The EU has formally charged Google with abusing its search market position in Europe, leaving it open to a fine of more than $6bn (£4bn).
The European Commission has been examining whether Google, which holds about 90% of the search market in Europe, has been illegally rigging its search results to favour its own services.
Tech rivals such as Microsoft, who urged the EU to bring the case, want more competition in areas like online maps, search and shopping.
EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said Google has given "an unfair advantage to its own comparison shopping service".
Google could face a fine of up to $6bn (£4bn)
Rivals object to the firm placing adverts for its Google Shopping service ahead of other links in relevant searches.
The EU has issued a statement of objections which Google has 10 weeks to respond to before action can be taken.
Ms Vestager said that a separate antitrust investigation has been ordered into Google's mobile operating system Android.
She said: "In the case of Google I am concerned that the company has given an unfair advantage to its own comparison shopping service, in breach of EU antitrust rules.
"Google now has the opportunity to convince the Commission to the contrary. However, if the investigation confirmed our concerns, Google would have to face the legal consequences and change the way it does business in Europe."
An internal Google memo informed staff that the company believes it has a "strong case". In a blog post the tech giant used a series of graphs to show that competition continues to thrive.
The company has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. It could face an eventual fine of up to 10% of its worldwide turnover, which reached $66bn (£44.7bn) in 2014.
The filing of charges may increase pressure on Google to settle, to avoid a potentially damaging case and massive fine resulting from the allegations.
The gravestone of Hillary Clinton's father has been found toppled over at a Pennsylvania cemetery in what police believe is likely to be an act of vandalism.
Hugh Rodham's gravestone is at Washburn Street Cemetery in Scranton.
The stone was reported tipped over on Tuesday, two days after Mrs Clinton announced she was running for president.
Police Chief Carl Graziano told The Times-Tribune that it is unclear how the stone fell but he suspected vandals were responsible.
"I'm not sure how else it would have fallen over," he was quoted as saying.
Video:Clinton Wants To Be 'Champion'
According to the caretaker, the stone was intact on Friday.
There has been no public comment from Mrs Clinton, who had her first campaign event in Iowa on Tuesday.
Mr Rodham grew up in Scranton, a city about 120 miles north of Philadelphia.
He owned a small textiles business in Chicago, and died in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1993 at age 82.
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
The biker gang's website refers to the Red Army battle cry "To Berlin"
A Russian biker gang loyal to President Vladimir Putin is planning to ride through Europe to mark the end of the Second World War, triggering anger in Poland.
Plans by the ultra-nationalistic Night Wolves motorcycle club to retrace the westward route taken by Soviet troops to Berlin have been branded a "provocation" by Warsaw.
The rally comes amid heightened tensions between Russia and the West over the crisis in Ukraine, which have fuelled fears of Moscow's wider territorial ambitions.
The Night Wolves are close allies of the Russian leader Vladimir Putin
The two-week, 3,728 mile ride will pass through Belarus, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria and finish in the German capital on 9 May.
The biker gang's website states "To Berlin" - a reference to the Red Army's famous battle cry.
1/35
Gallery: Vladimir Putin: Moscow's Action Man
In deeping with his image as a manage of action, Russia's PM Vladimir Putin makes an archaelogical 'find' on a dive in the Black Sea
Russian PM Vladimir Putin scales a climbing wall during his visit to a pro-Kremlin summer camp
]]>
Mr Putin proved himself a natural climber...
]]>
...but he had less success bending a pan
]]>
Mr Putin (c) refereed an arm wrestling during his visit...
]]>
The planned ride has angered many in Poland, which is a staunch ally of Ukraine's pro-Western government and where bitter memories endure of the Soviet's wartime occupation.
The country's Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz said she considered it a "provocation".
But the bikers insist their trip is not politically motivated.
Rally organiser Andrei Bobrovsky said: "This is a memorial rally.
"The main goal is to pay respects to those killed on WWII battlefields in the struggle against Hitler's Nazis - soldiers and innocent civilians.
"Another goal is to develop and strengthen good neighbourly ties."
During their journey the bikers will visit war memorials, Auschwitz and Dachau death camps and Berlin's Treptower Park famous for its Soviet war memorial.
Mr Bobrovsky said many bikers from other European countries wanted to join the rally, which is due to start on 25 April, including Germans.
But a Polish Facebook page, called "No to the passage of Russian bandits through Poland", calls on the authorities to ban the Russian riders from the EU.
Jarek Podworski, a biker from Lublin in Poland who helped set up the Facebook page, said that it was "unimaginable" for bikers who have supported pro-Moscow separatists in eastern Ukraine to ride through the EU.
"We know very well what they are doing in Ukraine," Mr Podworski said.
"Brandishing Russian flags, they want to trace the footsteps of the Red Army which in reality did not bring freedom to Poland."
"The Russians are testing the limits of their expansion. If they pass, there is a risk that in three years they will come for good."
He called on Poles to disrupt the rally by blocking the roads.
The Polish government said it is monitoring "the problem".
The Night Wolves, who are sometimes seen as Russia's answer to the Hell's Angels in the US, are close allies of Mr Putin.
The Russian leader has been pictured on a number of occasions astride a Harley-Davidson trike at events held by the gang.
Recommended by Outbrain Recommended by Outbrain
Top Stories
Police Divers Join Search For Missing Student
Poker Player's Honeytrap Killing: Three Guilty
Protester Attacks Draghi At News Conference
Lib Dems: We'll Protect No 10 From 'Extremes'
Nigel Farage: 'We Want Our Country Back'
Pro-Putin Biker Gang Spark Anger Over Ride
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
The biker gang's website refers to the Red Army battle cry "To Berlin"
A Russian biker gang loyal to President Vladimir Putin is planning to ride through Europe to mark the end of the Second World War, triggering anger in Poland.
Plans by the ultra-nationalistic Night Wolves motorcycle club to retrace the westward route taken by Soviet troops to Berlin have been branded a "provocation" by Warsaw.
The rally comes amid heightened tensions between Russia and the West over the crisis in Ukraine, which have fuelled fears of Moscow's wider territorial ambitions.
The Night Wolves are close allies of the Russian leader Vladimir Putin
The two-week, 3,728 mile ride will pass through Belarus, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria and finish in the German capital on 9 May.
The biker gang's website states "To Berlin" - a reference to the Red Army's famous battle cry.
