News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Iraqi army starts Falluja operation

Iraqi forces are reported to have entered Falluja in a new phase of their operation to re-capture the city from Islamic State fighters. Falluja became the first Iraqi city to fall under the control of the militants who've held it since 2014. In another development, at least 20 people have been killed in a series of bombings in and around the Iraqi capital Baghdad. IS has claimed responsibility for two of the blasts which targeted commercial areas.

Syrian opposition negotiator resigns

The chief negotiator of Syria's main opposition umbrella group, Mohammed Alloush, has resigned, saying the peace talks aimed at bringing an end to the country's conflict have failed. Alloush said the negotiations in Geneva had not brought a political deal or eased the plight of civilians in besieged areas. The opposition suspended its involvement in the UN-brokered talks with the Syrian government last month.

700 die in the Mediterranean

The UN's refugee agency says over 700 people may have drowned in the Mediterranean trying to reach Europe in recent days. The medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres says it estimates that the figure could be closer to 900 but that exact numbers may never be known. Andreas Schloenhardt is a migration expert: "many of these journeys are far more dangerous than they used to be in the past. The vessels are in a much poorer condition and the overcrowding is far greater."

Bleaching threatens Barrier Reef

Australian scientists say at least 35% of corals in parts of the Great Barrier Reef have been destroyed by bleaching. They say it's the most extreme case of mass bleaching they've ever measured at the World Heritage Site. Bleaching, which has been linked to climate change, occurs when warmer water causes coral to weaken and lose the colourful algae that provide oxygen and nutrients. Verena Schoepf from the University of Western Australia explains the impact it has on marine life: "the corals really are the basis for the entire eco-system. So all the fish, all the other colourful organisms that we find on coral reefs, they ultimately depend on the coral being there - providing structure, providing habitat. So when the coral dies then the reef dies and that means it has negative consequences."

4 die in Germany flooding

4 people have died in Germany as a result of severe weather and flooding. Among the victims were a 13-year old girl and a firefighter who was taking part in a rescue operation.

The Weather

It’ll be mainly cloudy this afternoon with some showers and storms, some of which could be heavy. There’ll be some sunny periods, mostly in the east and southeast. Highs are ranging between 15 and 23 degrees, where the sun's out up to 27.

Übersicht

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