Four&nbsp;people were found&nbsp;dead&nbsp;on Sunday&nbsp;after&nbsp;massive&nbsp;flooding that has&nbsp;hit&nbsp;southeastern&nbsp;France&nbsp;since Friday, causing major damage in the region, local authorities said.

One person was found&nbsp;dead&nbsp;near Muy, between the towns of Nice and Marseille,&nbsp;after&nbsp;falling off a rescue boat near Muy late on Saturday, the police prefecture of the Var department said in a statement.

Another body was found in a car in Cabasse and two people were found&nbsp;dead&nbsp;in Tanneron, it added.

A 77-year old man has been missing since Saturday morning in Saint-Antonin-du-Var.

Several rivers burst their banks in&nbsp;southeastern&nbsp;France, causing major damage as homes were flooded and cars and boats were swept along by the waters.

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner traveled to the Var on Sunday to meet victims and rescue workers as the rain continued to fall in the region, although it was not as heavy as in previous days and&nbsp;floods&nbsp;started to subside.

Four people were found dead on Sunday after massive flooding that has hit southeastern France since Friday, causing major damage in the region, local authorities said.

Four people were found dead on Sunday after massive flooding that has hit southeastern France since Friday, causing major damage in the region, local authorities said. One person was found dead near Muy, between the towns of Nice and Marseille, after falling off a rescue boat near Muy late on Saturday, the police prefecture of the Var department said in a statement. Another body was found in a car in Cabasse and two people were found dead in Tanneron, it added. A 77-year old man has been missing since Saturday morning in Saint-Antonin-du-Var. Several rivers burst their banks in southeastern France, causing major damage as homes were flooded and cars and boats were swept along by the waters. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner traveled to the Var on Sunday to meet victims and rescue workers as the rain continued to fall in the region, although it was not as heavy as in previous days and floods started to subside.

At least four dead after massive floods hit southeastern France

French police arrested 254 people during clashes in Paris and other cities on the first anniversary of the "yellow vest" movement, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said Sunday.

The violence in Paris, where police battled rioters for hours around the southeastern Place d'Italie square, was the worst in the French capital in months.

A total of 173 people were arrested in the city, Castaner told Europe 1 radio, revising upwards Saturday's count of 147.&nbsp;

Dozens more were arrested in smaller protests in cities including Nantes, Montpellier, Strasbourg, Bordeaux and Toulouse.

Further protests are planned Sunday.

Castaner claimed that there were "few demonstrators" among at the protesters Saturday in Paris, who he said were mainly "thugs, brutes who came to fight the security forces and prevent the emergency services from doing their work."

Several cars were overturned or set alight, bus shelters were smashed and a monument to a World War II hero - Marshal Alphonse Juin -- was defaced.&nbsp;

The windows of a major shopping centre and a neighbouring hotel were also attacked by groups of stone-throwing demonstrators dressed in black, who wore masks to hide their faces.

The police, who had initially authorised the demonstration but declared it illegal after it turned violent, used tear gas and water cannon to try quell the unrest.

In rural France, the anniversary passed off generally peacefully, with thousands of yellow vests occupying the traffic roundabouts where the movement began last year over rising fuel taxes.

The interior ministry put the number of demonstrators at 28,600 nationwide but the organisers said nearly 40,000 people had rallied -- a far cry from the estimated 282,000 who took part in the first big day of protests on November 17, 2018.

The leaderless yellow vests, who accuse President Emmanuel Macron of ruling on behalf of the urban elite, are adamant that they have not gone away.

They are now looking to join forces with the trade union movement, which is planning a major transport strike over pension reforms starting on December 5.

French police arrested 254 people during clashes in Paris and other cities on the first anniversary of the "yellow vest" movement, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said Sunday.

