News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

EU-Ukraine pact still on the table

The Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich says that Kiev still intends to sign an association and trade agreement with the EU in the future, but he wants the bloc to take 'decisive steps' to draw up an economic aid package for Ukraine. Ukraine´s government abruptly backed out of the deal last week, under pressure from Russia. Speaking at the end of an EU summit on eastward expansion in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, the European Council president, Herman van Rompuy, said the EU´s position remained clear: "The offer of signing the most ambitious agreement the European Union has ever offered to a non-member state is still on the table."

UN warning on Syrian child refugees

The United Nations refugee agency says that over 1 million children have now been forced to flee Syria, with many facing grave dangers even outside the war zone. A new UNHCR study found that child refugees are increasingly cut off from education and forced to work to survive.

18 abducted Iraqis found dead

Iraqi police say they have found the bodies of 18 people who were abducted from their homes and killed execution-style near the capital, Baghdad. They included tribal chiefs, policemen and an army major.

Thai protesters seek military support

Thailand´s Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra says there´ll be no early election to address the on-going political crisis because the country is not calm enough. Around 1,500 anti-government protesters earlier forced their way into the army headquarters in Bangkok, but left the compound two hours later. Over 1,000 demonstrators also gathered outside the offices of Ying-luck's ruling party.

Egyptian activist held over protest

Medical sources in Egypt say a student has been killed in violent clashes between supporters of the ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi and security forces at Cairo University. Police have also arrested a prominent internet activist, accused of inciting protests in defiance of tough new laws restricting demonstrations. Alaa Abdel Fattah played a leading role in the 2011 uprising against Hosni Mubarak.

Hope remains for “dead” Comet

Scientists say that Comet Ison, or some part of it, may have survived its close encounter with the Sun. It was initially declared dead when it failed to re-emerge from behind the Sun with the expected brightness. But recent pictures have indicated a brightening of what may be a small fragment of the comet.

The weather

Sunny in the west and south, overcast in the rest of the country. Top temperatures today from minus 3 to plus 8.

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