News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Russia won’t give up military option

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin says there is currently no need to send Russian troops into Ukraine… but he believes the use of force remains an option “of last resort.” Putin has described the events in Ukraine which toppled President Viktor Yanukovych as an "anti-constitutional coup". Thousands of Russian troops remain in Ukraine's Crimea region. But Russian forces carrying out military exercises close to the border with eastern Ukraine have been ordered by Putin to return to their barracks. At a Security Council meeting, Moscow's ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, showed a letter from Yanukovych, calling for Russian help: (Audio of Churkin: Chaos and anarchy reign in the country. People’s lives, safety and rights, particularly in the south-east and in the Crimea, are under threat.)
Western ambassadors dismissed Russia's arguments as groundless. The US Ambassador to the UN is Samantha Power: “The new government in Kiev has pledged to honour all of its existing international agreements. Russian mobilisation is a response to an imaginary threat.”
The United States and the European Union are threatening economic sanctions against Russia… and Washington has also suspended all military cooperation with Moscow.

Sisi hints at Egyptian presidential bid

The Egyptian army chief, Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, has given the clearest indication yet that he will run for president. Sisi has told journalists that he cannot – quote – “ignore the demands of the majority”. Sisi toppled Egypt's first freely-elected president, Mohammed Morsi, in July.

Egypt bans Hamas

An Egyptian court has banned all activities of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in Egypt. Hamas is an offshoot of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, which has been declared a terrorist group by the government in Cairo.

Obama optimistic over Mideast peace deal

President Obama says he won’t give up on a peace deal for the Middle East. The U.S. leader was speaking at a White House meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Washington is hoping to see a peace deal in place by the end of April. But there has been little sign of progress since July, when direct talks resumed after a three-year break. President Obama says he remains optimistic: “It’s my belief that ultimately it is still possible to create states - a Jewish state of Israel and a state of Palestine in which people are living side by side in peace and security.”

Final arrests in China mass stabbing

China state media say the three remaining suspects in Saturday’s mass stabbing in Kunming have been captured. Eight attackers killed 29 people and injured more than 130 at the city’s main railway station.

The Weather

Mostly cloudy with the chance of rain or even snow - especially in the west. The rain will taper off in other regions and there may be the occasional burst of sunshine. Top temperatures will range from +2C to +12C.

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