News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Charles Taylor's conviction upheld

An UN-backed special court in The Hague has upheld the war crimes conviction of the former Liberian President Charles Taylor, rejecting his appeal. Last year, Taylor was sentenced to 50 years in prison after being found guilty of 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity and for providing help to rebels during Sierra Leone's civil war. Appeals judges also reaffirmed his jail sentence.

High-level talks to take place on Iran

Foreign ministers from the 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany will be meeting with Iran's top diplomat later today to discuss Tehran's controversial nuclear programme. The move follows a statement from Iran's new President Hasan Rouhani that he wants to reach a deal over the dispute within months. Today's meeting will see the US Secretary of State John Kerry meeting his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif in the highest-level direct contact between the two countries in six years. Zarif says he expects progress to be made: "I'm looking to hear from them that they have the same political will as we do to start serious negotiations with a view to reaching an agreement within the shortest span of time."

Death toll from Pakistan's earthquake rises

In south-western Pakistan, thousands of people have had to sleep out in the open or in makeshift shelters for a second night following Tuesday's earthquake. The death toll from the tremor has risen to nearly 350. Rescue teams have been trying to reach the remote area where the quake struck. Over 550 people have been injured.

23 killed in attacks in Baghdad

Police in Iraq say a series of blasts in Baghdad have killed at least 23 people. The attacks happened at busy markets in mainly Sunni Muslim districts of the city.

Russia court ruling expected on Greenpeace

A court in Russia is expected to rule today in the case of 30 Greenpeace activists who were detained after a protest against oil drilling in the Arctic which involved trying to scale an offshore oil platform. The activists' ship was seized by the Russian Coast Guard earlier this week and brought to the port of Murmansk.

Comeback for some animal species

A new report says some of Europe's animal species have made a comeback over the past 50 years. Conservationists say bears, wolves, lynx, eagles and vultures have increased in numbers. They believe that protection, curbs on hunting and people moving away from rural areas and into cities have helped Europe's wildlife to recover. The report was commissioned by the group Rewilding Europe. Spokesman Frans Schepers: "since the Second World War, just after that, during the 50 and 60s, a gradual increase started. And that is mainly due to the fact that legal protection and dedicated conservation work is now having an impact."

The weather

Cloud will be moving in from the northwest bringing some showers. But occasional sunshine is also forecast, especially in the south and east. There'll be a lively to strong wind and highs are ranging between 14 and 22 degrees, in the south up to 25.

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