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8. April 2017, 21:58

Final push for votes ahead of UK referendum

Last minute campaigning has been taking place in Britain, ahead of tomorrow's referendum on whether or not the country should leave the European Union. The Conservative former Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, is heading the “leave” campaign. He says the vote is all about the UK taking charge of its destiny: "The ideal position for us is to take back control of our immigration system, take back control, fundamentally, of our democracy and to speak up for democracy on behalf of literally hundreds of millions of people around Europe who agree with us." The British Prime Minister, David Cameron, has campaigned hard for his country to remain in the EU, saying the bloc needs reforms and Britain must be there to help them become a reality: "Britain is a great country but we´ve always been a country which makes our voice heard and gets things done by working with others. We don´t quit and walk away from organisations. We make them work for us."

Austrian Chancellor in first official Brussels visit

The Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern is making his first official visit to Brussels today. He'll be holding talks with members of the European Commission. The UK referendum is expected to be on the agenda, together with refugee and migration policy.

French police ban Paris protest

Police in France have banned a demonstration against controversial labour reforms planned for Thursday, because they fear they cannot guarantee security. The government had said a static rally in Paris would be allowed in an attempt to contain any violence, but unions say a ban on marching is unacceptable.

North Korea test fires missiles

North Korea has reportedly test-fired two mid-range ballistic missiles, in defiance of UN sanctions. The first launch is said to have failed. But the second, hours later, flew about 400km and reached an altitude of 1,000km - the most effective test to date. The launches have been condemned by the NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who called on North Korea to stop more "provocative actions."

Trump criticism on the rise

In the US presidential campaign, the presumptive Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, has continued her attacks on Donald Trump. Clinton said a victory in November for her Republican rival would be disastrous for the US and the global economy. Meanwhile, hundreds of delegates are preparing to oppose Trump at next month's Republican National Convention. The move could tarnish his formal nomination even if it ultimately fails.

79 die in Indian lightning strikes

Indian officials say at least 79 people have been killed by lightning strikes in the north and east of the country since Tuesday, most of them farm labourers working in the fields. Scores of cattle were also reportedly killed.

The weather

Sunny with isolated thundery showers and highs from 23 to 31.

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