News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

IS fighters pushed back in Kobani

US-led air strikes - and a new offensive by Kurdish forces - have reportedly pushed Islamic State fighters back to the edges of the town of Kobani on the Syrian-Turkish border, which they had appeared set to capture after a three-week assault. The United Nations special envoy for the Syria crisis, Staffan de Mistura, says the international community cannot allow Kobani to fall: "The city of Kobani has been under siege now for three weeks. There were 400,000 inhabitants. They have been defending themselves with great courage. But they are now very close to not being able to do so. The international community needs to defend them." At least 14 people died in violent overnight clashes across Turkey, as protesters took to the streets to demand the Turkish government do more to protect Kobani.

Spain reports fifth suspected Ebola case

A fifth person has been admitted to hospital in Spain, on suspicion of having contracted the deadly Ebola virus. Spanish authorities confirmed on Monday that a nurse in Madrid had become the first person to have contracted the virus outside West Africa. The fifth patient is said to be a friend of the nurse and is also a member of the Ebola care unit at the hospital.

EU leaders discuss jobs crisis

European leaders are meeting in the Italian city of Milan to discuss a response to the jobs crisis. Unemployment figures are particularly high in southern Europe and among young people, about a quarter of whom are unemployed.

EU approves subsidies for new nuclear plant

European Union regulators have approved a controversial British proposal to subsidise a new 20 billion euro nuclear power station at Hinkley Point, to be built by the French utility EDF. The landmark case sets state aid rules for nuclear projects across Europe. Austria says it will take court action against the Commission.

Kenya´s President appears before the ICC

The Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta is appearing at the International Criminal Court in The Hague to answer charges of crimes against humanity. He´s the first serving head of state to ever come before the court. The charges concern the violence that followed the 2007 elections, in which more than 1,000 Kenyans were killed.

Nobel Chemistry Prize for microscope work

The Nobel Prize for chemistry has been awarded to Eric Betzig and William Moerner from the United States and the German scientist Stefan Hell. They were honoured for their work on boosting the resolution of microscopes. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said the research had made it possible to study molecular processes in real time.

The weather

Some persistent fog in the north east, some rain in the south west, but sunny across the rest of the country. Highs today from 14 to 26.

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