1/35
Gallery: Vladimir Putin: Moscow's Action Man
In deeping with his image as a manage of action, Russia's PM Vladimir Putin makes an archaelogical 'find' on a dive in the Black Sea
Russian PM Vladimir Putin scales a climbing wall during his visit to a pro-Kremlin summer camp
]]>
Mr Putin proved himself a natural climber...
]]>
...but he had less success bending a pan
]]>
Mr Putin (c) refereed an arm wrestling during his visit...
]]>
The planned ride has angered many in Poland, which is a staunch ally of Ukraine's pro-Western government and where bitter memories endure of the Soviet's wartime occupation.
The country's Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz said she considered it a "provocation".
But the bikers insist their trip is not politically motivated.
Rally organiser Andrei Bobrovsky said: "This is a memorial rally.
"The main goal is to pay respects to those killed on WWII battlefields in the struggle against Hitler's Nazis - soldiers and innocent civilians.
"Another goal is to develop and strengthen good neighbourly ties."
During their journey the bikers will visit war memorials, Auschwitz and Dachau death camps and Berlin's Treptower Park famous for its Soviet war memorial.
Mr Bobrovsky said many bikers from other European countries wanted to join the rally, which is due to start on 25 April, including Germans.
But a Polish Facebook page, called "No to the passage of Russian bandits through Poland", calls on the authorities to ban the Russian riders from the EU.
Jarek Podworski, a biker from Lublin in Poland who helped set up the Facebook page, said that it was "unimaginable" for bikers who have supported pro-Moscow separatists in eastern Ukraine to ride through the EU.
"We know very well what they are doing in Ukraine," Mr Podworski said.
"Brandishing Russian flags, they want to trace the footsteps of the Red Army which in reality did not bring freedom to Poland."
"The Russians are testing the limits of their expansion. If they pass, there is a risk that in three years they will come for good."
He called on Poles to disrupt the rally by blocking the roads.
The Polish government said it is monitoring "the problem".
The Night Wolves, who are sometimes seen as Russia's answer to the Hell's Angels in the US, are close allies of Mr Putin.
The Russian leader has been pictured on a number of occasions astride a Harley-Davidson trike at events held by the gang.
Islamic State has captured three villages near the Iraqi provincial capital of Ramadi and is feared to be closing in on the city.
The militant group took the villages of Sjariyah, Albu-Ghanim and Soufiya, in Anbar province, which had been under government control, residents said.
It represents a setback for government forces, which two weeks ago were able to regain control of Tikrit.
Residents of the villages told the AP news agency fighting was taking place on the eastern edges of Ramadi, about 2km away from a local government building.
In Soufiya, the militants bombed a police station and took over a power plant.
The residents said Iraqi troops battling the militants were being backed up by airstrikes.
A map showing the cities in Iraq affected by Islamic State
At around midday on Wednesday, militants opened another front with government troops at three other villages, to the northeast of Ramadi.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al Abadi is currently in Washington, where he has met President Barack Obama and appealed for greater support from the US-led coalition carrying out airstrikes against the militants.
Video:Bomber's Car Blows Up In Mid-Air
At least 43 people have been killed in a spate of militant attacks in the last few days.
Iraqi state TV said troops have started a large-scale operation to recapture areas beyond Tikrit.
Islamic State swept through key areas in the north and west of Iraq last year seizing about a third of the country including Mosul.
Video:Ancient City Destroyed By Militants
The group has also previously captured large areas in neighbouring Syria and threatened the Kurdistani city of Irbil.
After its forces were ejected from Tikrit, Iraqi forensic teams exhumed the remains of up to 1,700 soldiers killed as militants overran the city.
The president of the European Central Bank has been interrupted at a news conference by a protester shouting "end ECB dictatorship".
Mario Draghi was outlining the bank's latest monetary policy thinking when a lone woman jumped onto the desk above Mr Draghi and showered him with items including what looked like confetti and sheets of paper.
The bank suspended the video feed of the news conference as security officials grabbed her but she flashed a V for victory sign and smiled as two men in grey suits took her away holding her arms and legs.
Mr Draghi, who had held up his hands as protection, looked shocked but was apparently unhurt and continued his presentation shortly afterwards.
It is not yet known who the woman was or what lay behind her protest but early speculation could focus on the renewed financial troubles in Greece, which is yet to secure additional bailout funds from its creditors, including the ECB.
1/6
Gallery: Protester Disrupts ECB Conference
A protester jumps on the table in front of the European Central Bank President Mario Draghi during a news conference in Frankfurt, Continue through for more images
Written By Unknown on Selasa, 14 April 2015 | 22.57
Evidence from rescue workers "strongly suggests" Syrian government forces used toxic chemicals during barrel bomb attacks in Idlib, according to Human Rights Watch.
The New York-based group says eyewitnesses reported multiple attacks between 16 March and 31 March in the north west of the country.
Six civilians, including three children, died in one of the attacks, according to HRW. At least 206 people were affected in total.
The group investigated six attacks in which Syrian government helicopters dropped barrel bombs containing gas canisters.
Eyewitness accounts, photographs and video footage from three of the attacks indicate the use of a chemical agent, possibly chlorine.
A canister found in the remnants of a barrel bomb on 24 March (Pic: HRW)
HRW is continuing to probe the other three attacks.
Nadim Houry from HRW said: "Syrian authorities appear once again to have shown complete disregard for human suffering by violating the global prohibition against chemical warfare.
Video:May 2013 - Yarmouk Refugees
"The UN Security Council and countries that are members of the Chemical Weapons Convention need to respond strongly."
The most conclusive evidence came from an attack on 16 March in the village of Sarmin.
"The children were foaming at the mouth, they were suffocating, then their hearts stopped," said Leith Fares, a rescue worker in Sarmin.
A Syrian security official denied the claims, saying the accusations were "lies the insurgents say when they incur losses".
Video:Feb 2014 - Inside Yarmouk
The official told the AFP news agency: "If the army used chemical weapons or chlorine gas every time they say it did, those people would have been completely wiped out by now."
In March the UN Security Council adopted a resolution condemning the use of chlorine in Syria and threatening sanctions if the chemicals were used.
Syria was not forced to declare its stocks of chlorine under a 2013 agreement to dismantle its chemical arsenal as the substance is widely used for commercial and domestic purposes.
But the use of the gas for military purposes would be a breach of its undertakings under the Chemical Weapons Convention, which it signed as part of the deal.
