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8. April 2017, 21:58

Ceasefire demand after Boeing downed in Ukraine

The United States is leading demands for all sides in the conflict in eastern Ukraine to support an immediate ceasefire to allow an investigation into the apparent shooting down of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 with 298 people on board. Pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine say they will give international investigators access to the crash site between Luhansk and Donetsk. Flight MH17 was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. Most of the victims were Dutch nationals, but other passengers came from Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia, Britain, Germany, Belgium, the Philippines and Canada. Both sides in Ukraine's civil conflict have accused each other of shooting down the aircraft with a missile. Liow Tiong Lai is the Malaysian Transport Minister: "Officials in the US and Ukraine have indicated that Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down. Should this be confirmed, it will contravene international law and be an outrage against human decency."

Airliner´s flight recorders found

The black box flight recorders have reportedly been recovered. One is said to be on its way to the Russian capital. The UN Security Council is to hold an emergency meeting on the incident in New York later. It is the second disaster suffered by Malaysia Airlines this year, following the unexplained disappearance of Flight MH370.

Israel launches Gaza ground offensive

Thousands of Israeli troops, backed by tanks, helicopters and artillery fire, have launched a ground offensive against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, following 10 days of airstrikes. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has ordered the Israeli military to prepare for a "significant expansion" of its ground operation. Hamas has said that Israel would quote "pay a high price" for its actions. Officials in Gaza say 24 Palestinians have been killed in the new offensive. Israel says one of its soldiers has been killed in the fighting.

Anti-Israel protests in Turkey

Turkish riot police have fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters who attacked the Israeli consulate in Istanbul with sticks and rocks in protest at Israel's ground offensive on Gaza. According to local media, protesters also threw rocks and raised Palestinian flags outside the Israeli embassy in the capital Ankara.

Many hurt in French rail crash

At least 25 people have been injured in a train collision in southern France, 13 of them seriously. A high-speed TGV train collided with a regional train.

The weather

Mostly sunny with the chance of thundery showers at higher elevations from Innsbruck eastwards. Highs today from 25 to 33.

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