News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Steinmeier backs dialogue efforts in Ukraine

Germany's foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has backed efforts by the interim Ukrainian government to begin a dialogue with pro-Russian separatists in the east. The separatists have declared independence, following unofficial referendums at the weekend in Donetsk and Luhansk. Speaking on a visit to Kiev, Steinmeier said Ukraine’s presidential election, planned for May 25th, was crucial to resolving the crisis. “I think we are in complete agreement that the presidential elections on the 25th of May have a crucial role. Not only today, but in all our recent meetings, we’ve talked about how to create conditions so that almost everyone eligible to vote in Ukraine has the chance to do so.”

Former Israeli PM jailed for bribery

A court in Israel has sentenced former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to 6 years in jail for bribery. The 68 year old was found guilty in March of accepting tens of thousands of dollars from property developers, during his tenure as mayor of Jerusalem. Olmert is the first Israeli head of government to be jailed for corruption.

US aircraft in search for missing Nigerian girls

The United States says its surveillance aircraft are assisting in the search for over 200 schoolgirls in Nigeria, who were abducted last month from northern Borno state by the Islamist militant group Boko Haram. US officials say satellite imagery is also being shared with the Nigerian government to help locate the girls. White House spokesman Jay Carney says the search operation is extremely difficult. “We’re talking about helping the Nigerian government search an area that is roughly the size of New England, so this is no small task.”

Google ordered to amend some search results

The European Court of Justice has ordered the operators of the internet search engine Google to erase irrelevant or outdated information on request, in a key test of the so called "right to be forgotten". Google has expressed disappointment at the ruling, saying it only provides links to data freely available on the internet.

Governments accused of failing to stop torture

Amnesty International has accused governments of betraying their responsibility to stamp out torture, 30 years after the adoption of a landmark UN convention. The human rights group says practises ranging from electric shocks to mock executions and rape are being used in more than 140 countries. Loretta Rosales chairs the Human Rights Commission in the Philippines. “Putting a stop to this despicable practice requires society disabusing itself of the notion that shaking or beating up someone is ever justifiable.”

Artist H.R. Giger dead

The influential Swiss artist and designer H.R. Giger has died at the age of 74. He is best known for his design work on the film Alien, which earned him an Academy Award in 1980. Strongly influence by surrealism, his work has a nightmarish quality, with human figures often represented as machines.

The weather

Unsettled conditions will continue this afternoon, with some showers, but also the chance of sunshine. Top temperatures will range from 7 to 15 degrees.

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