News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Talks on Syria open in Vienna

Syrian activists say a government missile attack has killed around 40 people in a suburb of Damascus. The attack comes as international talks have opened in Vienna on how to end the war in Syria. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has called on all parties to put aside their differences to help end a conflict which has killed a quarter of a million people and has turned half of Syria’s population---around 11 million people--- into refugees: “The longer they take their own national perspectives, the much more people will suffer and the whole world will suffer.” Senior diplomats from 19 countries are attending the Vienna meeting, but there are no representatives from Syrian opposition groups or the government of President Bashar al-Assad. Moscow has insisted that Assad, who is a close Russian ally, remain in power. Iran has indicated it might support a deal in which Assad leaves after a transitional period. The West, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have long insisted that Assad can have no role in a post-war Syria. Adel al-Jubeir is the Saudi foreign minister: “It has to be very, very clear to the Syrian people that Bashar al-Assad will leave be a date certain. It can’t be possible, it can’t be probable, it has to be certain.”

More refugees die fleeing to Europe

21 people are dead after two boats carrying refugees from Turkey to Greece sank during the night. In another incident, around 30 African migrants have drowned after their rubber raft fell apart in the waters between Morocco and Spain. Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmaier has called for the creation of a pan-European border service which would patrol the European Union’s external borders. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees is also calling on the European Union to make legal immigration easier and to better regulate the influx of refugees into the EU. Ron Redmond is a spokesman for the UNHCR: “We’re recommending to European governments to try to stop all of these people from taking illegal routes, to where you know who is coming and to have better control.”

North Korean congress announced

North Korea’s ruling Workers Party has announced that it will hold a party conference next May. It will be the first time such a meeting has been held in 35 years. Leader Kim Jong Un is expected to use the event to announce policy changes.

Gitmo inmate freed

An inmate at the US prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has been released. A Saudi national and British resident, Shaker Aamer had been held by the US for 13 years, but was never charged with a crime or put on trial. He is expected to return to the UK later today.

The weather

The afternoon will be partly to mostly sunny. Highs today are ranging from 8 to 18 degrees. The weekend will be warmer and mostly sunny.

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