Portal:Current events/2014 April 8

Current events of April 8, 2014 (2014-04-08) (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• A bomb detonates on a rail car in Sibi, Pakistan, killing 13 people and injuring another 35. (AP via TIME)
• South Thailand insurgency:
  • The southern town of Yala is hit by a series of explosions that have killed one and injured others. (ABC Australia)

Business and economy

• Ford Motor Company recalls nearly 435,000 vehicles, citing rust and seat issues. (Fox News)

International relations

• 2014 pro-Russian protests in Ukraine:
  • Ukrainian police detain about 70 people in Kharkiv in an "anti-terrorist" operation that clear government buildings seized by pro-Russian protesters in Kharkiv.(CNN)
  • United States Secretary of State John Kerry accuses Russian agents and special forces on Tuesday of stirring separatist unrest in eastern Ukraine. (Reuters)
  • Russia warns Ukraine that any use of force in eastern Ukraine could lead to a civil war. (CNN)
• Senkaku Islands dispute:
  • United States Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel voices the U.S. government’s continued support of Japan’s claims to the disputed territory. (TIME)
• As part of his state visit to the United Kingdom, Irish President Michael D. Higgins addresses the Houses of Parliament and attends a banquet at Windsor Castle with Elizabeth II. (BBC)

Law and crime

• The European Court of Justice rules against the European Union Data Retention Directive which mandates that telecom operators must retain all their customers' communications data for up to two years. (Irish Independent)
• The Supreme Court of the Philippines declares the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 as constitutional but strikes down certain provisions. (Rappler)
• The Irish government agrees the terms of reference for the Commission of Investigation into the Garda phone recordings controversy. (RTÉ)

Sports

• In the first NCAA Division I basketball championship game for either men or women to feature two unbeaten teams, Connecticut defeats Notre Dame 79–58 to claim the school's ninth women's national title. (AP via ESPN)