News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Police hunt suspect in Bangkok bombing

Police in Thailand have released images of a suspect, who was filmed entering a shrine with a backpack in the capital Bangkok yesterday, where 22 people were killed in a bomb blast. Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has described the attack as the worst ever witnessed in the country. “This is the worst incident that has ever happened. In the past there have been some blasts and minor explosions, but this time they aimed to take the lives of innocent people. So what they want is to destroy our tourism and our economy for whatever reason.” No-one has claimed responsibility for the attack. Police say they are not ruling out any group, including opponents of Thailand's military government. In a separate incident, an explosive device was thrown from a pier in Bangkok earlier today but didn't cause any injuries.

Coalition talks break down in Turkey

Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu says he'll return his mandate for forming a new government, following the breakdown of coalition talks. Davutoglu's AK party won the most votes in elections on June 7 but lost its outright majority. President Recep Tayyip Edogan must now decide whether to give another party a mandate or form a power sharing government until fresh elections can be held.

Former Sri Lankan President fails in comeback bid

Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has claimed victory in the country's general election, ending a bid by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to return to high office, after losing his post in January. Projections show Winkremesinghe's United National Party falling just short of an overall majority.

Bodies recovered from Indonesian plane crash site

Search teams in Indonesia have recovered the bodies of 54 people who were travelling on a Trigana Air passenger plane that crashed in a remote region of eastern Papua on Sunday. The head of Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency Henry Bambang Soelistyo says the plane's black box has been recovered but the bodies are burnt and will be difficult to identify. “The Search and Rescue Agency, as well as other search teams from Timika, managed to find all 54 bodies as of 12.15 local time. All the bodies are now in body bags waiting to be evacuated.”

UN backs new bid to end the conflict in Syria

The UN Security Council has unanimously approved a statement backing talks between the warring parties in Syria on a political transition. Analysts say the move represents a change in stance for the Council, which has been deeply divided over how to end the conflict.

South Sudan peace talks end without deal

South Sudan's president Salva Kiir has refused to sign a peace deal with rebel leader Riek Machar at talks in Ethiopia, saying he needs more time. International sanctions may now be imposed on South Sudan, where around 10 thousand people have been killed in the current conflict.

The weather

Conditions will be changeable this afternoon, with some thunderstorms expected in moutainous areas. Top temperatures will range from 15 to 26 degrees.

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