News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Seven hour truce in Gaza

A seven hour pause in military action announced unilaterally by Israel is underway in parts of Gaza. An Israeli military official said the truce did not apply in the southern town of Rafah where ground forces are continuing operations. Reports from Gaza say a child has been killed and nearly twenty other people wounded in an apparent Israeli bombing of a house in Gaza City, after the pause came into effect. The United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon has condemned an Israel strike that killed 10 people near a UN-run school in Gaza yesterday as "a moral outrage and a criminal act". Chris Gunness from the UN's Relief and Works Agency has called for an investigation: “We want a report. We want an investigation, and we want one urgently. We need to find out who is responsible because it alarms us that these attacks continue.

Prammer mourned across Austria

The death of the president of the Austrian parliament Barbara Prammer is being mourned across Austria. Prammer died at the age of 60 of cancer on Saturday. Tributes have been paid to her commitment to democracy, her engagement against all forms of racism and intolerance and for the rights of women.

Quake strikes southern China

In China, rescue workers are searching for survivors of an earthquake that has struck Yunnan province in the south, killing nearly 400 people and injuring more than 1,800. Emergency workers have yet to reach tens of thousands of people in more remote areas.

Syrian militants enter Lebanon

Thousands of Lebanese civilians and Syrian refugees are fleeing the town of Arsal in eastern Lebanon after it was overrun by militants from the Syrian civil war. At least 11 Lebanese soldiers have been killed and 13 are missing.

World War One centenary marked

Representatives from around 50 countries are attending ceremonies in the Belgian city of Liege to mark events around the outbreak of World War One a hundred years ago. Today is the anniversary of Germany’s invasion of Belgium and Britain’s declaration of war on Germany.

Russia military manoeuvres near Ukraine

Russia has announced new military exercises involving bombers and fighter jets to be held this week near the border with Ukraine. Meanwhile Ukraine's military says it is has made significant advances against pro-Russian rebels in the east.

Portugal receives bank bailout

Portugal has received almost 5 billion euros of EU bailout funds to stave off the collapse of its biggest bank, Banco Espírito Santo. The bank has been hit by a series of financial scandals.

The Weather

Changeable with sunny spells, with rain and thundershowers mostly in the west and south. Top temperatures 18 to 28 degrees.

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