An explosion ripped through a coal mine in eastern Ukraine early today, killing at least nine miners and leaving the fate of more than 30 others unknown, the Interfax news agency reported.

President Viktor Yushchenko ordered a state of emergency in parts of Ukraine’s Crimea region today following confirmation of the country’s first bird flu outbreak.

A bus careered off a bridge and into a river in western Ukraine today, killing seven passengers and injuring eight.