The new IS attack is propelling Kobane's plight back into the spotlight
Islamic State fighters have attacked the Syrian city of Kobane, months after being driven out in a symbolic battle that made international headlines.
Two car bombs and clashes with Kurdish defenders left up to 30 people dead and scores injured. IS shot dead 20 others in a village nearby, activists say.
IS has recently suffered a string of defeats to Kurdish forces.
But in another attack on Thursday, it seized parts of the key north-eastern city of Hassakeh.
The apparent two-pronged IS offensive came as Kurdish fighters from the Popular Protection Units (YPG) cut a major supply line for IS near Raqqa.
Raqqa is the de facto capital of the caliphate whose creation IS announced a year ago after it captured large swathes of northern and western Iraq.
Analysis: Quentin Sommerville, BBC Middle East correspondent:
Kobane still matters to IS. It was never important strategically, but this latest attack shows that its loss, after five months of heavy street-to-street fighting and coalition aerial bombardment, still hurts IS.
As was the case last November when a huge vehicle bomb exploded at the same spot, questions are being asked if the attackers made it in from the Turkish side, and if so, why Turkey didn't stop them.
Thursday's assault is a reminder, too, that IS, despite recent losses in the area, is still very much active and capable of offensives. Overnight they also attacked Hassakeh to the east, a far bigger prize.
Despite the narrative of the last few weeks, IS is far from being on the back foot.
The casualties include a large number of civilians, activists say
The IS attack on Kobane began with militants detonating a car bomb - followed by an assault from dozens of IS fighters from a number of directions.
Some may have hidden themselves among returning refugees - there are also reports that they disguised themselves by wearing Kurdish militia uniforms, says the BBC's Middle East correspondent Quentin Sommerville.
A reporter with Kurdish news agency Rudaw reports from inside Kobane that he had seen "a wounded woman whose entire family were killed inside their home after IS gunmen entered their house".
Hours later another car bomb exploded in the city.
A senior local official told BBC Persian that the situation in Kobane itself was "under control" but clashes were continuing on its eastern and northern outskirts.
Suggestions by Syrian state television that the militants had entered Kobane from Turkey were refuted in the Turkish media.
The governor's office in the Turkish province of Sanliurfa, bordering Kobane, was quoted by Hurriyet newspaper as saying that evidence suggested they entered from the west, via the Syrian town of Jarablus.
Hassakeh, about 270km (180 miles) east of Kobane, has been under the control of both government forces and Kurdish fighters, and IS militants have been trying to capture it for months.
The militants reportedly struck at government-held neighbourhoods and captured two districts. Syrian state TV said local people were being forced from their homes and that there had been killings.
Hassakeh is the largest city in north-eastern Syria. An estimated 500,000 people live there, in addition to thousands who have fled violence elsewhere.
Between 30,000 and 35,000 people from a population of about 400,000 have returned to Kobane following the IS defeat in January.
Some people have returned to Kobane despite the ruins
More than 200,000 Syrians have lost their lives in four years of armed conflict - more than 11 million others have been forced from their homes.
Sergio Ramos will not have any arguments from his family if he decides to leave Real Madrid for Old Trafford this summer – because his father is a Manchester United fan.
Before a Champions League meeting between the two sides in 2013, Ramos revealed his father’s love for English football.
He told the Sunday Times: ‘My dad used to watch a lot of football and he would say to me when I was a kid: “So and so is playing today. You have to watch this player or that player”.
Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos revealed his father (back, second left) is a fan of Manchester United
Ramos says his family are fans of his first club Sevilla but have a soft spot for Manchester United
Ramos (centre) revealed his love of English football and Man United before a Champions League clash in 2013
Liverpool are watching Roberto Firmino, Carlos Bacca and Salomon Rondon at the Copa America with a view to bolstering their attacking options this summer.
A collection of scouts are in South America for Brendan Rodgers keeping tabs on the trio.
The Reds have held talks with Firmino, who scored in Brazil’s win against Venezuela on Sunday.