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Video:Robot's Views Of Wrecked Reactor
A specially-designed robot has become stranded after capturing the first grainy images from inside one of the melted reactors at Japan's doomed Fukushima nuclear plant.
It withstood the deadly radioactive environment but then became stuck two-thirds of the way through its mission and had to be abandoned.
Pictures lit by a lamp on the robot showed steam wafting around the chamber and debris that looked like small rocks and metal parts.
The shape-changing robot was specially developed for the mission
The video also showed numerous white spots believed to be caused by gamma rays.
Despite the glitch, officials said the images were a success and showed it was possible to send in more sophisticated robots as they embark on a 40-year mission to make the plant safe.
1/7
Gallery: Robot's Pictures Inside Fukushima
A still image of a video taken by a small cord-controlled robot shows inside the reactor vessel of the No. 1 reactor building at Tokyo Electric Power Co's tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant
The robot was used to film inside one of the reactors that melted down at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant last week, but the robot itself lost control and become disconnected
]]>
The 60cm Hitachi robot entered the disaster zone through a pipe and then morphed into a crawler device, collecting radiation and temperature data as it crept along. Continue through for more pictures
]]>
]]>
]]>
The robot also picked up lower than expected radiation readings, according to Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), possibly paving the way for wireless devices to explore the site.
However, radiation levels inside the plant are still far too dangerous for humans.
The 60cm Hitachi robot entered the disaster zone through a pipe and then morphed into a crawler device, collecting radiation and temperature data as it crept along.
Video:What The Robot Looks Like
TEPCO spokesman Teruaki Kobayashi said its journey had been halted possibly after one of its tyres got stuck in a grating.
A different amphibious robot is set to enter the site next year for more tests.
Large volumes of cooling water continue to leak from the damaged reactors, causing contamination and hampering the cleanup process.
1/16
Gallery: Archive: Timeline Of Events
March 11. Cooling problems at the nuclear plant emerged. The government declared state of emergency
March 12. Plant owners TEPCO said pressure was rising in some of the reactors and could not be controlled
]]>
A £1.8bn ice wall extending down 1,500 metres is hoping to freeze the earth around the wrecked plant and stop contaminated water leaching into the sea.
The nuclear meltdown in March 2011 was the worst since Chernobyl and happened after a magnitude 9 earthquake hit the area and triggered a deadly tsunami.
Three reactors at the plant went into meltdown and hundreds of thousands had to be evacuated.
1/9
Gallery: Images Of A Nuclear No-Go Zone
A boat lies stranded on the ground after the powerful tsunami two years ago.
One of the Google Street View camera cars drives through the deserted Namie streets.
]]>
So far, more than 1,600 people have died from health complications brought on by the disaster.
Video:2013: Residents In Fear After Leak
Recommended by Outbrain Recommended by Outbrain
Top Stories
Breaking News: Missing Student 'Left Man's Home In Early Hours'
PM Promises 'Good Life' For 'Working People'
Right To Buy: What Is It And How Does It Work?
Breaking News: RAF Sends Jets As Russia Planes Near UK Airpsace
Greens Vow To Roll Back NHS Privatisation
Robot Reveals Inside Of Wrecked Nuclear Plant
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Video:Robot's Views Of Wrecked Reactor
A specially-designed robot has become stranded after capturing the first grainy images from inside one of the melted reactors at Japan's doomed Fukushima nuclear plant.
It withstood the deadly radioactive environment but then became stuck two-thirds of the way through its mission and had to be abandoned.
Pictures lit by a lamp on the robot showed steam wafting around the chamber and debris that looked like small rocks and metal parts.
The shape-changing robot was specially developed for the mission
The video also showed numerous white spots believed to be caused by gamma rays.
Despite the glitch, officials said the images were a success and showed it was possible to send in more sophisticated robots as they embark on a 40-year mission to make the plant safe.
1/7
Gallery: Robot's Pictures Inside Fukushima
A still image of a video taken by a small cord-controlled robot shows inside the reactor vessel of the No. 1 reactor building at Tokyo Electric Power Co's tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant
The robot was used to film inside one of the reactors that melted down at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant last week, but the robot itself lost control and become disconnected
]]>
The 60cm Hitachi robot entered the disaster zone through a pipe and then morphed into a crawler device, collecting radiation and temperature data as it crept along. Continue through for more pictures
]]>
]]>
]]>
The robot also picked up lower than expected radiation readings, according to Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), possibly paving the way for wireless devices to explore the site.
However, radiation levels inside the plant are still far too dangerous for humans.
The 60cm Hitachi robot entered the disaster zone through a pipe and then morphed into a crawler device, collecting radiation and temperature data as it crept along.
Video:What The Robot Looks Like
TEPCO spokesman Teruaki Kobayashi said its journey had been halted possibly after one of its tyres got stuck in a grating.
A different amphibious robot is set to enter the site next year for more tests.
Large volumes of cooling water continue to leak from the damaged reactors, causing contamination and hampering the cleanup process.
1/16
Gallery: Archive: Timeline Of Events
March 11. Cooling problems at the nuclear plant emerged. The government declared state of emergency
March 12. Plant owners TEPCO said pressure was rising in some of the reactors and could not be controlled
]]>
A £1.8bn ice wall extending down 1,500 metres is hoping to freeze the earth around the wrecked plant and stop contaminated water leaching into the sea.
The nuclear meltdown in March 2011 was the worst since Chernobyl and happened after a magnitude 9 earthquake hit the area and triggered a deadly tsunami.
Three reactors at the plant went into meltdown and hundreds of thousands had to be evacuated.
1/9
Gallery: Images Of A Nuclear No-Go Zone
A boat lies stranded on the ground after the powerful tsunami two years ago.
One of the Google Street View camera cars drives through the deserted Namie streets.
]]>
So far, more than 1,600 people have died from health complications brought on by the disaster.
Video:2013: Residents In Fear After Leak
Recommended by Outbrain Recommended by Outbrain
Top Stories
Breaking News: Missing Student 'Left Man's Home In Early Hours'
PM Promises 'Good Life' For 'Working People'
Right To Buy: What Is It And How Does It Work?
Breaking News: RAF Sends Jets As Russia Planes Near UK Airpsace
Russia has said legal barriers on the selling of a sophisticated missile system to Iran have been removed eight years after an original agreement between the two countries.
Russia originally agreed to sell the S-300 system to Iran in 2007 but changed its mind in 2010 after the UN imposed sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme.
