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Germany's opposition slams Berlin refugee deal
Germany's opposition parties have criticized a deal forged by coalition partners to control migration flows in Germany, saying it produces "little concrete action." Germany has struggled to cope with the influx.
Robert Habeck, a member of Germany's opposition Green Party, lambasted a migrant deal struck on Thursday by leaders of the ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU), its Bavarian sister-party the Christian Social Union (CSU) and its coalition partner the Social Democrats (SPD). "In other countries, most people have to wait a year before they can even apply for asylum. In this context, it is a complete mystery how the Federal government intends to conclude the process at special registration centers within a few weeks," Habeck told DPA news agency. Top Left Party politician, Bernd Riexinger, further pointed to the plan creating new problems. "There's the danger that these people won't receive a fair asylum procedure," Riexinger said. The deal - announced by Chancellor Angela Merkel, Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel and Bavarian premier Horst Seehofer on Thursday - purports to set up three to five reception centers where asylum seekers must wait until a decision is made on their application. It would also penalize those who would leave the centers' grounds multiple times. Prior to the deal, the SPD was critical of proposals for transit zones and migrant detention centers. However, Thursday's coalition agreement has been hailed by the center-left party as a step forward to managing the migration crisis. 'Little concrete action' Meanwhile, Habeck, the Greens' politician, who wants to be the party's top candidate for the 2017 parliamentary elections, said he also considers it wrong to restrict family reunification, one of the latest provisions to be accepted under the deal, which would impede family reunification until the refugee has lived in Germany for two years. "In sum, the proposals bring little concrete action - except a truce between the CDU and SPD," Habeck said. Germany has struggled to cope with the wave of migration, which has stretched the country's capacities to register and house asylum seekers. Between 800,000 and one million migrants are expected to arrive in the country in 2015. The EU Commission said Thursday it is working with a "technical assessment" that posits three million migrants entering the 28-nation bloc by 2017. ls/kms (AFP, dpa, Reuters) | [
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Viral video shows French father explain Paris attacks to son
A video showing a French father explain the Paris attacks to his son has gone viral, collecting more than 80,000 views in less than 24 hours. The video was produced by French TV program Le Petit Journal.
A video produced by Le Petit Journal of French cable television channel Canal + showed a French father and his child discussing the circumstances of "Islamic State"-claimed attacks in Paris, that left at least 129 people dead. In the video, a Le Petit Journal reporter asks the child if he understood why the attacks occurred. "Do you understand what happened? Do you understand why those people did that?" the reporter asked. "Yes, because they're really, really mean. Bad guys are not very nice," the child responds to the reporter. However, the child's father later intervenes, responding to his son's statement that they could be shot, saying: "They might have guns, but we have flowers." The father then offers an overview of how flowers and candles "protect" people from guns. "The flowers and the candles are here to protect us," the child said, confirming his father's statement. The video went viral following its online release on Monday, garnering more than 80,000 views in less than 24 hours. ls/kms (LPJ, Canal +) | [
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Moscow and Ankara fueling the fire from downed plane
Turkish President Erdogan said he wanted to talk "face to face" with Russia's Putin about the downing of the Russian plane. The two countries continue to trade blame, with Moscow preparing to retaliate economically.
The deadly incident was an "automatic response to the airspace violation," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a speech on Friday. "Turkey did not deliberately [shoot] down the Russian warplane," he said. Ankara says that the bomber entered Turkish airspace and ignored multiple warnings, while Moscow says that the Turkish forces fired at the aircraft above Syria, without warning. Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Ankara of a "planned provocation," and a "stab in the back." On Friday, Erdogan described Putin's criticism as "unacceptable" and asked Russia to prove its "grave and unfair" accusations. Erdogan calling for a Paris meet The Turkish president also blamed the Kremlin for backing the regime of "murderer" President Bashar al-Assad in Syria, likening this to "playing with fire." Speaking to his supporters in northeast Turkey, Erdogan said he "would like to meet [Putin] face to face in Paris," during the upcoming climate meet. "There is a summit in Paris, I believe he will also attend. We could sit and talk there," Erdogan said. "I would like to bring the issue to a reasonable point. We are disturbed that the issue has been escalated." 'Simply apologize' The Kremlin has received Erdogan's request, said Putin's spokesman Dmitri Peskov. However, Peskov did not clarify whether Moscow had accepted or refused the offer. "The president has been told about this request... That's all I can say," he told reporters. Putin had refused Erdogan's earlier attempts at contact, because Turkey was not ready to apologize, according to Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov. "We see Turkey's unwillingness to simply apologize for the incident with the plane," Ushakov told reporters. Also on Friday, the Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said that Moscow has decided to suspend visa-free travel with Turkey, in addition to economic retaliatory measures. Ankara "risks putting Turkey in a most severe situation, with respect to both its long-term national interests and the situation in the region," according to Lavrov. "We believe that the Turkish leadership has crossed the line of what is acceptable," he said. Assad and 'IS' to profit Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu called for unity against the "Islamic State" and argued that the shooting of the plane was not directed at Russia. "The downing of an unidentified jet in Turkish airspace was not - and is not - an act against a specific country," he wrote in an article published in the Friday edition of The Times of London. "The international community must not turn on itself. Otherwise the only victors will be Daesh... and the Syrian regime," he said, using an Arabic term for IS jihadists. dj/msh (AFP, AP, Reuters) | [
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Top Kurdish rights defender in Turkey shot and killed
A prominent Kurdish lawyer and human rights defender has been killed in Turkey after making a pro-peace press statement in the city of Diyarbakir. It is unclear who was behind the attack.
Tahir Elci, the head of the Diyarbakir Bar Association, was shot in the head on Saturday after delivering a press statement with other lawyers and activists condemning violence in the region. A critic of both the government and Kurdish militants, Elci had minutes before delivered a speech calling for the end of the fighting between the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Turkish state. Some of his last words were: "We don't want guns, clashes and military operations in our region." Turkey's largely Kurdish southeast has been wracked by violence since a ceasefire and peace process between the state and the PKK broke down in July. Pro-PKK youth groups have erected barricades in cities and neighborhoods across the region, prompting harsh security crackdowns and curfews. Several hundred soldiers, PKK fighters and civilians have been killed in the renewed fighting. A video released by Turkey's DHA news agency shows police returning gunfire down a small street from unknown assailants after Elci and others had delivered a pro-peace message near a local mosque that had been damaged in prior clashes. Police then turned around to where Elci was and fired multiple rounds in that direction. The video shows his body laying facedown on the ground. A policeman was also killed and several people wounded. The governor of Diyarbakir has called a curfew in expectation there will be widespread protests against Elci's death. It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack, but Turkish media outlets citing witnesses reported that the assailant had a beard. Turkish media reported that after firing one shot to Elci's head the assailant fled. Investigators at the scene were later fired upon, wounding two police officers. Speculation of who is behind the attack will be rife, with different sides already blaming the PKK, the Turkish state and Islamists. The Diyarbakir Bar Association on Twitter claimed it was an assassination. State media Anadolu Ajansi suggested the PKK carried out the attack. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the incident in Diyarbakir showed Turkey was justified in its struggle against terrorism. "We will carry out this struggle to the end, there is no stopping," he said. Elci was charged last month on terrorism related charges for saying on a CNN Turk program that the PKK was not a terrorist organization. Selahattin Demirtas, the co-chair of the pro-Kurdish HDP party, alleged last week that an unknown gunman attempted to assassinate him when a bullet hit the back window of his car as he was driving in Diyarbakir. Turkish police later claimed it was not a bullet. Demirtas has insisted it was an assassination attempt. The killing of Elci follows an October twin suicide bombing in Ankara blamed on the "Islamic State" (IS) that killed more than 100 people at a leftists and Kurdish peace rally. | [
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Leverkusen, Schalke draw in unproductive match
Leverkusen and Schalke played out an unproductive draw, exchanging goals in the second half. Both sides have hit a rut in form, and there were few signs either side is close to climbing out of it.
Leverkusen 1-1 Schalke (Choupo-Moting 50' - Riether o.g. 85') Sometimes, the undecisive result of a draw can be a positive, allowing each team to leave with something from a match. In Leverkusen on Sunday though, the exact opposite was true as both sides suffered yet another setback in their respective Bundesliga campaigns. Both Leverkusen and Schalke came into the match stuck in neutral, unable to shift into gear while slipping further away from their ultimate goal of a Champions League spot. This showcase did not help either team get out of their funks as a 1-1 draw pins both outside of the top four. Finishing was a major issue for the two teams despite excellent runs up and down the field from Schalke's Max Meyer and Leverkusen's Kevin Kampl. The home side only put four of their 11 first-half shots on target, while Schalke were only able to fire away three after losing the ball in pivotal moments. The best chance of the first 45 minutes came for Leverkusen, rattling the bar after squirming in from the right flank. First magestry, then misfortune Though the first half was pretty open, Schalke's approach was more delicate, trying to push forward on the break to steal a goal away from home. Their patience was rewarded shortly after the restart, with Leon Goretzka slipping through a ball to Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who finished neatly. It was Schalke's first lead in 410 minutes, and one they desperately needed. Andre Breitenreiter then pulled back his men and made two defensive substitutions to try to kill off the match. His side has not had recent success in big matches, losing to Borussia Mönchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund, and Bayern Munich all in the last month. His blockade held up for most of the second half, but fortune was not on Schalke's side. Chicharito helped give Leverkusen the equalizer, clanging a through ball from Kevin Kampl off of an unaware Sasha Riether. The own goal bailed Leverkusen out of another deflating result in less than a week. A point is what both sides ended with, but it was accompanied by the knowledge that staying in the top 10 rather than focusing on the top four has now become the priority. Wolfsburg drop points in Augsburg Goals were a plenty for Wolfsburg a week ago, but the goal reservoir dried up on their trip to Augsburg. The hosts club came to play, and even had a penalty shout in the first half. Wolfsburg could not make an imprint on the match until the second half, but were still short of their best. Matters got worse when Dante received his second yellow card in the second half, but that didn't change the result. A week after closing the gap, Wolfsburg have now lost ground on second-placed Dortmund. | [
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EU eyes bloc-wide air passenger database
EU interior ministers have urged the European Parliament to approve a data sharing system that could be employed to track suspected extremists. France has pushed hard for EU system as debate over privacy continues.
As EU interior ministers meet Friday in Brussels, France has renewed its push for a Passenger Name Records (PNR) system for air passengers that could be used to track suspected violent extremists. "It's very important that we have the Passenger Name Records," French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve told reporters as he joined colleagues for talks on security. "Terrorists use intra-European flights, and we have to trace their movements in order to be able to prevent terrorist risks." The German government also supports the initiative. "We could spot early on if dangerous people come to Europe, which routes they take and what their networks are like," German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said. Such a measure would require approval from the European Parliament, which for the past two years has debated the privacy implications of a European PNR system similar to ones already in use in the United States, Canada and Australia. But recent attacks in France has helped buoy support among European lawmakers, especially as individual EU members have already begun building their own systems leading to a patchwork of competing systems that critics say could be even more vulnerable to compromise. "An EU PNR system with robust protections for personal data is far preferable to 28 EU PNR systems and a patchwork of regimes," said Timothy Kirkhope, the lead EU lawmaker chaperoning the deal through the European Parliament. "We are almost there on a deal." As currently drafted, the agreement would give law enforcement agencies in the 28 EU nations access to information gathered by airlines, including names, travel dates, itinerary, credit card and contact details. "We could spot early on if dangerous people come to Europe, which routes they take and what their networks are like," German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said. Devil's in the details Yet sticking points remain over how long personal data could be stored in databases. European Parliament, in its latest official position, has insisted identity records be "masked" after six months so that officials would only be able to track trends but not individuals. France wants to keep full data for at least a year and is expected to use the recent extremist attacks on its soil to make its case. "I'm going to work to convince my European colleagues who still have to be convinced of the need to implement what parliament recommends and which would allow a high level of protection," Cazeneuve said. For years, Washington has been pushing the EU to adopt a PNR system to tighten security, and US President Barack Obama once again called on the EU to implement it in the wake of the November 13 attacks that left 130 people dead in Paris. An EU-US agreement over the exchange of data has already been reached. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, said that deal offers full data protection but many European parliamentarians were suspicious of its safeguards and repeatedly held up approval. jar/sms (AP, AFP, dpa) | [
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Suspect charged in London Tube stabbing
A man has been charged with attempted murder after injuring two people in a knife attack at a London Underground station. Officers have also discovered images associated with the "Islamic State" on his phone.