French police arrested 254 people during clashes in Paris and other cities on the first anniversary of the "yellow vest" movement, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said Sunday. The violence in Paris, where police battled rioters for hours around the southeastern Place d'Italie square, was the worst in the French capital in months. A total of 173 people were arrested in the city, Castaner told Europe 1 radio, revising upwards Saturday's count of 147. Dozens more were arrested in smaller protests in cities including Nantes, Montpellier, Strasbourg, Bordeaux and Toulouse. Further protests are planned Sunday. Castaner claimed that there were "few demonstrators" among at the protesters Saturday in Paris, who he said were mainly "thugs, brutes who came to fight the security forces and prevent the emergency services from doing their work." Several cars were overturned or set alight, bus shelters were smashed and a monument to a World War II hero - Marshal Alphonse Juin -- was defaced. The windows of a major shopping centre and a neighbouring hotel were also attacked by groups of stone-throwing demonstrators dressed in black, who wore masks to hide their faces. The police, who had initially authorised the demonstration but declared it illegal after it turned violent, used tear gas and water cannon to try quell the unrest. In rural France, the anniversary passed off generally peacefully, with thousands of yellow vests occupying the traffic roundabouts where the movement began last year over rising fuel taxes. The interior ministry put the number of demonstrators at 28,600 nationwide but the organisers said nearly 40,000 people had rallied -- a far cry from the estimated 282,000 who took part in the first big day of protests on November 17, 2018. The leaderless yellow vests, who accuse President Emmanuel Macron of ruling on behalf of the urban elite, are adamant that they have not gone away. They are now looking to join forces with the trade union movement, which is planning a major transport strike over pension reforms starting on December 5.

'Yellow vest' anniversary protests lead to 254 arrests

Investigators combed an IT staffer's computer Friday for clues as to why he stabbed four colleagues to death at police headquarters in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/four-officers-killed-in-paris-police-headquarters-attack-report-253539">Paris</a>, as his wife said he had been "agitated" before going on the rampage with a kitchen knife.

The 45-year-old killed three men and a woman&nbsp;three police members and an administrative staffer in&nbsp;a frenzied 30-minute attack that ended when he was shot in the head.

Two others were injured in the lunchtime stabbing spree that sent shock waves through an embattled force already complaining of low morale.

The attacker's wife told investigators her husband, who had a severe hearing disability, had displayed "unusual and agitated behaviour" the night before his crime, a source close to the investigation said.

A search of the couple's house in a low-income Paris suburb near the Charles de Gaulle airport found no evidence that the man, who converted to Islam about 18 months ago, had been driven to his criminal deed by radical religious ideology, the source added.

Computer equipment seized in the search was being examined Friday, the source said.

The man, born in the French Caribbean territory of Martinique, was employed as a computer scientist in the intelligence branch at police headquarters, right next to the Notre-Dame cathedral in the historic heart of Paris.

He had worked there since 2003 until Thursday when he committed the deadliest attack on police in France in years.

Shortly after the killings, Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz said anti-terror investigators were not involved in the murder probe.

All possible motives were being examined, sources said Thursday, including the scenario of a personal conflict at work.

A 'quiet person'&nbsp;

"He was a very quiet person. I used to see him going to the mosque but he practised (his religion) in a normal way," a neighbour, who asked not to be named, said.

Locals said the man had two children aged three and nine.

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said Thursday the assailant had "never shown any behavioural problems".

The man had used a kitchen knife to stab two policemen and a male administrative colleague in two offices on the first floor of the building, before attacking two women on the staircase on his way to the courtyard outside.

One was a police officer who died at the scene. The other, an administrative worker, was seriously injured.

The assailant wounded another policeman in the courtyard before he was shot in the head by a colleague, sources said.

The lives of the two wounded colleagues are not in danger, a source said Friday.

Thursday's killings came amid growing tensions within the ranks of the police, stretched to the limit after months of containing weekly "yellow vest" anti-government demonstrations, and years of high alert following a string of terror attacks in France.

Thousands of police officers marched in Paris Wednesday for better working conditions, a rare protest that took place against the backdrop of a spike in police suicides -- 52 so far this year.

The police have also been a recurring target of jihadist groups, such as Islamic State, behind a wave of attacks since 2015 from large synchronized assaults to isolated knife and gun attacks.

Investigators combed an IT staffer's computer Friday for clues as to why he stabbed four colleagues to death at police headquarters in Paris, as his wife said he had been "agitated" before going on the rampage with a kitchen knife.

