News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Russia accused of troop deployment in Ukraine

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko is holding talks with senior security advisors, following what he has described as a "Russian troop deployment" in the east of the country. Ukrainian officials say the border town of Novoazovsk has now fallen under the control of Russian forces. Separatist leaders have also acknowledged that Russian soldiers are present. White House spokesperson Jen Psaki says there is mounting evidence that Russia is helping the separatists stage a counter offensive. “There were reports of additional columns of Russian tanks, multiple rocket launchers and armoured vehicles pushing towards communities in south-eastern Ukraine. We’ve also seen reports of separatists shelling residential areas in a coastal town between the border and Mariupol.” The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe is holding an emergency meeting in Vienna to discuss the crisis in Ukraine.

Turkey inaugurates new president Erdogan

Recep Tayyip Erogan is set to be sworn in as the new president of Turkey today, after winning the first ever popular election for the post. Erdogan, who has served as prime minister for the past 11 years, has indicated that he wants to transform Turkey's political system, to give the largely ceremonial post of president greater powers.

WHO calls for urgent action on Ebola

The World Health Organisation says it needs almost 500 million dollars over the next six months to combat the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. WHO officials say a massive and co-ordinated response is needed, with over 1550 people dying from the virus since the beginning of the year. The Director of the US Centers for Disease Control, Tom Frieden, says the current outbreak is likely to get worse before it gets better. “Not only are the numbers large, but we know there are many more cases than have been diagnosed and reported, and that cases are increasing.”

Hollande urges international Libya support

French President Francois Hollande has called on the United Nations to provide exceptional support to Libya to help the government restore order following recent violence. Speaking at an annual meeting of diplomats, Hollande said Libya could plunge into chaos without international help, risking the spread of terrorism across the region.

New search phase for missing Malaysia plane

The Australian government says it is preparing to begin a new phase in the search for a Malaysia Airlines plane, which disappeared in March with 239 people on board. Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss says the search will now focus on an area of the Indian Ocean further to the south, using advanced deep sea equipment. “Together the vessels will search the floor using towed vehicles equipped with wide-scan sonar. The high resolution search of the priority area on the seafloor is expected to take about 12 months to complete.”

The weather

Generally sunny conditions have been forecast for this afternoon. Temperatures will remain mild, with maximums of between 17 and 25 degrees.

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