News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Pro-Russian forces storm Ukraine base

Hundreds of pro-Russian forces have stormed part of the Ukrainian naval headquarters at Sevastopol in Crimea, a day after Russia annexed the territory. There are reports Ukraine’s naval chief has been detained by unidentified men. The Ukrainian prime minister Arseny Yatseniuk has ordered his first deputy prime minister and the acting defence minister to travel to Crimea, to avert an escalation in hostilities. Crimea’s prime minister Sergei Aksyonov has said they will not be allowed to enter the region.

China boosts search for Malaysia Airlines flight

China has deployed nine ships to waters southeast of the Bay of Bengal and west of Indonesia to search new areas for the Malaysia Airlines flight which went missing on March 8th with 239 people on board. China is also refocussing its satellites to look for the plane on remote parts of its territory. Thailand’s military has revealed its radar may have identified blips from the plane, indicating it flew westwards to the Malacca Strait shortly after it lost contact with air traffic controllers.

Israeli airstrikes hit Syrian targets

The Israeli military says it has carried out airstrikes against Syrian army targets, including a training facility, an army headquarters and artillery batteries. Israel said the strikes were in retaliation for a roadside bomb that exploded in the occupied Golan Heights yesterday, wounding four Israeli soldiers. The Syrian army says the airstrikes have killed one Syrian soldier and wounded seven

Egyptian officers killed in shootout

Egyptian officials say two senior army officers have been killed in a shootout with Islamist militants north of Cairo. They said five militants were killed and four arrested in the raid on a bomb and weapons storage facility.

New US spying allegations

United States media are reporting that the National Security Agency has created a surveillance system, called MYSTIC, that is recording all the phone calls in an undisclosed foreign country, allowing it to play back any conversation up to 30 days later. A Washington Post report said the country, and other possible targeted nations, are not being identified at the request of US officials.

Taiwan protest against China pact

In Taiwan hundreds of students and activists have occupied parliament in protest at an impending trade pact with China. They say they’re alarmed the pact will help China boost its control over the island, which split from the mainland 65 years ago.

Zuma conduct ‘unethical’

In South Africa, the state prosecutor has accused President Jacob Zuma of unethical conduct over the use of state money to improve his rural residence. Zuma faces re-election in May.

The weather

Changeable with stormy winds and scattered showers in the north and east. Most sun in the south. Top temperatures 9 to 20 degrees.

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