Investigators combed an IT staffer's computer Friday for clues as to why he stabbed four colleagues to death at police headquarters in Paris, as his wife said he had been "agitated" before going on the rampage with a kitchen knife. The 45-year-old killed three men and a woman three police members and an administrative staffer in a frenzied 30-minute attack that ended when he was shot in the head. Two others were injured in the lunchtime stabbing spree that sent shock waves through an embattled force already complaining of low morale. The attacker's wife told investigators her husband, who had a severe hearing disability, had displayed "unusual and agitated behaviour" the night before his crime, a source close to the investigation said. A search of the couple's house in a low-income Paris suburb near the Charles de Gaulle airport found no evidence that the man, who converted to Islam about 18 months ago, had been driven to his criminal deed by radical religious ideology, the source added. Computer equipment seized in the search was being examined Friday, the source said. The man, born in the French Caribbean territory of Martinique, was employed as a computer scientist in the intelligence branch at police headquarters, right next to the Notre-Dame cathedral in the historic heart of Paris. He had worked there since 2003 until Thursday when he committed the deadliest attack on police in France in years. Shortly after the killings, Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz said anti-terror investigators were not involved in the murder probe. All possible motives were being examined, sources said Thursday, including the scenario of a personal conflict at work. A 'quiet person' "He was a very quiet person. I used to see him going to the mosque but he practised (his religion) in a normal way," a neighbour, who asked not to be named, said. Locals said the man had two children aged three and nine. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said Thursday the assailant had "never shown any behavioural problems". The man had used a kitchen knife to stab two policemen and a male administrative colleague in two offices on the first floor of the building, before attacking two women on the staircase on his way to the courtyard outside. One was a police officer who died at the scene. The other, an administrative worker, was seriously injured. The assailant wounded another policeman in the courtyard before he was shot in the head by a colleague, sources said. The lives of the two wounded colleagues are not in danger, a source said Friday. Thursday's killings came amid growing tensions within the ranks of the police, stretched to the limit after months of containing weekly "yellow vest" anti-government demonstrations, and years of high alert following a string of terror attacks in France. Thousands of police officers marched in Paris Wednesday for better working conditions, a rare protest that took place against the backdrop of a spike in police suicides -- 52 so far this year. The police have also been a recurring target of jihadist groups, such as Islamic State, behind a wave of attacks since 2015 from large synchronized assaults to isolated knife and gun attacks.

Hunt for motive of staffer who killed four at Paris police Headquarters

France's interior minister on Monday launched a review of police methods used to control demonstrations since the emergence of the "yellow vest" movement whose weekly protests have often turned violent.

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner defended the way in which police have handled the protests but asked a specially-chosen panel of some 15 experts to develop new ideas for managing demonstrations.

The yellow vest movement, which emerged last year to denounce the policies of President Emmanuel Macron, has held weekly protests across France for the past seven months.

On some occasions -- especially in Paris -- protests have degenerated into pitched battles on the streets with police, with both sides trading accusations of violence.

"I want to hear what you think about the use of force, about the arms we use and what some call 'police violence'," Castaner told the experts who include a prosecutor, a sociologist and security figures.

'Protect order'

But Castaner, a loyal Macron ally who has taken a hard line against unrest in the protests, indicated he did not expect police to revert to softly-softly tactics.

"We are not going to respond to Molotov cocktails with nice feelings and we are not going to protect the order of the Republic with soft words," he said.

"I need your ideas to respond strongly to unbridled violence while protecting" even those have committed "these excesses".

There has been huge controversy in France over the tactics used by the police to restore order during the yellow vest demonstrations.

French police use the non-lethal flash-ball handheld weapon as well as sting-ball grenades to deter demonstrators.

According to France's National Police Inspectorate (IGPN), the security forces used three to four times more flash balls and sting-ball grenades in 2018 than the year earlier, following the emergence of the yellow vest movement.

Activists say the use of such devices has unnecessarily increased the danger of demonstrators sustaining severe injuries.

