News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

EU meets on refugees, Britain

European Union leaders meet in Brussels today for another summit on the refugee crisis. Austria is hosting a preparatory meeting with leaders of EU members most affected by the crisis, including Greece and Germany, with Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu. Plans to relocate Syrian refugees directly from Turkey to the EU are reportedly under discussion. Austrian chancellor Werner Faymann has previously said the plan should go ahead on the condition Turkey secure its borders and largely halt the flow of refugees and migrants to the EU. At the summit Britain’s relationship with the EU and reforms sought by London will also be under discussion, ahead of a referendum on Britain’s EU membership to be held by the end of 2017.

Putin decries Turkish leaders

Russian president Vladimir Putin at his end of year press conference has said he sees no prospect of an improvement in relations with Turkey under its current leadership, following Turkey’s downing of a Russian military jet last month. On Syria, Putin said Russia and the United States could work together to end the conflict: “The sooner we settle the conflict, the better. Yes, we do have a plan and in principle this plan matches in its key ideas the US proposed vision.”

Turkey attacks PKK near Iraq border

Turkish authorities say security forces have killed at least 23 suspected members of the banned rebel group, the PKK, in two days of operations near the border with Iraq. Curfews have been imposed and tanks deployed in some areas. Hundreds of people have died since July in renewed fighting between the Kurdish rebel group and Turkish troops.

Libya deal ‘to be signed’

Representatives of Libya’s two rival parliaments are in Morocco where they are meant to sign a United Nations brokered agreement forming a government of national unity. The UN has warned that the Islamic State terror group is gaining ground in Libya because of the power vacuum.

Fed rate rise welcomed

Shares prices have risen around the world after the US Federal Reserve announced a rise of 0.25% in its key short-term interest rate, the first increase since the world financial crisis six years ago. The move is seen as a sign of confidence that the United States economy has strengthened.

Cancer ‘isn’t random’

A new study by researchers in the United States has concluded that 70 to 90 % of cancers are caused by environmental and lifestyle factors. The study contradicts earlier studies suggesting cancer was largely the result of random cell changes. The research is published in the journal Nature.

The weather

Cloudy and foggy with rain in the east. Some sunny spells in the west and south. Top temperatures 1 to 13 degrees.

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