Teen Girls Accused Of Concert Hall Attack Plot

Two teenage girls have been charged in France with allegedly plotting to attack a Paris concert hall four months after the city's massacre.

The suspects, aged 15 and 17, exchanged messages on Facebook where they claimed they wanted to launch an assault similar to those in the French capital on 13 November, according to the police.

Some 130 people were killed when terrorists targeted a rock concert at the Bataclan music hall, where 90 people died, as well as bars, restaurants and a football stadium.

The girls were arrested on Wednesday and appeared before an anti-terror judge on Friday on charges of criminal conspiracy in connection with a terrorist undertaking.

The younger suspect was to remain in custody while the 17-year-old would be released under judicial supervision, the prosecutor's office said.

The discussions about the attack were in the preliminary stage and "neither weapons, nor explosive substances have been discovered", prosecutors added.

Two other girls, who allegedly joined in the conversations, were questioned but released without charge.

France remains under a state of emergency and on high alert after last autumn's atrocity by Islamic State-linked extremists.

Sasha Obama Met Ryan Reynolds and It Was Adorable

Sasha Obama was all smiles when she met actor Ryan Reynolds at a state dinner on Thursday—and Malia Obama responded as only a sister could, giving her an encouraging, if slightly sarcastic, thumbs-up in the background.

Reynolds, who stars in Deadpool, attended the dinner with wife Blake Lively.

It was the first state dinner for President Barack Obama’s daughters, who were featured prominently in the speeches given by their father and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“It’s also touching to meet Malia and Sasha, who are here at their first State Dinner,” Trudeau said. “And quite frankly, the memories for me of being a kid and not being old enough to attend these kinds of events with my father almost makes me wish I had gone through my teenage years as a child of a world leader—but not quite.”

Trudeau was a child when his father served as Canada’s prime minister.

“I admire you very much, both of you, for your extraordinary strength and your grace, through what is a remarkable childhood and young adulthood that will give you extraordinary strength and wisdom beyond your years for the rest of your life,” he said.

But even as daughters of a world leader, their response to Reynolds was universally relatable.

Trump Shaken As Protester Tries To Storm Stage

Donald Trump appeared shaken after a protester tried to storm his stage in Ohio a day after he cancelled a rally due to security concerns.

The presidential hopeful's Secret Service detail swarmed around Mr Trump while the protester was detained and escorted from the rally.

Mr Trump then continued, telling the audience: "I was ready for him, but it's much better if the cops do it, don't we agree?"

Secret Service agents detain the man after the disturbance in Ohio

Authorities have identified the man as Thomas Dimassimo from Fairborn, Ohio. He has been charged with inducing panic and disorderly conduct.

Speaking at a later rally in Kansas City, Mr Trump said Dimassimo had ties to Islamic State, a claim which has not been supported by law enforcement agencies.

Experts who watched a video Mr Trump tweeted as evidence have also called the allegation "utterly farcical".

"Trump's accusations about it being linked to ISIS serve only to underline the totality of his ignorance on this issue," said Charles Lister, a fellow at the Middle East Institute.

Minutes before the Ohio incident, Mr Trump spoke about the scuffles that led to a rally in Chicago being cancelled on Friday, saying it was a "planned attack" by "professionals".

Punches were thrown between supporters of the Republican front runner and protesters. Five arrests were made and two police officers were injured.

Protester Jedidiah Brown, who stormed the stage on Friday, told Sky News that Trump supporters told him to "Go back to Africa".

In announcing the cancellation, the Trump campaign said he met with law enforcement officials after arriving in Chicago.

But Chicago police denied they were consulted and claimed they had the resources to cope.

Superintendent John Escalante said: "The Chicago Police Department had no role, we were not consulted or provided an opinion as to whether or not the event should be cancelled.

"In fact we did assure the Trump campaign that we had more than adequate resources.”

In the hours after the cancellation, Mr Trump wrote on Twitter: "The organized group of people, many of them thugs, who shut down our First Amendment rights in Chicago, have totally energized America!"

However, Republican rival Marco Rubio said Mr Trump needed to take responsibility for what was happening at his rallies.

"Forget about the election for a moment," Senator Rubio told a news conference in Florida.

"There's a broader issue in our country and this is what happens when a leading presidential candidate goes around feeding into a narrative of anger and bitterness and frustration."

Paris attacks: Girls quizzed over 'Bataclan-style plot'

authorities have opened a criminal investigation into two teenage girls suspected of planning an attack similar to the one on the Bataclan concert hall in Paris in November.

The girls, aged 15 and 17, had been exchanging messages on Facebook about the planned assault, police said.

Both girls appeared before an anti-terrorism judge on Friday. 

Prosecutors said the alleged plan had been at an early stage and that neither weapons nor explosives had been found.

France remains on high alert following the Paris attacks in which 130 people died, including 90 at the Bataclan.

The Paris prosecutor's office said the 15-year-old would remain in custody while the 17-year-old would be released under judicial supervision.

The girls, who have not been named, were arrested on Wednesday by counter-terrorism agents. 

They are suspected of criminal conspiracy in connection with a terrorist undertaking, prosecutors said. 

Two other girls have been questioned by police and released.

Three gunmen wearing suicide vests stormed the Bataclan concert hall on 13 November 2015 during a rock concert. All three were later killed by security forces.

Other gunmen attacked cafes, restaurants and the Stade de France stadium.

France remains under a state of emergency following the attacks.

Iraq: 'Fear And Panic' After IS Chemical Attacks

Islamic State fighters have used chemical weapons to attack an Iraqi town for the second time in four days, officials say.

Taza was hit early on Saturday following the first assault on Wednesday, in which three-year-old Fatima Wais was killed.

Around 600 people have been injured by chemical-carrying rockets and hundreds more have fled.

An official spoke of fear and panic among women and children, and there are calls for the government to "save them".

The wounded suffered infected burns, suffocation and dehydration - eight have been transferred to Baghdad for more treatment, according to a nurse.

Earlier this week it was announced US special forces had captured the head of an IS unit that is developing chemical weapons.

The suspect, who has been named as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, was thought to have been held in a raid in Tal Afar, northern Iraq last month.

He formerly worked on chemical and biological weapons programme for toppled Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

Experts say the jihadist group's ability to launch a large-scale chemical weapons attack is currently limited.

Is the ICC biased against African countries?

The International Criminal Court (ICC) was set up to prosecute war criminals and human rights violators, who proponents argue would otherwise go free. 

In recent months, however, African countries have threatened to pull out, citing what they consider a bias against the continent. 

Critics point to the fact that of the nine countries the ICC has opened inquiries into, eight are in Africa.  

So, is the ICC obsessed with targeting only African countries? And, just how effective is the court? 

ISIS Chemical Attacks Wound 600, Iraqi Officials Say

Marwan Ibrahim—AFP/Getty ImagesThe leader of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, Arshad Salhi (C) and Kirkuk Member of Parliament Hasan Turan (L) attend a press conference in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk on March 12, 2016.

(BAGHDAD) — Iraqi officials say the Islamic State group has launched two chemical attacks, killing a three-year-old girl and wounding some 600 people near the northern city of Kirkuk.

Security and hospital officials say the latest attack took place early Saturday in the small town of Taza, which was struck by a barrage of rockets carrying chemicals three days earlier.

Helmi Hamdi, a nurse at the Taza hospital, says the wounded are suffering from infected burns, suffocation and dehydration. Eight people were transferred to Baghdad for treatment.

The security officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters.

U.S. and Iraqi officials said U.S. special forces captured the head of the IS unit trying to develop chemical weapons in a raid last month in northern Iraq.