyone involved in the cultural field.

Last year, four prominent secular bloggers were killed with machetes.

Who is behind the Bangladesh killings?

Attacks send shockwaves through Bangladesh

The threat of small-scale terror attacks

Siddique had founded a music school and edited a literary magazine, his family said.

Deputy police commissioner Nahidul Islam told AFP news agency that the music school was in Bagmara, a former bastion of outlawed Islamist group Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

His family say they cannot understand his murder

Members of JMB were arrested over an assault on an Italian Catholic priest late last year.

Siddique's wife, Hosne Ara, said she had no idea why anyone would want to kill her husband.

"As far as I know, my husband didn't have any personal enmity with anyone. I can't believe that he has been murdered," she said.

Hundreds of students at Rajshahi University are reported to have protested on campus against their teacher's death and demanded the immediate arrest of the perpetrators.

Siddique is the fourth professor at the university to be have been killed in the past 12 years. It is not clear why they have been targeted and no culprits have been punished.

Earlier this month, a Bangladeshi law student who had expressed secular views online died when he was hacked with machetes and then shot in Dhaka.

The four bloggers killed last year had all appeared on a list of 84 "atheist bloggers" drawn up by Islamic groups in 2013 and widely circulated.

There have also been attacks on members of religious minorities including Shia, Sufi and Ahmadi Muslims, Christians and Hindus.

Several men are under arrest for last year's killings, including some attached to a hardline group called the Ansarullah Bangla Team.

Muslim-majority Bangladesh is officially secular but critics say the government has failed to properly address the attacks.

Last week, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued a stern warning to anyone who criticised religion: "I don't consider such writings as freethinking but filthy words. Why would anyone write such words? It's not at all acceptable if anyone writes against our prophet or other religions."

EU-Turkey migrant deal is 'working'

Mr Tusk said "no-one has the right to lecture Turkey on what they should do"

Last month's EU-Turkey deal on tackling the migrant flow has begun to produce results, a top EU official has said.

"We have seen a sharp reduction of the illegal migration flows," European Council President Donald Tusk said.

In Turkey, he praised Ankara as "the best example in the world on how to treat refugees", despite criticism by rights groups of the agreement.

Turkish PM Ahmed Davutoglu reiterated the EU should now implement visa-free travel for Turks as part of the deal.

Mr Davutoglu said his country had fulfilled its part of the agreement and "the issue of the visa waiver is vital for Turkey".

Earlier on Saturday, Mr Tusk - along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel - visited a migrant camp on the Turkish-Syrian border.

The goal of the March deal is to deter migrants, mainly Syrians and Iraqis, from making illegal crossings - mainly by sea - between Turkey and Greece, an EU member.

The UN refugee agency and other rights organisations have voiced concerns about the agreement under which such illegal migrants are transported to centres in Turkey.

At a joint news conference in the southern city of Gaziantep, Mr Tusk said: "Our return operations are working in tandem with resettlements of Syrian nationals from Turkey to EU member states, demonstrating the desired shift from illegal to legal migration."

"No-one has a right to lecture Turkey on what it should be doing," he added.

Migrants wait at the Nizip camp for the delegation's arrival

Mr Davutoglu said "the decrease (in numbers) is evidence that the mechanism that we have set up works".

"Not a single Syrian refugee has been returned from Turkey unless it is of their free will," the Turkish prime minister said.

Meanwhile, Ms Merkel called for the establishment of special security zones on the Syrian side of the border, where refugees could find shelter.

"The more secure people can feel the less likely it is that they'll have to leave their homeland. So this is why we attach great importance to that," she said.

The Western dignitaries were given flowers as they were about to go into Nizip camp

Armed troops travelled on top of Mrs Merkel's bus from Gaziantep airport to the camp

During the visit to the Nizip migrant camp, the EU officials met children and inspected living conditions. The camp is home to some 5,000 people.

Human rights groups criticised the visit as "sanitised".

Under the agreement, migrants who have arrived illegally in Greece since 20 March are expected to be sent back to Turkey if they do not apply for asylum or if their claim is rejected.

