28.02.2017

News in English

Two women charged over Kim Jong-nam killing / Samsung heir to face bribery charges / UN says migrant children being abused in Libya / Trump proposes big boost to US defence spending / Radical Muslim group targeted in Berlin raid / SpaceX announces passenger flight to moon / The weather

28.02.2017

Two women charged over Kim Jong-nam killing

Prosecutors in Malaysia say two women, arrested in connection with the mysterious death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's half-brother, will be charged with murder. Kim Jong-nam was allegedly poisoned with a toxic nerve agent while waiting for a flight at Kuala Lumpur airport. Malaysia's Attorney General Apandi Ali says the women, from Indonesia and Vietnam, could face the death penalty if found guilty.

Samsung heir to face bribery charges

The heir to South Korea's technology giant Samsung is set to be formally charged with bribery and embezzlement, in connection with a corruption scandal linked to President Park Geun-hye. Lee Jae-yong is accused of agreeing to a deal, whereby Samsung made donations to a friend of the presidents in return for government favours.

UN says migrant children being abused in Libya

The UN's children's agency is warning that large numbers of children are suffering violence and sexual abuse at the hands of officials and people smugglers while attempting to make the dangerous journey from Libya to Italy. In its latest report, UNICEF says over 25 thousand children crossed the Mediterranean last year, most of them without a parent or guardian. Sarah Crowe is a UNICEF spokeswoman. “Three-quarters of those interviewed had experienced violence, harassment and aggression at the hands of adults. And most of the children, and girls especially, reported verbal emotional abuse and about half of them suffered beatings and other forms of abuse.”

Trump proposes big boost to US defence spending

US President Donald Trump has proposed increasing the US military budget by 10 percent or 54 billion dollars, as he prepares to make his first address to Congress. Officials say the spending increase would be used to expand troop numbers and military hardware and boost the US presence in key flashpoints. New York Times correspondent Peter Baker says the money will be raised by slashing spending in other areas. “If you end up taking the money for the military out of other budget areas that means it comes from discretionary domestic spending. That means education and health, possibly the State Department and foreign aid, the Environmental Protection Agency and other organisations that are under the federal government.”

Radical Muslim group targeted in Berlin raid

German police have carried out a series of raids in the capital Berlin against a banned radical Muslim organisation, linked to the Berlin Christmas market attack. Fussilet 33, ran a mosque frequented by Anis Amri, who killed 12 people by driving a truck into the market last December. Police reportedly raided more than 20 locations including apartments, two company offices and several prison cells.

SpaceX announces passenger flight to moon

The private space exploration company SpaceX says it plans to fly two private customers around the moon next year. SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk declined to identify the passengers or what they had paid for the trip, but he told reporters that they would be undergoing extensive training.

The weather

Cloud will move in from the west this afternoon, bringing showers to most areas except the east. Top temperatures will range from 5 to 17 degrees.

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