News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Republicans win control of US Senate

The Republicans have won control of the Senate in the US mid-term elections, increasing their power in the final two years of Barack Obama's presidency. The development means the party will control both houses of Congress. The Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, who's now expected to lead the chamber, says the Obama administration had lost people's trust: "I've heard your concerns. I've made them my own. You will be heard in Washington. And when you get down to it that's what this campaign was really all about. It was about a government that people no longer trust to carry out its most basic duties."

Kiev accused of violating peace deal

Separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine have accused President Petro Poroshenko of violating a peace deal by calling for a law which would have given their regions a "special status" to be suspended. The self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics said the move undermined the basis of ceasefire talks which were held in Minsk in September. Speaking yesterday evening, Poroshenko accused the rebels of violating the agreement by holding their own elections last week-end: "two days ago, on the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, a farce happened which jeopardised the Minsk agreement and the peace process and destroyed the political dialogue."

Driver hits pedestrians in East Jerusalem

Reports coming in from East Jerusalem say a driver has rammed a car into several pedestrians. Police say 8 people were wounded in what they're describing as a "suspected terror attack". They said that the driver was shot dead by security officials.

Africa leaders in Burkina Faso for talks

The presidents of Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal are due to arrive in Burkina Faso to press the military for a speedy handover of power to a civilian ruler. The African Union says the army acted unconstitutionally when it took over after President Blaise Compaore was forced to resign last Friday after protests against his bid to extend his 27-year rule.

Train strike in Germany

In Germany, the GDL train drivers union is starting a 5 day strike, the longest walkout in the history of the German rail operator Deutsche Bahn. The industrial action will initially affect freight traffic from this afternoon. Passenger services will be affected from tomorrow morning for 4 days. Talks with Deutsche Bahn on pay, working hours and negotiating rights collapsed earlier this week.

The weather

There's still a strong wind and föhn around and there'll be occasional sunshine in the East. Elsewhere it’ll be cloudy with a warning of some heavy rain in the West in the region between Vorarlberg and Carinthia. Highs where it's overcast will be ranging between 5 and 13 degrees, elsewhere between 14 and 22.

Übersicht

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