The suspect in Saturday's knife attack in a London Underground metro station appeared in court on Monday after being charged with attempted murder by counterterrorism officers. Muhaydin Mire, 29, spoke in London's Westminster Magistrates' Court only to confirm his age, name and address. Witnesses said Mire brandished a knife at the East London station of Leytonstone on Saturday and shouted "This is for Syria" while attacking a man. "It was a violent, sustained and unprovoked attack during which the victim was punched, knocked to the ground and repeatedly kicked on the ground," said prosecutor David Cawthorne. Police detained the assailant at the scene after using a stun gun. Prosecutors also announced on Monday that images of flags connected to the so-called militant group "Islamic State" (IS) were found on the suspect's cellphone. They alleged that the attack was an act of terrorism. Two men were injured during the attack, with one 56-year-old man suffering a 12-centimeter (5-inch) neck wound. The injury was serious but not life-threatening, and the man is recovering after five hours of surgery. The second man, a 33-year-old, was lightly injured. "It's obviously a hideous attack, and we've all seen pictures about it and read about it," British Prime Minister David Cameron told reporters on Monday. "Full credit to the person and people who took on this attacker and full credit to the very brave police officers who managed to subdue him." Mire is set to appear in London's central criminal court on Friday. #YouAintNoMulsimBruv The aftermath of the attack was recorded by bystanders and published on several social media sites. One onlooker shouted the phrase: "You ain't no Muslim, bruv! You're no Muslim, bruv! You ain't no Muslim!" It has since become a trending hashtag on social media. Cameron also praised the bystander, saying: "Some of us have dedicated speeches and media appearances and sound bites and everything to this subject, but 'you ain't no Muslim, bruv' said it all much better than I could have done." In response to Saturday's attack, police in London have increased patrols in the Underground system to "identify and deter terrorism." Increased patrols will "involve both uniformed and plain-clothed officers, supported by other resources, such as armed officers, police dogs, a network of CCTV cameras and the thousands of rail staff we work alongside," said Mark Newton, a transport police spokesman. "We ask the public to remain calm and carry on using public transport as normal." The attack comes just days after the British Parliament approved airstrikes on IS targets in Syria. rs/cmk (AP, AFP, Reuters) | [
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Amid injury woes, Bayern look to exorcise Gladbach defeat
The Bundesliga's 16th matchday kicks off with Mainz hosting Stuttgart. The weekend's schedule also features a couple of derbies as Bayern look to bounce back from their first defeat of the season- without Frank Ribery.
Despite being bitten hard by the injury bug Bayern should still like their chances when they host Ingolstadt in the first Bundesliga derby between the two Bavarian clubs. Bayern cruised to victory to finish top of their group in the Champions League in midweek, but are coming off a damper in Mönchengladback last weekend, where they suffered a 3-1 defeat to Andre Schubert's men - their first in the Bundesliga since he took over. Ahead of Saturday's contest, Bayern stressed that they would not be taking their opponents lightly. "They deserve to be where they are in the league (11th) and I hope they stay up (in the Bundesliga)," Bayern captain Philipp Lahm said. "They don't just play defensively and don't just stand at the back." Ribery and Benatia add to injury woes Coach Pep Guardiola will have to rearrange his starting lineup yet again on Saturday, after the news that Frank Ribery (pictured above), picked up a muscle strain in Zagreb and will be out for the rest of the year. Center back Medhi Benatia is also out after picking up a thigh strain in the Croatian capital. The news is particularly bitter for Ribery, who just a week ago had returned to action after an absence of nine months due to an ankle injury. At his press conference on Friday, Guardiola also confirmed that Arjen Robben remained injured. Also out are David Alaba, Mario Götze, Douglas Costa, and Juan Bernat. Champions League frustrations Two teams that didn't fare so well in the Champions League this past week, face each other in what promises to be the most interesting game of matchday 16, as third-placed Mönchengladbach travel to eighth-placed Leverkusen in a Rhineland derby. Gladbach are coming off a 4-2 defeat at Manchester City, which saw them not only crash out of the Champions League, but also miss the Europa League cut. Leverkusen, meanwhile, were unable to get the winning goal against a weakened Barcelona side, which they needed to reach the round of 16 in the world's top club competition. Gladbach's coach Schubert is looking to extend his run of eight wins and two draws in the Bundesliga since he took over from Lucien Favre six games into the campaign, and he appears unconcerned about how the defeat in the north of England might affect his players going into Leverkusen. "The boys are physically very stable and know how to evaluate the game," he said, adding that the match would be"between two teams who are eye to eye." His charges also have the slight advantage of having had one more day of rest than Leverkusen. Schmidt feeling the heat Schubert's opposite number, Roger Schmidt, is starting to feel the heat, having lost six games in the Bundesliga this season, almost equaling the total number of defeats Leverkusen suffered last season (seven), when they finished fourth. He was also was extremely frustrated by the "Werkself's" failure to put away a plethora of chances against Barca on Wednesday, describing it as a "tragedy" that they failed to advance. On the other hand, he praised the fact that they did create the chances in the first place and said he hoped his charges could use the "momentum" from that performance to their advantage. Matchday 16 in the Bundesliga: Friday, December 11 Mainz 0-0 Stuttgart Saturday, December 12 Bayern Munich vs. Ingolstadt Hoffenheim vs. Hannover Darmstadt vs. Hertha Berlin Wolfsburg vs. Hamburg Werder Bremen vs. Cologne Bayer Leverkusen vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach Sunday, December 13 Augsburg vs. Schalke Dortmund vs. Frankfurt | [
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European Film Awards dominated by political themes
British director Stephen Daldry and Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgard were among the celebrities attending the 28th annual European Film Awards. But British actor Sir Michael Caine was the superstar of the night.
Attended by more than 900 guests from the European film industry, the red carpets were rolled out in Berlin on Saturday for the 28th annual European Film Awards (EFA). Hosted at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele, the European Film Awards (EFA) came to the German capital for the 16th time. The award ceremony opened with a piece of music described by German presenter Thomas Hermmans as the oldest piece of written music - a tune from ancient Syria. It followed on the heels of Charlie Chaplin's famous "I don't want to be an emperor" speech from his 1940 film "The Great Dictator," setting the scene for the political undertones to be expected for the evening. EFA chief executive Agnieszka Holland later said that the awards ceremony took place amid deep concern that she felt about Europe. "I spent a big part of my life in totalitarian regimes. I don't want them to return. The films we make cannot be separated from the world we live in. Our duty is again to defend freedom and democracy," Holland said. German actor Daniel Brühl also took to the stage later in the evening - not to present an award but to highlight the political challenges faced by people in the film industry, focusing on Ukrainian director Oleg Sensov, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for Russian allegations saying he had supported terrorist networks. A total of 52 films from 36 countries were nominated by the European Film Academy. And the winners are… The Italian comedy "Youth" won the "European Film 2015" award. Featuring Sir Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel, Rachel Weisz and Jane Fonda, the movie follows a number of retired friends, who travel to the Swiss Alps, where they are compelled by a series of events to reflect about themes of youth and aging. The award for the best documentary was presented to the British film director Asif Kapadia for his film "Amy" based on the life of singer Amy Winehouse. The European Discovery Award, given to promising debuts in the film industry, was awarded to the movie "Mustang" by Deniz Gamze Ergüven, who dedicated her award to Can Dündar - a recently incarcerated Turkish journalist. The European Cinematographer Award, presented in memory of Italian cinematographer Carlo di Palma each year, went to Martin Gschlacht for his work on the horror movie "Ich Seh Ich Seh" (distributed internationally under the title "Goodnight Mommy"). The European Short Film Awards, presented by Romanian actress Ana Ularu went to Croatian director Jure Pavlovic and his film "Picnic." Honorary Awards Several of the winners had already been announced ahead of the event, including British actor Sir Michael Caine, who was presented with the Honorary Award of the European Film Academy President and Board. According to the European Film Awards, Caine has provided "some of cinema's most unforgettable experiences" throughout his career, which has spanned over six decades to date. EFA President Wim Wenders and EFA chief executive Agnieszka Holland stressed that the award to Cain had been "long overdue." Wenders added that it was "a sheer pleasure to present this award" to Michael Caine. Caine also won the award for European Actor, taking to the stage three times in total. "It's been 50 years, and I've never won an award in Europe. And now I've won two in one evening," he said. British actress Charlotte Rampling was also presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award. The 69-year- old actress said that she was proud of the award, as the European film industry played an important role in her life. "I grew up in Europe. I never planned to go to Hollywood. Europe is my motor, it's my language," Rampling said, before receiving her award from French director Francois Ozon. Later in the evening, Rampling garnered another award as "European Actress." Austrian Actor Christoph Waltz was also given an honorary award for European Achievement in World Cinema. Next year, the European Film Awards will take place in European Culture Capital 2016, Wroclaw. | [
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Clash between Nigerian military, Shiite sect leaves scores dead
Nigeria's military has killed hundreds of Shiite Muslims, in weekend clashes between a rebellious sect and troops. The military says that the raids came after hundreds blocked the army chief's convoy and threatened him.
Soldiers killed hundreds of Shiite Muslims this weekend, after the group opened fire on the Nigerian army chief's convoy, according to the Shia Islamic Movement and military officials. Witness Ojo Momodu told the Associated Press that the Shiites had barricaded the road with burning tires as the army chief approached. They then hurled stones at his convoy. A report from the Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police said Shiite militants were hiding in tall grass "with the intent to attack the vehicle with [a] petrol bomb," while others "suddenly resorted to firing gunshots from the direction of the mosque." Retribution was apparently swift. Chidi Odinkalu of the Nigerian Human Rights Commission said that photos showed a bulldozer tearing apart a shrine of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria and said that detained leader Ibraheem Zakzaky's home was also destroyed the next day. Zakzaky was detained after being shot and injured by troops. His condition and whereabouts remain unclear. His sect's spokesman, Ibrahim Musa, accused the military of indiscriminate killing. "The killing was so brutal … even those injured in the shooting were identified and killed in cold blood by the soldiers," he said. A hospital in the city of Zaria reported receiving 60 bodies, according to hospital chief Lawal Khalid. "I was briefed that the hospital had received 60 corpses, but I am yet to be briefed on the current number," Khalid told the private News Agency of Nigeria. But it has been impossible to independently verify the toll as the military has locked down the area, preventing access. Iran and US both seek answers Reaction to reports of mass carnage have prompted questions from diplomats from both Washington and Tehran. The US embassy in Abuja was seeking more information State Department spokesman John Kriby said that Washington would continue to call for the protection of civilians and respect for human rights. Iran summoned Nigeria's charge d'affaires to protest, the official IRNA news agency reported Tuesday. Iran "demands the Nigerian government immediately shed light on the incidents, treat the injured, and compensate for damages," IRNA said. Shiite minority past victim of attacks Zakzaky's movement draws inspiration from the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Shiite Iran. But most of Nigeria's tens of millions of Muslims are Sunni, including the Boko Haram jihadist militants who have killed thousands in bombings and shootings, mainly in northeastern Nigeria. A similar clash between followers of the Shiite sect and the army occurred last year during a procession. Zakzaky said that 30 followers and three of his children were killed by troops. jar/msh (AP, dpa, Reuters) | [
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State of fear: The Republican debate after San Bernardino
Ban Muslims from entering the US; stop settling Syrian refugees; broaden NSA surveillance. The leading Republican candidates are calling for sweeping measures after the attacks in Paris and San Bernardino.
