News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Lebanon acts to stem flood of Syrian refugees

In Lebanon new restrictions have come into force, which require Syrians to get visas before entering the country. The influx of well over one million refugees fleeing the civil war in Syria has put the small country of Lebanon under huge strain. Ron Redmond is a spokesman for the UN's refugee agency in Lebanon: “The impact is absolutely dramatic. They need help. And one of the problems is (that) the international community has to do more to support Lebanon, Jordan and these other countries.”

Germany denies Greece policy change

Germany says it wants Greece to stay in the Eurozone and denies reports that it has changed its policy on the issue. It was responding to a story in Der Spiegel which claimed that the government of Angela Merkel believed the Eurozone could now cope if Greece were to abandon the common currency. A general election in Greece later this month could see victory for the left-wing Syriza party, which wants to renegotiate the terms of country’s international bailout.

Boston Bombing Trial begins

In the United States, the man charged with carrying out the Boston marathon bombing goes on trial today. Three people died and more than 260 others were injured when two homemade bombs were detonated at the event in April 2013. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who’s 21, is accused of carrying out the attack along with his older brother, who was shot dead by police. These Boston residents have mixed feelings about the trial: Male Voice: “It’s going to be difficult to follow but it’s going to be a good thing to do in my opinion. Female Voice: “It’s going to painful, of course, to relive something so traumatic. But who could handle it better than the citizens of Boston?”

Venezuela president seeks economic help

The president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, is starting an international tour designed to bolster the country’s economy, which has been hit by falling oil prices and a deepening recession. He goes first to China - a major source of loans for Venezuela – and will then travel to various OPEC member countries to press for cuts in oil output that would boost prices. Maduro announced his trip during a television address: “I’m going on a major tour. It’s very important to tackle new projects in the circumstances that our country is in because of the loss of income resulting from the huge drop in oil prices.”

Australia battles huge wildfire

Weather conditions in South Australia have improved as emergency personnel continue their efforts to contain a massive wildfire there. Several homes have been destroyed near the city of Adelaide. The Premier of South Australia, Jay Weatherill, says there’s still cause for concern: “There are a number of flare-ups across the fire ground. Fires caused by the flare-ups can travel quickly. The direction can be erratic and there remains a very clear danger.”

The weather

Occasional sunshine in the far-west and south-west. Elsewhere - changeable conditions with some snow and sleet. Highs are ranging from -2C and to + 8C.

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