News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

US Democrats in first presidential debate

Five contenders hoping to win the Democratic Party´s nomination for the US presidential election next year have taken part in their first televised debate. The two leading candidates, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the left-wing Senator Bernie Sanders, clashed repeatedly on issues including the United States policy on Syria, the economy and gun laws. Political analyst and commentator Mark Plotkin had this assessment of the debate: "I think Hillary Clinton is holding her own. She is the front-runner. She seemed poised. She seemed fresh. She didn´t seem as old as she really is and nobody really dented her armour."

Israel responds to Palestinian attacks

Israel's security cabinet has approved a series of tough, new measures designed to combat violent attacks by Palestinians. Hundreds of troops are to be deployed in Israeli cities. Police have been authorised to seal off parts of Jerusalem. Authorities will also be able to demolish the homes of Palestinian militants and revoke their right to live in Jerusalem.

MH17 downed by Russian missile

Investigators from the Netherlands have confirmed that the Malaysian Airlines plane which crashed in eastern Ukraine last year was brought down by a Russian-made Buk missile. But the Dutch Safety Board did not say who may have fired it. All 298 people on board flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur were killed.

US and Russia in talks after Syria “near miss”

The United States and Russia are to hold new talks on air safety in Syria after it emerged that their combat aircraft came within kilometres of each other on Saturday. It will be the third round of talks as the two countries seek to find ways of avoiding an accidental conflict

Merkel stands firm on refugees

Chancellor Angela Merkel has reportedly resisted pressure from conservative lawmakers to tighten Germany´s border controls and turn away refugees arriving from Austria. Merkel has seen her popularity ratings slump and some members of her Christian Democrats and their Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union, want her to take a tougher line. Meanwhile, the President of the European Council Donald Tusk has warned Turkey that it will only win concessions from the EU, such as easier travel visas, if it successfully reduces the flow of refugees reaching Europe. He made the warning in a letter to EU leaders ahead of a summit on the refugee crisis in Brussels on Thursday.

Ankara police chief suspended

The heads of the police, intelligence and security services in Ankara have been suspended following Saturday´s bomb explosions, which killed 97 people and wounded hundreds more at a peace rally in the Turkish capital. Turkey's interior ministry says they have been removed from their posts in an effort to conduct an effective investigation.

The weather

Overcast with widespread rain, but the west should see some sunshine. Top temperatures from 4 to 16.

Übersicht

• News In English