Opponents question its legality and argue that Turkey is not a safe place to return people to.

Satire row

Saturday's visit to the Nizip camp reflects an anxiety to see improvements in living conditions there.

Not everyone is convinced

It has been over a month now since the migrant deal between the EU and Turkey was struck, but not everyone is convinced that it is working smoothly.

Although the number of migrants reaching Greece from Turkey has dropped by around 80%, few of staff promised by the EU to help enforce the deal have arrived, and many EU nations are dragging their feet to accept more migrants.

Angela Merkel said the aim of the visit was to see the living conditions of migrants in Turkey.

But more will be on the table, such as the promise of visa-free travel for Turkish citizens willing to go to Europe, which seems to be one of the most contentious issues.

However, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the EU officials had chosen to visit a "sanitised refugee camp".

Judith Sunderland, HRW acting deputy director for Europe and Central Asia, said the delegation should instead visit camps for the displaced on the other side of the border "to see the tens of thousands of war-weary Syrian refugees blocked" by Turkey from entering.

Security has been stepped up for the visit. Overnight, six foreigners suspected of links to so-called Islamic State were arrested in the central city of Konya.

Officials there said those arrested "wanted to attack dignitaries of the state and strategic targets".

Deal's first month

Under the EU-Turkey deal, for each Syrian migrant returned to Turkey, the EU is due to take in another Syrian who has made a legitimate request.

Human Rights Watch said the visit to the Nizip camp was "sanitised"

The scheme has reduced sharply the number of arrivals, from more than 56,000 in February to around 7,800 over the past 30 days, according to the European Commission.

However, the International Organization of Migration said unofficial data for arrivals in Greece in recent days suggested the numbers were picking up again.

And the promised relocation of migrants to EU countries seems to be slow as nations are reluctant to take in more migrants - 103 Syrians have been resettled from Turkey to Europe, the commission said.

Rights organisations have attacked the scheme, with Amnesty International saying that Turkey has illegally returned Syrians to their country, a charge Ankara denies.

The EU has pledged up to $6.8bn (£4.5bn) in aid to Turkey over the next four years and the main focus of this latest visit is on how to begin spending that.

Ankara, however, expects more, and has warned the EU deal may collapse if travel restrictions for its citizens are not eased as agreed.

The deal says Turkey must meet 72 conditions by 4 May to earn access to the EU's visa-free Schengen area, but diplomats say only half of those points have been met so far.

Turkey already hosts some 2.7 million Syrian refugees, at a cost of over $10bn (£7bn), the government says.

Mrs Merkel's trip comes as she faces additional pressure for agreeing to the prosecution of German comedian Jan Boehmermann, who is accused of insulting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan by reading out a satirical poem.

Advocates of freedom of speech in both Turkey and Germany have called on her to send out a strong message on the issue during her visit.

A note on terminology: We use the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants.

Obama tells young to 'reject cynicism'

US President Barack Obama has urged young people to "reject pessimism and cynicism" and "know that progress is possible and problems can be solved".

Speaking in London, he said: "Take a longer, more optimistic view of history."

Earlier, the US president visited the Globe theatre and watched actors perform scenes from Hamlet.

It came a day after he said Britain would be at "the back of the queue" for US trade deals if it left the EU

His comments angered Leave campaigners. UKIP leader Nigel Farage accused him of doing Downing Street's "bidding" and "talking down Britain" and Tory Liam Fox said his views were "irrelevant".

Following his appearance at Lindley Hall in London, Mr Obama met Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Mr Corbyn said he had had an "excellent" discussion with the president on issues including the challenges facing post-industrial societies, the power of global corporations, technology, inequality, poverty, and "very briefly" the subject of Europe.

Taking questions from young people at the earlier town-hall event, Mr Obama said change took time.

"If any of you begin to work on an issue that you care deeply about, don't be disappointed if a year out things haven't been completely solved," he said.

"Don't give up and succumb to cynicism if after five years poverty has not been eradicated and prejudice is still out there somewhere and we haven't resolved all of the steps we need to take to reverse climate change."

