News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

300 missing in ferry disaster

Officials in South Korea say nearly 300 people are still missing after a ferry carrying over 450 people capsized off the country's southern coast. Three people are known to have died. Most of the passengers are school students. A major rescue effort has been under way, using dozens of ships and helicopters.

Tense situation in eastern Ukraine

In the latest developments in eastern Ukraine, pro-Russian separatists have taken control of the city council building in Donetsk. In the city of Slovyansk, which is controlled by pro-Russia activists, several armoured personnel carriers have driven into the city. According to reports, some of those on board said they were Ukrainian soldiers who had switched allegiance. Meanwhile, Ukraine's Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk has accused Moscow of "exporting terrorism" to Ukraine. The Russian President Vladimir Putin meanwhile has warned that the country was "on the verge of civil war" after Kiev sent in troops to try and re-capture areas seized by the separatists. Earlier, the US White House spokesman Jay Carney said the Ukrainian government's actions were justified: "they clearly do not consider the use of force a preferred option. They have been placed in a very difficult situation by the seizure of these government buildings and the blockade of roads by armed militants."

Syria abuse photos shown to UN

Graphic photographs of prisoners allegedly tortured by Syrian government forces have been shown to members of the UN Security Council. The images were reportedly smuggled out by a defector. They were first released in January in a report commissioned by Qatar, which backs Syria's opposition. Former war crimes prosecutor David Crane says the pictures paint a very grim picture: "these individuals - make no mistake about it - they died in agony over months of starvation, beatings, torture.” The Syrian government has dismissed the report, saying it has no credibility.

100 girls abducted in Nigeria

In Nigeria, about 100 girls have been kidnapped from a school in the northeast of the country. The gunmen who carried out the kidnappings are believed to be from the Islamist militant group Boko Haram which frequently targets schools.

Middle East talks

US officials say Palestinian and Israeli negotiators are due to meet today in an effort to continue peace talks. Negotiations appeared on the verge of collapse earlier this month because of a series of disputes between the two sides.

The weather

Many areas will be changeable with rain or snow showers and just occasional sunshine. Most of the sun will be in the far west and south. It’ll be very windy in the east. And highs are ranging between 4 and 14 degrees.

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