Yellow vest activists say 23 protesters have lost the use of an eye, five lost a hand, and one a testicle, while dozens more have sustained other injuries.

Earlier this month, demonstrators staged a protest called the "march of the mutilated" to denounce what they said was heavy-handed police violence.

In mid-May, the interior ministry said 2,448 demonstrators had sustained injuries along with 1,797 members of the security forces.&nbsp;

France's interior minister on Monday launched a review of police methods used to control demonstrations since the emergence of the "yellow vest" movement whose weekly protests have often turned violent.

France's interior minister on Monday launched a review of police methods used to control demonstrations since the emergence of the "yellow vest" movement whose weekly protests have often turned violent. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner defended the way in which police have handled the protests but asked a specially-chosen panel of some 15 experts to develop new ideas for managing demonstrations. The yellow vest movement, which emerged last year to denounce the policies of President Emmanuel Macron, has held weekly protests across France for the past seven months. On some occasions -- especially in Paris -- protests have degenerated into pitched battles on the streets with police, with both sides trading accusations of violence. "I want to hear what you think about the use of force, about the arms we use and what some call 'police violence'," Castaner told the experts who include a prosecutor, a sociologist and security figures. 'Protect order' But Castaner, a loyal Macron ally who has taken a hard line against unrest in the protests, indicated he did not expect police to revert to softly-softly tactics. "We are not going to respond to Molotov cocktails with nice feelings and we are not going to protect the order of the Republic with soft words," he said. "I need your ideas to respond strongly to unbridled violence while protecting" even those have committed "these excesses". There has been huge controversy in France over the tactics used by the police to restore order during the yellow vest demonstrations. French police use the non-lethal flash-ball handheld weapon as well as sting-ball grenades to deter demonstrators. According to France's National Police Inspectorate (IGPN), the security forces used three to four times more flash balls and sting-ball grenades in 2018 than the year earlier, following the emergence of the yellow vest movement. Activists say the use of such devices has unnecessarily increased the danger of demonstrators sustaining severe injuries. Yellow vest activists say 23 protesters have lost the use of an eye, five lost a hand, and one a testicle, while dozens more have sustained other injuries. Earlier this month, demonstrators staged a protest called the "march of the mutilated" to denounce what they said was heavy-handed police violence. In mid-May, the interior ministry said 2,448 demonstrators had sustained injuries along with 1,797 members of the security forces.

France reviews police methods after yellow vest protests

French&nbsp;police&nbsp;have&nbsp;arrested&nbsp;three&nbsp;people, including a 24-year-old computer science student of Algerian nationality, in connection with last week's&nbsp;bomb&nbsp;blast in Lyon that injured 13 people, authorities said.

The case is being handled as a terrorism investigation given the circumstances of the attack, committed in broad daylight, and the use of an explosive device capable of hitting a large number of people with screws and metal balls packed into a bag.

A&nbsp;police&nbsp;source said the&nbsp;three&nbsp;arrested were the student, who does not have a&nbsp;police&nbsp;record, a minor who studies at a high school in&nbsp;Lyon&nbsp;and is also of Algerian nationality, and a woman.

The Paris prosecutors' office said that minor was a member of the main suspect's family circle. No information was provided about the woman.

French&nbsp;Interior Minister Christophe Castaner also announced the&nbsp;arrest&nbsp;of the man on Twitter but did not provide further details on the suspect or where he was&nbsp;arrested.

Security camera footage of the incident shows a partially masked suspect wheeling a bicycle to the scene, before leaving a bag outside a branch of a popular bakery chain.

DNA traces were found on the remains of the parcel, according to a source close to the investigation.

Another source said the judicial&nbsp;police&nbsp;arrested the man on the street after having tailed him.

They decided not to&nbsp;arrest&nbsp;him at his apartment, the source said, for fear that there could still be some triacetone triperoxide or TATP, the powerful but unstable homemade explosive that was used in the attack.

French police have arrested three people, including a 24-year-old computer science student of Algerian nationality, in connection with last week's bomb blast in Lyon that injured 13 people, authorities said.

