News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

UN concerned about dire situation in Gaza

The leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Khaled Meshaal says he will not accept a ceasefire in Gaza, until Israel lifts its blockade of the Palestinian territory. Over 700 Palestinians and more than 30 Israelis have been killed in the 16 day conflict. The UN's Humanitarian Chief Valerie Amos says relief workers are struggling to cope with the worsening situation in Gaza, with food and water running low. Speaking in Tokyo, she said civilians were bearing the brunt of the violence. “The majority of those killed in Gaza are women, children, men, who have nothing to do with the fighting. It’s a terrible, terrible situation.”

Algerian plane missing

Reports coming out of Algeria say the country's national carrier Air Algerie has lost contact with one of its planes. The plane was en route from Burkina Faso to the Algerian capital Algiers with 116 people on board when it disappeared from radar.

New efforts to secure Ukraine crash site

The Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans and his Australian counterpart Julie Bishop are travelling to Ukraine today, for talks with the Ukrainian government about securing the site where a Malaysia airlines jet crashed last week. There are concerns that the site, which is in rebel held territory, may be compromised, before a full investigation can be conducted. Two thirds of the 298 people who died in the crash were Dutch.

Arizona to review executions

The Governor of the US state of Arizona, Jan Brewer, has ordered a full review of the state's execution process, following an incident in which a condemned man took almost two hours to die. Journalist Astrid Galvin witnessed the execution of double murderer Joseph Wood. She says attempts were made to stop the procedure, after the man continued to gasp for air. “The attorneys for Mr Wood actually left in the middle of the execution and went to Federal Court and filed a request for it to be stopped on the grounds that it had already been an hour and he’d still not died. But their request was denied.”

Dozens die in attack on Iraqi prisoner transport

At least 60 people have been killed in Iraq, in an attack on a convoy transporting prisoners from a military base to the capital Baghdad. Security sources say gunmen opened fire on the convoy, after suicide bombers had detonated their explosives, killing over 50 prisoners and 9 guards.

Court says Poland violated rights in CIA rendition

The European Court of Human Rights has ordered Poland to pay tens of thousands of euros in damages to two al Qaeda suspects, who were interrogated by the CIA at a secret site on Polish territory, during a so called extraordinary rendition in 2002. The court said Poland had violated the European Convention on Human Rights, including the right to liberty and the prohibition of torture.

The weather

Party sunny conditions will continue this afternoon, with the chance of rain showers, especially in the west and south. Top temperatures will range from 20 to 29 degrees.

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