Progress is "not inevitable" but must be fought for over the long term, he said.

Mr Obama met members of the audience after taking questions from young people

Mr Obama (far left) watched actors at the Globe perform scenes from Hamlet

Mr Obama said it was "inspiring" meeting young people, which "gives [him] new ideas".

Asked about security and attitudes to Muslims, he said keeping people safe and preventing terrorist attacks in the US and UK was "one of our biggest challenges".

The US president said there was "a tiny subset of groups that have perverted Islam", and our "greatest allies" in tackling extremism in the US were those "Muslim Americans who are historically fully integrated in our society".

He said Islamophobia was not only wrong but "as a practical matter... self-defeating behaviour if we are serious about terrorism".

Being careful with language used in relation to Muslims and respecting people's faiths were "security matters, not just feel-good, liberal political correctness", he said.

Mr Obama also praised Prime Minister David Cameron for being "ahead of the curve" on LGBT rights issues.

He said the campaign for marriage equality in the US and elsewhere had "probably been the fastest set of changes in terms of a social movement that [he'd] seen".

Compromise

Asked about his legacy as president, Mr Obama said he would not have a sense until 10 years from now.

But he added: "I'll look at a scorecard at the end... I think that I have been true to myself."

He mentioned changes he had made to the US healthcare system: "That's something I'm proud of," he said.

"And saving the world economy from a great depression, that was pretty good."

Asked about skills in dealing with political opponents and finding common ground, Mr Obama said: "If you spend time with people who just agree with you, you become even more extreme in your convictions.

"Seek out people who don't agree with you. That will teach you to compromise.

"Compromise does not mean surrendering what you believe."

Mr Corbyn told reporters he had had an "excellent" meeting with Mr Obama

After meeting Mr Corbyn, the US president played golf with David Cameron

Mr Obama's comments came on the second full day of his three-day visit to the UK, and weeks ahead of the 23 June in-out referendum.

Speaking at a joint news conference with Mr Cameron on Friday, Mr Obama said the US "wants Britain's influence to grow - including within Europe".

"The UK is at its best when it's helping to lead a strong European Union. It leverages UK power to be part of the EU.

"I don't think the EU moderates British influence in the world, it magnifies it."

Mamadou Sakho: Liverpool defender investigated over failed drugs test

Mamadou Sakho is in his third season at Liverpool

Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho is being investigated by Uefa after failing a drugs test.

Although the France international, 26, is not officially suspended, he will "not be available" for selection during the investigation, Liverpool said.
It is thought Sakho tested positive for a type of fat burner, said Dennis.
The player has until Tuesday to respond with a B sample.
Sakho, an £18m signing from Paris St-Germain in 2013, has played 34 games this season, including 10 in the Europa League.
He scored in Liverpool's 4-3 victory over Borussia Dortmund on 14 April which secured their place in the semi-finals.
Liverpool, who are seventh in the Premier League, host Newcastle at Anfield on Saturday.
Sakho's Liverpool team-mate Kolo Toure was banned for six months in 2011 while at Manchester City after testing positive for a weight-loss drug contained within "water tablets" recommended to him by his wife.
A similar ban for Sakho would rule him out of Euro 2016 in France, which starts on 10 June.

Analysis

This is a player charge rather than a charge to the club.  It doesn't mean Sakho is suspended - he would be eligible today and for Thursday's Europa League semi-final first leg against Villarreal.

"However, the owners, manager Jurgen Klopp, chief executive Ian Ayre and the player himself all felt it was in the best interests for him not to be available while the process was ongoing."

China shuts down two Apple services

China has shut down Apple's online book and movie services as it imposes strict rules governing what can be published on the net.

Regulations were unveiled in March that outlawed foreign ownership of online publishing services.

The rules also required that all content shown to Chinese people must be stored on servers based on the Chinese mainland.

Apple said it hoped access to the services would be restored soon.

Online threat

Currently, anyone in China who visits the iBooks store or tries to use iTunes Movies service is greeted with a message in Chinese saying the services were "unusable", reports Reuters. Both services have only been available in China for about six months.

