News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

No agreement on Syria ahead of UN talks

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council are reportedly struggling to agree on a draft resolution endorsing international efforts to end the civil war in Syria. The joint Russian-American proposal was worked out in talks in Vienna. The Security Council is due to meet in New York later today to consider a two-year-road plan for a truce and political negotiations. Earlier Security Council members unanimously adopted a resolution to disrupt the so-called Islamic State's sources of revenue. The US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, who chaired the meeting, described the group as a challenging target: "ISIL´s financing has evolved from seizing territory and looting bank vaults to leveraging more renewable revenue streams. ISIL has reaped an estimated $500mn from black market oil and millions more from people it brutalises and extorts."

Year-end EU leaders summit in Brussels

EU leaders are reconvening in Brussels for the final day of their year-end summit with a wide-ranging agenda, including the fight against terrorism in the wake of the Paris attacks five weeks ago. On the opening day they signalled their willingness to seek compromise with Britain on its relationship to the EU ahead of a referendum on the country´s membership. The summit has also focussed on the European refugee crisis, with agreement on moving rapidly towards setting up a new joint border and coastguard force which would have a stronger mandate than the current Frontex agency.

No end in sight for Europe´s migration crisis

The International Organization for Migration says the number of refugees and migrants who´ve entered Europe this year will reach one million in the coming days. That is at least four times more than in 2014.

Pollution red alert for Beijing

Officials in Beijing have issued a second pollution red alert, little more than a week after the first ever such warning. Weather experts say the Chinese capital will see hazardous smog from Saturday until Tuesday. Residents have been advised to stay indoors and schools are closed. The red alert also imposes restrictions on vehicles, factories and construction work.

Lagarde to answer negligence charge

The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde has been ordered to stand trial for alleged negligence over a pay out of €400mn to a businessman in 2008. She was finance minister in President Nicolas Sarkozy's government at the time of the compensation award to Bernard Tapie for the sale of a firm. Tapie had supported Sarkozy in the 2007 presidential election.

The weather

A mix of sunshine and fog in the south. Overcast elsewhere with some rain, especially along the north of the Alps. Top temperatures from 3 to 13.

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