News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

Brexit overshadows EU summit in Bratislava

European Council President Donald Tusk has urged EU leaders to take a brutally honest look at the bloc's problems, as they gather for a summit in the Slovakian capital Bratislava. The meeting is taking place without the UK, following Britain's decision to leave the EU. Tusk says the Brexit issue will loom large over the talks. “What we need today is an optimistic scenario for the future, I have no doubt. But it requires a realistic diagnosis of the causes of Brexit and its political consequences.” The 27 EU leaders are scheduled to discuss the economy, terrorism and the refugee crisis. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged her European colleagues to work together, however she said it was unrealistic to expect solutions from one summit.

Russia calls on US to enforce Syrian ceasefire

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov has warned of possible airstrikes against the opposition in Syria, if the United States is unable to persuade moderate groups to separate themselves from al Qaeda militants, under the terms of a ceasefire currently in force. Syrian state media and activist groups, meanwhile, are reporting shelling and clashes between government troops and rebel fighters in two suburbs of the capital Damascus.

Clinton hits campaign trail again after illness

Hillary Clinton has returned to campaigning for the US presidential election, after taking several days off with illness. The Democrat candidate has faced criticism for not disclosing that she was suffering from pneumonia. Clinton's rival Donald Trump has released a letter from his doctor, saying he is in excellent health. President Obama's former physician David Scheiner says Clinton's health is unlikely to be an ongoing issue. “Trump people have been saying all along that she was sick, that she was feeble, that she wasn’t strong enough to be president, so that just fed into it and everything sort of spirals out of control. And it will fade.”

Sweden upholds warrant for Assange’s arrest

A Swedish appeals court has upheld an arrest warrant for Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, clearing the way for him to be questioned over allegations of sexual assault. Assange has been holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since 2012, amid concerns that he could be extradited to the United States if he travels to Sweden.

Deutsche Bank shares slide amid US claims

Shares in Germany's largest bank, Deutsche Bank, have fallen sharply, amid reports that the US Government is seeking 14 billion dollars to settle claims relating to the global financial crisis. The bank is accused of misleading investors over the quality of mortgage backed securities.

Myanmar soldiers jailed for killing

A military court in Myanmar has sentenced seven soldiers to five years in prison over the killing of five members of an ethnic minority in northern Shan state. Soldiers are regularly accused of human rights abuses in Myanmar however correspondents say prosecutions are rare.

The weather

Mostly sunny conditions will continue in the east this afternoon with cloud and rain showers moving in from the southwest. Top temperatures will range from 17 to 30 degrees.

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