30.09.2014

News in English

HK leader calls for end to protests / Kabul to sign foreign troop deal / Aircraft target IS areas in northern Syria / EU Commission hearings continue / Study warns of declining wildlife / The weather

30.09.2014

HK leader calls for end to protests

A senior official in Hong Kong has appealed for an end to the protests which have seen tens of thousands of people occupying the central business district and other areas. The demonstrators are calling for electoral reform and have been expressing their opposition to Beijing's plans to vet candidates for Hong Kong's elections in 2017. CY Leung, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, said the demonstrations would not change China's mind and called on the protestors to stop their campaign: "the leaders of the Occupy Central movement have repeatedly stated that if the protests get extensively out of control, then they will call off the protest. I now appeal to the leaders to carry out the promise they made to the whole society. That is - call off the protests immediately."

Kabul to sign foreign troop deal

The new government in Afghanistan is preparing to sign security deals with the US and NATO that will allow foreign troops to remain in the country beyond this year. Most NATO forces are to withdraw this year. The agreement allow for some to stay to support and train Afghan forces.

Aircraft target IS areas in northern Syria

American aircraft attacked Islamic State militant targets in Syria overnight in raids that a monitoring group said had killed 2 civilians as well as a number of fighters. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes hit areas controlled by IS in the north of the country.

EU Commission hearings continue

The European parliament is continuing its hearings for candidates for the new EU Commission. Among those being questioned today is Austria’s Johannes Hahn who has served as commissioner for regional policy. He's now being put forward to take over the portfolio covering relations with the EU's neighbours and enlargement.

Study warns of declining wildlife

A new study has warned that global wildlife populations have dropped by more than half in just 40 years. The WWF says the loss of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish is much worse than previously thought. WWF spokeswoman Heather Sohl says human behaviour is responsible for much of the problem: "we're not producing this for shock value. We're producing this in order to say our wildlife, our bio-diversity is under threat. And we're finding that it is humanity's demands on natural resources which is rising unsustainably and causing these declines."

The weather

This afternoon's weather: mild with occasional sunshine in much of Austria. Some foggy patches still around and some thick cloud in the West with isolated showers in Vorarlberg, Tyrol and Salzburg. Highs are ranging between 14 and 24 degrees.

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