News in English

8. April 2017, 21:58

President Obama delivers farewell speech

President Barack Obama says he's leaving the US a better and stronger country after his 8 years in the White House. But in a farewell speech delivered to thousands of his supporters in Chicago, he warned of threats to US democracy including inequality and racism. Obama also outlined what he saw as his main achievements ..."if I had told you 8 years ago that America would reverse a great recession, shut down Iran's nuclear weapons programme without firing a shot, take out the mastermind of 9/11, if I had told you that we would win marriage equality and secure the right to health insurance for another 20 million of our fellow citizens - you might have said our sights were set a little too high."

Donald Trump complains of witch-hunt

The US-President-elect Donald Trump has complained of a "political witch-hunt" against him after unconfirmed reports emerged in the US media that Russian intelligence had gathered personally compromising information about him. Trump described the reports as "fake news". The Kremlin has denied that it has any such material and that the claims were "total nonsense". Trump is due to hold a rare news conference later today.

US church attacker sentenced to death

A white supremacist has been sentenced to death for killing nine black worshippers at a Bible study meeting in a church in the US state of South Carolina in 2015. 22-year old Dylann Roof was convicted last month of more than 30 charges, including hate crimes. Prosecutors said he had been planning the shooting for months.

Tensions between China and Taiwan

Taiwan has scrambled jets and navy ships to monitor a flotilla of Chinese warships that has sailed close to the island. Sending ships through the Taiwan Strait appears to be a show of strength by China which considers Taiwan to be part of its own territory. The head of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council Chang Hsiao-Yueh said the authorities are monitoring China's actions: "I want to emphasise that our government has sufficient capability to protect our national security. It is not necessary to overly panic. On the other hand, any threats would not benefit cross-strait ties at all. Together we should show mutual good will."

Death toll from Afghanistan attacks rises

The death toll into yesterday's attacks in Afghanistan has risen to over 50. The attacks happened in the capital Kabul and the southern city of Kandahar. Dozens were wounded.

The weather

The east and south will be dry with occasional sunshine. Elsewhere it’ll be mostly cloudy with a bit of snowfall or rain. Highs are ranging between minus 7 and plus 4 degrees.

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