The surface-to-air missile system can be used against a variety of targets including aircraft, or to shoot down other missiles.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said no legal barriers remained to supplying the S-300 after President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Monday lifting a ban on such deliveries.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday: "The S-300 is exclusively a defensive weapon, which can't serve offensive purposes and will not jeopardise the security of any country, including, of course, Israel."
Video:Obama Announces Iran Nuclear Deal
Israel condemned the deal however, with Israeli Cabinet minister Yuval Steinitz warning that it would lead to more aggression.
He said: "This is a direct result of the legitimacy that Iran obtained from the emerging nuclear deal.
"Instead of demanding Iran stop its terror activities that it spreads in the Middle East and the entire world, it is being allowed to arm itself with advanced weapons that will only increase its aggression."
US Secretary of State John Kerry raised US concerns in a phone call with Mr Lavrov on Monday night, according to the White House.
A senior Iranian official said on Tuesday it was possible Russia could deliver the missile systems to Tehran this year.
Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, was quoted as saying: "I think that they will be delivered this year."
Video:White House Hails 'Historic' Deal
Secretary of Moscow's national security council Nikolai Patrushev, meanwhile, said it would probably take Russia's arms manufacturer "a minimum of half-a-year" to make the missiles ready for delivery.
Russia's latest move follows an interim deal being struck between the Iran and the major powers on restricting Iran's ability to build nuclear weapons.
It comes even though there is another deadline on 30 June for a final deal to be reached which will allow all sanctions to be lifted.
The Kremlin's Mr Peskov said an oil-for-goods barter deal was already in place but declined to give any details.
Sources told Reuters more than a year ago that a barter deal worth up to $20 billion was being discussed with Tehran which would involve Russia buying up to 500,000 barrels of Iranian oil a day in exchange for Russian equipment and goods.
When he was asked whether the exchange had begun, Mr Peskov told reporters: "Absolutely. Of course."
At least five people were killed and 10 injured in an attack on Somalia's higher education ministry in the capital Mogadishu, police have said.
Officers said there were two blasts at the entrance to a complex of government buildings.
They said the explosions opened the way for gunmen to enter the site where they are thought to have taken some of the ministry's employees hostage.
"First two blasts occurred, a bike blast and a car blast, outside the building, then armed fighters stormed in," Major Ali Nur, a police officer, told Reuters.
Smoke could be seen rising over the compound and gunfire was heard from inside.
The building houses the Higher Education Ministry and the Petroleum and Minerals Ministry.
A map showing the location of Mogadishu
Police Colonel Hussein Ibrahim said at least five people had been killed, including an African Union and a government soldier. The other three were civilians.
But other initial estimates of the number killed varied, with some saying as many as eight dead.
About half an hour after the blast happened, police said the complex had been brought under control.
A spokesman for the armed Islamist group al Shabaab said it was responsible.
It is the latest in a series of raids in Mogadishu by the group, which wants to topple the government and impose its own strict version of Islamic law.
It also comes days after an attack by militants on a Kenya university campus in which 148 people were killed.
A man has told police a missing Glasgow student left his home in the early hours of Sunday.
Karen Buckley, 24, was seen on CCTV leaving the Sanctuary nightclub at around 1am in the city's West End with the man.
Officers tracked down the man, who told them Ms Buckley left his home in Dorchester Avenue at around 4am.
She has not been heard from since.
Detective Superintendent Jim Kerr told a news conference the man has given a full account of what happened and was not currently being regarded as a suspect but is "helping" with enquiries.
Ms Buckley pictured hours before she went missing. Pic: Facebook
The detective said a handbag believed to be Ms Buckley's had been found in nearby Dawsholm Park shortly before he spoke to reporters.
Det Supt Kerr said her parents had told police it was typical for her not to use taxis and, as a result, it was possible she may have tried to walk home.
Video:Missing Student: Handbag 'Found'
He appealed for anyone who had seen Ms Buckley - a Glasgow Caledonian University student from Cork in Ireland - to get in touch.
Her family have flown to Scotland from Ireland to help with the search.
Her mother, Marian, told the news conference: "We just want Karen home safely, we are desperate. She is our only daughter, we love her dearly.
"If anybody has any information please come forward, we would dearly appreciate it."
Ms Buckley's father, John, said: "If anybody is holding Karen, if anybody knows anything of her, please return her. Please let's have her back. We love her to bits."
Ms Buckley arrived at the club with friends at around 11.45pm on Saturday and at around 1am she told them she was going to the toilet.
But she failed to return and left her jacket at the club.
Det Supt Kerr emphasised that Ms Buckley was widely travelled and was "aware of how to take care of herself".
But her said it was "very out of character" for her not to return home.
Police also want to find out more about a grey car seen on the roads between Milngavie and Drymen, north of Glasgow, between 11am and 3pm on Monday.
A major search is under way in Glasgow, with police carrying out door-to-door inquiries and examining CCTV.
Ms Buckley is between 5ft and 5ft 2in with brown eyes and dark hair which had long black curly extensions in it.
She was last seen wearing a black jumpsuit, red high-heeled shoes and carrying a black handbag.
She speaks with an Irish accent.
Ms Buckley lives with three other students in a flat in Hill Street, Garnethill, Glasgow.
Written By Unknown on Senin, 13 April 2015 | 22.57
Mining executives have gone on trial in Turkey over the deaths of 301 miners in the country's worst industrial disaster.
But the proceedings were swiftly adjourned to allow the main eight suspects to appear in person before the specially created court in Akhisar, about 30 miles (48km) from the scene of the tragedy in Soma.
The underground fire last May, which led to the release of deadly toxic gases underground, exposed Turkey's appalling industrial safety record and led to an angry public backlash fuelled by the government's cold response to the tragedy.
An adviser to Mr Erdogan was caught on camera kicking a protester
A total of 45 people are standing trial, including the eight former top managers from the Soma Komur group that ran the mine, who are charged with murder.
The judge had ruled the eight being held in custody would give evidence via videolink amid security concerns.
Video:May 2014: Last Bodies Recovered
However, lawyers for the victims argued they should be brought to the court.
Following angry protests by bereaved relatives, the judge agreed to their demands and adjourned the trial until Wednesday to allow the main accused to appear in person.
Prosecutors have requested they be sentenced to 25 years in prison for every single one of the 301 victims.
Video:May 2014: Turkish Mine Protest
Other company officials have been charged with homicide by conscious negligence or reckless homicide, and also face lengthy jail terms.