French police have arrested three people, including a 24-year-old computer science student of Algerian nationality, in connection with last week's bomb blast in Lyon that injured 13 people, authorities said. The case is being handled as a terrorism investigation given the circumstances of the attack, committed in broad daylight, and the use of an explosive device capable of hitting a large number of people with screws and metal balls packed into a bag. A police source said the three arrested were the student, who does not have a police record, a minor who studies at a high school in Lyon and is also of Algerian nationality, and a woman. The Paris prosecutors' office said that minor was a member of the main suspect's family circle. No information was provided about the woman. French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner also announced the arrest of the man on Twitter but did not provide further details on the suspect or where he was arrested. Security camera footage of the incident shows a partially masked suspect wheeling a bicycle to the scene, before leaving a bag outside a branch of a popular bakery chain. DNA traces were found on the remains of the parcel, according to a source close to the investigation. Another source said the judicial police arrested the man on the street after having tailed him. They decided not to arrest him at his apartment, the source said, for fear that there could still be some triacetone triperoxide or TATP, the powerful but unstable homemade explosive that was used in the attack.

French police arrest three over Lyon bomb blast

The French government on Monday opened a suicide prevention unit for police officers after a sharp rise in the number taking their own lives since the start of this year.

The move comes as prosecutors are investigating chants by some "yellow vest" anti-government protesters in recent weeks urging the police to "commit suicide," which have prompted widespread public outrage.

Police unions say officers are under intense strain since the eruption of the protests last November, which have often degenerated into violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces.

So far this year 28 officers have killed themselves, up from a total of 35 for all of last year, according to interior ministry figures.

"We have to break the fear, break the shame, break the silence," Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said as he opened the prevention unit's offices in Paris.

He said officials would also evaluate practices and procedures in the police forces of other countries as well as in private companies.

Castaner acknowledged that police suicides were linked to the physical and emotional tolls of the work, which union officials say have increased significantly with the demands of securing the "yellow vest" protests.

"I don't want to hear more about 'this has nothing to do with the service, it was a personal issue'," he said.

But Castaner rejected claims that a move to let officers keep their service weapons at home when off duty, implemented after the deadly 2015 terror attacks in Paris, had contributed to the increase in suicides.

"Over the past 10 years, the percentage of gun use in cases of suicides hasn't changed," he said.

National police chief Eric Morvan had already raised the issue in a letter to France's 150,000 officers earlier this month, acknowledging there had been a "dramatic sequence" of suicides in the force.

"The human responsibility that someone has in taking this terrible decision does not exonerate us from ours," he wrote.

In two of the most recent cases, a policeman shot himself this month at home with his service weapon in Villejuif outside Paris, and a female captain shot herself in the heart in her office in the southern city of Montpellier. 
&nbsp;

The French government on Monday opened a suicide prevention unit for police officers after a sharp rise in the number taking their own lives since the start of this year.

The French government on Monday opened a suicide prevention unit for police officers after a sharp rise in the number taking their own lives since the start of this year. The move comes as prosecutors are investigating chants by some "yellow vest" anti-government protesters in recent weeks urging the police to "commit suicide," which have prompted widespread public outrage. Police unions say officers are under intense strain since the eruption of the protests last November, which have often degenerated into violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces. So far this year 28 officers have killed themselves, up from a total of 35 for all of last year, according to interior ministry figures. "We have to break the fear, break the shame, break the silence," Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said as he opened the prevention unit's offices in Paris. He said officials would also evaluate practices and procedures in the police forces of other countries as well as in private companies. Castaner acknowledged that police suicides were linked to the physical and emotional tolls of the work, which union officials say have increased significantly with the demands of securing the "yellow vest" protests. "I don't want to hear more about 'this has nothing to do with the service, it was a personal issue'," he said. But Castaner rejected claims that a move to let officers keep their service weapons at home when off duty, implemented after the deadly 2015 terror attacks in Paris, had contributed to the increase in suicides. "Over the past 10 years, the percentage of gun use in cases of suicides hasn't changed," he said. National police chief Eric Morvan had already raised the issue in a letter to France's 150,000 officers earlier this month, acknowledging there had been a "dramatic sequence" of suicides in the force. "The human responsibility that someone has in taking this terrible decision does not exonerate us from ours," he wrote. In two of the most recent cases, a policeman shot himself this month at home with his service weapon in Villejuif outside Paris, and a female captain shot herself in the heart in her office in the southern city of Montpellier.

