The Tunisian Prime Minister Ali Larayedh has defied calls to dissolve his Islamist-led coalition government. Instead, he’s proposed that new elections take place in December. His announcement follows widespread anger in the wake of the killing in recent months of two senior politicians by suspected Islamist militants. David Bamford reports.
Speaking on national television, the prime minister said that despite demands for its dissolution because of the murders, his Islamist-led transitional government will continue to perform its duties. This was not, he said, because they were trying to cling onto power; it was their duty not to abandon the people. But Mr Larayedh also proposed that new elections be held on December 17th this year. It’s not clear whether the coalition will remain intact. One secular party has indicated it would withdraw and many MPs said they would leave the assembly.
Reports from north-western Pakistan say gunmen have attacked a prison which holds hundreds of militants in the town of Dera Ismail Khan. Police say the attack began with a series of large explosions. Some reports said the attackers also used rocket-propelled grenades.
World News from the BBC
Hundreds of people have attended a memorial Mass in the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela for the victims of the train crash last week in which 79 people died. This report from Guy Hedgecoe.
The archbishop of Santiago de Compostela officiated the memorial ceremony. It was held in the city’s 800-year-old cathedral. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy attended the service. He and Crown Prince Felipe, who was also present, offered their condolences in person to the families of those killed. Now attention will turn back to the investigation into the crash. The driver of the train has admitted he was going too fast when he derailed and investigators want to know exactly why.