News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

New Austrian government announced

Austria's coalition partners - the Social Democrats and the ÖVP - have announced they are forming a new government. Cabinet changes will see vice-Chancellor Michael Spindelegger taking on the finance portfolio, replacing Maria Fekter.Sebastian Kurz, who's been the state secretary for integration, will become Austria's new foreign minister. Among the new faces are public opinion analyst Sophie Karmasin who'll be responsible for family matters. The party leaders are meeting President Heinz Fischer this afternoon to present their government programme. The new cabinet is expected to be sworn in at the beginning of next week.

North Korea leader’s uncle executed

State media in North Korea say the once-powerful uncle of leader Kim Jong-un has been executed. It said he had admitted to trying to overthrow the state at a military trial. Chang Song-thaek was dramatically removed from a Communist Party session by armed guards earlier this week.

Amnesty criticises EU over Syria refugees

The human rights group Amnesty International has strongly criticised the EU's response to Syria's refugee crisis. Amnesty says the bloc has failed to provide a safe haven, saying that around 10 countries have so far promised to allow in 12,000 people. Claude Moraes is a Labour MEP and a former director of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants: "Amnesty are right to focus on the fact that the vast majority of Syrians pour into neighbouring countries and the chaos being caused here is because the EU should have in place a common asylum system which would create some sort of burden-sharing at the borders and that is not happening."

Klitschko agrees to Ukraine talks

In Ukraine, opposition leader Vitaly Klitschko says he will attend talks with President Viktor Yanukovich. The development follows weeks of pro-EU demonstrations which were sparked when the government withdrew from a deal which would have seen closer ties with the EU. However, First Deputy Prime Minister Serhiy Arbuzov says Ukraine does intend to sign the pact.

Catalonia plans independence vote

Separatist parties in Spain's Catalonia region have set November 9th next year as the date for a proposed referendum on independence. Calls for independence in the wealthy industrial region have grown amid Spain's economic problems and public spending cuts. However, the Spanish Justice Minister Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon says a vote would be in violation of Spain's constitution: "the government guarantees that there won't be any illegal action in Spain. The result of an inquiry of this nature would be against the constitution and against the statute of autonomy of Catalonia."

The weather

It’ll be mainly overcast in the low-lying areas, but sunny in the mountains. Highs are mainly ranging between minus 2 and plus 4 degrees, in some places where it's sunny up to 10.

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