EXPLOSION IN UK 27 HURT, TERROR PROBE STARTS

(CNN) -- Four explosions that rocked an eastern Ukrainian city on Friday have prompted a terror probe, the Ukrainian News agency reported. A regional prosecutor's office has started a "terrorist case" into the blasts in Dnepropetrovsk. The explosions went off in the course of 70 minutes and injured at least 27.

Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych said a special investigation team will be set up to probe the explosions, the news agency reported. "This is another challenge to the entire country," the president told reporters in the country's Crimea region. "We are thinking how to respond it properly. I am sorry this happened." 

The first blast went off in a trash can at a tram stop, injuring 13 people, the country's Emergencies Ministry said. The second followed 40 minutes later near a movie theater. That injured 11, nine of them children. Three were injured in the third blast, and no one was hurt in the fourth, the ministry said. 

Of those hurt, 24 have been hospitalized, it said. Interior Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko and other government officials traveled to the city after the blasts occurred. The city, with just over 1 million in population, is one of the largest in the country, the CIA World Factbook says. The incident raises concerns about security in Ukraine ahead of the European soccer championships, starting in June in both Poland and Ukraine. 

But the Union of European Football Associations, the entity overseeing the games, said the incident doesn't change its "confidence in the security measures that have been developed by the authorities." The closest venue to Dnepropetrovsk will be in a Ukrainian city to the east, Donetsk.

BLIND CHINESE ACTIVIST ESCAPES ARREST, CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION

Beijing (CNN) -- A prominent Chinese human rights activist has called for an investigation into what he describes as corrupt and cruel officials who he says "violently assaulted" him and his family before he escaped from house arrest and fled to Beijing. 

Chen Guangcheng addressed the Chinese premier, Wen Jiabao, in a video posted on YouTube on Friday, detailing the abuses he said he and his family had suffered at the hands of authorities during more than 18 months of heavily guarded detention in their home. "They broke into my house and more than a dozen men assaulted my wife," he said. "They pinned her down and wrapped her in a comforter, beating and kicking her for hours. They also similarly violently assaulted me." Chinese authorities have not commented. 

The activist, who is blind, was driven to Beijing on Sunday after evading his guards in the tiny village of Dongshigu in Shandong Province, He Peirong, a friend and fellow activist, said Friday. Escape was like a Hollywood thriller His high-profile breakout appears to have angered the local authorities who were holding him captive, with members of his family already reporting that they have suffered reprisals. 

Chen, 40, is a self-taught lawyer who rose to fame in the late 1990s thanks to his legal advocacy for what he called victims of abusive practices, such as alleged forced abortions, by China's family-planning officials. 

A local court sentenced Chen to four years and three months in prison for damaging property, disrupting traffic and "pressurizing the government" in a protest, according to a story from the state-run Xinhua news agency. The same 2007 story, which reported that a higher court had denied his appeal, described Chen as a "blind mob organizer." 

His supporters have maintained authorities used trumped-up charges to silence him. Since his September 2010 release from prison, he had been confined to his home along with his wife, mother and daughter. In the video posted Friday, he said the treatment of him and his family by the local security forces "was so cruel it has greatly harmed the image of the Communist Party." 

Calling on Wen to investigate his case, he asked: "Is it just local officials flagrantly violating the law or do they have the support of the central government? I hope you will give the public a clear answer in the near future." 

The blind activist had prepared for his escape for months, He Peirong said, by lying in bed for prolonged periods so that the guards wouldn't be suspicious if they didn't see any activity from him for a long time. Once free, Chen contacted He Peirong and a few other activists. "We learned that he had escaped and needed our help," she said, in an interview via Skype from her home city of Nanjing. They met him at a rendezvous point, and then drove him to Beijing and hid him in a safe house, He Peirong said. 

She said that Chen's fellow activists had decided to publicize his flight from captivity after hearing that Shandong authorities, upon discovering his disappearance, had sent people to assault members of his family.

DEPORTED BIN LADEN WIDOWS, DAUGHTERS LEAVING FOR SAUDI ARABIA

(CNN) -- Pakistan's deportation of 14 members of Osama bin Laden's family to Saudi Arabia occurred just one week shy of the first anniversary of his death at the hands of U.S. commandos.

