News | 17 November 2017

More coalition talks in Germany +++ Siemens to cut jobs +++ EU summit in Sweden +++ Crisis continues in Zimbabwe

More coalition talks in Germany +++ Siemens to cut jobs +++ EU summit in Sweden +++ Crisis continues in Zimbabwe +++ China backs Cambodia +++ Trump victory in Congress +++ US lifts elephant ban +++ Ex-mob boss dead +++ The weather

18. Dezember 2017, 02:00

News | 17 November 2017

Joe Remick

More coalition talks in Germany

Talks aimed at forming a new coalition government in Germany are resuming in berlin this afternoon. The talks involve Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives, the Greens and the Free Democrats. Earlier talks have been hampered by disagreements on migration and finances.

Siemens to cut jobs

The German industrial giant Siemens has announced it is cutting 6000 jobs worldwide. Half of the cuts are in Germany while 200 jobs will be eliminated in Austria.

EU summit in Sweden

An EU summit is taking place today in Sweden. Brexit is high on the agenda. Ireland has said it will oppose any British effort to re-impose border controls between the Republic and Northern Ireland after the UK leaves the EU in 2019.

Crisis continues in Zimbabwe

The political crisis in Zimbabwe continues. Today President Robert Mugabe attended a graduation ceremony at a school near Harare. Two days ago the military put him under house arrest. Mugabe and the army have been in talks aimed at a smooth transition of power, but Mugabe is reportedly refusing calls for him to officially resign.

China backs Cambodia

China has said it supports Cambodia pursuing its own development path. The statement follows a decision by the Supreme Court to ban Cambodia’s only significant opposition party, which was dissolved yesterday at the request of Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Trump victory in Congress

In the US, Republicans are celebrating President Donald Trump’s first major victory in Congress where the House of Representatives have approved a 1.5 trillion dollar tax reform bill. House Minority leader Nancy Pelosi says the plan favors the rich: “The Congress of the United States should not be pillaging the future for big corporations and the rich.”

US lifts elephant ban

The Trump administration is lifting a ban on the importation of elephant parts from Africa. Conservationist Shay Wolf calls the move a disaster: “Elephants are in dangerous decline and it is outrageous that the Trump administration is greenlighting trophy hunters going into Zimbabwe and kill elephants.”

Ex-mob boss dead

The former head of the Sicilian mafia, Toto Riina, has died at a prison in northern Italy at the age of 87. He was serving 26 life sentences for murders committed between 1969 and 1992.