A report into the disaster found a long list of faults at the mine, including a lack of carbon monoxide detectors, gas masks in poor condition and bad ventilation.
Lawyers for the families of the victims say the owners of the mine had sought over-exploitation in pursuit of profit, resulting in "working conditions worthy of slavery".
1/14
Gallery: 2014: Protests Over Mine Deaths
A protester runs away from tear gas fired by riot police during a demonstration blaming the ruling AK Party (AKP) government for the mining disaster in western Turkey.
A protester holds a sign that reads, "It is a murder not an accident".
The founder of France's far-right National Front has said he is pulling out of regional elections after a public spat with his daughter, who now leads the party.
Jean-Marie Le Pen angered his daughter Marine by repeating his claim that the gas chambers were a "detail of history" and defending France's Second World War leader and Nazi collaborator Phillipe Petain.
The party's current leader accused her father of committing "political suicide" and said she would not support his candidacy in regional elections.
Le Pen senior appeared to fall on his sword on Monday after a week in which the family feud dominated headlines in France.
As he backed down, Le Pen had warm words for his granddaughter Marion
He told Figaro magazine he would not be standing in the southeast of France for the party even though "I think I was the best candidate for the National Front".
But in stepping down, the 86-year-old appeared to take another swipe at his daughter, who has been trying to clean up the party's racist and anti-Semitic image in a bid to make it more electable.
Video:Right-Wing Earthquake Across Europe
Asked by the Figaro who should stand in his place, he anointed his granddaughter Marion Marechal-Le Pen, 25, a rising star in the party with social views considered more conservative than Marine's.
He said: "If she accepts, I think she would head a very good list (of candidates). She is certainly the best, I am not going to say after me, but she is."
The far-right veteran's most recent Twitter post - made last Friday and still visible on Monday despite his climbdown - reads: "The strength of a family, like the strength of an army, comes from the loyalty of its members."
Gunter Grass, who was widely regarded as Germany's greatest living writer, has died aged 87.
The Nobel-winning author gave voice to the generation that came of age during the horrors of the Nazi era.
Matthias Wegner, spokesman for the Steidl publishing house, confirmed that Grass died on Monday morning in a hospital in Luebeck.
Grass was best known for his first novel The Tin Drum, which was published in 1959.
It was followed by Cat And Mouse and Dog Years which made up what is called the Danzig Trilogy, named after the town of his birth, now the Polish city of Gdansk.
Combining naturalistic detail with fantastical images, the trilogy captured the German reaction to the rise of Nazism, the horrors of the war and the guilt that lingered after Adolf Hitler's defeat
Grass was outspoken about politics
He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1999, with the Swedish Academy praising him as a writer "whose frolicsome black fables portray the forgotten face of history".
Grass was a prominent political figure and supported the Social Democratic Party for decades.
He opposed the reunification of Germany in 1989-1990 and also expressed concern about the military support Germany gave to Israel against Iran.
In 2012, Grass drew sharp criticism at home and was declared persona non grata by Israel after publishing a prose poem, What Must Be Said, in which he criticised what he described as Western hypocrisy over Israel's nuclear programme and labelled the country a threat to "already fragile world peace" over its belligerent stance on Iran.
Grass' later literary works received mixed reviews at home and abroad, with many questioning whether he had lost his incisive ability to critically comment on the darker side of German history.
He received several honorary degrees, including an honorary doctorate from Harvard University in 1976.
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Around 30 cyclists crossed the tracks as the barrier came down
French state railway company SNCF has called for legal action against cyclist in the famous Paris-Roubaix race who cheated death when they ignored barriers to cross tracks.
A number of riders in the peloton rode through the level crossing - which clipped several riders as it came down - seconds before a high-speed train passed.
Some even ignored a police motorcyclist who ordered a large group of competitors to stop as the TGV train approached.
SNCF has filed an official complaint with police.
The TGV screamed past seconds after the cyclists nipped across the tracks
"Several riders deliberately crossed a level crossing, which is against all safety regulations," the company said in a statement.
"Millions of TV viewers were able to watch this unauthorised crossing which was extremely serious and irresponsible, that could have ended in tragedy.
1/17
Gallery: Bradley Wiggins' Tour In Pictures
Wiggins rounds the arc d'triomphe in Paris.
In the overall leader's yellow jersey, he heads up the Champs-Elysees.
]]>
Chris Froome, Wiggins, Richie Porte and Edvald Boasson Hagen ride together in the final stage of the Tour.
]]>
Wiggins congratulated by teammate Michael Rogers after winning.
]]>
Team Sky help to celebrate the win.
]]>
"SNCF has decided to lodge a legal complaint and will leave it up to the investigation to determine who was responsible and we regret that such foolhardiness took place."
The group of around 30 riders crossed the tracks in the Wallers region, around 87km (54 miles) from the end of the race.
Race organisers said the leading riders did not have enough time to stop and there no plans to take action against any of the cyclists.
"The peloton was 10m away when the barrier started to close. By neutralising the race for a few moments to not penalise those who stopped, we respected the spirit of the rule," Guy Dobbelaere, president of the jury of race commissioners, said.
1/10
Gallery: Rise And Rise Of Bradley Wiggins
Wiggins celebrates on the finish line after the final 20th stage of the 99th Tour de France.
Celebrating his overall victory Tour on the Champs Elysees in front of the Arc de Triomphe.
]]>
In 2006, three riders were disqualified for going through a closed railway crossing.
SNCF says it spends 30 million euros (£21.6m) a year trying to reduce accidents of level crossings.
After the latest incident the peloton regrouped, allowing riders left behind to catch up as they neared the finish of the 151-mile race.
Sir Bradley Wiggins finished 18th in his final race for Team Sky, 31 seconds behind winner John Degenkolb, from Germany.
Recommended by Outbrain Recommended by Outbrain
Top Stories
Nurse Accused Of Poisonings 'Had Devil Inside'
Bus Stop Rapist Stalked Three Other Women
Breaking News: Hunt For Gunman In US College Shooting
Conservatives Surge Ahead In New Election Poll
Polish 'Prince' Challenges Nigel Farage To Duel
Rail Firm Urges Legal Action Against Cyclists
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Around 30 cyclists crossed the tracks as the barrier came down
French state railway company SNCF has called for legal action against cyclist in the famous Paris-Roubaix race who cheated death when they ignored barriers to cross tracks.
