News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Deadly Bomb Attacks in Thailand

A series of bomb attacks across southern Thailand and the island of Phuket has killed four people. Dozens of others were wounded, many of them tourists, including one Austrian woman. A police spokesman says the attacks were coordinated with military-type IED explosives: “Initial investigations reveal that IEDs were hidden in the parks and detonated remotely using mobile phones.” Thai police say the attacks were local sabotage, possibly carried out by separatist rebels from Thailand’s far south.

UN Investigates Gas Attacks in Aleppo

The United Nations says it is investigating reports that the Syrian military dropped barrel bombs filled with chlorine gas this week on civilians in rebel-held parts of the city of Aleppo. In a related story, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier says the UN and other aid groups should be allowed to deliver crucially-needed humanitarian aid to the civilians trapped in Aleppo. Moscow has promised to suspend Russian and Syrian military attacks in the area for three hours per day, but Steinmeier says that is not enough to prevent an even greater humanitarian disaster.

British Girl Who Joined I-S Reportedly Killed

One of three British schoolgirls who left London in February of last year to join the Islamic State militants has been killed in a Russian air strike on the Syrian city of Raqqa. That’s according to the family of Kadiza Sultana, who says the 16-year old was in contact and making plans to return to Britain when she died.

Ukraine Rejects Russian Charges on Crimea

Officials in Ukraine say there has not been any significant increase in fighting between the army and pro-Russian rebels in the eastern Don Bass region, despite rising tensions after Moscow said Kiev had carried out acts of sabotage and spying in Crimea . That allegation is being rejected by Ukraine’s deputy foreign minister Ivana Klympush: “I’m sure this is a provocation by the Russian Federation, seeking another point of escalation. This requires a very serious and strong reaction from the international leaders.”

Republicans Warn RNC on Trump

In the US presidential race, a group of Republicans have drafted a letter to the party’s national chairman, Reince Priebus, calling on him to stop helping Donald Trump try to win the White House. Instead, they say, the RNC should be protecting Congressional Republicans whose jobs are at risk in the November general election. The group says that Trump’s divisiveness and incompetence could result in a Democratic landslide victory for both the White House and Congress.

Phelps, Fiji Win in Rio

And finally at the Rio Olympics, American swimmer Michael Phelps has won his 22nd overall gold medal. And Fiji has defeated Great Britain in Rugby to win gold and the Pacific island nation’s first-ever Olympic medal.

The Weather

This afternoon will remain mostly cloudy and cooler with scattered rainshowers, especially in northern regions. Highs today are ranging from 11 to 22 degrees.

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