Poland’s Supreme Court reform bill sent to committee +++ Trump and Putin held undisclosed talks

19. August 2017, 02:00

Poland’s Supreme Court reform bill sent to committee

Poland's parliament has voted to send a contested Supreme Court reform bill to a parliamentary committee, moving closer to passing a law which would give MPs more control over the appointments of Supreme Court judges. The bill is one of a number of controversial legal reforms put forward by the Polish government, which critics fear could undermine the independence of the country's judiciary.

Trump and Putin held undisclosed talks

President Trump has dismissed as 'fake news' reports of a secret meeting between him and the Russian President Vladimir Putin at the recent G20 summit. The White House says the meeting was a brief conversation. Ian Bremmer is the president of the US-based Eurasia Group - he first reported the meeting and said that the two leaders met for as long as an hour, with no US officials present: "That's a substantial meeting, especially on the back of the over two hour formal meeting they had before... and the only person that knows what was discussed is the translator."

Thailand convicts traffickers

A judge in Thailand has announced more than 40 guilty verdicts in the country's biggest human trafficking trial, which involves more than 100 defendants. A Thai general, several police officers, and politicians were among those involved in the trafficking of Bangladeshi nationals and Rohinga Muslims - a persecuted minority fleeing from Myanmar. Matt Smith has advocated for the victims, and says trafficking in Thailand is a huge problem: "It is the tip of the iceberg, there were tens of thousands of Rohinga and others, including Bangladeshi nationals that were being trafficked through these torture camps yet this trial really revolves around the discovery of 36 bodies in a mass grave."

French military head quits

The head of the French armed forces has announced his resignation, after a public clash with President Macron, over cuts to the defence budget. General Pierre De Villiers said he was no longer able to guarantee the robust defence force he believes is necessary for the protection of France. Macron's government has announced cuts of 850 million euros in this year's defence budget, as part of efforts to bring the deficit below three percent of GDP, as agreed by the European Union.

Montenegro coup trial postponed

A court in Montenegro has postponed the trial of 14 people, in connection with an alleged coup attempt during elections in October. The prosecutor has accused elements of the Russian state of involvement in the plot. The Kremlin described the accusation as absurd.

The weather

Hot and mostly sunny conditions across the country, with just a few thundery showers in central Austria. Highs ranging between 26 and 34 degrees.

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