New truce plea for Eastern Ghouta +++ CDU holds meeting on coalition deal

29. März 2018, 02:00

New truce plea for Eastern Ghouta

Pro-government forces in Syria have continued their assault on the rebel-held area of Eastern Ghouta despite the UN Security Council's demand for a 30-day ceasefire. Observers say at least 10 civilians were killed in the latest airstrikes. The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres says the violence must stop: "Security Council resolutions are only meaningful if they are effectively implemented. And that's why I expect the resolution to be immediately implemented and sustained. It's high time to stop this hell on earth."

CDU holds meeting on coalition deal

Germany's CDU is holding a party conference which is expected to approve a coalition deal with the Social Democrats. The meeting follows Chancellor Merkel's announcement of her choices for a future cabinet. The last major hurdle ahead of the formation of a government will come next Sunday when the results will be published of a ballot of Social Democrat party members on whether they will back the deal.

South Korea pushes for North Korea talks

The South Korean President Moon Jae-in says he believes the US should lower its threshold for talks with North Korea and that Pyongyang should demonstrate its willingness to get rid of its nuclear weapons. Earlier South Korea's Unification Minister Cho Myong-gyon said he hoped the US and North Korea would start direct negotiations as soon as possible: "it is necessary to continue with efforts to improve inter-Korean relations. But at the same time we repeatedly told the North Koreans that for this to happen we need to see a denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and to solve the North Korean issue peacefully. It is necessary that North Korea and the US talk to each other to solve this in a peaceful manner."

Labour calls for new customs union after Brexit

The British opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn of the Labour Party says he wants Britain to negotiate a new customs union with the EU to ensure tariff-free trade after Brexit. He said such a move would also help avoid a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister Theresa May says the UK will leave both the single market and the customs union.

Nigeria reports another mass abduction

The Nigerian government says 110 girls are missing after an attack on a school in the northeast of the country by suspected Boko Haram militants. The disappearance is thought to be one of the largest abductions since the Chibok kidnappings in 2014 when more than 270 schoolgirls were taken.

ÖVP celebrates victory in Tyrol election

The Austrian People's Party, the ÖVP, is celebrating a major victory after regional elections in Tyrol. The party increased its support, attracting over 44% of the vote.

The Weather

Increasingly cloudy with some light snowfall in places. A bit of sunshine, especially in the west. A lively and icy wind and extremely cold with highs ranging between minus 4 and minus 13.

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