Some staff members at a Procter & Gamble factory in Turkey were taken hostage, Turkish media have reported. Police detained an armed man who earlier on Thursday took staff hostage at a Procter & Gamble factory in northwestern Turkey. The seven hostages were taken as an apparent protest against Israel's military campaign in Gaza, according to the local governor's office. The office in Kocaeli province said the hostages had not been harmed during their ordeal. "Our security forces intervened and neutralized the suspect," the governor's office statement said, adding that he was an employee of the factory who "wanted to draw attention to the ongoing occupation in Gaza." What happened? Earlier, a man carrying a gun entered the Procter & Gamble factory in the Gebze industrial zone in Kocaeli province around 3 p.m. local time (1200 GMT) on Thursday, according to media reports. A police spokesperson was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying that the assailant's action was apparently in protest of Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza.   A union representing workers at the consumer goods plant said the assailant was holding seven people hostage, adding that the rest of the plant's workers had been released. The Turkish Demiroren news agency reported that police rushed to the scene and tried to persuade him to stand down, with special operation forces and medical personnel also dispatched. Images from the scene showed police setting up a cordon around the sprawling plant, which primarily manufactures cosmetics. Images circulated online appeared to show a man holding a weapon next to a drawing of the Palestinian flag and the words "for Gaza" painted on the wall in red. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has emerged as a harsh critic of Israel for the civilian toll of its campaign against Hamas militants. He's frequently accused Israel of "genocide" and referred to Hamas as "freedom figthers." 

The 25-year-old attacker burst into the Cantinho Bom Pastor center in Brazil's southern Santa Catarina state wielding an axe. He killed four and wounded four others. Four children were killed on Wednesday in an attack on a kindergarten in southern Brazil. The attack occurred in the city of Blumenau in Brazil's southern Santa Catarina state. What else do we know about the attack on the center? The 25-year-old man burst into the Cantinho Bom Pastor center wielding an axe and killed four children, wounding an additional four victims. He then turned himself in at a police station and was arrested. Brazilian news site G1 reported that three of those killed were boys and one was a girl, with the victims being between 5 and 6 years old. The attack occurred at the kindergarten's playground, according to the local affiliate of the Globo broadcaster. The state's firefighter corps said the attacker jumped over one of the center's walls to get inside. Brazilian news site G1 showed images of emergency workers and police outside of the preschool, where dozens of people waited behind a security cordon. An officer told the crowd to remain calm, adding that only parents were allowed inside. Police detective Ronnie Esteves told reporters that authorities were still searching for a motive. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva condemned the attack as a "monstrosity." "There is no greater pain than a family that loses children or grandchildren, even more so when it is an act of violence against innocent and defenseless children," he said. Santa Catarina Govenror Jorginho Mello declared three days of mourning for the "terrible" attack. Other attacks on schools Brazil has seen a number of attacks on schools in recent years. The last attack on a daycare occurred in 2021, when an attacker wielding a dagger killed three children under 2 years old and two adults. Last week, a student in Sao Paulo fatally stabbed a teacher and wounded several others. From 2000 to 2022, 16 attacks happened in Brazilian schools, according to a report from researchers at the University of Sao Paulo commissioned by Lula's government after four of the 16 took place in the second half of last year.

The attacker of Masjid Al Noor in Christchurch of New Zealand is identified. The name of that man is Brenton Tarrant. Brenton Tarrant, a 28-year-old Australian who was a gunman in the New Zealand terror attacks, described himself as an “ordinary white man” who was inspired by Norway mass killer Anders Behring Breivik and wanted to avenge “thousands of deaths caused by foreign invaders”. The attacker was livestreaming the incident of attack on social media. Canterbury police said that they were trying to move the video footage from the social network. They also urged for not sharing the video link. It was known from different media news that Brenton, the attacker drove his car and came to the Masjid Al Noor at Deans Avenue. He then parked the car and began to livestreaming. At that time it was seen that there were arms and ammunitions in the front seat of the car. He then equipped him well and entered the mosque. At first he shot a man standing on the door of the mosque. Brenton Tarrant had at least one semi-automatic gun and several ammunition clips. After entering the mosque he began to fire sporadically. At that process he loaded his gun several times. After staying for about three minutes Brenton got out of the mosque, again drove his car and also fired some shots sporadically while driving. Mentionable, at 1:40 pm Christchurch time on Friday the incident of brutal attack took place at Masjid Al Noor in the city, local media reported. AH           

A court has granted remand with different terms for four arrested in connection with attack, vandalism, arson and theft in the residence of Dhaka University (DU) Vice Chancellor (VC). Detective Branch Police produced the arrested Rakib (26), Ali (28), Masud (25) and Siam (20) before the court and sought 7 days remand for each. After the hearing Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Raihanul Islam granted 4 days remand for Rakib, 3 days for Ali and 2 days each for Masud and Siam. They were arrested from Chankharpul area in the capital on Sunday. Two theft mobile phones were recovered from their possession at the moment. They were arrested following a case filed by DU Senior Security Officer SM Kamrul Ahsan on April 10. After primary interrogation it is known that the arrested are not the students of DU. Masud is a student of Alia Madrassa. The rest three are not students. There were 5 cases filed against Rakib in Barishal and Laxmipur. AH

At Jailkhana intersection of Gauripur upazila early Wednesday, a reported gunfight with detectives kills the prime accused in a case filed over an attack on a police officer, reports UNB. The deceased was identified as Ujjal Miah, an alleged drug trader.  A team of Detective Branch of police conducted a drive in the area around 2am to arrest Ujjal, said district DB officer-in-charge Ashiqur Rahman. Sensing the presence of the law enforcers, Ujjal and his associates opened fire on them prompting the detectives to retaliate that triggered a gunfight. Ujjal was caught in the line of fire and sustained bullet injuries to his chest, the DB OC said. He was taken to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead. On March 28, sub-inspector Asad of Gauripur Police Station was injured as Ujjal stabbed him in the back when the police officer went on a drive to arrest the drug pushers. He is now undergoing treatment at Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka.   FU  

The young man who attacked Shahjalal University Professor Dr. Muhammed Zafar Iqbal was handed over to Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). He was handed over to RAB at around 9 pm on Saturday. But the identification of the young man is yet to be confirmed. A physician provided primary treatment to the attacker at the university medical center. Then he gained his consciousness. RAB-9 Commander Lt. Colonel Ali Haidar Azad Ahmed said that after providing treatment to him the interrogation and investigation will begin. Meanwhile, the physicians detected four wounds on the head of Dr. Muhammed Zafar Iqbal. Besides there were wounds of two knife attack on his hand and back. Director of Osmani Medical College Hospital Brigadier General Mahbubul Haque said, there were four injuries on the head of Dr. Muhammed Zafar Iqbal. Besides he had symptoms of two knife attack on hand and back. 25 to 26 stitches were given to the wounds. An Air Force helicopter carrying the famous writer took off Osmani Airport at around 10:30 pm on Saturday. He will be admitted to Dhaka Combined Military Hospital. AH