News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Obama makes historic visit to Hiroshima

Barack Obama has become the first sitting US president to visit the Japanese city of Hiroshima, the site of the world's first atomic bomb attack. Accompanied by the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, he visited the Peace Memorial Park built to commemorate the 140,000 people who died when US forces dropped the bomb on Hiroshima in the final days of the second World War. Obama said the world had a shared responsibility to prevent such suffering from happening again: "Since that fateful day we have made choices that give us hope. The United States and Japan forged not only an alliance but a friendship that has won far more for our people than we could ever claim through war."

Trump wins enough backers for nomination

The US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has reached the number of delegates needed to secure the party's presidential nomination. According to the Associated Press, Trump has 1,238 delegates, one more than needed. Republicans will finalise their nomination at a convention in July.

G7 concerns over global growth

The leaders of the Group of 7 nations say the world economy is an urgent priority and are warning that a British vote to leave the European Union would seriously threaten global growth. In a statement following a two-day summit in Japan, they also announced an action plan for countering terrorism and other risks to peace and global growth, including the massive flows of refugees and migrants fleeing to Europe.

4,000 rescued from migrant boats in one day

The Italian coast guard says some 4,000 refugees and migrants were rescued from the Mediterranean Sea on Thursday in 22 separate operations. Up to 30 people are feared dead after one migrant boat capsized off the Libyan coast. It´s now emerged that the death toll from another boat sinking on Wednesday may have been as high as 100.

Many injured in Calais “Jungle” violence

French police say there´ve been violent clashes between Afghan and Sudanese nationals at the makeshift camp nicknamed the Jungle in Calais. Around 40 people were reportedly injured when up to 300 migrants attacked each other with sticks and rocks. More than 400 police were deployed to restore calm.

French unions urge escalation in protests

Trades unions in France have called on their members to step up their action in protest at controversial labour reforms. Nationwide demonstrations on Thursday led to barricades at docks, oil depots, motorways and bridges. Employees at oil refineries and nuclear power stations have joined protests. A third of France's petrol stations are reportedly running dry.

US woman has antibiotic-resistant “superbug”

A 49-year-old woman has become the first person in the United States to be infected with a superbug that cannot be treated by any antibiotics. US health officials say she´s suffering from a strain of E coli bacteria resistant to colistin, which is regarded as a treatment of last resort.

The weather

Mostly sunny with isolated showers or thunderstorms in the mountains. Highs today from 21 to 29.

Übersicht

• News In English