A number of riders in the peloton rode through the level crossing - which clipped several riders as it came down - seconds before a high-speed train passed.
Some even ignored a police motorcyclist who ordered a large group of competitors to stop as the TGV train approached.
SNCF has filed an official complaint with police.
The TGV screamed past seconds after the cyclists nipped across the tracks
"Several riders deliberately crossed a level crossing, which is against all safety regulations," the company said in a statement.
"Millions of TV viewers were able to watch this unauthorised crossing which was extremely serious and irresponsible, that could have ended in tragedy.
1/17
Gallery: Bradley Wiggins' Tour In Pictures
Wiggins rounds the arc d'triomphe in Paris.
In the overall leader's yellow jersey, he heads up the Champs-Elysees.
]]>
Chris Froome, Wiggins, Richie Porte and Edvald Boasson Hagen ride together in the final stage of the Tour.
]]>
Wiggins congratulated by teammate Michael Rogers after winning.
]]>
Team Sky help to celebrate the win.
]]>
"SNCF has decided to lodge a legal complaint and will leave it up to the investigation to determine who was responsible and we regret that such foolhardiness took place."
The group of around 30 riders crossed the tracks in the Wallers region, around 87km (54 miles) from the end of the race.
Race organisers said the leading riders did not have enough time to stop and there no plans to take action against any of the cyclists.
"The peloton was 10m away when the barrier started to close. By neutralising the race for a few moments to not penalise those who stopped, we respected the spirit of the rule," Guy Dobbelaere, president of the jury of race commissioners, said.
1/10
Gallery: Rise And Rise Of Bradley Wiggins
Wiggins celebrates on the finish line after the final 20th stage of the 99th Tour de France.
Celebrating his overall victory Tour on the Champs Elysees in front of the Arc de Triomphe.
]]>
In 2006, three riders were disqualified for going through a closed railway crossing.
SNCF says it spends 30 million euros (£21.6m) a year trying to reduce accidents of level crossings.
After the latest incident the peloton regrouped, allowing riders left behind to catch up as they neared the finish of the 151-mile race.
Sir Bradley Wiggins finished 18th in his final race for Team Sky, 31 seconds behind winner John Degenkolb, from Germany.
Recommended by Outbrain Recommended by Outbrain
Top Stories
Nurse Accused Of Poisonings 'Had Devil Inside'
Bus Stop Rapist Stalked Three Other Women
Breaking News: Hunt For Gunman In US College Shooting
One person has been killed and police are hunting for a gunman following a shooting at a community college in North Carolina.
Wayne Community College in Goldsboro remained on lockdown on Monday following the campus shooting.
The school's website notified students of the lockdown
Officers responded to an active shooter call at about 8am local time.
Kim Best, spokeswoman for the city of Goldsboro, said one victim was found on campus. She provided no other details.
Students seen on the campus after the shooting
Authorities are searching the area for a white male with a goatee and a tattoo above his eye, Wayne County assistant operations manager Daniel Wiggins said.
It was not immediately clear if the suspected shooter was still on campus.
SWAT teams began sweeping the campus on Monday morning
A message posted on the school's website warned students of the potential danger.
"This is not a drill," it said. "The entire campus is under lockdown."
A nearby private school attended by children aged five through 18 was also placed on lockdown as a precaution.
Written By Unknown on Minggu, 12 April 2015 | 22.57
Turkey has criticised Pope Francis' use of the word "genocide" to describe the mass killings of Armenians during the First World War.
The foreign minister in Ankara, Mevlut Cavusoglu, called the Pontiff's allegations "baseless" and "far from the legal and historical reality".
He added that religious authorities were "not the places to incite resentment and hatred".
Turkey had earlier summoned the Vatican envoy to Ankara, Archbishop Antonino Lucibello, to request an explanation over the Pope's use of the word "genocide".
He made the comments during a mass in Saint Peter's Basilica to mark the centenary of the Ottoman Turk murders of Armenians.
Kim and Khloe Kardashian mark 100 years since the Armenian massacre
He said: "In the past century our human family has lived through three massive and unprecedented tragedies.
"The first, which is widely considered 'the first genocide of the 20th century', struck your own Armenian people."
The 78-year old head of the Roman Catholic Church had been under pressure to use the word genocide to describe the bloodshed, despite the risk of alienating an important ally in the fight against Islamist militants.
According to a Turkish official speaking to the Reuters news agency, the Vatican's ambassador has been told that the remarks have caused a "problem of trust" - and that Ankara was "deeply sorry and disappointed" by the comments.
While many historians describe the events between 1915 and 1917 as the 20th century's first genocide, Turkey strongly denies the accusation.
Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their people were slaughtered as the Ottoman Empire fell apart, and have long sought to win international recognition of the massacres as genocide.
Pope John Paul II during a remembrance ceremony in Armenia in 2001
Turkey argues that 300,000 to 500,000 Armenians and as many Turks died in the civil war when Armenians rose up against their Ottoman rulers and sided with invading Russian troops.
The Pontiff said the other two genocides of the 20th century were "perpetrated by Nazism and Stalinism".
He added: "And more recently there have been other mass killings, like those in Cambodia, Rwanda, Burundi and Bosnia. It seems that humanity is incapable of putting a halt to the shedding of innocent blood."
Armenia's President Serzh Sargsyan also celebrated the mass, which included elements of the Armenian Catholic rite.
Francis proclaimed a 10th-century Armenian monk a "Doctor of the Church" - making Saint Gregory just one of 36 saintly theologians whose writings are considered to hold key insights into the Catholic faith.
The Vatican has a long history of support for the Armenians, with John Paul II using the word genocide in a joint statement signed with the Armenian patriarch in 2000.
He said: "The Armenian genocide, which began the century, was a prologue to horrors that would follow."
But it provoked outrage in Turkey, and a year later during a trip to Armenia John Paul II avoided using the term, instead choosing the Armenian expression "Metz Yeghern" - meaning "Great Evil".
Last week, TV star Kim Kardashian, her husband Kanye West, daughter North and sister Khloe, visited Armenia to celebrate her family's roots and mark the centenary.
Kardashian, whose ancestors emigrated to the US from an area that now lies in Turkey, is reportedly making a documentary about the Armenian WW1 killings.
The ancient city of Nimrud is just the latest piece of history to be wiped from the map as Islamic State fighters continue their trail of destruction through Syria and Iraq.