France moves to stem surge in police suicides

Dozens of migrants stuck on a ship since their rescue in the Mediterranean 10 days ago, will be allowed to disembark in Malta after four European countries agreed to take them in, Malta's prime minister said Saturday.

All 62 migrants on the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/german-migrant-rescue-ship-renamed-after-tragic-toddler-alan-kurdi-196483&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwj06NG7gc3hAhUX2o8KHXAzBTAQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw2ubiHINZBRaIEr4vQHQlfS">Alan Kurdi ship</a> "will be disembarked and redistributed between #Germany, #France, #Portugal and #Luxembourg," Joseph Muscat announced on Twitter.

"None will remain in Malta which cannot shoulder this burden alone," he added.

On Friday, French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said Paris and other EU partners would "show solidarity" towards the migrants, who include 12 women and two children aged one and six.

The group was rescued on April 3 from a barely seaworthy vessel off Libya and brought to the Italian island of Lampedusa.

But hardline Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini refused them entry and said Berlin should take the migrants as they had been rescued by Sea Eye, a German NGO.

"It's their problem, they must deal with it," Salvini said, adding he had personally written to the ship's captain to warn the vessel must "not enter Italian territorial waters."

On Saturday, Salvini, of the far-right League party, expressed pleasure at the outcome.

"As promised, no immigrant from this German NGO (ship) will arrive in Italy. They will go to Germany or elsewhere," he tweeted.

Salvini satisfied

"The Maltese are right to denounce the danger of the NGO's -- we stand beside them in the fight against human traffickers," added Salvini, who last month insisted Italian ports would be closed to migrant rescue NGOs operating in the Mediterranean in a bid to force other EU states to take them in.

Valletta expressed frustration at being caught in the middle.

"Once again, the European Union's smallest state has been put under pointless pressure in being tasked with resolving an issue which was not its responsibility," the Maltese government complained in a statement.

Last week, two of the women -- one of whom is pregnant -- turned down an offer to leave the ship with the children unless their husbands were allowed to join them.

The two women were ultimately evacuated midweek for health reasons to Valletta, leaving 62 people aboard. Late Friday a crewman was allowed off the ship for medical reasons.

The Alan Kurdi vessel is named after the three-year-old Syrian boy whose body washed up on a Turkish beach at the height of the European migrant crisis in 2015. Pictures of his lifeless body caused a global outcry over the migrants' plight.

Italy, with EU support, has also since 2017 been training the Libyan coast guard to intercept boats as part of a controversial deal that has seen migrant arrivals to Italy drop sharply.

Last month, Malta with its population of 450,000 received 108 migrants aboard a Palau-flagged tanker hijacked by three young Africans who diverted the boat from Libya.

A total of 356 people have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean so far this year, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Dozens of migrants stuck on a ship since their rescue in the Mediterranean 10 days ago, will be allowed to disembark in Malta after four European countries agreed to take them in, Malta's prime minister said Saturday.

