- New study reinforces theory Covid emerged at Chinese market
- World Bank boosts climate financing by 10 percent
- Bagnaia eyeing summit on home ground in 100th MotoGP
- 'Something was wrong', defendant in French mass rape tells court
- Hezbollah chief admits 'unprecedented' blow in device blasts
- Sales of US existing homes slip slightly in August
- Fear, panic haunt Lebanese after devices explode
- Labuschagne sparks Australia fightback in England ODI opener
- S.Africa's HIV research power couple says fight goes on
- Why is Israel focusing on border with Lebanon?
- Mpox vaccines administered in Rwanda, first in Africa
- US Fed rate cut is 'very positive sign' for economy: Yellen
- Unknown Mozart string trio discovered in Germany
- 'Are we five-year-olds?' F1 drivers won't mind their language
- Brazil judge orders X to reimpose block or face hefty fine
- Munich to rename stadium street after Beckenbauer
- Champions Italy to face Argentina in Davis Cup Final 8
- The winding, fitful path to weight loss drug Ozempic
- Italians defeat American Magic to reach Louis Vuitton Cup final
- Norris has 'nothing to lose' as he hunts Verstappen in Singapore
- Kyiv 'outraged' at Swiss showing of Russian war film
- French city renames Abbe Pierre square after abuse claims
- Footballer charged after huge cannabis seizure at UK airport
- Vatican recognises Medjugorje shrine, but not Virgin's messages
- Israel bombs Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon after wave of deadly blasts
- Bank of England freezes rate after jumbo US cut
- Playing Nadal is 'kind of a nightmare', says Alcaraz
- Portugal tackles last of deadly northern forest fires
- Ton-up Ashwin lifts India to 339-6 against Bangladesh
- Departing NATO chief warns US against 'isolationism'
- Coming winter 'sternest test yet' for Ukraine energy grid
- Evacuations as tail of Storm Boris floods northeast Italy
- Lebanon's Hezbollah reeling after second wave of deadly blasts
- Taiwan recognises same-sex marriages between Chinese, Taiwanese
- Stock markets rally after jumbo US rate cut
- Gabon's ousted leader Bongo says renouncing politics for good
- Lebanon device blasts: what we know about deadly attacks
- Equity markets rally after jumbo US rate cut
- Late Harrods owner Al-Fayed accused of rape: BBC
- Hong Kong man sentenced 14 months for wearing 'seditious' T-shirt
- Lebanon's Hezbollah in disarray after second wave of deadly blasts
- Equity markets, yen rally after jumbo US rate cut
- Meta and Spotify blast EU decisions on AI
- Hasan takes three as Bangladesh rattle India in first Test
- Two killed during police operation in New Caledonia
- Flood-hit region leaders to meet in Poland to discuss EU aid
- Sri Lanka to vote in first poll since economic collapse
- Hong Kong probe finds Cathay Airbus defect could cause 'extensive' damage
- AI development cannot be left to market whim, UN experts warn
- All Blacks primed for 'hell' of a Wallabies clash
RBGPF | 5.79% | 60.5 | $ | |
RYCEF | 5.48% | 6.93 | $ | |
CMSC | -0.14% | 25.02 | $ | |
AZN | 0.86% | 79.265 | $ | |
GSK | -1.05% | 41.99 | $ | |
NGG | -1.77% | 68.83 | $ | |
RIO | 3.53% | 65.215 | $ | |
BTI | -0.68% | 37.625 | $ | |
SCS | -7.1% | 13.175 | $ | |
CMSD | 0.1% | 25.005 | $ | |
BCC | 3.96% | 142.71 | $ | |
RELX | 1.48% | 48.08 | $ | |
BCE | -0.55% | 35.415 | $ | |
VOD | -1.64% | 10.065 | $ | |
JRI | -0.07% | 13.43 | $ | |
BP | 1.8% | 33.025 | $ |
Amsterdam hostage taker dies of injuries in hospital: prosecutors
A 27-year-old man who held several people hostage at an Apple store on a busy Amsterdam square has died in hospital from his injuries, Dutch prosecutors said late Wednesday.
The man, said to be a resident of the Dutch capital, entered the Apple store on Leidseplein armed with two guns, sparking a tense five-hour-long ordeal on Tuesday.
The stand-off ended when the suspect was hit by a police car as he chased his last hostage who made a desperate break for freedom and ran out of the store.
"I can confirm that the man has died in hospital this evening," public prosecution service spokesman Franklin Wattimena said.
"More than that, we cannot say, but the investigation continues," he told AFP.
Police later hailed the hostage who helped to end the tense ordeal that gripped the city centre as a hero.
Dozens of police officers rushed to the building at 5:30 pm on Tuesday after the camouflage-wearing suspect entered the store in the popular Leidseplein neighbourhood, prompting a chaotic exodus from the building.
The suspect took a Bulgarian man hostage and demanded 200 million euros ($230 million) in cryptocurrency, as well as a free passage out of the city.
Around 70 people fled the building and four people hid in a closet, apparently unknown to the suspect.
- 'Hero role' -
Five hours later, the suspect asked for water.
Footage showed the hostage bending down as the water was delivered, before running out of the building followed closely by the suspect.
The suspect was then sent sprawling by a police vehicle before a robot checked him for explosives as he lay on the road, lit up with laser sights from police snipers.
"A car from the special forces reacted very adequately and alertly," police chief Frank Paauw said in an overnight press conference, hailing the hostage's bravery.
"The hostage has played a hero role. In a few split seconds he escaped this hostage situation, otherwise it would have been an even longer night -- and nasty night."
Police later confirmed that the suspect was wearing an explosive device, but "that it was not primed" during the incident.
He was taken to hospital "seriously injured", police said, adding that a "wide-ranging" investigation had been launched.
"All options are open over a possible motive," they added, saying at least two homes around the Dutch capital had been searched.
Amsterdam-based daily newspaper Het Parool identified the man as Abdel Rahman A., a grocery delivery worker that has had previous brushes with the law.
However, his motive for besieging the Apple store remained unclear, Dutch media reports said.
- 'Prevented worse -
The suspect aimed an automatic weapon at officers, Paauw said, as special police units arrived at the scene Tuesday and cordoned off the area around the shop.
All Apple stores across the Netherlands were closed Wednesday, and the site of Tuesday's hostage taking will remain closed Thursday, the company said.
Leidseplein is popular with tourists and known for its lively bars and cafes. The area was quickly closed and the restaurants, bars and theatres were shut after the hostage taking.
The incident happened close to where well-known Dutch crime reporter Peter R. de Vries was gunned down in broad daylight last year.
"Just when the city was about to reopen and return to normal life, violence is again emerging in the heart of Amsterdam," deputy mayor Rutger Groot Wassink said late on Tuesday.
"Their controlled and decisive action deserves nothing but compliments," she said in a tweet.
"It prevented worse," the minister added.
S.Keller--BTB