The Sunni extremist group has released a video appearing to show black-clad militants smashing up artefacts before razing the 3,000-year-old Assyrian site in a mushroom cloud of dust and destroyed treasures.
Their mission is made clear with one fighter saying: "God has honoured us to remove all of these idols and statues."
IS, which holds a third of Iraq and Syria, has been destroying Christian, Jewish and Islamic shrines in its self-declared caliphate because it says they promote idolatry and violate its interpretation of Islamic law.
But with these acts of cultural cleansing, apparently in the name of religion, IS is accused of hypocrisy with authorities claiming its fighters are looting archaeological sites to fund their atrocities.
Video:IS Bombs Ancient City
:: Nimrud
Many relics from Nimrud, which was founded in the 13th century BC and was one of Iraq's most famous archaeological sites, are in foreign museums.
But a number of giant statues, depicting winged beasts with human heads, and stones friezes have now seemingly been turned into fragments by IS explosives.
The militants are believed to hold around 15% of the 12,000 registered archaeological sites in Iraq - a country dubbed the "cradle of civilisation" for its ancient historical importance.
And historians fear none of them are safe, and similar destruction may be taking place in IS-controlled areas of neighbouring Syria.
:: Hatra
A week ago, IS released another video apparently showing the bulldozing of 2,000-year old Hatra, some 70 miles southwest of Mosul, in northern Iraq.
Hatra like Nimrud, 20 miles away, is a UNESCO world heritage site, and their destruction was condemned as a "war crime" by UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.
Video:April: Artefacts Destroyed in Hatra
The footage shows jihadists apparently destroying artefacts with sledgehammers and rifles at the fortress city, dating back to the Seleucid empire, which controlled a large part of the world conquered by Alexander the Great.
:: Khorsabad
Last month, IS reportedly pillaged the ancient archaeological site of Khorsabad, some 10 miles northeast of Mosul.
Khorsabad was built as a new capital of Assyria by King Sargon II shortly after he came to power in 721 BC and abandoned after his death in 705 BC.
With an 80ft-thick wall and seven gates, it was renowned for shedding light on Assyrian art and architecture.
:: Mosul
In February, IS released a video of fighters smashing statues in Mosul's city museum.
It also shows a man in black drilling through a winged bull, an Assyrian protective deity dating back to the 7th century BC, at a nearby archaeological site.
Video:February: Mosul Artefacts Destroyed
A caption says the artefacts did not exist in the time of the Prophet Mohammed, and were put on display by "devil worshippers" - a term used by IS to describe the Yazidi minority in Iraq.
The same month, IS reportedly destroyed more Iraqi history by torching thousands of books and rare manuscripts in the Mosul Library.
UNESCO said burning the tomes, which included 18th-century manuscripts and Ottoman-era books, could be "one of the most devastating acts of destruction of library collections in human history".
Officials fear more than 112,000 manuscripts and books, some of which were registered on a UNESCO rarities list, may have been lost.
In July last year, IS apparently razed a Muslim shrine in Mosul, said to be the burial place of the prophet Jonah, who in the Bible and Koran is swallowed by a whale.
Residents said militants ordered everyone out of the Mosque of the Prophet Younis, or Jonah, then blew it up.
The leaders of the US and Cuba have held their first formal meeting in more than half a century - clearing the way for a thawing of relations that seemed unthinkable to citizens of both countries only a few years ago.
US President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro met in a small conference room in Panama, where they sat side by side.
Mr Obama said the event was "obviously a historic meeting", adding that his country was ready to "turn the page" with Cuba on the past.
He said: "It was my belief it was time to try something new, that it was important for us to engage with Cuban government. And, more importantly, with Cuban people."
He thanked Mr Castro for his "spirit of openness" but warned that significant differences still remain.
Mr Castro said he was ready to discuss issues such as human rights and press freedom, saying: "Everything can be on the table."
But he warned that the two countries may "agreed to disagree" at times, adding that both sides must be "very patient".
The meeting was held on the sideline of the Summit of the Americas, which this year included Cuba for the first time.
Mr Castro and Mr Obama shake hands during their historic meeting in Panama
It was not publicly announced in advance but White House officials had suggested the two leaders were hoping for an opportunity to meet while in Panama.
The meeting came just hours after the two shared a handshake as the summit opened.
Video:Fidel Castro 'Still Full Of Life'
Four months ago Mr Castro and Mr Obama simultaneously announced an ending of hostilities.
President Obama said starkly: "Fifty years of isolation hasn't worked."
It is expected that the US will soon agree to remove Cuba's name from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, something that would also open the door to loans and aid for the South American nation after decades of suffering under the trade embargo.
Video:Dec 17: The Cuba Deal
Fidel Castro came to power in 1959 after overthrowing the US-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista.
For half a century, the leader of the first communist country in the western hemisphere was a thorn in America's side.
In 2006, after abdominal surgery, he started the transfer of power to his brother Raul, who took the landmark step in 2014 of appearing with the US President.
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Video:IS Bombs Ancient City
Islamic State militants have continued their "cultural cleansing" of Iraq and Syria - this time blowing up the ancient city of Nimrud.
A video posted online appears to show the terror group's fighters smashing artefacts at the 3,000-year-old site near Mosul in northern Iraq.
Militants are seen with large barrels of powder in a room lined with gypsum slabs, beautifully carved with representations of Assyrian figures.
Nimrud was home to some of the world's most important treasures
The explosion sends a huge mushroom cloud into the sky and turns yet another important part of history to dust and fragments.
Fighters hack away at statues with sledgehammers and carve them up with angle grinders, claiming God had "honoured" them by "removing and destroying everything that was held to be equal to him and worshipped without him".
1/9
Gallery: Images Of The 3,000-Year-Old Assyrian Site
The 3,000-year-old site on the banks of the Tigris river was once the capital of the world's most powerful empire, the Assyrians. European archeologists first excavated the site in the 1840s
Statues, sections of palaces and gold items were unearthed at the site. Some of its best-known monuments include these winged bulls with human faces, known as lamassus
]]>
Many of its artefacts were on display in the Baghdad Museum, but disappeared during the Gulf War in the 1990s. It was presumed they had been looted
]]>
However, after the 2003 Iraq invasion by allied forces, the items were found safe. They had been locked away in a secret vault in the city, submerged in sewage water
]]>
The collection includes hundreds of gold and gem-studded jewellery items
]]>
A militant speaking at the end of the destruction says: "Whenever we are able in a piece of land to remove the signs of idolatry and spread monotheism, we will do it."
