News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

British election “too close to call”

Today is the final day of campaigning in Britain’s general election with pollsters saying the result of tomorrow’s vote is too close to call. Neither of the main parties, Conservative or Labour, looks likely to deliver a single party majority. Britain's future in the European Union could hinge on the election outcome, as well as its national cohesion with growing support for the Scottish National Party.

Fatal train crash near Graz

Authorities in Austria say a train driver is dead and nine passengers injured, some seriously, after two passenger trains collided near Graz this morning. Austrian Railways says first indications are that a stop signal may have been ignored.

Germanwings co-pilot “rehearsed crash”

French air accident investigators say that the Germanwings co-pilot Andreas Lubitz, who is suspected of deliberately crashing a plane in the French Alps in March killing all 150 people on board, repeatedly practised a controlled descent of the aircraft on the previous flight from Duesseldorf to Barcelona. The investigative agency also says the pilot appeared to have left the cockpit during that flight as well.

Right-wing extremists arrested in Germany

German authorities have arrested four people accused of founding a right-wing extremist group to attack mosques and housing for asylum seekers as well as members of the Islamic-extremist Salafist scene in Germany. The four are being held on terrorism charges.

Death sentences over Afghan mob killing

In Afghanistan four men have been sentenced to death for the mob killing of a woman in Kabul last month. A further eight defendants were sentenced to 16 years in prison. The 27-year-old woman called Farkhunda was beaten to death and burned in the street by a crowd. She had been falsely accused of burning a copy of the Koran. Afghanistan women’s rights activist Balkez Rasheen has criticised the trial outcome. “The real criminals are still free and I don’t believe it was a fair trial. Announcing the death penalty or imprisoning or letting free most of these people was a very hasty decision.” The case sparked widespread outrage in Afghanistan.

Israel coalition deadline nears

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing a deadline of midnight tonight to form a new coalition government. Talks were thrown into crisis this week when foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman unexpectedly stepped down and announced his nationalist party was joining the opposition.

US offers reward for IS leaders

The United States is offering a total of twenty million dollars in rewards for information on four leaders of the Islamic State militant group. The state department said IS is responsible for mass executions, rape and the killing of children.

The Weather

Some sun in the east and south, rain and thundershowers spreading across the country from the west. Top temps 11 to 27 degrees.

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