News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Tsipras wins convincing victory

The Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras has begun work to form a new government after winning an unexpectedly decisive victory in snap elections yesterday. His Syriza party won around 35% of the vote, and is expected to renew its coalition with the small nationalist Independent Greeks party. Tsipras says he now has a mandate to legislate an austerity programme he had originally opposed, in return for a new EU bailout: “I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for this great victory. I feel vindicated because the Greek people gave us a clear mandate to continue the struggle to raise up our people’s dignity.”

East Europeans meet on refugee crisis

The foreign ministers of Eastern European nations, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, are meeting today in Prague with their counterpart from Luxembourg, to discuss the response to Europe’s refugee crisis. Luxembourg currently holds the rotating EU presidency. The East Europeans have strongly opposed any imposition of mandatory quotas for refugees. Meanwhile over twenty thousand more refugees have arrived at Austria’s border over the last few days from Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia. EU heads of government will hold an emergency summit on Wednesday in Brussels on the refugee crisis, following a meeting of interior ministers tomorrow.

Israel holds talks with Russia over Syria

Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Moscow for talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin to discuss Russia’s military build-up in Syria. Israel is reportedly concerned about inadvertent clashes with Russian forces in any air raids into Syria, and the risk of weapons reaching militants on its borders.

Pope meets Fidel Castro

Pope Francis continues his trip to Cuba today after meeting with Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. Earlier, the Pope at a public mass in Havana warned thousands of Cubans to be wary of ideology and to serve people instead.

Romania PM on trial for corruption

The trial of Romania's prime minister Victor Ponta has begun on charges of fraud, tax evasion and money laundering. Ponta denies the charges and has refused to resign.

VW shares plunge

Shares in the German carmaker Volkswagen have fallen dramatically after United States authorities said the company had falsified emissions data. The US government has ordered VW to recall over half a million diesel cars manufactured since 2009. The company may face fines of billions of dollars.

The weather

Mainly sunny, cloudier in the north east, top temperatures 15 to 22 degrees.

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