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Hello, I'm Tom Watts with the BBC news.
The Afghan Taliban have launched a major assault on the city of Kunduz. The attack has triggered heavy fighting with government forces. Steve Jackson reports. Taliban fighters entered Kunduz overnight from several directions at once, triggering a fierce battle with government soldiers. Afghan special forces have been confronting the militants street to street backed up from the air, but Taliban fighters are reported to have taken shelter in schools, health centres and residential areas. The government says it is conducting the operation slowly to avoid civilian casualties. The Taliban have captured Kunduz twice in the past three years. This attack suggests it's business as usual for the militant group in spite of significant progress in peace talks between the US and the Taliban.
The authorities in the Indian state of Assam have published a controversial citizenship register. It could leave nearly two million people stateless. Rajini Vaidyanathan reports. Everyone of the 32 million people living here has been asked to show documentation to prove that they or their ancestors have been in India since before 1971 when Bangladesh declared independence from Pakistan. Many say the process was flawed and fear that genuine Indians could be stripped of their citizenship. Critics say the aim of this is to remove certain minorities, particularly Muslims, from the country. Now, there's uncertainty for the 1.9 million people who didn't make the list. If they lose their appeal, they could face detention or eventually be deported. Rajini Vaidyanathan.
Opponents of a no-deal Brexit have organized more than thirty protests across Britain today against the government's decision to suspend parliament. The Prime Minister Boris Johnson insist the suspension is not a ploy to silence parliament, but opponents say they plan to challenge this suspension in the courts and in parliament.
The first hours of a ceasefire appeared to have brought calm to the front lines in the rebel-held Syrian province of Idlib. There were no reports of airstrikes or significant clashes. Russia announced on Friday that its Syrian government allies would begin a unilateral ceasefire at dawn today and it called on rebels to observe the truce. A similar attempt to halt the fighting a few weeks ago broke down within days. Months of shelling and airstrikes on rebel controlled territory have killed hundreds of civilians and forced huge numbers to flee their homes.
At least nine people have been killed in a blast at a chemical factory in western India. Police say all the victims were workers who died when multiple gas cylinders exploded at the factory in Dudley in the state of Maharashtra. More than a dozen have been wounded. Emergency services are at the scene.
World news from the BBC.
