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8. April 2017, 21:58

Obama reassures on Trump in Europe

United States President Barack Obama has arrived in Greece on the first stop of his final foreign tour as president. Obama in comments ahead of his visit offered assurances that President-elect Donald Trump won't abandon strategic partnerships with NATO and Europe despite comments during his campaign casting doubt on the alliances: “In my conversation with the president-elect he expressed a great interest in maintaining our four strategic relationships. And so one of the messages I will be able to deliver is his commitment to NATO and the Trans-Atlantic alliance.” President Obama also visits Germany where he holds talks with the leaders of major European Union countries.

Germany bans Islamist group

Police in Germany have carried out nationwide raids against an Islamist organisation calling itself The True Religion. The organisation is accused of radicalising young people, recruiting for the Islamic State terror group and inciting hatred. Police say there are no signs the Islamists were planning attacks in Germany itself. The German government has banned the group, Interior minister Thomas de Maiziere saying the ban was to help protect peaceful Islam in the country.

Russia, Syria step up airstrikes on rebels

Reports from Syria say Russian backed Syrian government forces are carrying out the heaviest bombardment in weeks of rebel held eastern Aleppo. Russia has said it has launched missile strikes against Islamic State militants in from its aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean and the strikes will continue.

Russian minister arrested

Russia’s Economic Development minister Alexei Ulyukayev has been arrested and charged with extorting a 2 million dollar bribe. Ulyukayev is the first Russian cabinet minister to be detained since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Investigators accuse him of taking a bribe in connection with a controversial privatisation deal involving the state-controlled oil giant Rosneft and another oil company, Bashneft.

Morsi death sentence overturned

Egypt’s highest court has overturned a death sentence against deposed President Mohammed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood and ordered a retrial. Mursi was sentenced to death in June last year in connection with a mass jail break during the country's uprising in 2011.

Ban confident of Paris climate deal

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at climate talks in Morocco has said he hopes US president elect Donald Trump will not carry through a campaign threat to withdraw from the Paris agreement on combating global warming. Ban said there is unstoppable momentum behind the accord.

The weather

Partly sunny especially in the south east. Cloud in the northwest with scattered showers. Top temperatures minus 1 to plus 8 degrees.

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