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8. April 2017, 21:58

North Korea threatens U.S. targets

North Korea says it has put missile units on stand-by to attack American military bases in South Korea and the Pacific, as well as the United States mainland, in response to flights by nuclear-capable U.S. stealth bombers over the Korean peninsula. The U.S. Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel says the threat is being taken very seriously: "I think they are very provocative actions and (the) belligerent tone has ratcheted up the danger." Tensions have been rising on the Korean peninsula in the wake of fresh United Nations sanctions against Pyongyang and the annual U.S. South Korea military drills.

Global arms trade treaty blocked

Iran, North Korea and Syria have blocked what would have been the first treaty to regulate the global trade in conventional weapons. The draft is now expected to be put to the U.N. General Assembly, where it will likely pass by a large majority.

New force targets Congo rebels

The U.N. Security Council has authorized a new "intervention brigade" for the Democratic Republic of Congo, to take military action in a bid to neutralise, disarm and prevent the expansion of all armed groups. Kieran Dwyer is the chief U.N. peacekeeping spokesperson : " Neutralise can mean just get their weapons off them. It doesn´t have to mean kill them, but it can mean militarily take them on before they threaten civilians directly." The brigade is unprecedented in U.N. peacekeeping because of its offensive mandate.

Cyprus to stay in Eurozone

The Cypriot president, Nicos Anastasiades, says Cyprus has no intention of the leaving the Euro, despite the tough conditions imposed by its international bailout. He said the financial situation had been "contained" following the 10 billion euro bailout deal with the European Union and International Monetary Fund. Banks in Cyprus opened on Thursday for the first time in nearly two weeks, with strict new measures imposed to prevent a run on deposits.

Italy's political limbo continues

The Italian President Giorgio Napolitano is meeting representatives from the main political parties today, in a bid to break the deadlock following last month´s inconclusive parliamentary elections. The Centre-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani told Napolitano on Thursday he had failed to secure enough support from rival parties to form a government, after five days of talks. Bersani won the biggest share of the vote but fell short of a majority.

Building collapse kills 15

And it´s being reported that at least 15 people were killed when a building under construction collapsed in Tanzania's commercial capital, Dar es Salaam. Rescuers are searching for dozens of people believed to be trapped under the rubble of the 12 storey building.

The weather

Scattered showers, especially in the mountains and the south, increasingly sunny elsewhere. Top temperatures are ranging from 4 to 12.

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