Events in Los Angeles set the tone for the debate among Republican presidential candidates. The superintendent at the second largest school district in the United States sent home 650,000 students after a bomb threat was made by email. Authorities have now said the threat was a hoax and that classes will resume on Wednesday. Hours after the massive school closure, 10 Republican presidential candidates gathered in Las Vegas to debate national security. The United States was already on edge after the terrorist attacks in Paris and a shooting by Islamist extremists in San Bernardino has created an atmosphere of fear not seen in 14 years. According to a New York Times/CBS poll, Americans are more concerned about terrorism than at anytime since the September 11, 2001, attacks. During Tuesday's debate, the three leading Republican candidates variously called for sweeping measures. They included a temporary ban on Muslims entering the US, suspending the settlement of Syrian refugees and a return of the National Security Agency's bulk metadata program. Trump: Ban Muslims, Restrict the Internet Donald Trump has surged in a national poll of Republican primary voters after calling for "a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States." According to Monmouth University, the real estate mogul crushes his closest rival, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, with a 27 point lead. The billionaire's Republican competitors have condemned his plan against Muslims. Trump, however, was under no pressure to back down during the debate in Las Vegas. According to a Washington Post/ABC poll, nearly 60 percent of Republican voters agree with him. "A month ago things changed," Trump said. "Radical Islamic terrorism came into effect even more so than it has in the past. We've opened up a very big discussion that needed to be opened up." The Republican front-runner also defended his recent call for "closing that Internet up in some way" in order to prevent "Islamic State" from recruiting via social media. He sought to qualify his previous statements by saying the focus would be on users in Iraq and Syria. "I would certainly be open to closing areas where we are at war with somebody," Trump said. "I sure as hell don't want to let people that want to kill us and kill our nation use our Internet." On the war in Syria, Trump rejected regime change for the time being, saying the focus should be on fighting "Islamic State." "We can't be fighting Assad," Trump said. "When you're fighting Assad, you're fighting Russia - you're fighting a lot of different groups." Cruz: No refugees for three years Senator Ted Cruz of Texas has edged out Trump in the early voting state of Iowa, despite being distant second place in the national polls. During the debate on Tuesday, Cruz distanced himself from Trump's call to ban Muslims from entering the United States, without directly condemning it. "There are millions of peaceful Muslims across the world, in countries like India, where there is not the problems we are seeing in nations that...have territory controlled by Al Qaida or ISIS," Cruz said. The Texas senator has drafted legislation that would place a three-year moratorium on taking in refugees "from countries where ISIS or Al Qaida control substantial territory." Cruz also defended his vote in the Senate to end the National Security Agency's bulk collection of metadata in the United States, saying surveillance should be targeted against "bad guys." He called for a foreign policy that shuns regime change and sending weapons to "mythical moderate rebels," pointing to the 2011 overthrow of Moammar Gadhafi. "Well, the result is, Libya is now a terrorist war zone run by jihadists," Cruz said. Cruz doubled down on his call for "carpet bombing" Islamic State. When asked whether he would target urban centers with civilians such as Raqqa, Cruz said "the object isn't to level a city." "You would carpet bomb where ISIS is, not a city, but the location of the troops," he said. Rubio: More NSA surveillance Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, who is emerging as a new establishment favorite as the campaign of Former Governor Jeb Bush fails to gain traction, defended the National Security Agency's surveillance programs, which Congress voted to restrict in the aftermath of the Edward Snowden revelations. Rubio said the US needed more tools to fight Islamic State. "This is not just the most capable, it is the most sophisticated terror threat we have ever faced," Rubio said. "We are now at a time when we need more tools, not less tools. The metadata program, was a valuable tool that we no longer have at our disposal." Rubio, who is currently polling third nationwide, called for a broader coalition of Arab states to fight Islamic State from the air and on the ground. The senator said President Barack Obama's nuclear deal with Iran has discouraged Sunni countries from playing a larger role in the US-led coalition. "One major reason why they have not been willing to be a broader part of the coalition, and that is they have lost complete trust and confidence in this president," Rubio said. "This president cut a deal with their mortal enemy, the Shia, in Iran." Bush: Engage with Arab world Once tipped as the favorite for the nomination, Bush is now polling at just 3 percent nationally, despite having raised over $100 million for his campaign. Bush has condemned Trump's rhetoric against Muslims more forcefully than most of the other Republican candidates. While that might win him approval among the general American public, it won't do him much good with Republican primary voters. "Look, this is not a serious proposal," Bush said of Trump's plan to ban Muslims from entering the United States. "In fact, it will push the Muslim world, the Arab world, away from us at a time when we need to re-engage with them to be able to create a strategy to destroy ISIS." Though the former governor has rebuked Trump's rhetoric, he previously said the United States should focus on admitting Syrian refugees who can prove they are Christian. | [
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Russian experts open black box of jet downed by Turkey
Moscow has begun examining the contents of the black box from the jet that was shot down by Turkey last month. Ankara said the Russian Su-24 jet was violating its airspace.
Technicians in Moscow used screwdrivers, drills and vacuum cleaners to open the black box on Friday, as diplomats from Britain, India and China witnessed the procedure that was broadcast on state television. Fourteen countries were invited to observe the investigation, Sergei Dronov, deputy chief of the Russian air force, told journalists. "We have sufficient evidence that proves that the Russian aircraft did not violate Turkish airspace," Dronov said, adding that the warplane had been flying in Syrian airspace and within 5.5 kilometers (three miles) of the Turkish border. Results of the examination would be revealed on December 21, he announced. Russian officials retrieved the black box after Syria's special forces "liberated" rebel-held territory where the warplane was shot down by Turkey, Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said earlier this month. Russian President Vladimir Putin also said the black box would help reveal the exact position of the flight and where it was downed. Ankara said the Russian plane strayed into its territory despite repeated warnings, but Moscow maintains that the jet did not cross the Syrian border with Turkey. Russia accused Turkey of provoking it deliberately and described the event as a "stab in the back." Putin also said it was "practically impossible" to overcome tensions with Ankara after this event. mg/sms (AP, AFP) | [
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German man admits fathering children with stepdaughter in incest case
A German man has told a court he fathered seven children with his stepdaughter. He has denied, however, charges of rape and abuse of the girl and two other children.
In a case that has shocked the country, a German man admitted Tuesday to fathering seven children with his stepdaughter, but denied raping her and beating his stepson and biological daughter. The 48-year-old, identified as Detlef S., stands accused of raping and brutally abusing the stepdaughter and of abusing the stepson and biological daughter. He faces 350 counts of sexual assault and grievous sexual assault of minors over a period of more than two decades. According to the official charge sheet, the man is accused of first sexually abusing his biological daughter, now in her 20s, when she was nine years old and of abusing her from the age of 12. Public prosecutor Thorsten Kahl said Detlef S. used to beat the three children, and he is also accused of prostituting the daughter and stepdaughter for financial gain. "I hope he gets the right sentence and that he can never hurt anyone again," his stepdaughter told reporters as the trial opened. 'The German Fritzl' In a statement read by his lawyer to a court in the western city of Koblenz, Detlef S. admitted to being the father of the stepdaughter's children, but "denied the charges made against him." Detlef S. faces 15 years behind bars if found guilty. A verdict is expected on February 25. The German media have likened the case to that of Austrian Josef Fritzl, who was sentenced to life in prison in 2009 for holding his daughter in a cramped dungeon for 24 years as a sex slave and fathering seven children with her. Author: Darren Mara (AFP, Reuters) Editor: Martin Kuebler | [
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In Cairo, German foreign minister offers aid and encouragement
Guido Westerwelle pledged development aid and wide-ranging cooperation on a trip to Egypt. Promising a "partnership of equals," he compared the Egyptian revolution to German reunification 20 years ago.
On a trip to Cairo Wednesday, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle offered Egypt about 30 million euros ($41 million) in aid and said he hoped that the democratic process there would help to improve Egyptians' lives. The visit came less than two weeks after chaotic protests brought down the government of authoritarian Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Westerwelle met with officials in Egypt's transitional government including his counterpart Abul Gheit and Defense Minister Mohammed Tantawi, who is Egypt's de facto head of state while the military runs the country. Westerwelle said he did not come to patronize Egyptians, but to offer a "partnership of equals." During a stop in Cairo's Tahrir Square, which was the center of the anti-Mubarak protests, he compared Egypt's revolution to the reunification of Germany twenty years ago. "Tahrir Square is for Egypt what the Brandenburg Gate is for us Germans," he said. "We Germans have our peaceful, liberal revolution behind us. We wish the same for Egyptians." Economic focus The German aid package for Egypt consists of 8 million euros ($11 million) to boost youth employment and 20 million euros ($28 million) in "micro credits." Details about the micro credits were not immediately available. Westerwelle called for European markets to be more open to Egyptian products, and said from Germany's point of view, "normal tourism is again possible." About 1.3 million Germans visited Egypt last year, but the revolution devastated the North African country's tourism industry. The German foreign minister also promised Egypt close economic and political cooperation, support in building a civil society and an independent judiciary, educational development and student exchanges. Calls for progress Along with Egyptian officials, Westerwelle met with opposition leaders including Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohammed ElBaradei. Westerwelle was not scheduled to meet with the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's largest and most controversial opposition group. Westerwelle said that Egypt's transition to democracy should bring about improvements in life for all Egyptians. He said people should be able to notice freedom and democracy bringing prosperity to families and opportunities to young people. Following Mubarak's ouster, the Egyptian military dissolved the country's parliament and assumed control of the government. Egyptian Foreign Minister Abul Gheit told Westerwelle the transitional government has not yet set a date for elections, but that the military would step down within six months. Gheit added that authorities would soon release all political prisoners. Westerwelle was the fourth European political leader to visit Egypt this week. He followed British Prime Minister David Cameron, European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini. Author: Shant Shahrigian (dpa, dapd) Editor: Michael Lawton | [
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UK court rules WikiLeaks' Assange should be extradited to Sweden
A British court has ruled that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should be extradited to Sweden where he faces charges of sexual abuse and rape. Assange's lawyer said he would appeal the ruling.
A UK court ruled on Thursday that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can be extradited to Sweden where he faces charges of sexual abuse and rape. Assange has denied the allegations, and his lawyers said they would appeal the ruling. The defense team argued that the charges were not offenses worthy of extradition and that the Swedish prosecution had no power to issue the European arrest warrant. They also expressed concern whether the 39-year old would be granted a fair trial in Sweden. The lawyers criticized Sweden for seeking to extradite the controversial Internet activist before formally charging him with any crime. They also said the sexual assault allegations against their client did not constitute rape under European law. "What is rape in Swedish law does not amount to rape in any other country," said defense lawyer Geoffrey Robinson. Swedish authorities have said that last year Assange had sex with one woman without a condom while she was asleep, and he had sex with another woman with a broken condom. Such actions are punishable under Swedish law. From Sweden to the US? Australian national Assange said the accusations were politically motivated. He claims that Sweden might hand him over to the United States. His lawyers have said he might face imprisonment at Guantanamo Bay or even the death penalty if he is prosecuted for his part in the publication of classified US documents by WikiLeaks. Australia has called on Sweden to make sure that Assange gets a fair hearing. Australia's ambassador to Sweden, Paul Stephens, said his government expects the case will proceed "with due process and the provisions prescribed under Swedish law." WikiLeaks caught the world's attention with the publication of thousands of secret US reports on the war in Afghanistan last summer. Since then, it has remained in the public eye with similar reports on the war in Iraq and the gradual release of some 250,000 secret US diplomatic cables. Author: Andreas Illmer (AP, AFP) Editor: Nancy Isenson | [
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Opposition says Egypt's roadmap to democracy not good enough
Egypt's military council has presented its roadmap: the referendum on the constitution is scheduled for March 19. The parliament and the president will be elected in the summer. But the opposition opposes the roadmap.
