BBC news. Syrian government forces have been making rapid progress into eastern Aleppo, in a major offensive to cut the rebel held area in two. After retaking both the Hanano and Jabo Badro districts, fighting has continued in several other neighborhoods, putting rebel fighters under increasing pressure. President Assad's forces have reported to have cut the narrowest point of the rebel held area to just 500 meters across. Activists say that several thousands of civilians have fled both to government and other rebel held areas. Francois Fillon is on course to win the presidential nomination for France's center right Republican Party, he is predicted to have won almost 70 percent of the vote in the second round run-off, beating his sole rival Alain Jupp. The most prominent dissident group in Cuba has cancelled its weekly protest march for the first time in 13 years, following the death of the man they opposed Fidel Castro. The leader of the Ladies in White Berta Soler said she wanted to tell others to mourn. The Brazilian president Michel Temer has said he will block attemps to approve legislation granting amnesty to politicians who received illegal donations from private companies during their election campaigns. Brazilians have taken to the street in recent weeks to protest against the measure. The son of one of the key figures in the Iranian revolution has been sentenced to six years in jail for releasing a tape in which his father condemned the mass execution of political prisoners. Iranian media outlets say that Ahmad Montazeri was found guilty of acting against national security and spreading propaganda. Indonesian police say they have arrested two further militants who alledgedly planned to attack prominent sites in the capital Jikarta including the ambassay of Myannmar.All three are believed to belong to an Indonesian organization that supports the Islamic State group. BBC news.