The move has widely been seen as a blow to Apple which is keen to ensure its products are popular and sell well in China, because the region is the second biggest market for its products. The shutdown comes only days before Apple reports its second quarter financial results.

The services were shut down on the orders of China's media watchdog - the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television. The action is believed to be part of a wider attempt by China's government to consolidate its control over the internet and media organisations.

China has defended the restrictions saying online publishing had to be monitored to combat terrorism and foreign ideas that could prove harmful.

The strict rules are also seen as a way to foster the success of indigenous net Chinese firms such as Huawei, Alibaba and Tencent.

Barack Obama arrives for UK visit

US president Barack Obama has arrived in the UK for a three-day visit.

During his stay the president is expected to give his views on the UK's forthcoming EU referendum, and advise voters to remain in the union.

He and First Lady Michelle Obama are due to have lunch with the Queen at Windsor on Friday, and dinner with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Mr Obama will also speak at a news conference with Prime Minister David Cameron.

His UK stay is part of a tour which also includes a visit to Germany and Saudi Arabia - from where he has just left after having discussions with King Salman on issues including Iran, Syria, Yemen and the fight against so-called Islamic State militants.

'Hypocrisy'

In the UK, debate has circulated over the president's views on the forthcoming EU referendum, due to take place on 23 June.

Mr Obama's national security adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters in the US before the trip: "As the president has said, we support a strong United Kingdom in the European Union."

But last week Boris Johnson accused Mr Obama of "hypocrisy" over his support for such an outcome.

The London mayor said everything about the history of the US suggested they would never share sovereignty.

"I don't know what he is going to say but, if that is the American argument then it is nakedly hypocritical. The Americans would never dream of it," he said.

During his visit the US leader will also dine with the Queen in Kensington Palace.

Mr Obama wants the UK to remain in the EU

Mr Obama arrived at Stansted Airport and was greeted by the the Lord Lieutenant of Essex, John Petre, and the US Ambassador to the UK, Matthew Barzun.

The Obamas previously met the Queen, Prince Philip and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their state visit in 2011.

Music superstar Prince dies at 57

The hugely popular, acclaimed and influential musician Prince has died at his home in Minnesota at the age of 57.

Police were summoned to his Paisley Park estate early on Thursday and found his body in a lift. An investigation has been opened.

Prince became a global superstar in the 1980s, with albums such as 1999, Purple Rain and Sign O' the Times.

His innovative music spanned rock, funk and jazz. He sold more than 100 million records during his career.

"It is with profound sadness that I am confirming that the legendary, iconic performer, Prince Rogers Nelson, has died," his spokeswoman said.

"There are no further details as to the cause of death at this time."

In a statement, Carver County Sheriff Jim Olson said his deputies responded to a medical call at about 09:43 local time (11:43 GMT) and later found an unresponsive adult male in an elevator at Paisley Park Studios.

First responders tried to revive him with CPR but he was pronounced dead at 10:07.

Hundreds of fans have now gathered outside Paisley Park. US President Barack Obama said the world had lost a "creative icon".

'A visionary' - Madonna

Born in 1958, Prince was a prolific writer and performer from a young age - reportedly writing his first song when he was seven.

A singer, songwriter, arranger and multi-instrumentalist, Prince recorded more than 30 albums. His best known hits include Let's Go Crazy and When Doves Cry.

A musical prodigy from a broken home, Prince famously wrote, arranged, produced and played almost all of his hit records.

But the Purple man's purple patch really came with his first band The Revolution.

With them by his side, he wrote more than two dozen rock classics in a five-year flurry.

In the studio, he was unstoppable. But the magic really happened on stage. He would vamp, preen and tease an audience into a frenzy, then slay them with a quiet moment of crystalline beauty. He was a joy to watch.

Prince the magician - Sometimes It Snows In April

He also wrote music for several artists - Sinead O'Connor's version of Nothing Compares 2U became a worldwide smash in 1990.

In 1984, he won an Oscar for the score to Purple Rain, a film he also starred in.

Throughout his career he had a reputation for secrecy and eccentricity, once changing his name to an unpronounceable symbol.