Egypt has been governed by the military council since February 11. The army leadership has now presented its roadmap, which schedules the referendum on the proposed amendments of the constitution for March 19. The new parliament is to be elected in June, the presidential elections would be held some six weeks later. Long debate The military council met with representatives of the 'Alliance of the Revolutionary Youth' for an overnight debate which lasted eight hours. The alliance is made up of several action groups which had initiated the protests against the Mubarak regime. The activists are not satisfied with the proposed roadmap. The date for new elections which had initially been set to take place two months later, they said, was too early for the opposition to have established proper party programs and to have launched nationwide campaigns. The only groups with a program and a good network, they said, were the Mubarak supporters and the Muslim brotherhood. An Egyptian judge in charge of the panel to change the constitution agreed that it is a "short period to build mature, widespread and ideologically well-rounded parties that have strong grassroots support." But judge Tariq al-Bishri also told Reuters that "political parties, when given the freedom to form, will grow faster and more effectively than in times of political stagnation like what we were in before." Protests continue on Tahrir Square Still, the revolutionaries planned to continue their protests on Tahrir Square in central Cairo. Another point they were criticizing is the fact that the army asked eight legal experts to write up the new draft constitution. "Nobody elected this committee (the Supreme Council of the Egyptian Army) to state these amendments," said a demonstrator. "They say that these amendments will be voted on by the Egyptian people, but I don't trust the army." The demonstrator said the army was currently heavily involved in the Egyptian economy and that it was therefore doubtful that military commanders would give up their interests. "The Egyptian army is not going to do what we need," he said. Some hundred activists therefore put up their tents on Tahrir Square again. Mobile traders were selling souvenirs from the revolution to tourists who were amazed at the peaceful atmosphere there. "Everybody's talking on the streets, there are crowds everywhere. They have never been allowed to demonstrate before and now they're free," a tourist from New Zealand said. "Everyone has smiles on their faces. There's a great atmosphere of festivity." Changes 'merely cosmetic' But the demonstrators were hardly celebrating. They are rather trying to get their voices heard and to maintain pressure. The proposed amendments of the constitution would open up competition for the post of president which Hosni Mubarak held for 30 years, limit office holders to two four-year presidential terms and ensure judicial monitoring of elections. The state of emergency can only be proclaimed to last longer than six days if parliament has given its approval. These paragraphs are included in the amendments, but reformist politician Mohamed ElBaradei said the changes are merely cosmetic. "The constitution is deformed," he said. "It doesn't comply with democratic norms, not even with the amendments." He said the job of changing the constitution needed to be given to the people's representatives. "We are now dealing with judicial corrections, but a constitution has more than judicial aspects, it has political aspects, too." 'Punishing Mubarak is not enough' The military council has imposed a travel ban on former president Mubarak and his family, who are no longer allowed to leave the country. His wife Suzanne and his son Gamal had planned to leave abroad from Sharm El-Sheikh with the family jet last Saturday. Airport staff said they stopped them from leaving. Legal experts say Mubarak could be arrested in the near future. But the revolutionaries on Tahrir Square said they want to achieve more than mere punishment for a handful of scapegoats. Authors: Juergen Stryjak/ Nina Haase (Reuters) Editor: Rob Mudge | [
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Own goal gifts Kaiserslautern lucky win at Gladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach have suffered another setback in their efforts to avoid relegation this year after gifting FC Kaiserslautern an own goal and conceding all three points in their Bundesliga clash on Friday night.
FC Kaiserslautern came away 1-0 victors over Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Bundesliga on Friday night after Gladbach keeper Logan Bailly gifted the visitors an own goal just past the 60-minute mark. A poor clearance by the Belgian goalie gave away a corner to Kaiserslautern midfielder Christian Tiffert, which Bailly then punched into his own net. Both teams began the match cautiously and chances were hard to come by in the first half. Kaiserslautern's Rodnei cleared a Martin Stranzl shot off the line and minutes later at the other end the Brazilian defender almost scored when his header hit team mate Mathias Abel. Christian Tiffert then went close with a low drive for the visitors. Gladbach's increasingly desperate attempts for an equalizer late in the match failed to trouble goalkeeper Kevin Trapp, playing in his second Bundesliga game. Marco Reus was unable to get to a cross from Mike Hanke for a late equalizer. Bottom-placed Gladbach had come into the match in desperate need of all three points to keep alive their hopes of avoiding relegation with only seven rounds remaining. Mired on 23 points, they now face the prospect of falling five points behind the pack in the hunt for safety should results not fall their way. Kaiserslautern, meanwhile, move up to 12th place on 31 points ahead of the remaining games to be played over the weekend. Author: Darren Mara (AFP, AP) Editor: Joanna Impey | [
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US Soldier sentenced to jail for murdering Afghans
The first of five US soldiers charged with killing unarmed Afghan civilians has been sentenced to 24 years in prison. During the trial he pleaded guilty to murdering three villagers using illegally obtained weapons.
Corporal Jeremy Morlock admits to murdering and helping to kill three Afghan men in Kandahar province in 2010. To make the victims look like enemy combatants, Morlock said he and his four co-accused staged the slayings with grenade blasts and rifle fire. "I knew what I was doing was wrong, Sir," Morlock said at the trial, adding that his judgment hat not been impaired by drugs, though the 23-year old soldier admitted to having smoked hashish three or four times a week during his deployment in Afghanistan. Under the plea deal, which calls for a maximum sentence of 24 years, Morlock managed to avoid life imprisonment. His lawyer Frank Spinner says he will be eligible for parole in seven years. Morlock, who showed no emotion when given the sentence, will be dishonorably discharged from the Army. "The plan was to kill people" Morlock is the first soldier to face a court-martial out of five members of the infantry unit’s so-called "kill team." Apart from the charges of the attempted murder of Afghan civilians, prosecutors have also charged the soldiers with dismembering the victims and collecting body parts from dead Afghans. Staff Sergeant Calvin Gibbs has been fingered by Morlock as the ringleader. Gibbs is said to have shown the men a stash of weapons he had illegally obtained in Afghanistan and led them in creating a plot to murder Afghan civilians in 2009. Without hesitation Morlock answered, "the plan was to kill people," when asked if they were shooting to kill or to scare the civilians. Morlock has agreed to testify against his co-accused if called as a prosecution witness for their court-martial. At Gibbs' pre-trial hearing in November 2010, defense attorney Phillip Stackhouse had argued that his client had played no role in the killings and painted Morlock as a drug-addicted, mentally unstable, and fundamentally unreliable witness. The most serious prosecution The court-martial has taken place a few days after the German weekly, "Der Spiegel," published several photos related to the killings. In them, Morlock poses with the corpses. They are said to be among dozens seized by investigators and sealed from public view by the army. The guilty plea and sentencing of Morlock marks a turning point in the most serious prosecution of alleged US military atrocities during the US’10 years of war in Afghanistan. The US Army had recently completed a top-to-bottom review of Morlock’s combat unit, the 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, in conjunction with the criminal investigation. The 500-page report was, however, not used as evidence in Morlock’s case. Author: Anggatira Gollmer (Reuters, Afp, ap) Editor: Sarah Berning | [
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'We need the death penalty to deter criminals'
The latest statistics on the death penalty published by Amnesty International confirm that no country executes more people than China. Recent reforms are unlikely to change this any time soon.
Amnesty International assumes that several thousands of people were executed in China last year - which is more than in all other countries, which all together, have carried it out 527 times. For the second year, the human rights watchdog refrains from publishing more precise figures or even estimates about the number of executions in China, which is a state secret. Many offenses can be punished by death in China, not only murder, but also corruption and other economic crimes. Widespread public support The official justification for this practice is that the death penalty is needed to deter criminals. And if one asks people in the streets of Beijing, many share the government's view. One man said, "I think we need the death penalty. Otherwise our society would be too chaotic. Every country has its own particular situation, and China is no exception." Widespread corruption in particular makes people angry." Ordinary people hate nothing more than corruption," a woman said. "Even if you shoot a corrupt official ten times over, this hatred won't go away. In fighting corruption, penalties can't be too harsh. They should all be put to death!" Gradual changes Despite China's harsh penalties the attitude towards the death penalty has gradually changed since the opening of the country 30 years ago. For years, death-row inmates were paraded through the streets on the way to their public executions. But shooting criminals in public was banned in the late 1980s for harming the country's image. Today, executions take place in jails or special execution buses, reports the California-based rights organization Dui Hua Foundation. More and more, bullets are being replaced by lethal injections. Since 2007, the Supreme Court has had to confirm each death sentence, which has brought down the number of executions, says Liu Renwen, a law expert from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) in Beijing. "This is meant to cause some restraint in the provinces in proclaiming death sentences, and to bring down their numbers further still." No precise figures known The exact number of death sentences remains a well guarded state secret. Chinese experts are cautious to talk about this topic publicly, fearing repercussions. Rights groups such as the Dui Hua Foundation assume that the number of annual executions stood at about 10,000 ten years ago, and has been halved in the meantime. Apparently the intention in Beijing is to further reduce the figure, but at the same time, the leadership believes that the time has not come for abolishing the death penalty altogether. Professor Liu Renwen, who openly opposes the death penalty himself, admits that the chances are slim at the moment. "Laws must reflect the harmonious values of a society and the demands of the majority. So we can just cut down the death penalty step by step. It would be difficult to completely do away with it all of a sudden." China has launched at least a cautious reform of the death penalty a month ago. Previously, 68 offenses had been punishable by death, 13 of which are now set to be removed from the list. The maximum penalty will no longer be possible for criminals smuggling rare animals or looting archeological excavation sites, for example. But human rights groups think this will hardly affect the number of annual executions as many of these crimes, including VAT fraud, have not been punished by death for years. Author: Ruth Kirchner / tb Editor: Sarah Berning | [
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Opinion: Obama defends Libya intervention
In his speech to America, President Obama successfully justified the intervention in Libya and fended off domestic criticism. He made clear that the coalition acted to stop a massacre, argues DW's Christina Bergmann.
In a resolute address to the American people nine days after ordering airstrikes against Libya, President Barack Obama successfully defended the UN-sanctioned military action from domestic critics. Obama had come under fire in recent days for not clearly defining the goals of the air campaign. The American people did not fully understand why their soldiers should risk their lives in this distant land. After all, Washington does not have obvious strategic interests in Libya. And many conservative politicians criticized the White House for so readily turning over leadership of the operation to other nations. The US president answered these questions in his speech and simultaneously defined his administration's policy toward military intervention. When a massacre looms or the stability of an entire region is in danger, then the US will intervene. Both Washington and the world have a responsibility to act in these situations, according to Obama. He reminded viewers - and rightly so - that in Bosnia during the 1990s the international community had looked on for much too long as horrific crimes were committed. Lessons of Iraq Obama also made clear that Washington had learned its lessons from the Iraq War. He explained that the military goal in Libya was not the overthrow of Moammar Gadhafi. The US simply cannot afford to invest the resources in regime change, he said. And Obama also demonstrated that the US would not act alone. The UN should be happy that Washington has shown strong leadership and has not completely withdrawn from international politics after a decade of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Without the US, the international community would be a paper tiger. In order to enforce Security Council resolutions, establish no-fly zones and protect civilians, the world's military superpower has to play a constructive role. There's simply no way around this reality. However, Obama also clearly stated that American engagement in Libya is limited. There will be no ground troops and NATO will take over the reigns of the operation on Wednesday. On the one hand, the handover is a political calculation in order to reassure skeptical Americans about the intervention. On the other hand, it is simply necessary. The US is not in the financial and military position to wage a third war on its own over the long-term. President Obama presented himself as a head of state who is indeed ready to deploy soldiers and resources elsewhere in the world to rescue human lives. Yet he also made clear that he carefully weighs the pros and cons and acts pragmatically. In other words, intervention in Libya does not mean that the demonstrators in Syria, Yemen, Bahrain or Iran can expect to receive massive support from the US. Above all else, President Obama is looking after his own country's interests. Author: Christina Bergmann/ sk Editor: Rob Mudge | [
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My Berlin - Vacationing with a Tourist from Russia
Sergei Sorokin from Moscow is discovering Berlin on a bicycle. His route takes him to all the major attractions, including the Brandenburg Gate, the German parliament, the Berlin Wall Memorial and Potsdamer Platz.
More in Video on Demand. | [
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New Bollywood film sparks storm
A new Bollywood film tackling the issue of caste quotas in government jobs and education has raised a storm for its alleged anti-reservation stance. The state government of Uttar Pradesh has banned it for two months.
