News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Egypt releases Al Jazeera reporter

The Australian journalist Peter Greste who was imprisoned in Egypt in 2013 has been released and deported. The Al-Jazeera reporter spent 400 days behind bars alongside his two colleagues Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed. They were tried on charges that included spreading false news and aiding the Muslim Brotherhood. Greste says he won't rest until his colleagues are also released.

Liberia's Ebola vaccine trial starts

The first large-scale trials of an experimental vaccine against the deadly Ebola disease are due to begin in Liberia. The potentially preventative medicine was taken under strict security to a secret location. Scientists aim to immunise 30,000 volunteers, including health workers. Dr Anthony Fauci is the director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases which is helping to run the trial. He says it's a long-term project: "it'll take about a year and obviously we hope that it will be effective. It looks good in an animal model. It has been safe in early trials in human volunteers in the US, the UK and in Mali."

Ukraine rebels announce mobilisation plans

The leader of the pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine Alexander Zakharchenko has announced plans to recruit 10,000 men. He claimed the move would make the rebel force 100,000-strong. There's been more intense fighting between government forces and the separatists in recent days. Local authorities in Donetsk said 15 civilians were killed over the week-end as shells and mortars hit residential areas of the city. The Ukrainian army says 5 soldiers have been killed in clashes over the past 24 hours.

South Sudan peace deal signed

The President of South Sudan Salva Kiir has signed a peace deal with rebel leader Riek Machar aimed at ending the country's conflict. The conflict which erupted at the end of 2013 has displaced about 1.5 million people. Ethiopia's Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn says he's confident the deal, which was signed in Ethiopia, will hold in spite of the failure of past ceasefires: "I am confident that the two leaders will respect what they have signed. This is what the people of South Sudan are expecting and the people of the region."

Greek Finance Minister on EU tour

The new Greek government has offered to produce proposals within a month for a revised debt agreement with its international creditors. It says it will not take on any more debt in the meantime. Finance minister Yanis Varoufakis is continuing his tour of European capitals to put his government's case with a visit to London.

The weather

The east and south will have some occasional sunshine but some persistent fog in parts of the south. Elsewhere more snow is forecast. A lively to strong wind and highs this afternoon mainly between minus 5 and plus 3 degrees, in the east up to 5.

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