News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Syrian forces „drop chlorine“on Aleppo

Syrian government forces have been accused of dropping barrel bombs containing poisonous chlorine gas on a rebel-held suburb of Aleppo, injuring 80 people. Emergency workers say they suffered severe breathing difficulties. Meanwhile, Syrian opposition leaders are meeting in London today to launch a new plan for a political transition to try to end the five-year civil war. The High Negotiations Committee insists that there is no role for President Assad. The Saudi foreign minister Adel Al-Jubeir is the chief opposition negotiator: "I believe the spoiler will always be Bashar al-Assad and the Iranians and if Bashar al-Assad and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard´s forces in Syria step it up, and engage in brutal campaigns against the opposition, then any agreement made between the US and Russia is not going to work."

Merkel defends migration policy

The German Chancellor Angela Merkel today described the situation in Syria as atrocious and indefensible. She urged the United States and Russia to press for a ceasefire, after the latest talks ended without a deal. Merkel also said Germany had made many strides in the past year in dealing with the hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants who arrived in 2015, but there remained much to do.

50 million children displaced by war or poverty

The United Nations children´s agency UNICEF says war and poverty have forced 50 million children around the world from their homes. In a report released today, UNICEF also says that the number of child refugees has more than doubled in the past 10 years from four million to 8.2 million. The agency warns that if governments do not act, the numbers are likely to grow.

Arrest after suspicious car found near Notre Dame

French police say a suspicious vehicle found near Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris at the weekend belonged to a person on the intelligence services watch list who is now in custody. Seven gas canisters were reportedly found inside the car. But police say no detonating device was present.

Irish MPs debate Apple tax ruling

The Irish parliament has been recalled early to debate the European Commission's ruling that Ireland granted undue tax benefits of up to €13bn to Apple. The Irish government is seeking parliament´s approval to appeal the ruling.

WHO issues new Zika warning

The World Health Organization has changed its advice to travellers returning from areas where the Zika virus is actively spreading, saying both men and women should now practise safe sex or abstinence for six months. The new guidance is a change from the health agency's interim recommendation, which referred only to men and had a shorter timeframe of at least eight weeks. Zika infections in pregnant women have been shown to cause microcephaly as well as other brain abnormalities. Malaysia today confirmed its first case of the Zika virus in a pregnant woman from a city near the border with Singapore, which has reported a total of 275 cases so far.

The weather

Mostly sunny but some light rain in the south. Highs today from 20 to 29.

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