The government of the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has banned a controversial Hindi film called "Aarakshan" (Reservation) just two days before it is due to be released. The decision to ban the film, which was due to hit the screens on Friday, was taken after a recommendation by a high-level official committee that had been set up by the government of Uttar Pradesh that is run by Dalit leader Mayawati. After watching the movie, the official committee said that it felt its screening would create a "law and order problem" in the state. The committee said it was of the view that the film's dialogues could create hatred and adverse reaction in society. Uttar Pradesh is a populous state whose population is largely made up of Dalits (previously known as "Untouchables"), Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. After UP, the Punjab government has banned the screening of Aarakshan in the state. The ban will stay until the state screening committee previews the movie and submits its report. Affirmative action The head of India's National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) even said that the film by Prakash Jha was "anti-Dalit and anti-reservation." After watching a special screening in New Delhi, the NCSC asked the Censor Board to make necessary changes in the film before it is released, objecting to the "derogatory way" the Backward community is featured. Reservation refers to the policy of guaranteeing jobs for India's socially disadvantaged groups. The affirmative action aims to provide equal opportunities for the poorest and most marginalized in the country's complex and deeply entrenched social hierarchy. Those who miss out on public sector jobs or education places as a result say the system fails to reward talent or ability. In Mumbai, publicity material was vandalized and more than a dozen activists were arrested for protesting outside director Prakash Jha's office, prompting police to give him and the films leading actors extra security. Protests were also held in Rajasthan and Punjab. Director's take The director, whose previous films have tackled social issues, corruption and power politics, has rejected all criticism of the film and denies taking a stance. "In India, there are people who benefit from the reservation policy and those who have missed an opportunity because of it. Reservation and the quota system is a hard-hitting reality. It is almost an India versus India situation and by showing this in my movie, I am trying to bridge the gap," the 59-year-old told reporters. A nine-member team of the Censor Board had previously given a certificate to the film without any cuts. On Wednesday, it said it would defend Jha's right to free expression and added that "Aarakshan" would be released on August 12 despite the NCSC plea to make cuts. Author: Sachin Gaur (PTI, AFP) Editor: Anne Thomas | [
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Mandela released from hospital
Nelson Mandela has been released from hospital after undergoing a diagnostic procedure. Officials have played down concerns about his health.
Nelson Mandela has been released from a military hospital in Pretoria a day after undergoing a minor operation. "The doctors have decided to send him home as the diagnostic procedure he underwent did not indicate anything seriously wrong with him," a statement released by President Jakob Zuma's office said. The country's defense minister, Lindiwe Sisulu, denied reports that the 93-year-old former president had undergone a hernia operation. "It wasn't the surgery that has been out there in the media at all," Sisulu said. "He's as fine as he can be at his age." Abdominal pain The procedure conducted on Mandela, known as a laparoscopy, involved inserting a tiny camera into his abdomen. He had been admitted to hospital on Saturday for what officials described as "longstanding abdominal pain." Mandela has been in poor health since being hospitalized with breathing problems a year ago. His last public appearance came at the final of the 2010 World Cup in Johannesburg. Mandela spent 27 years in jail for his role in fighting white minority rule in South Africa. Following the fall of the Apartheid system Mandela was elected as South Africa's first black president in 1994. He stepped down at the end of his term in 1999. pfd/ng (Reuters, dpa) | [
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Sicily: The pontiff of Palermo
For Biagio Conte they're all brothers: the refugees stranded in Sicily. While Europe turns a cold shoulder, the self-proclaimed monk welcomes them with warmth.
He has been waging a successful campaign of compassion. First he had just a room in Palermo's railway station at his disposal. Later a disused monastery was added. And finally, after months of protests, he managed to get Palermo to give him an old barracks in the city center. He takes care of 700 refugees, providing them with shelter, food and sometimes education. And in the end, some of them find real prospects for the future. | [
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Key European nations call for new sanctions against Belarus
Key European nations are calling for new sanctions against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko as his regime continues to try and imprison former presidential candidates and opposition members.
Poland, Germany and France have called on the European Union to impose sanctions against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. The new round of sanctions would target 13 other individuals and possibly certain companies. Brussels has already placed sanctions against around 150 people associated with President Lukashenko. "Not a general embargo, but something which will make life difficult for companies which finance the regime," said Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski. "We will increase pressure on the Belarus regime as long as it does not change its politics." German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said the sanctions would be designed to impact only the targeted officials. "The sanctions will affect the regime, not the people," Westerwelle said. French Foreign Minister Alaine Juppe also hinted that he would back the sanctions. The EU's 27 foreign ministers are set to discuss Belarus when they meet in Brussels on Monday. Trials continue Belarusian courts continue to try and convict presidential candidates who ran against President Lukashenko in the election last December. Vladimir Neklyayev and Vitaly Rymashevsky were found guilty of organizing actions that violated public order. The sentences for both men were suspended by two years. Neklyayev credited his relatively soft sentence to support at home and abroad. "If it was not for the support from the US and the European Union I would not be standing here in front of you but would rather be in prison answering the question about who I am spying for," he told reporters. "This is (also) the result of people's solidarity." The convictions come after Lukashenko's main opponent during the December elections, Andrei Sannikov, was sentenced to five years in prison for organizing mass disturbances. Lukashenko won another term as president with 80 percent of the vote in an election in December condemned by the West as manipulated. Mass demonstrations erupted after the election, leading to a government crackdown in which hundreds of people were arrested. Author: Spencer Kimball (Reuters, AFP) Editor: Toma Tasovac | [
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Credit rating agency slaps Italy with negative forecast
Standard & Poors has slapped Italy with a negative forecast, raising the prospect that the credit rating of the eurozone's third-largest economy could be slashed.
The credit rating agency Standard & Poors has downgraded its forecast for Italy from "stable" to "negative," citing a weak economy and poor prospects for reducing Rome's massive debts. The negative forecast implies that there is a one-and-three chance Italy's credit rating could be downgraded within the next 24 months. A downgrade of Rome's credit rating may raise fear among investors that the debt crisis which has gripped Greece, Ireland and Portugal will spread to Italy, the eurozone's third largest economy. "In our view, Italy's current growth prospects are weak and the political commitment for productivity-enhancing reforms appears to be faltering," Standard & Poors said in a statement. "Potential political gridlock could contribute to fiscal slippage. As a result, we believe Italy's prospects for reducing its general government debt have diminished." Italy reacts The Italian Department of the Treasury strongly criticized Standard & Poors, saying that data on its economic growth and public accounts had "constantly been better than expected." The treasury went on to say that major international organizations such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Commission have given "very different" assessments of Italy's economy. The negative forecast comes after Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who faces a string of corruption and sex trials, suffered a major setback in local elections in his hometown Milan. Author: Spencer Kimball (AP, Reuters) Editor: Toma Tasovac | [
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Preliminary E. coli tests on sprouts prove negative
Initial tests on sprouts from a market garden in Lower Saxony have turned up negative for E. coli. An outbreak of the bacteria has killed 22 people and made hundreds of others ill.
Preliminary results conducted on sprouts from a farm in northern Germany have proved negative for E. coli. The agriculture ministry in the state of Lower Saxony said that tests on 23 of 40 samples found them to be free of E. coli. The testing is continuing. This comes a day after researchers named vegetable sprouts as the most likely source of the outbreak. Gert Lindemann, agriculture minister for Lower Saxony, said a market garden in the rural district of Uelzen had yielded a connection "involving all the main outbreaks" of the disease, which is thought to have affected more than 2,000 people. "From our view, this is the most concrete source," said Lindemann. Although there was no definitive proof on Sunday, the ministry said the indications were strong enough to suggest people avoid sprouts for the time being. On Monday, German Consumer Affairs Minister Ilse Aigner said that despite the negative intial tests, the warning against eating sprouts and certain other vegetables remained in effect. "Independent of the evidence from Lower Saxony, the Robert Koch Institute and the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment are for now sticking to their guidelines for raw cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce, in northern Germany in particular," she told reporters at a press conference in Berlin. As well as apparent connections to the major outbreak, one employee of the northern German farm in question had also contracted the infection, authorities said. The farm, not far south of Hamburg, where the outbreak began, has been shut down pending conclusive results. All its products have been recalled as a precaution. The plant nursery grows a wide variety of sprouts from seeds imported from different countries. All the people who have become ill due to enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) bacteria either live in or have recently visited northern Germany. Spain plans to seek compensation The EHEC outbreak, which has claimed at least 22 lives in Europe and spread to 12 countries, was previously linked to a shipment of Spanish cucumbers upon which a different strain of E. coli was discovered. Spanish farmers have said they will seek compensation for losses incurred after their product was linked to the illness. Spain and Germany are to hold talks on this issue on Wednesday, after a Tuesday meeting of the European Commission and EU members. EU Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Ciolos said on Sunday, however, that no immediate decision on possible financial aid for farmers would be taken during Tuesday's talks. Russia and Portugal have already imposed a total ban on imports of vegetables from the EU. E. coli bacteria cause symptoms such as diarrhea, queasiness, vomiting and stomach pains. Extreme EHEC infections can lead to hemolytic-uremic syndrome, which causes severe kidney damage and can sometimes be fatal. Author: Mark Hallam, Chuck Penfold (AFP, dpa, Reuters) Editor: Michael Lawton | [
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IMF mulls extending Greek repayment schedule
An IMF official has said European leaders must take tough decisions on Greece before the IMF releases its latest installment of the country's rescue package. One option is giving Athens more time to repay the loans.
A senior IMF official in Greece said the International Monetary Fund would be open to some form of restructuring of Greece's national debt and its repayment schedules, but also warned that such changes could have serious ramifications. "Stretching out payment terms, for instance in loans from euro area partners and the IMF, is a reasonable thing to think about because we have amortization right at the end of the program. This is a technical issue we can think about," the IMF's senior representative in Greece, Bob Traa, said on Tuesday. Traa said Greece was at a "critical juncture" with no time to waste, as Athens struggles to avoid defaulting on a 340-billion-euro ($499-billion) national debt that roughly equates to the total economic output of Greece over an 18-month period. Greece has already won one extension of the time-frame for repaying loans from the 110-billion-euro loans package granted by the EU and IMF last year. EU officials - eager to avoid a default but increasingly unwilling to lend more money - have been struggling to find a solution for the country's short-term financing, with restructuring the debt another potential option. "If you want a debt restructuring that will really make a difference, it will need to be very large," Traa warned. "Such a large debt restructuring would create untold problems not just in Greece but also in the eurozone." IMF: It's up to Europe Speaking at a banking conference in Athens, Traa also appealed for heads of state at June's EU summit to reach a consensus on Greece. The growing European reticence to continue supporting Athens has made the IMF wary of committing to its installments towards the international loans. "I believe there is a summit in Europe by heads of state [in June] where some hard nuts need to be cracked and they need to make some decisions. And then actually we will be ready to go to our board and to disburse in early July because we know time is of the essence," Traa said. The Greek government is rallying and trying to push its latest medium-term austerity plan through parliament, one of the preconditions for receiving more international loans. Officials in Athens hope to secure the votes by the end of June, with the government offering the corporate and value added tax cuts demanded by the opposition into a longer-term budget in a bid to appease opponents of the cuts. The European Union has repeatedly urged Greek politicians to put party politics aside and form a consensus on its austerity program. Author: Mark Hallam (AFP, Reuters) Editor: Holly Fox | [
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MoU not enough to protect Indonesian maids
Indonesia and Malaysia have signed an MoU to revise an agreement protecting the basic rights of domestic workers in Malaysia. It will lift a ban on Indonesian domestic workers put in place after a series of abuse cases.
