News | 13 September 2017

Juncker gives speech on EU‘s future +++ New Brexit talks delayed

Juncker gives speech on EU‘s future +++ New Brexit talks delayed +++ More Air Berlin flights cancelled +++ Opposition boycotts Venezuela talks +++ Suu Kyi to be absent at UN General Assembly +++ Hurricane cleanup continues +++The Weather

14. Oktober 2017, 02:00

News | 13 September 2017

Joe Remick

Juncker gives speech on EU‘s future

European Union President Jean-Claude Juncker has given a speech to the European Parliament to outline his vision for the future of the European Union. Juncker told MEPs the EU is in the fifth year of an economic recovery and that EU unemployment is at a nine-year low. He called for deeper European integration and said all of the EU‘s remaining 27 member states should adopt the Euro and join the Schengen Zone. Juncker also said the EU had bounced back from Britain’s decision to leave the Union: „The wind is back in Europe’s sails. We now have a window of opportunity. Let us make the most of the momentum. Now it’s time to build a more united, a stronger, a more democratic Europe.“

New Brexit talks delayed

Britain says the next round of Brexit talks with the European Union has been postponed until September 25th. The talks will resume after Prime Minister Theresa may give a speech on September 21st when she is expected to address future EU-UK ties.

More Air Berlin flights cancelled

Air Berlin has had to cancel more flights today after around 150 pilots phoned in sick. Management of the troubled airline is locked in a dispute with flight crews over the transfer to new ownership. Air Berlin declared bankruptcy last month. Bids to take over the airline must be filed by this Friday.

Opposition boycotts Venezuela talks

Venezuela’s political opposition is refusing to attend talks with the government of President Nicolas Maduro. These talks had been scheduled to open later today in the Dominican Republic. The opposition says it will not enter talks until Maduro addresses Venezuela’s humanitarian crisis and frees political prisoners.

Suu Kyi to be absent at UN General Assembly

Myanmar’s leader, Aung san Suu Kyi, will not go to New York next week for the opening of the United Nations General Assembly. The former political dissident and 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate has faced criticism for not speaking out against the violence committed by her country’s military against Rohingya Muslims. Almost 400,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh over the past month.

Hurricane cleanup continues

In the United States, 12 people have been confirmed to have been killed when Hurricane Irma hit Florida. Residents of the state are still facing power outages and fuel shortages as they cope with the aftermath of the storm. Around a quarter of the homes in the Florida keys were destroyed by the hurricane. Jane Mattingly lives in Key Largo: „We have a lot of water damage. Haven’t been able to assess the whole thing yet. Overall in the Keys there‘s been damage in every area“.