Attacks near Damascus continue +++ Suicide bomb attack on US embassy in Montenegro

25. März 2018, 03:00

Attacks near Damascus continue

In Syria, 13 people have been killed in the latest attacks by Syrian forces on rebel-held suburbs east of Damascus. The dead include three children and three women. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says 335 people have been killed since the government stepped up its attacks last weekend on the suburbs, which are known collectively as eastern Ghouta. The United Nations has called on Syria’s allies, Iran and Russia, to enforce a ceasefire in eastern Ghouta. Moscow has only said it is not responsible for the current situation there.

Suicide bomb attack on US embassy in Montenegro

Police in Montenegro say they believe it was a 43-year old man from Serbia who threw a bomb last night at the US embassy in the capital Podgorica. The bomb landed on the embassy grounds but caused no damage to the embassy itself. The man then killed himself with a second bomb. The motive behind the attack is unclear at this time.

Kidnapped schoolgirls freed in Nigeria

Nigeria’s government says the army has freed more than 50 schoolgirls who were kidnapped on Monday by Boko Haram militants. The girls were rescued during a military operation in northeastern Nigeria.

US students condemn gun violence

Students across the United States have held rallies to condemn gun violence. This comes after last week’s killing spree at a high school in Florida in which 17 people were shot and killed. Sam Zeif lost his best friend in the massacre. He says easy access to guns is a major part of the problem: “I don’t understand why I can still go in to a store and buy a weapon of war. How is it that easy to buy that type of weapon?” Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has met at the White House with people who have lost loved ones to gun violence. Trump has said that one option to stopping school shootings would be to arm teachers in the classroom. Connecticut high school teacher Tom Kureski says that’s a really bad idea: “We did not become teachers to arm ourselves. I think if our government has to resort to arming teachers in order to protect our students, instead of taking other initiatives to do so, I think we’ve reached a very, very low point.”

Merkel calls for EU strategy on global problems

German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke to the Bundestag in Berlin today and said that the European Union needed to develop a response to growing global political and economic pressures. She said she will raise the issue during a meeting of EU leaders later this week in Brussels.

Over 300,000 support Austrian smoking ban

A petition drive launched a week ago to urge the coalition government in Vienna not to reverse a ban on smoking in bars, restaurants and other public venues has now collected over 300,000 signatures. The ban is due to go into effect on May 1st, but the Freedom Party says it wants to maintain the current system of separate smoking and non-smoking areas.

Austrians take gold, bronze in South Korea

At the Winter Olympics in South Korea, Austria’s Anna Gasser has won gold in the first-ever women’s Big Air snowboarding event. Meanwhile, Marcel Hirscher crashed out of today’s Men’s Slalom first run in which Austria’s Matthias Matt won a bronze medal. The Austrian team also won bronze in today’s combined Nordic event.

The Weather

This afternoon’s weather will remain mostly cloudy with snowfall, especially in the south. Strong winds also out of the north and east. Highs today are ranging from minus 5 to plus 3 degrees.

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