In 2004, Prince was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which said he "rewrote the rulebook".

Prince released more than 30 albums in a long career

He had been touring as recently as this month

Prince is widely regarded as one of the most inventive and imaginative musicians of his era

He had a mercurial relationship with technology. In 2000, he released singles via the pioneering music-sharing service Napster, but he later declared the internet "completely over" and refused to allow his music on major streaming platforms.

Prince's latest album, HITnRUN Phase Two, was released last year and he had been touring as recently as last week.

On 15 April he was taken to hospital after his private plane made an emergency landing in Illinois. It happened just hours after he had performed on stage in Georgia. He was treated and released after a few hours.

Tributes have been pouring in from artists young and old, across the musical spectrum.

• Madonna, who dated Prince briefly, described him as a "visionary who changed the world"

• Chic guitarist Nile Rogers said there were "tears and love on our tour bus"

• Singer Justin Timberlake: "Numb. Stunned. This can't be real"

• Guitarist Slash said Prince was "one of the greatest musical talents of my lifetime. Maybe of the 20th century"

• Boy George: "Today is the worst day ever. Prince RIP I am crying!"

• "I can't believe it, I'm in total shock. So many wonderful memories," wrote Lionel Richie

• Musician and actor Wyclef Jean: "RIP to the King Prince thank u for inspiring me to be a Musician First and using this tool to heal people"

• Mick Jagger said Prince's talent was "limitless", calling him a "revolutionary artist, a great musician, a wonderful lyricist"

"It's such a blow. It's really surreal. It's just kind of unbelievable," Aretha Franklin told MSNBC. "He was definitely an original and a one of a kind. Truly there was only one Prince."

Turkey 'coup' convictions overturned

Turkey's highest appeals court has overturned the convictions of 275 people, including senior military officers, accused of plotting a coup.

The appeals court ruled that the convictions were unsafe because the existence of a clandestine network called Ergenekon was unproven.

The officers, journalists, lawyers and academics were found guilty in 2013 of plotting the overthrow of then-prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The new ruling may lead to a retrial.

The Ergenekon case was one of the biggest in recent Turkish history, pitting Mr Erdogan's supporters in the Islamist-rooted AK Party against the secularist military establishment.

The trials took place amid high security at Silivri, outside Istanbul, and police repeatedly used tear gas and water cannon to keep protesters at a distance.

The highest-ranking defendant was ex-military chief Ilker Basbug, who was given a life sentence. Sixteen other life sentences were also handed down, with long jail terms for others.

Pressure on military

The appeals court found several other flaws in the original proceedings, including illegal surveillance and searches.

Mr Basbug walked free in March 2014, after Turkey's constitutional court overturned his sentence, citing a legal technicality. He was in charge of the Turkish military from 2008 to 2010.

Two years ago a court ordered the release of ex-army chief Ilker Basbug from jail

The Ergenekon network was accused of plotting a coup against Mr Erdogan - now Turkey's president - in 2003-2004.

The trials were based on suspicions of a shadowy "deep state" conspiring to cause social unrest which would then provoke a military coup.

Mr Erdogan's critics saw the investigation as an attempt to curb the influence of the powerful military, which for decades saw itself as the final arbiter in Turkish politics. Since coming to power in 2002, Mr Erdogan has asserted civilian supremacy over the military.

Between 1960 and 1997, the armed forces removed four civilian governments. The Welfare Party ousted in 1997 was a predecessor of Mr Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Hundreds of military officers were arrested in a five-year investigation before the Ergenekon verdict. Some of them were prosecuted in a separate case called "Sledgehammer".

Largest Syria aid convoy reaches Rastan

The largest aid convoy so far in Syria has reached a besieged rebel-held town in the centre of the country.

Sixty-five lorries are delivering food and medicine to about 120,000 civilians in and around Rastan, in Homs province.

The International Committee of the Red Cross and Syrian Red Crescent convoy is the first to reach Rastan since 2012.

A key aim of the fragile cessation of hostilities that has been in place for nearly two months was to allow aid to be delivered more widely across Syria.