Among those being deported were bin Laden's three widows and two daughters, said Aamir Khalil, a family attorney. It was not clear late Thursday whether their plane had departed Islamabad. 

Earlier this month, the five women were sentenced to 45 days of house arrest for living in Pakistan illegally. Their detention ended last week. Khalil said the time served began March 3, when the five were formally taken into custody. 

"The family was kept safe and sound in a guest (safe) house," according to a Pakistan Interior Ministry statement. "They have been deported to the country of their choice, Saudi Arabia, today." Two of the widows are Saudi, while one is Yemeni. The daughters are ages 17 and 21, Khalil said. 

The widows have been identified by U.S. and Pakistani officials as Amal Ahmed Abdul Fateh, Khairiah Sabar and Siham Sabar. Judge blocks release of bin Laden death photos

Because all five defendants confessed to impersonation, illegal entry into Pakistan and staying illegally in Pakistan, there was no need for a trial, Khalil said recently. He represents four of the five relatives. Bin Laden was killed by U.S. Navy SEALs at his Abbottabad compound May 2, 2011. 

The al Qaeda leader spent years on the run in Pakistan after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, moving from one safe house to another and fathering four children with Fateh, at least one of whom was born in a government hospital, she told Pakistani investigators. No credible threat of attack on anniversary of bin Laden's death 

A deposition taken from Fateh gives the clearest picture yet of bin Laden's life while international forces hunted him. He and his family moved from city to city with the help of Pakistanis who arranged "everything" for them, Fateh said, according to the deposition. She told police she never applied for a visa during her stay in Pakistan. Authorities in Saudi Arabia have repeatedly declined to comment on the matter.

B-R-E-A-K-I-N-G N-E-W-S: BOMB BLAST HITS ABUJA AND KADUNA

Bomb blasts hit 2 Thisday News offices

ABUJA (AFP) – A loud explosion rocked an area  Abuja on Thursday followed by smoke and ambulances headed in the direction of the blast, with injuries reported.

Reports have it that the first  bomb blast was in the Abuja Thisday office in Jabi and was carried out by a suicide bomber who drove into the media house before detonating the bomb hence  blowing away the building ‘s roof.

Another blast was also reported at the Kaduna Thisday office according to witnesses.

But Mr Yushau Shuaib  a National Emergency Management Agency spokesman said the Abuja Thisday blast “occurred inside the premises of a national newspaper,” adding that “a preliminary investigation seems to indicate that the explosive device was planted somewhere within the premises, not likely a case of suicide bombing.” An AFP correspondent heard the blast and saw ambulances heading towards a district where a bus station and newspaper office are located.

A police spokesman said “we heard something like that happened, but we don’t have the details yet.”

A spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency said “it’s true there was an explosion at Jabi (district).”

“NEMA officials are on the ground,” said Yushau Shuaib. “They are trying to move those injured to the hospitals, but we don’t have any information on casualties yet.”

happened at about 11:30 a.m.

ONE KILLED AS BARCA, CHELSEA FANS CLASH IN LAGOS,TWO DIED CELEBRATING

One person was killed at a pub in Lagos on Tuesday night after a fight broke out between fans of Barcelona and Chelsea football clubs, while two others suspected to be Chelsea fans drove dangerously after the match resulting in a fatal accident.

PUNCH Metro learnt that John Idoko, a 23-year-old boy, was stabbed to death at a makeshift pub at Shiro Bus Stop, Boundary Road, Shasha.

It was learnt that the outcome of the football match, which favoured Chelsea FC, did not go down well with some Barcelona’s supporters.

According to police authorities, an altercation, degenerated into fisticuffs and supporters of the two clubs some of whom were drunk, soon engaged in a free-for-all.

The spokesperson for the state police command, Mr. Joseph Jaiyeoba, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on the telephone. He, however, added that no arrests had been made as no witness had come forward.

He said, “On Tuesday, around 10pm, a report reached Shasha Police Division that one John Idoko was stabbed to death with a broken bottle during a match between Chelsea and Barcelona football clubs.

