A suicide car bomb has killed at least eight people and wounded 30 near an Algerian military barracks southeast of the capital. The attack occurred on Wednesday in the town of Lakhdaria, about 120km southeast of Algiers in the region of Kabylie, local media and witnesses reported.

UK prosecutors rejected an offer by the Russian authorities to put Lugovoy on trial in his native country.

Having secured the release of kidnapped BBC correspondent Alan Johnston on July 4th, Hamas officials are now moving discreetly to negotiate freedom for another Gaza hostage — Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.