On Wednesday, hundreds of sick and wounded people were evacuated from four besieged rebel- and government-held towns as part of a deal overseen by the Syrian Red Crescent.

However, such aid operations have been jeopardised by escalating fighting in the country's north-west, particularly around the divided city of Aleppo.

Fear of return to 'total conflict'

ICRC spokesman Pawel Krzysiek said the convoy to Rastan was carrying food parcels, wheat flour and other nutritional items, as well as medicines and equipment to improve the water supply.

UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said there had been "modest" progress on the delivery of aid

"We are hoping that this is one of many humanitarian convoys still to come, not only to Rastan but to other besieged places in Syria," he said in a video posted on Twitter as the convoy arrived.

Mr Krzysiek said ICRC and Red Crescent teams planned to assess the water and waste infrastructure in Rastan, as well as the nutritional and other needs of its population, which has doubled because of an influx of people fleeing fighting.

As the convoy arrived, UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura told reporters in Geneva that there had been "modest but real progress" on the delivery of humanitarian aid to the almost 500,000 people living in besieged areas, but "not enough for us to feel comfortable at all".

Rastan, about 20km (12 miles) north of the city of Homs, has reportedly been the target of government air strikes in recent days, as the cessation of hostilities brokered by the US and Russia appeared on the verge of collapse.

The main opposition umbrella group on Tuesday suspended its participation in UN-led peace talks in Geneva in protest at what it said were repeated government violations of the truce, which took effect on 27 February.

Over the past two weeks, the government has accused rebel groups of taking part in assaults around Aleppo carried out by jihadist groups excluded from the cessation of hostilities, while the rebels say they are defending themselves from attacks.

Escalating fighting in the north-west has left the cessation of hostilities on the verge of collapse

Russia, which launched an air campaign to bolster its ally President Bashar al-Assad in September, warned on Thursday that the opposition's decision to pull out of the Geneva talks could lead to "a return of total armed conflict".

"We have a situation where terrorists are desperately trying to disrupt the political process,'' Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

The US, which backs the opposition to Mr Assad, meanwhile expressed concern about reports that Russia was moving military personnel and equipment back into Syria, five weeks after announcing that most of its forces would be withdrawn.

"We believe that our efforts are best focused on supporting the diplomatic process," US Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters in Riyadh.

He urged Russia to use its influence to ensure the government abided by the truce.

Canada to push for legal marijuana

The Canadian government will introduce legislation next year that would make the sale of marijuana legal, its health minister has said.

If enacted, the move would make Canada one of the largest Western countries to allow widespread use of the drug.

Health Minister Jane Philpott pledged on Wednesday to keep marijuana "out of the hands of children and profits out of the hands of criminals".

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pushed for legalisation during his campaign.

The announcement coincided with 20 April - an unofficial holiday among cannabis advocates. Hundreds of marijuana users demonstrated outside Parliament in Ottawa on Wednesday.

Medical use of marijuana is already legal in Canada. Some have argued that legal marijuana would reduce stress on Canada's criminal justice system.

"We will work with law enforcement partners to encourage appropriate and proportionate criminal justice measures," Ms Philpott said. "We know it is impossible to arrest our way out of this problem."

The Canadian Parliament is expected to take up the legislation in the spring of 2017

However, Gerard Deltell, a legislator from Canada's opposition Conservatives, opposes the change, saying it would harm Canadians' health.

"That's one of the worst things you can do to Canadian youth - to open the door to marijuana," he told Reuters news agency.

Mr Trudeau has named Bill Blair, a former Toronto police chief, as the government's point person on legalisation.

"We control who it's sold to, when it's sold and how it's used," Mr Blair said likening marijuana to how alcohol is regulated. "And organised crime doesn't have the opportunity to profit from it."

He stressed that marijuana would remain illegal in Canada while legislation is being discussed.

Ms Philpott said the exact details of the legislation are still being worked out.

In the US, voters in four states plus the District of Columbia have already legalised the recreational use of the drug in ballot initiatives.

In other parts of the US, however, the drug remains illegal.