An armed man who held a bank hostage for more than six hours in Beirut because he could not withdraw savings has been hailed a hero by the public. Banks in Lebanon have put tight rules on how much money people can access, amid a deep economic crisis. The suspect entered the bank with a rifle, poured petrol and demanded his money for hospital bills, AFP reported. His actions captured public support – with cheering crowds gathering outside and chanting: “You are a hero.” The stand-off eventually ended peacefully with no injuries, after negotiators struck an agreement allowing the suspect to receive $35,000 (£29,000) of his savings upfront, LBC TV channel reported. Police escorted the hostages and suspect away from the Federal Bank branch near Hamra Street, in the west of the city. Officials have not yet said whether the man will face charges. According to LBC, the suspect’s family were in dire need of their savings, with some family members in hospital.(BBC)…[+]

Former US President Donald Trump has said he will not oppose the release of the warrant that let FBI agents search his Mar-a-Lago home earlier this week. In a statement, Mr Trump said he was encouraging its “immediate release” – but repeated his claim the search was unnecessary and politically motivated.

The US Department of Justice has made a rare request to a Florida court to unseal the warrant. If granted, it would mean the documents are made available to the public. And it could confirm the reason for Monday’s search of Mr Trump’s Florida home – something that the justice department has not yet revealed. The FBI search is believed to be connected to an investigation into whether the former president removed classified records and sensitive material from the White House. According to the Washington Post, citing anonymous sources, documents relating to nuclear weapons were among the items FBI agents were looking for at Mar-a-Lago. The sources did not tell the newspaper whether the information involved US weapons or some other nation’s.(BBC)…[+]

Residents of a South African township near Johannesburg have set ablaze the homes of migrants they believe are illegally working in disused local mines. There has been widespread anger after a large group of miners were accused of the gang rape of eight women last week. Dozens of people are being held by police in connection with the assault but none have been charged with rape. In recent years, poverty has been one of the drivers of xenophobic attacks. Some believe – whether rightly or wrongly – that foreigners are the cause of many of their difficulties. People in Kagiso say the foreign miners – known locally as Zama Zamas – are responsible for crime in the area. The sexual assaults last week in nearby Krugersdorp enflamed tensions and residents called for a demonstration.(BBC)…[+]

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has told a conference of US conservatives that the West is locked in “a clash of civilisations”. The right-wing leader drew enthusiastic applause at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Texas. Mr Orban’s speech comes after his long-time cabinet adviser resigned over comments he made that she described as “pure Nazi”. He had said Hungarians “do not want to become peoples of mixed race”. Speaking in Dallas on Thursday, Mr Orban did not directly address that furore, but said: “A Christian politician cannot be racist.” The Hungarian premier also said those who consider him a racist or anti-Semite are “simply idiots”. “I can already see tomorrow’s headlines,” he said. “Far-right European racist and anti-Semite strongman, Trojan horse of Putin, holds speech at conservative conference. “But I don’t want to give them any ideas, they know best how to write fake news.”(BBC)…[+]

At least 14 people were killed and around 40 others injured after a fire swept through a nightclub in Chonburi province in south-eastern Thailand. The fire broke out at 01:00 local time on Friday (18:00 GMT Thursday) at the Mountain B nightspot in Sattahip district, police said. Footage shows people screaming as they flee, some with clothes on fire. The cause of the fire is not clear, with rescuers saying flammable material on the walls may have exacerbated it. The venue in Chonburi, a province located 150km (90 miles) south of Bangkok, was a single-storey complex measuring 4,800 square metres (51,660 square feet). Firefighters battled for more than two hours to bring the fire under control, local media reported. The blaze apparently broke out during a live music performance at the venue, according to the mother of one of the music performers who died in the incident.(BBC)…[+]

Russian prosecutors have asked a court to sentence the US basketball star Brittney Griner to almost 10 years in prison on drugs charges. The Olympic gold medallist was detained in February at an airport near Moscow when cannabis oil vape cartridges were found in her luggage. Cannabis is illegal in Russia for both medicinal and recreational use. Ms Griner, 31, pleaded guilty to drug charges but has denied deliberately breaking the law. A verdict is expected later on Thursday. “I made an honest mistake, and I hope in your ruling it does not end my life,” Ms Griner told the court shortly after both sides presented closing arguments. “I did not conspire or plan to commit this crime,” she added. The trial has reached the top levels of US-Russia diplomacy, with reports suggesting a conviction in the case could pave the way for a dramatic prisoner swap involving the Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout. Russian courts rarely acquit defendants, and analysts say a conviction is highly likely. The length of sentence is thought to be less certain. “I ask the court to find Griner guilty and sentence her to nine years and six months in prison,” prosecutor Nikolay Vlasenko said.(BBC)…[+]

A manhunt is under way in northern Australia after three people were killed and another critically injured in a shooting on a remote property. The shooting happened on Thursday morning local time on a cattle farm at Bogie in Queensland, authorities said. Queensland Police have locked down an area surrounding the property as they search for the “killer or killers”. The critically injured person – a man – had travelled “many, many kilometres” to raise the alarm, officers said. The man suffered a gunshot wound to his abdomen and was flown to a hospital in the city of Mackay to undergo emergency surgery. “At this stage, we are at very, very early stages of this investigation,” Supt Tom Armitt told the media.(BBC)…[+]

Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has testified that the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting was “100% real” and that it was wrong to call it a hoax. The parents of a child killed in the shooting are seeking at least $150m (£123m) in a defamation trial brought against the prominent radio host. They say they have endured harassment and emotional distress because of Mr Jones’s comments about the attack. The trial will determine how much money he owes for defaming the couple.

Mr Jones is the only person testifying in his defence during the proceedings in Texas. He has portrayed the case as an attack on his free speech rights under the First Amendment. On Wednesday, the Infowars host said he now understood that it was irresponsible of him to claim the shooting was false and that no children were killed. “Especially since I’ve met the parents. It’s 100% real,” he said. “They [the media] won’t let me take it back.”(BBC)…[+]