“The owner of the pub said almost all her property was damaged during the fight as the fans went crazy. We don’t even know if Idoko was a fan of Chelsea or Barcelona

“No arrest has been made as witnesses have refused to come forward but investigations are ongoing.”

Jaiyeoba warned fun seekers to be careful when celebrating and remember their loved ones at home.

The spokesperson also warned members of the public that the use of explosives such as banger, would not been tolerated anymore.

He said celebration should be carried out in a peaceful manner, warning that the police would not tolerate any form of unruly behaviour.

“The use of banger is illegal as well as any form of disturbing public peace,” he said.

Meanwhile, the two people who died in the accident were driving dangerously in a commercial bus, popularly known as danfo, after the match.

Witnesses said the occupants were fans of Chelsea FC celebrating their club’s victory.

Jaiyeoba confirmed the two deaths but said it was uncertain whether they were football fans or not.

“Around 11:30pm, a Volkswagen bus somersaulted and caught fire around Ojota end of Ikorodu Road inward Maryland. The two occupants were burnt to death” he said.  

BY ENIOLA AKINKUOTU

RINGGIT EXTENDS UPTREND AGAINST GREENBACK IN EARLY TRADING

KUALA LUMPUR (April 26, 2012): The ringgit extended its uptrend against the US dollar in the early session Thursday amid rising risk appetite, dealers said.

At 9.04am, the domestic currency was quoted at 3.0575/0605 to a US dollar compared with 3.0590/0620 at yesterday's close.

A dealer said the increasing appetite for riskier assets boosted Asian currencies as the greenback came under pressure after the US Federal Open Market Committee said it was keeping interest rates on hold.

"It makes the emerging market currencies including ringgit more attractive," the dealer said. Meanwhile, the ringgit traded mixed against other major currencies.

It appreciated against the Japanese yen to 3.7557/7603 vis-a-vis yesterday's 3.7672/7723 and rose against the euro to 4.0417/0472 from 4.0428/0477 previously.

The local unit, however, depreciated versus the Singapore dollar to 2.4574/4618 from 2.4551/4594 yesterday and also decreased against the British pound to 4.9406/9470 from 4.9192/9249. – Bernama

IRANIAN DIPLOMAT LEAVES BRAZIL AMID SEXUAL ABUSE ALLEGATION

(CNN) -- Iran has recalled a diplomat from Brazil amid allegations he sexually abused children at a swimming pool, state media in Brazil reported.

The case will be "seriously considered," Ramin Mehmanparast, a spokesman for the Iranian foreign affairs ministry, said Tuesday, according to Agencia Brasil. The 51-year-old diplomat allegedly fondled the genitals of boys and girls -- ages 9 to 14 -- on April 14 at Neighborhood Social Club No. 1 in the capital, Brasilia, the news agency said. 

It was not immediately known in what capacity the man worked at the Iranian embassy in Brazil. As the children reported the alleged sexual assaults that took place during a birthday party, angry parents confronted the diplomat, with at least one parent assaulting him, CNN affiliate G1 reported.

"When the staff discovered it was a case of pedophilia they wanted to kill him," the father of a 14-year-old girl said, according to G1. "If the club had not deployed those security guards, today you would be interviewing me to speak of a murder or lynching."

The alleged events were reported to a local military police station, which responded to the scene, a statement from the social club said. The diplomat had been a member of the club for about a year at the time of the alleged assaults. His membership has since been suspended, the social club said.

Iran's promise to investigate the allegations is a change in position after initially calling the incident a "misunderstanding arising from differences in cultural behavior" and a result of media bias, a statement from the Iranian embassy in Brazil said. 

At the time, Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota pressed Iran for additional information. "We would like a clarification from the embassy regarding the very worrying accusations," Patriota said, according to Agencia Brasil. "We hope to get to the bottom of the facts and from there decide what measure to take."

Iran and Brazil have enjoyed largely amicable relations for more than a century. Iran also has worked to strengthen ties with Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia and Cuba. It has opened six embassies in the region since 2005.