News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Vanuatu appeals for help after cyclone

Vanuatu's President Baldwin Lonsdale has appealed for international assistance, to help his country recover from the devastation caused by cyclone Pam. The storm struck the small South Pacific archipelago over the weekend with winds of up to 300 kilometres per hour. The official death toll from the disaster stands at 8, however it's expected to rise further, with around 90 percent of buildings in the capital Port Vila damaged or destroyed. Lonsdale told a news conference that the tiny nation must now start again. “It is a monster, it’s a monster that has hit the Republic of Vanuatu. And again it is a setback for the government and for the people of Vanuatu after all the development that has taken place, all this development has been wiped out.”

Huge protests against Brazil’s president

Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets across Brazil to protest against President Dilma Rousseff, with many protestors calling for her impeachment over a corruption scandal involving the state oil company Petrobras. Dozens of politicians are being investigated for allegedly taking kickbacks, however Rousseff, a former Petrobras executive, has been cleared of any wrongdoing.

Saudi prince warns against Iran nuclear deal

Iran and six world powers begin another round of negotiations this week in Switzerland over Iran's nuclear program, ahead of a deadline set for the end of this month. The west is looking for guarantees that Iran will not develop nuclear weapons in return for sanctions relief. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif has been holding talks with his US counterpart John Kerry. A senior member of Saudi Arabia's royal family Prince Turki al-Faisal has warned that any deal with Iran could prompt neighbouring states to also seek nuclear energy. “Whatever comes out of these talks we will want the same. So if Iran has the ability to enrich uranium to whatever level, it’s not just Saudi Arabia that’s going to ask for that.”

Final day of campaigning in Israel

Political parties in Israel are holding a final day of campaigning before parliamentary elections on Tuesday. Opinion polls show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling Likud party trailing the centre left opposition Zionist Union. Analysts say Netanyahu may still be able to form a government even if his party does not win the election.

EU debates Libya peace keeping mission

EU foreign ministers are holding talks today in Brussels about the situation in Libya, where competing militias are continuing to fight for control of the country. The ministers appear unlikely to support calls for an EU peacekeeping mission to Libya, until the situation on the ground has stabilised.

Putin reappears after 10 day absence

Russian President Vladimir Putin has appeared in public for the first time since March 5, meeting Kyrgystan's President Almazbek Atambayev in St Petersburg. Responding to speculation that he has been ill, Putin told reporters that life without rumours would be boring.

The weather

Conditions this afternoon will be changeable with the chance of some showers from East Tirol to Styria. Top temperatures will range from 4 to 18 degrees.

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