11.11.2015

News in English

EU Africa summit in Malta / Russia proposes Syria reform plan / Demonstrations in Afghan capital Kabul / Myanmar's NLD seeks talks with military / IOC wants action over doping allegations / Tributes follow death of Helmut Schmidt / The weather

8. April 2017, 21:58

11.11.2015

EU Africa summit in Malta

European and African leaders are gathering in Malta to discuss ways of tackling the economic and security problems that cause people to make the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean from Africa to Europe. The European Commission is giving 1.8 billion Euros to a trust fund for Africa and expects EU countries to make further contributions. It also wants to persuade some African countries to take back those who don't get asylum. A separate round of talks among EU leaders tomorrow will discuss the conflicts in Syria and other countries and the continuing flow of refugees arriving via Turkey and the Balkans. European Council President Donald Tusk: "these realities are testing Europe's internal solidarity today. Facing them will challenge and change the EU as fundamentally as any treaty amendment, national election or monetary crisis."

Russia proposes Syria reform plan

Russia has drafted a plan proposing constitutional reform in Syria. The paper says the process would last 18 months and be followed by presidential elections. It does not say whether Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should remain in power during that time but does propose that some Syrian opposition groups should take part in negotiations.

Demonstrations in Afghan capital Kabul

Thousands of people have been demonstrating in the Afghan capital Kabul to protest at the killing of seven members of the ethnic Hazara minority by militants. Their bodies were found at the weekend in the province of Zabul where fighting between rival Taliban factions has escalated over the last few days.

Myanmar's NLD seeks talks with military

The leader of Myanmar's National League for Democracy Aung San Suu Kyi has requested a meeting with the country's president and military chief to discuss national reconciliation. The move comes as counting continues from Sunday's election which saw sweeping gains for the NLD.

IOC wants action over doping allegations

The International Olympic Committee says it wants to see disciplinary action against athletes who've been accused of doping. The World Anti-Doping Agency has called for Russia to be banned from competition over what it alleged was a "state-supported" doping programme. The head of Russia's Athletics Federation Mikhail Butov says doping is an international issue but acknowledged his country did have a problem: "we know our problem and of course we should change the mentality of many coaches. We are organising educational programmes. It's impossible to do it immediately but we've started to do it."

Tributes follow death of Helmut Schmidt

Tributes have been coming in for the former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, who's died at the age of 96. European and US leaders have praised him as an architect of international cooperation and post-war European integration.