News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Britain votes on EU membership

Voting is underway in Britain in the historic referendum on whether to remain in the European Union or leave. The final survey conducted suggested a victory for the Remain side but pollsters say the result is too close to call. Voting stations close at 10 pm local time. A final result is expected early tomorrow morning. Professor Tony Travers from the London School of Economics says despite the efforts from both the Leave and Remain campaigns over the past few months, voters are likely to follow their instinct: “Both sides, Stay and Leave, are arguing with lots of facts and statistics. My guess is that a lot of the public see all this as just noise. They can’t tell who is telling the truth and who isn’t. But I think in the end, people will vote on the basis of how they feel.”

Democrats stage gun control protest

In the United States there have been chaotic scenes in the House of Representatives as a group of Democratic party members continue a sit-in to demand votes on gun-control bills. Lawmakers used their mobile phones to broadcast the protest after the Republican Speaker Paul Ryan ordered TV cameras inside the chamber switched off. Congressman John Lewis, a veteran of the civil rights movement, led the protest: “I’m calling on the leadership of the House to bring common sense gun control legislation to the House floor. Let us vote. We came here to do our job. We came here to work.” The protest follows this month’s shootings at a gay nightclub in Florida that left 49 people dead.

Starvation at Nigerian refugee camp

The medical aid group Doctors Without Borders says nearly 200 people have died of starvation and disease at a refugee camp in northern Nigeria in the past month. They were among refugees who had fled the militant group Boko Haram. More than 20,000 people are in the makeshift camp in the city of Bama. Doctors say around a fifth of the children are suffering acute malnutrition.

Colombia and Farc agree accord

The Colombian government and leftist Farc rebels have announced a deal on a bilateral ceasefire that would be the last major step toward ending one of the world’s longest wars. The accord will be signed today in the Cuban capital in Havana, where peace talks have taken place.

Austrian Constitutional Court hearings

Today is expected to be the final day of questioning at Austria’s constitutional court of district election officials, in hearings on the conduct of the presidential election. Public hearings are expected to continue next week with lawyers for the two candidates Alexander van der Bellen and Norbert Hofer.

The weather

Sunny and hot with top temperatures 27 to 36 degrees.

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