News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

West ramps up measures against Ebola

European Union health ministers are meeting in Brussels to discuss whether to coordinate efforts to stop the spread of the Ebola virus. Britain has already begun screening incoming travellers from West Africa where the disease is rampant and France is to begin screening direct flights from Guinea on Saturday. Meanwhile reports from West Africa say society is beginning to break down as farmers fear taking produce to markets and transport links have been disrupted. In the United States president Barack Obama has called for a more aggressive response to cases of Ebola, following confirmation that a second nurse treating an Ebola patient has become infected with the virus. Obama said it was essential mandated safety procedures were followed: “If we do these protocols properly, then the likelihood of widespread Ebola outbreaks in this country are very very low.”

“Hundreds” of IS fighters killed in Syria

US military officials have said hundreds of Islamic State fighters have been killed in the Kurdish city of Kobane in northern Syria during intensified air attacks by the international coalition against IS. Sources in Kobane say at least six Kurdish fighters were also killed in the latest coalition attacks.

Hong Kong offers protestors new talks

Hong Kong chief executive C Y Leung has said his government is ready to talk to leading pro-democracy activists, following almost three weeks of protests. Authorities called off a scheduled meeting with student leaders last week. There were more clashes last night between police and protestors trying to re-occupy a major road near government headquarters.

Iran claims progress at nuclear talks

Iran’s foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said nuclear talks in Vienna this week with six world powers were very difficult but that there was progress in all fields. The parties to the talks have set November 24 as a target date to reach a comprehensive agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme.

Rescue efforts continue in Nepal

Mountain rescue teams in Nepal are continuing to search for at least 70 people still missing after unseasonal blizzards and avalanches along the Annapurna route in the Himalayas. At least 25 people were killed in the storm.

World stock markets fall sharply

European stock markets are sharply down amid continuing worries over the global economy and concerns about deflation in the euro zone. Asian markets also fell sharply overnight, following falls on Wall Street.

Ukraine-Russia talks in Milan

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko is scheduled to hold talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, at an Asia - European Union summit beginning today in Milan. They are expected to discuss the crisis in eastern Ukraine and the dispute over Russian gas supplies.

The weather

Partly sunny with scattered showers in the north and east. Top temperatures 16 to 23 degrees.

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