News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

ECB considers loans to Greek banks

The European Central Bank is meeting to consider loans to Greek banks - following reports that worried savers have withdrawn more than 3 billion euros in the past week. The pace of withdrawals has gained speed as talks between the Greek government and its creditors have collapsed. Leaders from Eurozone nations plan to hold an emergency summit in Brussels on Monday. The head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, says the most important task is to revive talks with Greek officials: “We can only arrive at a resolution if there is a dialogue and for the moment we are short of the dialogue. So the key emergency, in my view, is to restore a dialogue with adults in the room.”

Obama calls on Americans to review gun laws

Prayers have been held across the United States after the killing of nine people at a historic African-American church in Charleston, South Carolina. The suspected gunman, Dylann Roof, who’s 21, was detained by police in North Carolina hours after the shootings. A hate crimes investigation has been launched. President Obama says it is time for Americans to take a closer at look their gun ownership laws: “Once again innocent people were killed in part because someone who wanted to inflict harm had no trouble getting their hands on a gun. At some point we as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence does not happen in other places with this kind of frequency.”

Centre-right wins Danish election

In Denmark’s general election, a centre-right grouping led by Lars Lokke Rasmussen has defeated the centre-left coalition of Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt. Although her Social Democratic Party is still the largest in the Danish parliament, Thorning-Schmidt has decided to step down as its leader. The anti-immigration Danish People’s Party finished second with 21 percent – its highest-ever share of the vote.

Toxic alcohol kills 35 in India

At least 35 people have died in the Indian city of Mumbai after consuming illicit alcohol. Toxic alcohol deaths are a regular occurrence in India, where people often drink cheap bootleg liquor. One suspect has been detained in the latest case.

Major breakthrough in Malaria research

Researchers at Dundee University in Scotland have discovered a new compound that they say could treat previously resistant forms of malaria. One of the scientists, Professor Ian Gilbert, says a single dose has huge potential: “It’s an exciting molecule because it has the potential to prevent somebody getting malaria in the first place and it also has the potential to prevent the spread of malaria from an infected person.”

The weather

This afternoon’s weather: Cloudy with some rainshowers and thundershowers are forecast in the south. Top temperatures today will range from 14C to 23C. Similar tomorrow while Sunday will see drier and sunnier conditions.

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