Roberto Firmino scored in Brazil's win against Venezuela on Sunday and Liverpool are tracking him
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Brazil's forward Firmino (left) celebrates with midfielder Willian during their victory at the Copa America
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Colombia's Carlos Bacca leaves the field with a ripped shirt after their fierce match against Brazil
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Salomon Rondon of Venezuela heads the ball during their match at Copa America, where Liverpool scouts are
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The 23-year-old has attracted plenty of interest this summer and looks likely to leave Bundesliga side Hoffenheim in the coming weeks.
Reports in Brazil suggested that an £18million deal had been agreed between Liverpool and the German club, but Sportsmail understands no agreement has been reached.
Colombian Bacca is a wanted man after a stellar season for Sevilla, during which he netted 28 goals – including two in the Europa League final victory against Dnipro.
Rondon, meanwhile, is with Venezuela and impressed for Zenit as they clinched the Russian Premier League title last season.
Accused: Anna Michalowska allegedly ripped the woman's clothes off and held her down
A woman is accused of ripping the clothes off another female and then holding her down while a friend raped her.
Konrad Gimowicz and Anna Michalowska are both accused of raping the woman after a drinking session at a home in Cardiff.
Fimowicz, 32, and Michalowska, 34, both deny two counts of rape while Michalowska also denies sexually assaulting the same woman.
Barrister Roger Griffiths told a jury at Cardiff Crown Court the prosecution case is that Michalowska "actively participated" in the rape by removing the alleged victim's clothes and encouraging Fimowicz to have sex with her.
On the first day of the trial jurors were told Michalowska, of Adamsdown, Cardiff, and the woman had been drinking vodka together when the woman fell asleep.
Trial: Konrad Fimowicz is said to have forced himself on the woman with the help of Michalowska
The woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said she woke to "sex noises" and believed the defendants were having sex together.
During a video interview with police, which was played in court, the alleged victim said Michalowska became violent and began ripping her clothes off.
She claimed Michalowska pushed her down by her shoulders.
"I was trying to get her off me but she wouldn't get off. I was trying to push her away," she said.
She described how Fimowicz, from Ninian Park Road in Grangetown, began trying to force himself on her before having sex with her.
"I didn't want to do this," she said.
"I was sort of unconscious," she added.
"I think Anna was helping him do that to me. I was so unconscious and tried but I couldn't get him off me. I felt I didn't have the strength and power.”
When asked to explain what she meant by feeling "unconscious" she replied: "It felt like everything blacked out. I didn't feel normal at that time. I felt like I'd been drugged or something.”
The woman told police she believed Michalowska had been telling Fimowicz what to do.
"She was the one who took off my clothes. Why she would do this I don't know," the woman said.
She described how Fimowicz and Michalowska both left the room and went downstairs but they later returned and at that point, she alleged, Michalowska forced her to perform a sex act on Fimowicz.
The alleged victim described how Fimowicz left the room again but Michalowska remained in the room and began watching pornography.
Trial: The pair are appearing at Cardiff Crown Court
The woman said she then fell asleep but woke about 7am the following morning.
She said she did not leave at that point and went back to sleep until around noon.
In her video interview a police officer asked why she did not leave.
"I was just really tired and felt like I couldn't go back home at this time. I didn't feel like I could walk," she told the officer.
"I didn't have the strength to walk home. I felt like I needed to go back to sleep. Even walking to the toilet was a struggle.”
Before she left, the woman said, she asked Michalowska why she had woken up naked and Michalowska replied she had removed her clothes.
Mr Griffiths told the jury that in her interview Michalowska had admitted each of the acts had happened but said they were consensual.
She said the acts were part of the "sexual fun" that took place that night.
Zari is expected to give birth either in July or August this year but according to our sources her baby shower is expected to be one of it's kind since it will use millions of shillings and top celebs are expected to be invited. Diamond Platnumz is too making sure everything will be on point since they are big celebs so everyone and the media will pay great attention.
" Zari's baby shower will be in the platinum level, preparations have started but I can't tell you the official date, millions will be used to make sure everything go as planned" an insider toldSwahiliworldplanet
Sepp Blatter has resigned as Fifa president amid growing pressure following widespread allegations of corruption at football's world governing body.
Blatter - who won a fifth term on Friday - had been under intense pressure to step down since senior Fifa officials were arrested on a string of corruption charges last week.
Blatter confirmed: "An extraordinary congress is to be called to elect my successor as soon as possible."
