France is preparing to vote in presidential elections today, amid high security after a fatal assault on a Paris policeman three days ago. About 50,000 police and 7,000 soldiers are being deployed around the country after Thursday’s attack by a gunman. Eleven candidates are vying to be the country’s next president, with leading candidates spanning the political spectrum from far-left to far-right. A second round between the top two will be held on 7 May.
Turkish fighter jets for a second time in 24 hours bombed the Kurdistan Region’s Amedi district on Saturday, wounding one person. Turkish military jets on Saturday conducted airstrikes near Kaniye community close to the center of Amedi. Another person was also wounded on Friday (April 21) after the jets bombed mountains in the Shiladze sub-district. No casualties were reported due to the airstrike.
Thousands of scientists have taken part in demonstrations around the world in protest against what they see as a global political assault on facts. The first-ever March for Science, which was timed to coincide with Earth Day, was aimed at promoting action to protect the environment. Many were protesting against what they consider to be an “alarming trend” among politicians for discrediting their research. The aim of the March for Science was to bring scientists and their research closer to the general public.