:: Islamic State's Trail Of Historical Oblivion
Nimrud was founded in the 13th century BC and contains one of the most famous archaeological sites in a country dubbed the cradle of civilisation.
It was such an important city that it was on UNESCO's tentative list of world heritage sites.
The attacks, which follow similar destruction of archaeological sites in Iraq and Syria earlier this year and in 2014, have been widely criticised.
Middle East expert Professor Fawaz Gerges, from the London School of Economics, described IS as a "social epidemic" that is "culturally cleansing" an area the size of the UK.
Video:April: Artefacts Destroyed in Hatra
He told Sky News that militants had caused "catastrophic" damage to Iraq's - and the world's - cultural heritage.
"(They have) been systematically destroying ancient relics and cultural artefacts both in Iraq and Syria," he said. "The United Nations has called what IS are trying to do 'war crimes'.
"They have a puritanical sense of an ideology that believes in cultural cleansing - not just people, but even art and culture. They want to purify the land - to establish a totalitarian ideology."
He said the jihadists are using the video as a "powerful propaganda tool" to counter set-backs on the battlefield.
"They believe that ancient relics, museums, are basically idols. Idols that basically substitute idols for God," he said.
"These particular videos are designed for the hardcore, for the ... jihadists who believe in this particular ideology ... It's part of a propaganda, part of their ideological nightmare, it's part of a puritanical, severe interpretation of Islam."
Video:February: Mosul Artefacts Destroyed
Abdulamir Hamdani, an archaeologist from Stony Brook University in New York, said of Nimrud: "It's really a very important site in the history of Mesopotamia.
"Many of Assyria's greatest artistic treasures came from this site."
Nimrud is the later Arab name given to a settlement originally called Kalhu, and was plundered by Western explorers.
It was also looted and damaged during the 2003 US invasion.
Most of Nimrud's most valuable artefacts were moved long ago to museums in Mosul, Baghdad, Paris and London.
But giant "lamassu" statues - winged bulls with human heads - and sculptures were still on site.
Recommended by Outbrain Recommended by Outbrain
Top Stories
Islamic State's Trail Of Historical Oblivion
Conservatives Promise To Cut Inheritance Tax
British Boy Killed In Alps Ski Fall 'Was Lost'
Turkey's Anger Over Pope's 'Genocide' Remarks
Breaking News: 'Syria-Bound' Briton On Way Home To UK
IS Blows Up Ancient City As 'Propaganda Tool'
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Video:IS Bombs Ancient City
Islamic State militants have continued their "cultural cleansing" of Iraq and Syria - this time blowing up the ancient city of Nimrud.
A video posted online appears to show the terror group's fighters smashing artefacts at the 3,000-year-old site near Mosul in northern Iraq.
Militants are seen with large barrels of powder in a room lined with gypsum slabs, beautifully carved with representations of Assyrian figures.
Nimrud was home to some of the world's most important treasures
The explosion sends a huge mushroom cloud into the sky and turns yet another important part of history to dust and fragments.
Fighters hack away at statues with sledgehammers and carve them up with angle grinders, claiming God had "honoured" them by "removing and destroying everything that was held to be equal to him and worshipped without him".
1/9
Gallery: Images Of The 3,000-Year-Old Assyrian Site
The 3,000-year-old site on the banks of the Tigris river was once the capital of the world's most powerful empire, the Assyrians. European archeologists first excavated the site in the 1840s
Statues, sections of palaces and gold items were unearthed at the site. Some of its best-known monuments include these winged bulls with human faces, known as lamassus
]]>
Many of its artefacts were on display in the Baghdad Museum, but disappeared during the Gulf War in the 1990s. It was presumed they had been looted
]]>
However, after the 2003 Iraq invasion by allied forces, the items were found safe. They had been locked away in a secret vault in the city, submerged in sewage water
]]>
The collection includes hundreds of gold and gem-studded jewellery items
]]>
A militant speaking at the end of the destruction says: "Whenever we are able in a piece of land to remove the signs of idolatry and spread monotheism, we will do it."
:: Islamic State's Trail Of Historical Oblivion
Nimrud was founded in the 13th century BC and contains one of the most famous archaeological sites in a country dubbed the cradle of civilisation.
It was such an important city that it was on UNESCO's tentative list of world heritage sites.
The attacks, which follow similar destruction of archaeological sites in Iraq and Syria earlier this year and in 2014, have been widely criticised.
Middle East expert Professor Fawaz Gerges, from the London School of Economics, described IS as a "social epidemic" that is "culturally cleansing" an area the size of the UK.
Video:April: Artefacts Destroyed in Hatra
He told Sky News that militants had caused "catastrophic" damage to Iraq's - and the world's - cultural heritage.
"(They have) been systematically destroying ancient relics and cultural artefacts both in Iraq and Syria," he said. "The United Nations has called what IS are trying to do 'war crimes'.
"They have a puritanical sense of an ideology that believes in cultural cleansing - not just people, but even art and culture. They want to purify the land - to establish a totalitarian ideology."
He said the jihadists are using the video as a "powerful propaganda tool" to counter set-backs on the battlefield.
"They believe that ancient relics, museums, are basically idols. Idols that basically substitute idols for God," he said.
"These particular videos are designed for the hardcore, for the ... jihadists who believe in this particular ideology ... It's part of a propaganda, part of their ideological nightmare, it's part of a puritanical, severe interpretation of Islam."
Video:February: Mosul Artefacts Destroyed
Abdulamir Hamdani, an archaeologist from Stony Brook University in New York, said of Nimrud: "It's really a very important site in the history of Mesopotamia.
"Many of Assyria's greatest artistic treasures came from this site."
Nimrud is the later Arab name given to a settlement originally called Kalhu, and was plundered by Western explorers.
It was also looted and damaged during the 2003 US invasion.
Most of Nimrud's most valuable artefacts were moved long ago to museums in Mosul, Baghdad, Paris and London.
But giant "lamassu" statues - winged bulls with human heads - and sculptures were still on site.
Recommended by Outbrain Recommended by Outbrain
Top Stories
Islamic State's Trail Of Historical Oblivion
Conservatives Promise To Cut Inheritance Tax
British Boy Killed In Alps Ski Fall 'Was Lost'
Turkey's Anger Over Pope's 'Genocide' Remarks
Breaking News: 'Syria-Bound' Briton On Way Home To UK