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8. April 2017, 21:58

EU ministers discuss refugee crisis

EU interior ministers are meeting today to try and resolve the dispute over how to re-locate 120,000 refugees who have recently arrived in Europe. A group of central European states - Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland - are resisting calls for mandatory quotas. An emergency meeting of EU leaders will take place tomorrow. The UN's refugee agency has warned that the EU's relocation plans will not be enough to tackle the current crisis. It's urging the EU to establish adequate reception facilities, particularly in Greece. Meanwhile, Austrian officials say nearly 10,000 refugees arrived in Nickelsdorf in Burgenland yesterday and around 4,500 are expected to cross the Austrian border from Hungary today. Police spokesman Helmut Marban: "we try to manage accommodation, we try to make sure that they get food and drink and medical help in coordination with the Red Cross and with the Austrian army. We try to find accommodation as soon as possible all around Austria for these people."

Burkina coup leaders given ultimatum

In Burkina Faso, troops loyal to the interim government have issued an ultimatum to a group of soldiers who've tried to stage a coup. They're demanding they disarm and surrender or face attack. The country's Prime Minister Isaac Zida who was held hostage during the coup attempt has now been freed. And the interim President Michel Kafando, who was detained last week, has also been released from house arrest.

Walker pulls out of Republican race

The Republican Governor of Wisconsin Scott Walker has pulled out of the presidential race. Once considered a front-runner, support for him has been declining. The move leaves 14 other Republicans vying for the nomination. Walker says if other candidates follow suit and pull out, there would be a much more effective challenge to the current front-runner Donald Trump: "I encourage other Republican presidential candidates to consider doing the same so that the voters can focus on a limited number of candidates who can offer a positive, conservative alternative to the current frontrunner."

VW emissions scandal

The car manufacturer Volkswagen says it's setting aside over six billion Euros to cover the costs arising from a scandal over the rigging of diesel emissions tests in the US. VW - which has admitted to using software to rig the tests - says around 11 million vehicles are affected worldwide.

The weather

Increasingly cloudy in the West with showers developing towards the evening. Frequent sunshine in the East with a lively wind. Highs ranging mostly between 15 and 24 degrees.

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