News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Nepal quake toll rises above 3,700

Officials in Nepal say more than 3,700 people are now known to have died in the devastating earthquake which struck the country on Saturday. Many more are feared buried in the rubble. Rescue workers have yet to reach people in hundreds of remote mountain communities. Orla Murphy from the aid group Oxfam says search and rescue teams have been flown in from abroad: "Oxfam have a team crossing over from India today to reach one of the affected areas. So I think what we´re going to see over the next number of days is an evolving picture of immense needs outside of the Kathmandu Valley." Helicopters are continuing to airlift climbers stranded on Mount Everest, following an avalanche triggered by the magnitude 7.8 quake. Eighteen people died when part of the base camp, which was packed with foreign climbers, was buried by the wall of snow.

Austria marks founding of Second Republic

Events are taking place today in Austria to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Second Republic at the end of the second World War. President Heinz Fischer was joined by his German counterpart Joachim Gauck and members of the government at a ceremony this morning at the Hofburg in Vienna. A provisional government declared the restoration of Austrian independence on April 27 1945.

Australia appeals over Indonesia executions

The Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he´s written to the Indonesian president Joko Widodo in what is being seen as a final plea to stop the imminent execution of two Australians. A total of nine foreigners are awaiting execution by firing squad after being convicted of smuggling heroin. A French national still has an appeal before the courts. France has warned of "consequences" if the execution goes ahead.

OCSE criticises Kazakh election

The Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has won a landslide victory in Sunday´s election. The Central Election Commission says he won 97.7 percent of the vote. Turnout was over 95 percent. He ran virtually unopposed. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe says voters had limited choice due to a lack of genuine opposition and restrictions on freedom of expression.

Sudan´s Bashir re-elected

Sudan's Election Commission says President Omar al-Bashir has won re-election with 94 percent of the vote, extending his 25-year rule despite war crimes charges and multiple insurgencies. The main opposition parties boycotted the vote.

Burundi unrest continues

Streets protests are continuing in Burundi as anger mounts over the ruling party's decision to nominate President Pierre Nkurunziza for a third term. The military has now been deployed on the streets of the capital, Bujumbura.

The weather

Mostly sunny but some rain in the south west. Top temperatures generally 18 to 27, up to 14 in the south west.

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