News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Suicide attack at Egyptian tourist attraction

Security officials in southern Egypt say a suicide bomber has blown himself up near the ancient Temple of Karnak in the city of Luxor – a major tourist attraction. The attackers reportedly tried to storm a barricade at the temple. Two were shot dead by police, but the third attacker passed through the barricade and detonated the explosive device. Four bystanders - all locals - were injured. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

Doubts surround German-French-Greek summit

The German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the French President Francois Hollande and the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras are scheduled to meet in Brussels later today to try to reach agreement on a set of reforms that Greece would have to implement in exchange for new loans. Those loans are essential if Greece is to avoid bankruptcy and a possible exit from the euro. It's believed Athens has conceded ground on VAT reforms, pensions and the country's primary surplus target – but there are fresh reports that today’s summit meeting could be called off because Greece has not gone far enough.

Further delay for TTIP

The European Parliament has postponed a vote to endorse the EU’s negotiating position on a free trade deal with the United States – known as TTIP. Parliamentary leaders had hoped to agree on a resolution today - backing the European Commission in the talks. But the delay came after strong opposition from many members of the Socialists & Democrats group and pressure from non-governmental organizations opposed to the controversial proposals.

Vote to proceed with EU-membership referendum

The U.K. parliament has voted overwhelmingly in favour of a bill setting up a referendum on whether the country should leave the European Union. The referendum is to be held before the end of 2017. The Conservative former minister Kenneth Clarke has warned his fellow MPs that leaving the EU would be disastrous for the U.K.: “The laternative is, I’m afraid, a fanciful, escapist route into isolated nationalism, which I think will greatly diminish out influence in the world.”

Relatives of Germanwings crash to view coffins

The relatives of dozens of the victims of the Germanwings plane crash in March will view the coffins of their relatives inside a hangar in Düsseldorf Airport today. 150 people died when the co-pilot of the Airbus A-320, Andreas Lubitz, deliberately crashed the plane into the French Alps on a flight from Barcelona to Düsseldorf. 16 school children are among the 44 people whose remains are the first to be flown back to Germany. Julian Reichelt is editor in chief of Bild Online in Berlin: “It will be the first time they will actually be close to the bodies of their loved ones. It will be definitely an emotional moment for the families but also, I can say, for the whole country.”

James Last dies at 86.

The German big band conductor James Last has died in Florida at the age of 86. His trade mark big band arrangements of pop hits and his series of party albums were hugely popular across the world in the 1960s, 70s and 80s.

The weather

Mainly sunny with the chance of the odd thundershower in the Alps. Top temperatures will range from 22C to 30C.

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