News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Greece headed for ´painful default and euro exit`

The Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann is holding talks with the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Athens today, amid mounting acrimony between Greece and its creditors over the release of fresh bailout funds. Faymann called on Europe to show solidarity towards countries which need it and said the task was to quote "avoid a catastrophe." Greece's central bank has warned for the first time that the country could be on a "painful course" towards default and exit from the euro zone. The British political economist Philippe Legrain says a default may be Greece´s best option: "Perhaps default will bring euro zone governments to their senses. If it doesn´t, I think then even leaving the euro is less costly in the long-term than being stuck in the modern equivalent of a debtor´s prison."

Fifa investigation gathers pace

The Swiss attorney-general Michael Lauber has been setting out the scale and scope of his investigation into corruption at football´s world governing body, Fifa. Lauber said his team had identified 53 suspicious banking transactions in connection with the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup to Russia and Qatar. He said he did not exclude interviewing FIFA President Sepp Blatter and Secretary-General Jerome Valcke in the future, although neither were currently under suspicion.

NATO accuses Russia of nuclear sabre-rattling

The NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has condemned Russia's move to strengthen its nuclear arsenal, saying it amounted to "nuclear sabre-rattling" and was "unjustified" and "dangerous". The Russian move comes after the United States proposed increasing its military presence in NATO states in Eastern Europe. The US Secretary of State John Kerry described Russia's announcement as concerning, saying no-one wanted a return to the Cold War.

Hong Kong debates controversial political reforms

Hundreds of protesters have gathered outside Hong Kong's Legislative Council building, where the government is debating a controversial political reform package ahead of a much-anticipated vote later this week. It will for the first time give citizens the right to vote for their chief executive in 2017. But candidates will be vetted by a pro-Beijing committee.

North Korea faces severe drought

North Korea´s state news agency, KCNA, says the country is facing the worst drought in a century, sparking fears of worsening food shortages. Hundreds of thousands of North Koreans are believed to have died during a famine in the 1990s.

Turkey´s former President Suleyman Demirel dies

The former Turkish President Suleyman Demirel has died in hospital in Ankara, where he was being treated for a respiratory infection. He was 90. Demirel, who led the Justice Party, served as president from 1993 to 2000. He also served seven times as Turkey´s prime minister.

The weather

A mix of sunshine and cloud, with showers in the west and south. Highs today from 14 to 23.

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