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8. April 2017, 21:58

Deadline for UN climate talks extended

The French hosts of the UN climate talks have extended the deadline for an agreement by a day to Saturday to give delegates more time for consultations. The French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, who is chairing the summit in Paris, says things are moving in the right direction. Representatives from 195 countries are trying to agree an historic deal to tackle global warming. While some differences remain, they have accepted that holding a rise in temperature to 2 degrees is not enough to protect countries at risk. Professor Alice Bows-Larkin is an expert on climate and energy: "A lot of the stronger language on how quickly emissions should peak, how deeply they should be cut, has actually been left to be a little more vague and is certainly not, at the moment, in line with well below 2 degrees and certainly not in line with 1.5."

New Syria peace efforts in Geneva

Representatives from Russia, the United States and the United Nations are holding talks today in Geneva on finding a political solution to the conflict in Syria. The talks aim to build on progress made in Vienna in October, and lay the groundwork for a meeting next week in Moscow between the US Secretary of State John Kerry and the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Meanwhile, Syrian opposition groups have reached agreement on a common framework for UN-sponsored peace talks with the government, following two days of talks in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

IS oil trading brings in “$500 million”

A senior US Treasury official says Islamic State militants have made more than $500 million trading oil, with significant amounts sold to the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and some finding its way to Turkey. Adam Szubin, the Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, also says the so called Islamic State group has looted up to $1.5 billion from banks in territory seized in Syria and Iraq.

Chinese tycoon reported missing

One of China's richest men, Guo Guangchang, is reported to be missing, amid speculation that the billionaire businessman has been detained by police. Guo controls the French holiday firm Club Med and the publisher Forbes estimates his fortune at $7bn billion dollars.

Platini loses appeal against FIFA suspension

The president of European soccer, Michel Platini, has failed in his bid to have a 90-day provisional suspension from world football lifted, further denting his hopes of running for the presidency of the game's governing body FIFA. The ruling was made by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Platini is under investigation for a $2 million payment from FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

The weather

Plenty of sunshine, with some cloud in the west.Top temperatures from minus 1 to plus 12.

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