US weighs military response over Syria +++ Syrian government raises flag in Douma +++ EU debates Hungary sanctions

13. Mai 2018, 02:00

US weighs military response over Syria

The US government is expected to decide today on its response to the suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria. Senior officials will finalise their recommendations to President Trump on military action. The White House says all options are on the table. Philip Gordon is the former Middle East advisor to Barack Obama: "Such action would have to be very focussed, and clearly articulated and as part of strategy - in my view - which would be focussed on deterring chemical weapons use and not trying to change the course of the civil war in Syria, or engage the Russians, or other potential goals."

Syrian government raises flag in Douma

The Russian military says the Syrian flag is flying over the town of Douma - the target of the chemical attack on Saturday. It had been the last rebel stronghold in the eastern Ghouta region - outside Damascus. Russian military police have been deployed in Douma.

EU debates Hungary sanctions

The European Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee has debated a report recommending the imposition of sanctions on Hungary for undermining the values of the European Union. The discussion comes after the landslide re-election of Viktor Orban's nationalist government - which has been criticised for opposing immigration and curbing freedom of speech. György Schöpflin is an MEP for Orban's Fidesz party: "Hungary represents a particular way forward for the European Union, European integration... others see it differently. We don't want Muslim migrants, we don't really want very many migrants. In a way, it's a democratic choice - you can either choose to be multicultural or you can choose not to be multicultural."

Israel marks Holocaust Remembrance Day

Israelis have held a nationwide moment of silence to remember the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. In Poland, twelve thousand people are expected to join the "March of the Living" - to remember the victims and survivors of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps. The march is being led by the Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, and is accompanied by the heads of Israel’s security forces.

Amnesty releases death penalty report

The human rights group Amnesty International has released its annual report on the death penalty. Almost 1,000 people were executed in 23 countries in 2017. That's 4 percent less than the previous year. However, it's thought that China still has the highest execution rate of any country, but the number of people sentenced to death is a state secret.

New Zealand bans new oil and gas exploration

New Zealand says it will not grant any more permits for offshore oil and gas exploration in a bid to tackle climate change. The Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, said the country should lead the world in issues critical to humanity.

The weather

A mix of sun and cloud with some rain in the west and south. Highs ranging from 8 degrees in the west and up to 24 degrees in the east.

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