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8. April 2017, 21:58

Rallies in Greece ahead of referendum

Rival demonstrations are being held in Greece ahead of a planned referendum on Sunday on the country's international bailout. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is expected to take part in one of the rallies supporting a "No" vote opposing the terms of the package. Recent opinion polls suggest the result could be close. Meanwhile, Greece's top court, the Council of State, is due to rule on the legality of the referendum. Finance minister Yanis Varoufakis says if the "yes" vote wins, the government will respect the outcome: "what we're saying to the Greek people is this: here's a proposal by the institutions. We consider this to be a bad proposal. But it's up to you to decide whether we accept it or not. If they say yes, we will make sure that the people's verdict is respected. That doesn't mean I'm going to be the minister of finance - I'm not going to be the minister of finance because I cannot put my signature on an agreement which I consider to be non-viable."

Dozens killed in Nigeria attack

Around 150 people are reported to have been killed by suspected Boko Haram militants in an attack in north eastern Nigeria. Eye witnesses say the gunmen stormed a village near Lake Chad and also set houses alight.

BP to pay US for oil spill

The British oil company BP says it will pay nearly 19 billion dollars in penalties to the US government and the five states affected by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010. Over 125 million gallons of crude spilled into the Gulf after an explosion at the Deepwater Horizon rig which killed 11 workers. It's the largest corporate settlement in US history. Buddy Caldwell is the Attorney General for Louisiana: "nothing can bring back those 11 lives lost. But with new technology and innovation perhaps we can prevent any further loss of life and protect our planet while we're at it."

Malaysia seeks tribunal over MH17

Malaysia has told the UN Security Council that it wants to set up an international criminal tribunal to prosecute those suspected of shooting down a Malaysia Airlines aircraft over Ukraine a year ago. The plane - which had nearly 300 people on board - had been flying over territory held by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine when it was hit. They've denied accusations they shot it down with an anti-aircraft missile.

Warning over CO2 and oceans

A group of marine scientists has warned that marine life will be irreversibly changed unless CO2 emissions are drastically cut. Writing in the journal "Science", the experts said the oceans are heating up, losing oxygen and becoming more acidic. They said too little attention has been paid to the impact of global warming on the oceans at climate talks.

The weather

Very sunny, but cloud, showers and storms are forecast for the mountain region, some of which could be heavy. Highs ranging between 26 and 34 degrees.

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