The new labor agreement between Indonesia and Malaysia is expected to improve working conditions for Indonesian domestic workers in Malaysia. The Indonesian Labor Minister, Muhaimin Iskandar, and the Malaysian Human Resources Minister, Datuk Dr. S. Subramaniam, have recently signed the revision in Bandung, Indonesia. Roostiawati, an Indonesian labor official, explains that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Indonesia and Malaysia is to ensure all salaries are paid using bank transfers and that the maids have access to communication. "The migrant workers are to keep their passports instead of giving them to their employers, as has been commonplace. This is a basic human right. The maids are to be given one day off every week and their salaries have to be paid every month via bank transfer," Roostiawati explains. Long list of abuses Rights group say that every year hundreds of maids lodge complaints against their employers ranging from physical abuse to nonpayment of salaries. Some Indonesian maids were reportedly being forced to work up to 14 hours a day, seven days a week. The newly signed amendments also resolve the issue of minimum wage. According to the new agreement, salaries of Indonesian migrant workers must comply with minimum wages in their home regions. Anis Hidayah, Executive Director of the Indonesian NGO Migrant Care, criticizes that decision. She says that minimum wage paid to Indonesian domestic workers should not be lower than the standards in Malaysia. She believes that a standard for minimum wages is "very important." Obstacles Officials from Indonesia and Malaysia will also set up a joint task force to monitor the implementation of the MoU’s terms. But Anis Hidayah is pessimistic that the joint task force will be able to do its work as maids are regarded as private sector workers In Malaysia. "What kind of mechanism will the government use to ensure that the amendments are implemented? Are they going to visit every home? How can they be certain that the maids are allowed to keep their passports? Or that they will get a day off every week and get proper access to communication?" Malaysia’s rapid economic growth has led to an influx of foreign workers, especially foreign domestic workers. Official estimates put the number of Indonesian maids working in Malaysia at around 200,000. In 2009, Indonesia issued a ban on sending domestic maids to Malaysia after many incidents of mistreatment were reported. The signing of the new Memorandum of Understanding between Indonesia and Malaysia will lift the two year freeze. Author: Ayu Purwaningsih / zr Editor: Sarah Berning | [
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IMF was target of major cyber attack, report says
The FBI has launched an investigation into reports the IMF was the target of a significant cyber attack. The dimensions of the attack on the global financial institution is still unknown, the New York Times has reported.
Reports emerged on Sunday that the International Monetary fund has become the latest known victim of a significant cyber attack. The New York Times reported that the alarm was raised after what one official described as a "very major breach." Intruders are believed to have attempted to install software which would give a nation state "digital insider presence," in a "targeted attack," a cyber-security expert who has worked for both the IMF and the World Bank said. The IMF declined to reveal the scope and nature of the intrusion, but David Hawley, a spokesman of the fund, told the New York Times that the institution is now "fully functional." "I can confirm that we are investigating an incident," he added. Political dynamite The IMF manages financial crises around the world and is home to highly sensitive information about economic conditions in many nations, including those on the verge of fiscal collapse. The fund has recently been central to economic bailout programs for Portugal, Ireland and Greece. Confidential information concerning the terms of economic bailouts were described by one fund official as "political dynamite in many countries." Reports suggest that the IMF's sister institution, the World Bank, was so concerned they cut the computer link which allowed the agencies to share non-public information. The decision was taken out of an "abundance of caution," a World Bank spokesman said, even though the information shared over the link was "non-sensitive." The World Bank has now also resumed all normal operations. Custom code The attack, which is thought to have taken place over several months, is the latest in a series of high-profile computer break-ins. In this case, cyber intelligence expert Tom Kellerman, who works for both the IMF and the World Bank, said the nature of the code used suggests that it was developed specifically for the attack. The list of recent attacks on companies and institutions include Lockheed Martin Corp, Sony Corp and Citigroup Inc. Experts say cyber threats are increasing worldwide. CIA Director Leon articulated concerns this week over the "real possibility" of an attack by hackers that could be crippling. The origin of the IMF attack is unknown, but according to a US Defense Department spokeswoman, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation has been brought on board the investigation. Suspicious file transfers The IMF board of directors were first told of the attack on Wednesday, the New York Times reported, and a memo was issued warning employees to be on their guard. "Last week we detected some suspicious file transfers, and the subsequent investigation established that a Fund desktop computer had been compromised and used to access some Fund systems," said a June 8 e-mail to employees from Chief Information Officer Jonathan Palmer. The attack is thought to have taken place before former head, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, was arrested last month on charges of sexually assaulting a maid in a New York Hotel. The IMF is currently searching for a new leader following Strauss-Kahn's resignation. Author: Charlotte Chelsom-Pill (Reuters, dpa) Editor: Kyle James | [
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Violent crimes against women in India becoming a political issue
The rising number of incidents of rape in Uttar Pradesh has alarmed people and politicians. A total of 10 incidents of rapes have been reported from various parts of the state over the past three days.
Growing incidents of rape in India's most populous state Uttar Pradesh has started becoming a political issue. In two cases, one victim was gang-raped and burnt alive, while another had her eyes gouged out after resisting her attackers. Chief Minister Mayawati, who is in the line of fire, has assured that strict action will be taken against the perpetrators of crimes against women. The opposition political parties have accused her of being unable to protect women. Taking cognisance of rape cases in different districts of Uttar Pradesh, the Indian State Human Rights Commission has sought a reply from the government and the police. The brutal attacks against women and incidents of rape come as a blow to the image of law and order in Uttar Pradesh, especially considering that several cases of ruthless violence against women have been reported in such a short span of time. Strict action Breaking her silence over the spree of rape cases in the state, Chief Minister Mayawati has assured strict action against the culprits but also accused the opposition of politicizing the issue. She has also sought amendments to laws to ensure speedy rape trials and stricter provisions for giving bail to the accused. "I would appeal to all opposition parties to rise above party lines and give up playing politics in the name of serious and sensitive issues like crimes against women," Mayawati said in a statement, adding: "All the opposition parties have to ensure that in this atmosphere they should not play politics and must create a climate in which such incidents cease to happen anymore." Mayawati, who heads her own regional party, the Bahujan Samaj Party, has recently been embroiled in a series of heated differences with the ruling Congress Party which insists she has lost the moral authority to rule the state. Elections Uttar Pradesh is due to elect its new legislative assembly next year, which is seen as crucial since the state elects the maximum 80 members in the 543-member Lok Sabha or Lower House of parliament. Ranjana Kumari, director of the Centre for Social Research, which has organized a fact-finding mission, is shocked by the incidents and calls the 10 rapes in 48 hours "absolutely abnormal" and "deplorable." She says the attacks on the young girls have not been limited to rape, "they have been murdered, they have been blinded, it is a totally unacceptable situation that is going on in UP [Uttar Pradesh]." Senior Congress leaders have been especially vocal accusing Mayawati of ignoring the plight of women, especially those living in the rural hinterland. Ritu Bahugana is the president of the state’s Congress unit. She says she was put in jail for pointing out the serious deterioration of the situation of women. "From the very month this chief minister took over, there has been a serious deterioration of women in UP especially relating to crime. Now things have come to a position of no return. You see there is no fear and everyday issues are being highlighted," says Bahugana. 'Anti-social elements at large' The fresh spate of attacks has shifted focus on the state government's inability to ensure the safety of women. Kumari says it "almost looks like all anti-social elements in UP are at large and some kind of a failure of the state. Normally one would think that a women chief minister that represents underprivileged sections, who has been known for a strong administration, that she has put a lot of emphasis on law and order – [but she] is failing!" For now, Mayawati is walking the tight rope and hopes her government can establish a process for law and order in the violent state. Author: Murali Krishnan Editor: Sarah Berning | [
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Army recruitment drive heats up as conscription ends in Germany
Compulsory military service ends in Germany, as of July 1. The Bundeswehr will now have to rely entirely on volunteers, and army recruitment agents are scouring jobs fairs to encourage the best and brightest to enlist.
Compulsory military service, first introduced in Germany in 1957, came to an end on Friday. A package of reforms introduced last year is aiming to make the German military smaller but more flexible. The reforms mean the Bundeswehr will become a voluntary army, reduced in size by a quarter to just 185,000 soldiers, made up of 170,000 professional soldiers and 15,000 volunteers. The voluntary military service will be open to men and women and will last between 12 and 23 months, which will give volunteers the opportunity to receive training in foreign assignments. With the end of conscription, the army needs to make up the soldier shortfall, and has lately begun setting up stalls at the country's careers fairs. "Our demand for 2011 is around 14,000 personnel," said Lieutenant Colonel Harry Fegert, head of the Bundeswehr recruitment center in eastern Germany. The Bundeswehr are competing at the Berlin careers fair against companies like engineering giant Siemens, chemical company Bayer and the country's biggest private bank, Deutsche Bank. Fegert says the recruitment task is "ambitious" but the Bundeswehr is "attractive" and has "good career prospects." The perks For many young people, the Bundeswehr offers a chance to be paid to go to university or receive professional training. The average pay for voluntary military service is now around 700 euros a month and those who sign up for a longer commitment can receive training in 60 different jobs that will be applicable to civilian life. At a recruitment fair in Mönchengladbach, the Bundeswehr tried to win over new recruits by advertising the fun side of army training. One 18-year-old is challenged to see how many pushups he can do while carrying a heavy army backpack, while at another stall boys and girls compete in a Bundeswehr quiz. Surrounding these activities are information stalls and members of the Bundeswehr handing out information. Soldier Markus Baier was originally not interested in joining the army, but the training opportunities with the Bundeswehr changed his mind. Baier now tours local schools to give students information on joining the army, saying that "honesty and pure information" are important tools for recruitment. "A job in the army is no walk in the park," Baier tells the schoolchildren. "We're not looking for loners or reckless Rambo-types, nor party animals. We go to bed at 10 p.m. so we can wake up at 5 a.m.." The importance of teamwork is also stressed by Captain Benedict Janich, chief recruitment officer for the states of Saxony and Thuringia. "Joining the forces means joining a team and that's something where we're better than most companies," said Janich. "You take responsibility very early and finally we are serving Germany, which is not the worst thing to do." Recruitment problems Despite the advertisements at careers fairs and in schools, one of the problems attracting volunteers is finding those of a high enough caliber. The benefit of a conscripted army is that it gives the military access to the full breadth of German society and the professional qualifications of young people. "The average fitness of younger generations is decreasing," said Janich. "Also, as a soldier you have to move at least once in two or three years and that wish for mobility is decreasing." This unwillingness to move is the main obstacle for soldier Markus Baier when trying to encourage school-leavers that the army might be for them. While few complain about being deployed abroad, the idea of moving to another part of Germany unnerves them. "I'd rather stay with my family," is a common reply from the students. Nonetheless, between Baier and his colleagues at the Mönchengladbach fair they register more than 9,000 people who are interested in receiving more information on joining the Bundeswehr. Last month, the Defense Ministry announced that recruitment targets for this year would be reached as 10,000 people had already enlisted as lower-rank soldiers. Although some 4,500 of these were recruited from the last batch of conscripts, those at jobs fairs across Germany seem optimistic they'll make their targets for 2012 as well. Author: Wolfgang Dirk, Uwe Hessler / cb Editor: Andreas Illmer | [
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German welcome for Italian mafia sentences
Until six people were shot dead at an Italian eatery in Duisburg in 2007, no one considered Germany mafia heartland. An Italian court has sentenced eight men, including the mastermind of that shooting, to life in prison.
A court in Locri in Italy handed down eight life sentences to a group of gangsters from the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta mob. Among those it convicted was 32-year-old Giovanni Strangio, charged with masterminding six simultaneous shootings outside an Italian restaurant in Duisburg in western Germany. The city center attack took place within a stone's throw of the city's main rail station. "I am happy that the excellent, meticulous work of investigators in Duisburg made this verdict possible," the interior minister for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Ralf Jäger, said on Tuesday. "This success is also thanks to the intensive cooperation between Italian and North Rhine-Westphalia police forces. It shows that international cooperation in the fight against organized crime is working." Strangio was arrested in Amsterdam in 2009, and investigators concluded that the six shootings in Duisburg were a revenge attack for a 2006 Christmas Day killing of his cousin Maria Strangio, allegedly carried out by members of the rival Pelle-Vottari crime family. These killings were all part of an ongoing feud between the two families, which is thought to have begun in 1991 when youths from the Nirta-Strangio clan started throwing eggs at members of the Pelle-Voltari family. About fourteen people have been killed since, with what the German press called "the Duisburg massacre" the most notorious single example. The 'Ndrangheta, based in Calabria - the "toe" of Italy - is not as well known as its Sicilian counterpart, the Cosa Nostra, or the Neapolitan Camorra, but authorities have repeatedly warned of the danger posed by their activities like drug trafficking and weapons smuggling. Author: Mark Hallam (dapd, dpa) Editor: Michael Lawton | [
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Drone usage on the rise in conflicts worldwide
Drones are becoming more widespread throughout the world - be it in Pakistan, Iraq, in Yemen or Somalia. These unmanned planes, currently mainly piloted remotely, may eventually engage each other on their own.