Dozens of migrants stuck on a ship since their rescue in the Mediterranean 10 days ago, will be allowed to disembark in Malta after four European countries agreed to take them in, Malta's prime minister said Saturday. All 62 migrants on the Alan Kurdi ship "will be disembarked and redistributed between #Germany, #France, #Portugal and #Luxembourg," Joseph Muscat announced on Twitter. "None will remain in Malta which cannot shoulder this burden alone," he added. On Friday, French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said Paris and other EU partners would "show solidarity" towards the migrants, who include 12 women and two children aged one and six. The group was rescued on April 3 from a barely seaworthy vessel off Libya and brought to the Italian island of Lampedusa. But hardline Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini refused them entry and said Berlin should take the migrants as they had been rescued by Sea Eye, a German NGO. "It's their problem, they must deal with it," Salvini said, adding he had personally written to the ship's captain to warn the vessel must "not enter Italian territorial waters." On Saturday, Salvini, of the far-right League party, expressed pleasure at the outcome. "As promised, no immigrant from this German NGO (ship) will arrive in Italy. They will go to Germany or elsewhere," he tweeted. Salvini satisfied "The Maltese are right to denounce the danger of the NGO's -- we stand beside them in the fight against human traffickers," added Salvini, who last month insisted Italian ports would be closed to migrant rescue NGOs operating in the Mediterranean in a bid to force other EU states to take them in. Valletta expressed frustration at being caught in the middle. "Once again, the European Union's smallest state has been put under pointless pressure in being tasked with resolving an issue which was not its responsibility," the Maltese government complained in a statement. Last week, two of the women -- one of whom is pregnant -- turned down an offer to leave the ship with the children unless their husbands were allowed to join them. The two women were ultimately evacuated midweek for health reasons to Valletta, leaving 62 people aboard. Late Friday a crewman was allowed off the ship for medical reasons. The Alan Kurdi vessel is named after the three-year-old Syrian boy whose body washed up on a Turkish beach at the height of the European migrant crisis in 2015. Pictures of his lifeless body caused a global outcry over the migrants' plight. Italy, with EU support, has also since 2017 been training the Libyan coast guard to intercept boats as part of a controversial deal that has seen migrant arrivals to Italy drop sharply. Last month, Malta with its population of 450,000 received 108 migrants aboard a Palau-flagged tanker hijacked by three young Africans who diverted the boat from Libya. A total of 356 people have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean so far this year, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Rescued migrants allowed to disembark in Malta, go on to Europe: PM Joseph Muscat

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/fifth-strasbourg-attack-victim-dies-report-184614">Strasbourg Christmas market </a>attacker pledged allegiance to Islamic State in a video, news agency AFP reported citing judicial source.

The video was found in a USB key belonging to Cherif Chekatt, 29, who was shot and killed by police after a two-day manhunt in the city following the December 11 attack.

Islamic State claimed that Chekatt was one of its soldiers, who "carried out the operation in response to calls for targeting citizens of coalition countries" fighting the militant group, according to a statement on its Amaq news website.

A gunman on a security watchlist killed at least five people and wounded at least 11 others near the picturesque Christmas market in the historic French city of Strasbourg on December 11.

French security forces on December 13 night killed the suspect, Cherif Chekatt, 29, who was allegedly responsible for the attack.

French interior minister Christophe Castaner said three police tried to question Chekatt after spotting him "wandering" through the streets in the Neudorf area of the northeastern French city when he opened fire, the officer's immediately returned fire leading to the death of the suspect.

Chekatt had committed crimes across France, Germany and Switzerland and had at least 27 convictions against him.

Strasbourg Christmas market attacker pledged allegiance to Islamic State in a video, news agency AFP reported citing judicial source. The video was found in a USB key belonging to Cherif Chekatt, 29, who was shot and killed by police after a two-day manhunt in the city following the December 11 attack.

Strasbourg Christmas market attacker pledged allegiance to Islamic State in a video, news agency AFP reported citing judicial source. The video was found in a USB key belonging to Cherif Chekatt, 29, who was shot and killed by police after a two-day manhunt in the city following the December 11 attack. Islamic State claimed that Chekatt was one of its soldiers, who "carried out the operation in response to calls for targeting citizens of coalition countries" fighting the militant group, according to a statement on its Amaq news website. A gunman on a security watchlist killed at least five people and wounded at least 11 others near the picturesque Christmas market in the historic French city of Strasbourg on December 11. French security forces on December 13 night killed the suspect, Cherif Chekatt, 29, who was allegedly responsible for the attack. French interior minister Christophe Castaner said three police tried to question Chekatt after spotting him "wandering" through the streets in the Neudorf area of the northeastern French city when he opened fire, the officer's immediately returned fire leading to the death of the suspect. Chekatt had committed crimes across France, Germany and Switzerland and had at least 27 convictions against him.

Strasbourg Christmas market attacker pledges allegiance to Islamic state in video: Judicial source