News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Top level Ukraine talks in Milan

The Russian President Vladimir Putin is meeting his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko and key EU leaders in the Italian city of Milan to discuss the crisis in eastern Ukraine. The leaders of the UK, Germany, France and Italy accuse Moscow of arming separatist rebels and sending regular Russian troops to Ukraine… and they’re expected to press Putin to do more to end the fighting. Speaking in Milan, the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, called for concrete steps: “Russia now needs to take the actions to put in place all that’s been agreed, getting Russian troops out of Ukraine, and respecting all the agreements and only recognising one legitimate set of Ukrainian elections.”

UN calls for money in fight against Ebola

The United Nations has launched another urgent appeal for funds to help fight Ebola… after an earlier drive for donations fell far short of its target. The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon says a one-billion dollar trust fund he launched in September has received just $100,000 dollars so far. He says the emergency funding is needed immediately. The Ebola outbreak in West Africa has so far killed about 4,500 people - mostly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. The former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has accused the world of not caring about Africa.

German hostages deadline passes

A deadline set by Islamist militants, who are holding two Germans hostages in the southern Philippines, has passed with no immediate word on the fate of the captives. The Abu Sayyaf militants had said they would execute one of the two if they were not given a ransom of over 5 million dollars. They also demanded that Germany stop supporting U.S.-led air strikes on Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria.

Brazilian man confesses to 39 murders

Police in central Brazil have arrested a man who they say has confessed to at least 39 murders over a period of three years. The 26-year-old security guard reportedly targeted homeless people, women and homosexuals in a series of random shootings. He is said to have approached his victims on a motorbike with his identity hidden by a helmet before shooting them and fleeing.

Five new members for UN Security Council

Spain, Venezuela, Malaysia, Angola and New Zealand have each won non-permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council. Despite lobbying heavily amongst the UN's 193 member nations, Turkey lost out to Spain in a run-off vote. The five new members of the Council will begin their two-year appointment on January 1st 2015.

Hong Kong protestors regroup

Pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong have been gathering again in an area of the city that was cleared by police overnight. The protesters are angry about Beijing’s insistence that it will have the final say over who stands in Hong Kong’s leadership election in 2017.

The weather

Heavy cloud in most of Austria. The rain will slowly let up with the south seeing mainly dry and occasionally sunny conditions. Highs are ranging from 11C to 23C.

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