Several pro-Russian rebels have been killed, injured and arrested in an Ukrainian offensive in the eastern city of Sloviansk, reports the BBC.

Rebels earlier shot down armed Ukrainian helicopters, that flew over the eastern rebel held region.

A spokesperson for Russian president, Vladimir Putin, said that Kiev had fired on civilians from air in a ‘punitive operation,’ reported Reuters.

The Ukrainian president said that the fight against rebel forces was ‘greatly complicated’ due to the high civilian population density in the areas.

The Philippines today announced that it would supply the US with up to 5 military bases in Subic bay as part of defence agreement renewals made by the two states this week.

An access deal signed by the two parties allows the US to rotate a greater number of aircraft, ships and troops in territory held by the Philippines, including Subic bay, reports Reuters.

The US president, Barack Obama earlier this week that the pact was intended to increase build Philippine capacity and ensure maritime peace and security.

A bomb exploded at Chennai Central railway station at 7.15 am this morning, killing one woman, and injuring many others on board the train.

Blasts arose from two carriages of the Bangalore-Guwahati express train, which had arrived at platform 9 ten minutes earlier, witnesses have reported.

One man, who was on board the train, has been detained for questioning, said police.

The woman killed has been identified as 22 year old Swati from Guntur. It is believed a bomb was located under her seat.

The United States secretary of state John Kerry, warning that a genocide could ensue in South Sudan, threatened leaders of the opposing factions with sanctions, reports The Guardian.

Speaking in Ethiopia at the start of his six-day tour of Africa, Kerry said,

The Colombian government deployed tanks and troops on farmers that were striking in attempts to choke food supplies ahead of presidential elections due to take place at the end of May.

Farmers took to the street for the second time this year due to President Juan Manuel Santos’ failure to fulfil promises of rural reform, reports The Guardian.

Anticipating severe disruption, the government sent in tanks and troops to placate what was mostly a peaceful demonstration. 

The United Nations Security Council, Tuesday, renewed its peacekeeping MINURSO mission in the North African territory of Western Sahara for another year, reports Reuters.

An unanimously adopted resolution stressed ‘the importance of improving the human rights situation in Western Sahara and the Tindouf camps, whilst encouraging the parties to work wit he international community to develop and implement independent and credible measures to ensure full respect for human rights.’

The Sinn Fein president, Gerry Adams, is being questioned in police custody today, over the kidnap and murder of an alleged informant by the IRA during the Troubles, reports The Guardian.

Adams volunteered himself to the Police Service of Northern Island for questioning  after being accused of being involved in the IRA attack.

In a statement made, before entering the police station in Antrim town, Adams said,

The United Nations warned today that that South Sudan was on the brink of genocide and large scale famine, reports The Times.

The UN special envoy for the prevention of genocide-, Adama Dieng, pledging to protect civilians from genocide, said,

“We owe a pledge to take all possible measures within our power to protect populations from another Rwanda, there is no excuse for inaction.”

The Palestinian president, in a statement released by the Palestinian official news agency yesterday, called the Holocaust ‘the most heinous crime in modern history’, reports The Guardian.

Mahmoud Abbas’ statement, which coincided with the Holocaust remembrance day, said,

“The Holocaust is a reflection of the concept of ethnic discrimination and racism which the Palestinians strongly reject and act against.”