Suspect in Paris attacks charged over shoot-out

BRUSSELS • A key suspect in the Paris attacks, Salah Abdeslam, has been charged with attempted murder over a deadly shoot-out last month with police in Brussels, his lawyer said.

An Algerian Islamist suspect was killed and four police officers wounded in the shoot-out, which led to Abdeslam's arrest three days later. Abdeslam, 26, is due to be extradited to France soon over the Paris attacks last November.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Hamas member behind Jerusalem bombing

JERUSALEM • The Islamist movement Hamas yesterday praised a young Palestinian who it says was a member who carried out a Jerusalem bus bombing earlier this week that wounded 20 people.

The 19-year-old died on Wednesday, two days after an explosive device blew up on a bus in southern Jerusalem and sparked a fire.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

US school district buys semi-automatic rifles

LOS ANGELES • A school district in the US state of Colorado will arm its security staff with semi-automatic rifles to protect teachers and students, an education official said.

Douglas County, on the outskirts of Denver, is spending over US$12,000 (S$16,000) on 10 semi-automatic weapons.

The district covers 86 schools and about 67,000 students.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE