Thousands at 'March for Europe' Brexit protest

The "March for Europe" rally was organised on social media. (Image: PA)

Thousands of people are marching through London to protest against the referendum decision to leave the European Union.

Demonstrators at the "March for Europe" rally, which was organised on social media, are holding placards saying "Bremain" and "We Love EU".

The UK voted by 52% to 48% on 23 June to leave the EU.

But comedian and protester Mark Thomas said the referendum campaign had not been fought "on a level playing field".

The campaign "was full of misinformation and people need to do something with their frustration," he said.

'Outraged'

Demonstrators gathered around Park Lane before setting off for Parliament Square.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron spoke at the start of the march  (Image: PA)

Father and daughter Bill Baker, 59, and Jess Baker, 22, from Islington, north London, had made a banner for the march which read: "I will always love EU."

Ms Baker said: "We didn't want to leave, but if you respect the decision of the referendum - which we should - we still want Britain to be EU orientated, outward looking and inclusive."

Philippa Griffin, 40, from Hertfordshire, said: "I'm absolutely outraged at the way people voted, the lies the referendum was based on and the divide in the country because of it.

"My ideal outcome from this march is that MPs realise that leaving the EU is not what people truly want.

"It feels like our country has already changed."

The protest drew some criticism on social media under the #MarchforEurope hashtag, with posts pointing out that 17 million people had voted in support of Leave.

One user on Twitter accused the march of being "pathetic", adding: "Just people having a tantrum about the fact they didn't win."

Metropolitan Police said there would be officers at the event to provide "flexible and appropriate" policing.

Twenty foreigners killed at Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka Bangladesh

Troops raided the cafe 12 hours after the siege began  (AFP/GETTY IMAGES)

Twenty people, all of them foreigners, were killed during an attack by suspected Islamists on a cafe in Bangladesh, officials say.

Gunmen stormed the Holey Artisan Bakery cafe in Dhaka late on Friday before troops entered almost 12 hours later.

Six of the attackers were also killed and one was arrested, a government spokesman said. The attack was claimed by the so-called Islamic State (IS).

Most victims were reportedly from Italy and Japan.

In the latest developments:

• Army Brig Gen Naim Asraf Chowdhury said the victims had been "brutally" attacked with sharp weapons
• Japan's Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Koichi Hagiuda said seven other Japanese nationals were in the cafe, but that the government had not yet been able to contact them
• Seven Italian nationals are believed to have been in the cafe, the Italian ambassador in Dhaka, Mario Palma, was quoted as saying by Italian media
• Italian news agency Ansa said most victims were from Italy and Japan - Italian media said many of those dining at the cafe worked in the garment industry
• Gen Chowdhury said 13 people were rescued including one Japanese national and two Sri Lankans

The siege began as diners were gathering to break their fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Relatives of some of those inside the cafe are gathering for updates  (Image: AP)

"It was an extremely heinous act," Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said in a televised statement. "What kind of Muslims are these people? They don't have any religion.

"My government is determined to root out terrorism and militancy from Bangladesh."

Bangladesh's Daily Star newspaper said the gunmen tortured anyone who was unable to recite the Koran. They provided meals overnight for only the Bangladeshi captives, it said.

Sumon Reza, a supervisor at the cafe, was in the restaurant in Gulshan district when the attack began, but managed to flee to the roof.

"The whole building was shaking when they set off explosives," he told media in Bangladesh. He later jumped off the roof and escaped.

"From 08:00 it all started," said Rashila Rahim, who lives near the cafe. "Gunshots, tank sounds... It was like we were in the middle, and gunshots from all around."

Serena Williams and Venus Williams survive at Wimbledon 2016

It took everything Serena Williams had to shake off Heather Watson on Friday at Wimbledon.

Defending champion Serena Williams and sister Venus both survived scares to progress at Wimbledon.

Serena beat the world number 65 Christina McHale, 6-7 (7) 6-2 6-4 on Centre Court while Venus won 7-5 4-6 10-8 against teenager Daria Kasatkina.

Serena trailed 2-0 at the start of the deciding set but won in two hours 29 minutes on Centre Court against her fellow American.

The top seed hit 40 unforced errors in the rain-affected second round match.

Watch Live Stream Of Wimbledon 2016  

Shortly after an interruption while the Centre Court roof was closed because of rain, the world number one had a set point but failed to convert.

She thought she had won the opener but was denied by a narrow Hawk-Eye overrule before the impressive McHale went on to claim it on a tie-break.

Serena said: "It was a really good match. She played great and always does against me.

"I know that mentally no one can break me and I knew being a break down in third set I had to put my mind to it and that's what I did."

Williams will now face Germany's Annika Beck in the third round.

 Venus beats teenager in marathon

Rain three times interrupted 36-year-old Venus Williams, a five-time champion at Wimbledon, as she faced an opponent 17 years her junior in the third round.

The final interruption came as Williams had match point on the Kasatkina serve at 7-6 in the deciding set.

After a break of 72 minutes the Russian 29th seed impressively won three straight points to take the match further.

Both players struggled for rhythm at times during the match but it was Williams, seeded eighth at this year's Championships, who progressed to round four for the 14th time after two hours 41 minutes on court.

In the fourth round, Williams will face Spanish 12th seed Carla Suarez Navarro who beat Marina Erakovic 6-2 6-2.

Christian Hip-Hop Artist Lecrae Returns to WME

He signed with Columbia Records on March.

Rapper Lecrae has returned to WME, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. He first joined the agency when it established a Nashville-based Christian music division with three Paradigm agents in January 2014; he later moved to CAA.

One of the most successful hip hop artists in Christian music history, Lecrae made crossover history with his most recent album, 2014's Anomaly, when it became the first to top the Billboard 200 and Christian Albums chart at the same time. The album before that, Gravity, won the Grammy for best gospel album in 2012. He broke out with his third album, 2008's Rebel, which became the first hip-hop album to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Gospel Chart.

Last month, Lecrae and his Reach Records label, which he co-founded and co-owns, signed with Columbia Records. He is now recording his eighth studio album, which will be released later this year.

Lecrae was one of the nearly 200 artists and music executives who signed Billboard's open letter to Congress to stop gun violence. He also is active in the Obama administration's Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative and co-founded the nonprofit Reach Life Ministries, of which he serves as president.

Lecrae continues to be repped by Career Artist Management.

Lewis Hamilton "off the pace" at Austrian GP practice

Lewis Hamilton won the drivers' championship in 2008, 2014 and 2015

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton admitted he was struggling and "way off the pace" in Friday practice at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Hamilton heads into Sunday's race 24 points behind team-mate Nico Rosberg in the championship and in need of a good result to revive his title hopes.

But the world champion said: "I'm not that quick, to be honest, but tomorrow I hope I can pick up the pace.

"Nico is much, much quicker today. I have to try to find that."

Hamilton ended the second session on Friday just 0.019 seconds slower than Rosberg but the times were incomparable because the German set his at the beginning of the session and Hamilton at the end, after the track had dried following a torrential downpour.

When the two were out together at the beginning of the session before the rain, Rosberg was 1.2secs quicker than Hamilton, who was using a harder tyre which is in the region of 0.5-0.6secs slower.

Hamilton had been 0.357secs slower than the German in first practice, during which he had a spin.

Hamilton finished second in the 2015 Austrian Grand Prix - one place behind team-mate Nico Rosberg

Hamilton added that Saturday morning's final practice session ahead of qualifying would be "about trying to get into a rhythm as soon as possible and make the laps count".

But Rosberg said he still expected a tough challenge from Hamilton in qualifying, which starts at 13:00 BST on Saturday.

"Lewis didn't really get his laps together so he didn't really show what he can do," he said.

Gunmen take hostages in Bangladeshi capital Dhaka

Police and officers of Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion are at the scene
(Image: Getty)

Gunmen have stormed a popular cafe in the diplomatic area of the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, taking a number of hostages, officials say.

Several foreigners are among those being held by eight or nine armed men in the city's Gulshan district, they add.

A police officer has been killed and at least five others injured in a gun battle, a spokesman said.

So-called Islamic State has said it carried out the attack.

A statement on the group's self-styled news agency Amaq said militants had attacked a restaurant "frequented by foreigners".

Police and security forces have sealed off the area and are trying to negotiate the hostages' release.

"We want to resolve this peacefully. We are trying to talk to the attackers," said Benazir Ahmed, chief of the Rapid Action Battalion, Bangladesh's elite police force.

"Our first priority is to save the lives of the people trapped inside."

Police said the gunmen burst into the Holey Artisan Bakery cafe at about 21:20 (13:20 GMT) and opened fire.

Passers-by helped to carry the injured away from the Holey Artisan Bakery
(Image: AP)

The cafe is described as being popular with expatriates, diplomats and middle-class families.

Media reports quoted witnesses as saying that "Allahu Akbar", meaning "God is greatest", was heard as the attack took place.

An eyewitness said she heard a loud noise, followed by continuous gunfire.

"The glass of my drawing room shattered," Rashila Rahim said.

"My auntie, her daughter and two friends went there for Iftar (breaking of the Ramadan fasting) and they have not come back. We cannot even check where they are."

Another local resident, Tarique Mir, said he could hear sporadic gunfire nearly three hours after the attack began.

"It is chaos out there. The streets are blocked. There are dozens of police commandos," he said.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Manchester United complete signing of Swedish striker

Ibrahimovic has scored 392 goals in 677 games during his career

Manchester United have completed the signing of out-of-contract striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic on a one-year deal.

The 34-year-old, capped 116 times by Sweden, left French champions Paris St-Germain at the end of last season.

"I am absolutely delighted to be joining Manchester United and looking forward to playing in the Premier League," he told the club's website.

Ibrahimovic is United's second signing of the summer after Villarreal defender Eric Bailly joined for £30m.

The former Barcelona and Juventus player has scored 392 goals in 677 games and won a trophy every season of his career since 2001, including 13 league titles.

Last season was his most prolific, scoring 50 goals in 51 matches, a record for PSG. His tally of 38 league goals was also a club record.

In his four seasons at the French club, he won 12 trophies, including the domestic quadruple twice. On announcing he was leaving the Ligue 1 club, he tweeted: "I came like a king, left like a legend."

He links up with his former Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford.

Ibrahimovic added: "I cannot wait to work with Jose Mourinho once again. He is a fantastic manager and I am ready for this new and exciting challenge.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my career so far and have some great memories. I am now ready to create more special memories in England."

Ibrahimovic quit international football after Sweden were knocked out of Euro 2016 in the group stages.

Portuguese Mourinho, who took charge after the sacking of Dutchman Louis van Gaal, said: "Zlatan needs no introduction. The statistics speak for themselves. Ibra is one of the best strikers in the world.

"He has won the most important league championships in the world of football, now he has the opportunity to play in the best league in the world and I know he will grasp this opportunity and will work hard to help the team win titles.

"I am certain that his talent will delight fans at Old Trafford next season and that his experience will be invaluable in helping to develop the younger players in the squad."