News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Ceasefire begins in Gaza

A three day ceasefire is in effect in Gaza. Israel has withdrawn all its troops from Gaza and says it achieved its aim of destroying militants’ border tunnels. A senior Israeli military official said the troops are being redeployed near the border and would respond to rocket fire. Hamas fired a barrage of rockets into Israel minutes before the truce came into effect. Israeli forces also staged raids in Gaza. The ceasefire was brokered by Egypt which is hosting talks it says are aimed at a long term cessation of violence.

World Bank acts on Ebola

The World Bank has said it will grant 200 million dollars in emergency funding to help Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea to combat the worst ever outbreak of the Ebola virus. One of the world’s leading immunologists Dr Antony Fauci from the United States National institutes of infectious diseases says a vaccine against Ebola may be ready next year. “We’re working on a vaccine that looks promising and hopefully by the end to middle of 2015 we’ll have some vaccine at least to vaccinate health workers who put themselves at considerable risk when they take care of these patients.”

Obama hosts Africa summit

The Ebola outbreak is also under discussion at an economic and security summit of nearly 50 African leaders being hosted by President Barack Obama in Washington. Obama is expected to announce 14 billion dollars of US investments in Africa at the summit.

Amnesty accuses Nigerian army of war crimes

The human rights group Amnesty international says it has evidence the Nigerian army has committed war crimes in the north of the country where it is fighting the Islamist militants of Boko Haram. The unverified footage appears to show Nigerian soldiers slitting the throats of Boko Haram suspects and dumping their bodies in a mass grave. Amnesty also accused Boko Haram of committing a huge number of war crimes.

UN reports mass exodus from Ukraine

The United Nations says around 730,000 people have left Ukraine for Russia this year because of fighting between pro-Russian rebels and government forces in east Ukraine. The UN says another 117,000 people are displaced inside Ukraine. Kiev authorities say 300 soldiers were forced to cross the border with Russia.

China investigating Canadian couple

China says it is investigating a Canadian couple over the suspected theft of military and intelligence secrets. Canadian reports say the couple have lived in China for thirty years and ran a coffee shop on the Chinese border with North Korea.

Ecclestone offers court deal

A court in Munich says Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has offered to make a 74 million euro payment to end a trial on bribery charges. State prosecutors said they would accept the offer if the court agrees.

The Weather

Changeable with rain and thundershowers. Mainly dry with sunny spells in the east. Top temperatures 19 to 29 degrees.

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