News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Britain´s EU reform plans up for debate

The European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker says a proposal to renegotiate the terms of Britain´s membership of the European Union is fair for the UK and the 27 other member states. He was speaking at the start of a debate on the issue in the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The British Prime Minister David Cameron is to brief MPs in London on the draft plan later today, amid reports that several government ministers will campaign for Britain´s exit. A referendum on EU membership is to be held by the end of 2017.

UN says Syria talks cannot fail

The UN envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura says everything must be done to avoid the collapse of peace talks in Geneva. Delegates from the Syrian opposition cancelled a meeting with the UN on Tuesday in protest at intense Russian airstrikes on villages close to Aleppo. De Mistura made this appeal in an interview with Swiss television: "The two sides hate each other and there´s an enormous amount of mistrust. But if there´s a failure here this time then for Syria there´s no more hope. We must make every effort to avoid failure."

“Sexually transmitted” Zika case in the US

Health officials in the United States say that a person in Texas has become infected with the Zika virus through sexual contact in the first case of the illness being transmitted within the US amid the current outbreak in Latin America. The person, who´s not been identified, had reportedly had sex with a partner who´d returned from Venezuela and fallen ill with Zika. The virus, which has been linked to rare birth defects in the Americas, is primarily spread through mosquitos.

Court upholds Australian asylum policy

Australia's High Court has ruled that the government's policy of detaining asylum seekers offshore is legal, rejecting a challenge brought by lawyers on behalf of a Bangladeshi woman. The ruling paves the way for the deportation of over 250 people, including 37 babies born in Australia, to a detention camp on the Pacific island nation of Nauru. Rights groups have reported harsh conditions, violence and abuses at the offshore camps.

Concerns over planned N Korea satellite launch

China and Russia say they are extremely concerned by reports that North Korea is planning to launch a satellite. Japan has placed its military on alert to shoot down any North Korean rocket if it threatens its territory. South Korea said earlier that the North was really planning to launch a long-range missile and warned it would pay a "severe price" if it goes ahead.

EU and USA reach new data sharing deal

The European Union and the United States have reached a new deal on sharing data. The agreement reportedly includes guarantees that information on EU citizens will be protected by clear safeguards and limitations. The European Court of Justice struck down a previous data agreement late last year, following a court challenge by the Austrian activist Max Schrems.

The weather

Widespread rain or snowfall with top temperatures falling to between minus 2 and plus 6.

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