News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Khodorkovsky released from jail

Russian officials say the former oil businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky has been released from prison after President Vladimir Putin signed a decree pardoning him. Khodorkovsky had been convicted of theft and fraud and has spent 10 years in detention. He was once seen as one of Putin's biggest challengers and Kremlin critics regarded him as a political prisoner. Many observers say one reason for the amnesty is an attempt to ease international criticism of Russia's human rights record ahead of the Winter Olympics in Sochi. Russia expert Gerhard Mangott says there is a second factor which is that Putin is feeling in control of the country and not threatened by the opposition: "well it is about the Sochi Olympics - Putin is trying hard to improve the image because of course he's embarrassed by the growing number of western statesmen who've cancelled their participation for the opening ceremony. But it is more than that - it also signals that Putin now feels very confident, very safe."

Obama warns of civil war in South Sudan

The US President Barack Obama has warned that South Sudan is on the brink of a civil war. His statement followed clashes in the capital Juba and around the country. At least 500 people are reported to have been killed since last week-end. The clashes have seen fighting between supporters of President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar. 2 Indian peacekeepers were killed yesterday when a UN base sheltering refugees came under attack. U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq: "we've been trying to protect as many civilians as we can but our resources are stretched thin. It's extremely difficult to be able to provide food, water and sanitation for all the people who need shelter."

Defence issues on EU summit agenda

EU leaders meeting in Brussels have agreed to cooperate more closely on defence issues. Military spending in many member states has been reduced in response to the financial crisis. But the EU summit has seen calls for countries to work together to spread the cost. Among the planned projects are the development of a European drone and investing in more air-to- air refuelling technology.

S&P downgrades EU credit rating

The agency Standard and Poor's says it's downgraded the EU's credit rating, stripping it of its AAA status. It says a battle over the EU budget and what it said was the worsening creditworthiness of some of its members are behind the decision. However the new rating AA+ is still considered to be very solid.

70 injured in London theatre ceiling collapse

Investigators in London are trying to establish the cause of a ceiling collapse at a West End theatre that injured over 70 people - some of them seriously. A large section of ornate plasterwork at the Apollo fell onto the audience during a play.

The weather

It'll be partly foggy, partly sunny with some thick cloud about and a bit of rain in the West. Highs are ranging between minus 2 and plus 9 degrees.

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