On Thursday, Iranian and Indian media reported that an American drone strike had killed four militants in the North Waziristan region of Pakistan. Over in Europe, also on Thursday, the French Ministry of Defense said it was in talks with a military contractor to order a new fleet of drones that could be deployed as soon as 2014. Meanwhile, across the globe, on the very same day, the police chief in the Australian capital, Canberra, told Australian media that he was considering deploying surveillance drones across his city's skies. Over the last few years, drones have become an indispensible part of the American campaign to combat terrorism in various parts of the world, and also are starting to trickle into law enforcement tactics worldwide as well. Major increase in drone attacks The United States has especially increased its use of drones in Pakistan. Between 2004 and 2007 there were just nine drone attacks. In 2008 it was 33, the next year it was 53 and last year the attacks hit 118. The estimates about the number of fatalities from these attacks range from 600 to almost 1,000. "I can't imagine that the USA would launch this many manned air attacks in Pakistan," said Jürgen Altmann, in an interview with Deutsche Welle. The University of Dortmund physicist is a founding member of the International Committee for Robot Arms Control (ICRAC), a non-profit organization that advocates for a re-evaluation of automated war technologies, like drones. The fact that these planes are relatively small and have no crew on board makes it easier for Pakistan's government to allow them, Altmann said. "[The] threshold for the involvement of unmanned drones in conflict is lower, as when manned planes are involved," he said. War without risk? The enormous increase in computer power, new camera and sensor technology has made it possible to run a war without risk to one's soldiers. Noel Sharkey, a professor of artificial intelligence and robotics at the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom, said the new development isn't just dangerous for civilians living in enemy territory. "It is also dangerous for our own civilians, because lopsided wars lead to new terrorism," he noted. "People won't just give up because we've got the best technology." The case for drones? A worldwide drones arms race is well and truly underway. Some 50 states have already bought drones for surveillance – including countries like Israel, Germany, China, Russia and Iran. Many of these nations are working on armed drones as well. Drone proponents argue that the money saved in comparison to normal fighter jets is considerable: a US MQ 9 drone costs only $10 million (7.05 million euros) and can be loaded up with 14 Hellfire rockets. By comparison, a F-22 fighter jet costs around $150 million (105.8 million euros). Plus, the training for the drone pilots also costs much less than training for a traditional jet pilot. Plus, others have argued that a drone's inability to become emotionally inflamed might be a possible argument for the increased use of drones. "Robots don't get angry when their fellow soldiers get killed," said Peter Warren Singer, an analyst at the American think-tank, the Brookings Institution, and the author of the 2009 book, "Wired for War." "They don't commit any crime due out of revenge or retaliation – that's one of the reasons why war crimes are committed," he told Deutsche Welle. "But for a robot an 80-year-old grandmother is the same as a tank. Both are just a combination of zeros and ones." An ethical robot Similarly, Ronald Arkin, a professor of robotics at the Georgia Institute of Technology, believes that robots' unemotional operating methods as a strength. Arkin is convinced that systems can be developed which will be better than humans on the battle field - he argues that it may be possible to program a robot with the rules of the Geneva Conventions. This would mean they could refuse to carry out some orders which contradict the rules of international conflict and rules of engagement. However, not all roboticists are convinced of the ability to reduce human ethics into software. "Because no-one knows what it means to bring in ethical considerations into programming," said Hans-Jörg Kreowsky, a professor of computer science at the University of Bremen. "Ethics can't be defined by algorithms, that means you can't build it." Author: Matthias von Hein / al Editor: Cyrus Farivar | [
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Is 'racial profiling' illegal? Depends on where you live
Cologne police have been accused of racial profiling after targeting men of North African appearance on New Year's Eve. In the US racial profiling is illegal, but in Germany and the UK the law isn't as clear.
There is no law in Germany that explicitly prevents a police officer from stopping and checking someone for the way he or she looks. Police in Cologne have drawn some criticism for focusing their attention on men who looked as if they might come from North Africa this past New Year's Eve. They have denied the accusations of racial profiling, even though the practice isn't expressly forbidden in Germany. Racial profiling refers to procedures in which people are subjected to special checks by police or are detained on the basis of their ethnicity. Germany does have an anti-discrimination law. The general law of equal treatment (AGG) states that all people should be treated equally and not be disadvantaged because of their race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation or a disability. Anti-discrimination law for private interactions When people feel they have been discriminated against, they can invoke the AGG and present instances where they allege that they were treated unfairly. The burden of proof then lies with the accused - they have to prove that they did not discriminate against the claimant. This law is not applicable in potential racial profiling cases, however, as it covers only interactions between two private parties: for example, between employers and employees. Interactions between the state - represented by police - and an individual do not fall under this law. In general, discrimination is prohibited in the German constitution, the "Grundgesetz," but there is no equivalent to the strict AGG that specifically covers racial profiling by police. In many German states, police are in fact allowed to stop people and check their IDs without providing a specific reason. These "event-unrelated controls" were first introduced in Bavaria in 1996 and were instituted in all but three of Germany's 16 states by 2006. The legality of this legislation, however, was called into question by one court that ruled police cannot stop and ask people for ID based on their skin color. Driving while black In the United States, racial profiling has been at the center of heated debates for years. There's even a term for a driver being stopped by officers for no discernible reason other than his or her skin color: driving while black. Going by the letter of the law, racial profiling is illegal in the United States. In June 2003, the US Department of Justice issued its "Guidance Regarding the Use of Race by Federal Law Enforcement Agencies," banning racial profiling by federal law enforcement officials. Back in February 2001, then-President George W. Bush had spoken out against the practice. "Racial profiling is wrong, and we will end it in America," Bush said in an address to Congress. "By stopping the abuses of a few, we will add to the public confidence our police officers earn and deserve." But since the deaths of black men like Michael Brown or Eric Garner at the hands of police, public confidence in law enforcement has suffered, the law against racial profiling notwithstanding. Search without suspicion In the UK, police officers are allowed to search an individual without reasonable suspicion under Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act. A senior police officer has to authorize the use of this policy in his or her district. Ministry of Justice statistics show that black and Asian people are more likely to be searched under Section 60 than white people are, which is why numerous British activists have been fighting the law for years. They accuse the police of racial profiling. But in January 2016 the UK Supreme Court ruled that Section 60 was in accordance with the law and did not need to be changed. | [
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Hecking confident he can lead Gladbach out of danger zone
Mönchengladbach have unveiled their new coach as they prepare to head to their winter training camp. They also appear to be close to signing a defender as they look to put distance between themselves and the drop zone.
Dieter Hecking (pictured above, right), who was actually named as the successor to the sacked Andre Schubert after Gladbach's last game of 2016, looked confident as he appeared at Wednesday's press conference alongside sporting director Max Eberl (above left). "Yes, I know how to be successful. Yes, I know how to deal with young players. Yes, I have previously led teams out of such regions (of the standings)," Hecking said, referring to the fact that having taken just 16 point from their first 16 matches, the Foals are currently in 14th spot in the Bundesliga standings. However, the 52-year-old Hecking, who began his playing career at the club more than 30 years ago, also said his goals for this season would be modest. "I am a realist. We are a long way from saying that we intend to finishing in third, fourth or fifth place," he said. For his part, Eberl said he was convinced that Hecking was the right man for the job because of his successful track record and the fact that he had proved that he has a knack for working with young players. "He is a good fit for Borussia Mönchengladbach," Eberl said. Although Hecking said that he was convinced that the Foals were already a strong team in terms of personnel, it looks like he will be getting some help for the back line. Eberl confirmed that they were close to signing central defender Thimotee Kolodziejczak from Sevilla. While the two appeared at the press conference, the 25-year-old Kolodziejczak was going through his physical - and is expected to be part of the roster that fly off on Friday for their winter training camp in Marbella, Spain. Mönchengladbach are Hecking's fifth assignment in the Bundesliga, after previously having coached Alemannia Aachen, Hannover, Nuremberg and Wolfsburg. He was sacked by Wolfsburg in mid-Octoberafter that club too got off to a disappointing start to the season. The Volkswagen-owned club are currently level on points with Gladbach, but one position above them in the standings on goal difference. pfd/dv (dpa, SID) | [
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US to deploy hundreds of Marines to Afghanistan
The US will send 300 Marines to train Afghan forces in the embattled Helmand province, adding to nearly 10,000 US troops still in the country. The Taliban claimed most of the opium-making region after NATO withdrawal.
The troops are set to be deployed in spring of 2017 as a part of NATO's advise-assist mission, the US Marine Corps announced on Friday. A 300-person force, led by a brigadier general, would "train and advise key leaders" within Afghanistan's security forces in the southern Helmand region. Both the Afghan army and the police are struggling to contain the Taliban insurgency, which took large swaths of territory by storm after NATO ended combat missions in 2014. The Taliban currently hold around 85 percent of the Helmand province and launch attacks on the remaining districts. The region is known for its massive opium trade. "The Marine Corps has an operational history in Afghanistan, particularly in Helmand province," the officials said in the statement, adding that the Marines "will assist in preserving gains made together with the Afghans." Opium output grows Although no foreign troops are currently fighting the Taliban, the United States still keeps nearly 10,000 troops in the war-torn nation under the so-called Resolute Support mission. While the Obama administration made plans to reduce this number in 2017, the fate of the mission is unclear as US President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office later this month. US officials believe that the Taliban cooperate with opium traffickers in the embattled province, with criminal networks aiding the insurgency. Last month, the chief US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, John Nicholson, stated that Kabul directly controls some 64 percent of the Afghan population, 4 percent less compared to his September estimate. The UN estimated that Afghanistan's opium production rose sharply during 2016. dj/sms (dpa, AFP) | [
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Bavarian government to release new refugee policy so 'Germany remains Germany'
Amid an ongoing dispute with Berlin, Bavaria's government is due to finalize its proposal for Germany's refugee policy. As well as a yearly cap on refugee arrivals, Premier Horst Seehofer is calling for tighter borders.
The ever-growing divide between Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), showed no sign of resolving itself on Saturday, with Munich's local newspaper the "Münchner Merkur" reporting that the Bavarian government is due on Tuesday to finalize its overall concept on refugee and immigration policy in Germany. The charter titled "So that Germany remains Germany" was reportedly written by CSU leader and Bavarian Premier Horst Seehofer. At the top of the agenda is the CSU's long-time demand for an upper-limit on the number of asylum seekers accepted in Germany - something Bavaria aims to achieve through EU quotas. For months, the CSU has called a yearly cap of no more than 200,000 refugees, a move that Merkel has repeatedly rejected. The debate has prompted an unwelcome divide in the so-called "Union" of conservative CDU and CSU - particularly in the year of Germany's federal election. Unrest among conservatives The CSU, which often takes more conservative stances than the CDU, has sharply criticized Merkel's open-door policies that allowed more than a million people to enter the country as refugees and migrants since 2015. Last month Seehofer even ruled out governing with Merkel's CDU should they refuse to introduce an upper limit on the number of migrants entering Germany. In an apparent attempt to calm the rumbling debate, Merkel's CDU proposed on Friday the idea of flexible annual targets for asylum seeker numbers. The Christian Democrats gave no precise numbers but called for Germany to set a new target each year based on the humanitarian situation in global crisis zones and Germany's ability to absorb newcomers. Alongside its refugee cap, the Bavarian state government is also proposing further restrictions on family reunions for refugees, possibly calling for asylum-seekers to secure a livelihood independent of state subsidies before being permitted to apply for family members to join them in Germany. The basic protection for migrants in old age should also be restricted if they have not spent the most important period of working life in Germany, the Bavarian government wrote, adding that asylum-seekers who commit a criminal offense in Germany also "forfeit their right to hospitality" and must be deported. 'Humanitarian responsibility' At the same time, however, the paper also states its commitment to the reception of refugees. "The admission of those in need of protection is a requirement of Christian and humanitarian responsibility," the document reads, adding that Germany must proceed with "zero tolerance against xenophobia, racism and anti-Semitism." The charter also calls for the expansion of aid to developing countries, with Seehofer demanding an "African Act" from the European Union (EU). Aid programs can no longer be underfunded, the paper continues, noting that without the financial support, misery and distress would increase in refugee camps. Schengen under pressure In light of the terror attack on Berlin last month, the Bavarian government is also proposing tighter border controls. Twelve people were killed and almost 50 others injured, when a truck was rammed into a Berlin Christmas market. Police suspect Tunisian asylum-seeker and "Islamic State" (IS) sympathizer Anis Amri was behind the wheel. After fleeing the scene on Decmeber 19, Amri was able to cross Germany's border into the Netherlands and travel via France to Italy, where he was later killed in a police shootout in Milan. His unchecked travel was possible due to the Schengen Zone - the EU's borderless travel region. In light of the growing number of terror attacks, however, the Schengen agreement is being put under increasing pressure, with Merkel also ordering a comprehensive review of Germany's security infrastructure. | [
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India's Spicejet in 'game-changing' deal with Boeing
Indian budget airline Spicejet has said it's buying hundreds of Boeing planes as it seeks to hike its share of the world's fastest-growing passenger aviation market. It will be able to expand into long-haul flights.
Indian low-cost airline Spicejet announced Friday it was buying up to 205 planes from Boeing in a deal worth $22 billion (20.6 billion euros). The carrier said the contract included 100 737 jets from Boeing's new Max family of aircraft, which it said would help reduce fuel costs by up to a fifth. The deal also included the option to buy 50 wide-body planes suitable for long-haul flights. Spicejet, which currently has just 49 planes, said the order would enable it to boost its domestic operations and potentially expand into long-haul international flights. "This is the largest deal for Spicejet, it's one of the largest in Indian aviation and is the largest for Boeing in India," Spicejet Chairman Ajay Singh said in a statement. Changing environment India's aviation market is growing at double the pace of China's, as an emerging middle class takes to the skies. The latest industry figures from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) show India's domestic air traffic grew by 22.3 percent in November year on year, followed by Russia at 15.5 percent and China in third position at 14.9 percent. The deal with Boeing marks a turnaround for Spicejet, whose planes were briefly grounded in 2014 after suppliers refused to refuel them due to unpaid bills. Most of India's airlines are still making losses, while state carrier Air India has long relied on government support. But lower fuel prices and a rise in economic growth have boosted the sector and enhanced airlines' profit prospects. hg/jd (AFP, dpa) | [
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Hausdrache
Learn a funny, quirky German word each week with DW's Word of the Week feature. This week: Hausdrache.
Having a pet around the house is a wonderful thing. Sitting in front of the fire with a purring cat upon your lap, having a loyal dog guarding the house and family, or watching a goldfish swim around its bowl for hours on end. Having a Hausdrache (lit: house dragon) in the household is quite a different matter! A Drache is a mythical beast which spits fire, battles knights in shining armour, and steals beautiful princesses. A Hausdrache is equally unpleasant and describes a domineering housewife. "Take your shoes off, I just cleaned the floor," "don’t talk with your mouth full," "go and tidy your room," she shouts angrily. But perhaps inside every Hausdrache there is a beautiful princess just waiting to be rescued from cleaning and cooking? | [
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Probe blames Cypriot president for deadly munitions blast
An official investigation into a deadly blast on Cyprus which killed 13 people and badly damaged the country's economy has found the Cypriot president bore "serious" personal responsibility for the incident.
The president of Cyprus was blamed Monday by an official investigator for negligence leading to a huge explosion that killed 13 people in July. The blast triggered a government crisis and led to talk that the island may need an EU bailout. Speaking on national television, investigator Polys Polyviou told a news conference that President Demetris Christofias bore a "serious and very heavy personal responsibility" for the accident. The explosion occurred when nearly 100 containers of seized Iranian munitions being stored at the Evangelos Florakis Naval base in Mari blew up. The explosion severely damaged a nearby major power plant, causing electricity shortages to about half the country. Experts predicted it would take at least one year to fix at a cost of more than 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion). Polyviou said the manner in which the decaying munitions were stored was "completely irresponsible," adding that the president was responsible for allowing and keeping the cargo in Cyprus and for approving its storage near the base. Unexpected result The outcome of the probe was surprising considering it had been ordered by Christofias himself. Many had expected the inquiry to clear the head of state of any wrongdoing. Cyprus's defense and foreign ministers have already resigned over the affair. Christofias, meanwhile, has rejected responsibility for the explosion. The crisis sparked rounds of protests outside the presidential palace in which thousands were calling for the president to step down. 'Making a stand' The issue has dominated headlines on the divided island for months. There's been a lot of interest in the case because so many people were affected by it. "It's a very small island, so lots of people were close to the explosion and saw the knock on effects of it," pointed out Chris Yearley, a journalist at the local English-language daily Famagusta Gazette. Yearley said there was a sense of surprise across the island that the finger of blame has been pointed so clearly at the president. "I think that when we discovered that the president had arranged for the investigation to take place, we were expecting for him to come off scot-free. That hasn't happened, and personally, I'm quite shocked by this and it will be interesting to see what happens next." Many commentators predict Christofias will stand down before the end of the year. Author: Nathan Morley, Nicosia, Cyprus / dfm Editor: Nancy Isenson | [
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Middle East Quartet pushes for fresh peace talks
Representatives of the Middle East Quartet are pushing Israel and the Palestinians to resume peace talks. The aim is to reach an agreement by the end of 2012. But both sides are skeptical.
For a long time the Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas was considered hesitant and indecisive, but his bid to join the United Nations has given him a popularity boost among his own people. Many consider their president's demand that Palestine be internationally recognized as an independent state just plain self-evident. But that certainty is not shared the world over, and criticism of the UN application is widespread among western nations. They don't want the Palestinians to go it alone and are therefore pushing for the resumption of the peace talks that stalled more than a year ago. Slowly does it As of this week, the Middle East Quartet, which comprises the US, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations - has relaunched its efforts to find a solution to the ongoing conflict. It is planning separate meetings with chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat and Jizchak Molcho, representative for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Among those taking part in the indirect talks is the UN special envoy and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and EU representative and German diplomat Helga Schmidt. Their proposed timetable for a peace treaty is the end of next year. Ruprecht Polenz, chairman of the foreign committee of the lower house of the German Parliament, is cautiously optimistic. "The expectations are not very high," he told Deutsche Welle. "But we are always hopeful that indirect talks lead to direct ones and that the direct talks become substantial negotiations, which are seen through to the end." Irreconcilable differences In the past years of negotiating, the differences between Israel and the Palestinians have simply been too big for the two sides to reach a lasting conclusion Martin Beck, head of the Konrad-Adenauer Stiftung Jordan office ,says that lack of agreement has a lot to do with Israel's settlement policies. "In granting the construction of new settlements, Israel has demonstrated an unwillingness to comply with Palestinian demands," the Middle East expert told Deutsche Welle. And as Palestinian politician Kaddoura Fares said in an interview on Israeli radio there can be no peace while settlement building continued. "When Israel has a different government or when the current government changes its policy and is willing to sit down at the negotiating table and stop construction, it will see that Abbas is open to peace," he said. Other side of the coin But Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liebermann rejects the call to suddenly stop what he says has been going on since 1993. "The demand of Mahmud Abbas to end construction as a condition to peace is new," he said on army radio. "He negotiated with Sharon and Olmert without attaching that condition. This is the first government to be confronted with it." As Martin Beck explains, settlements are only one factor in the complex mix. He cites the Palestinian bid for UN membership as another issue. "In applying to be recognized as a state based on 1967 boundaries, the Palestinians have proved they want far more than Israel is willing to offer," Beck said. "And that is not a good start for bilateral negotiations." Low expectations The situation took on a new twist earlier this month when the conflicted parties agreed to what many Israelis see as a grossly imbalanced prisoner exchange - one Israeli soldier for roughly 1,000 Palestinians. Yariv Oppenheimer, General Secretary of the Israeli NGO Peace Now, sees both the exchange and the speech Abbas delivered to the United Nations as hurdles to possible peace talks. "It now looks as though Israel and Hamas are walking hand in hand," Oppenheimer said. "But Netanyahu has been playing power games with Abbas ever since he was elected and that is a shame because he is more moderate than previous leaders." Lack of interest There is no mistaking the lack of importance Israel places on indirect negotiations. In an interview with Deutsche Welle, the Israeli Minister of Improvement of Government Services confessed to knowing nothing about the planned talks. And the subject has not received much attention in the Israeli media either. The Palestinians are equally skeptical. "I expect nothing," Nabil Schaat, a member of the Palestinian team of negotiators said shortly before the talks in Jerusalem. Middle East expert Martin Beck agrees that such skepticism is well-founded. "Direct, bilateral peace talks with no clear schedule or parameters are hugely problematic for the Palestinians," he said. "That was the way things went between 1993 and 2010, but compared to the PLO, Israel is just too powerful to have to make real concessions." Author: Hans Spross/ tkw Editor: Rob Mudge | [
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Turkish guest workers transformed German society
In the 1960s, Turkish workers arrived in Germany to fill the demand for cheap labor in a booming post-war economy. Many of them never left, creating a minority community that changed the demographics of Germany forever.
Fifty-five years ago, Germany was in need of healthy, unmarried Turkish men to work in the country's booming post-war economy, and Turkey was more than willing to help fill that demand. A treaty signed by the two states on October 30, 1961 established the conditions for the guest workers. The expenses for traveling to Germany were included, but the return trip was not always covered by employers. There had previously been recruitment treaties between Germany and Italy in 1955 as well as with Spain in 1960. After Turkey, treaties were also signed with Morocco, Portugal, Tunisia and Yugoslavia until 1968. Germany needed additional labor for its factories and mines to help fuel the economic miracle driven by the rapid expansion of production after World War II. According to the recruitment treaty, Germany was able - with the support of the Turkish government - to set up a liaison office in Istanbul. The office functioned as a foreign bureau for the German Ministry of Labour through which German companies could fill their demand for workers. Turkish authorities initially screened the applications, pre-selected the candidates and then organized interviews in the German liaison office. For Turkey, the export of large numbers of male Turkish workers to Germany had several advantages. First, the men were well paid in Germany and sent remittances home to their families in Turkey. Second, they obtained further training in Germany and were supposed to bring that knowledge back to Turkey when they returned. Two-year stay The employment of Turkish workers was meant to be for a limited time just like with the Greeks, Italians and Spaniards that had previously come to Germany as guest workers. After two years, the Turkish workers were expected to return home, and then a new group of workers was supposed to be recruited. The goal was to prevent the Turkish guests from becoming immigrants. Originally, the workers were not allowed to bring their families with them. In 1964, the recruitment treaty was changed to allow the Turkish workers to stay for longer than two years. It was too expensive and time-consuming to constantly hire and train replacements. Later, the workers were even allowed to bring their families with them. Land of immigrants An economic recession triggered by the global oil crisis in the early 1970s followed Germany's economic miracle, and in 1973 the recruitment of foreign workers came to a stop altogether. Between 1961 and 1973, around 2.7 million Turks applied for a job in Germany, but only around 750,000 were actually accepted. Half of those who came returned to Turkey, according to estimates. The other half remained in Germany. Today, around 2.5 million people with a Turkish background live in Germany, meaning either they or their parents were born in Turkey, making them the largest migrant group in the country. Around 700,000 Turkish migrants have German citizenship. In contrast to citizens of EU countries, Turks cannot have dual citizenship. If they possess both, they must choose between Turkish and German citizenship by their 23rd birthday. Although the guest workers from Turkey and other countries came to Germany 50 years ago, Germany was only declared a de facto country of immigrants through the passage of new citizenship and immigration laws in 2000 and 2005. Author: Klaudia Prevezanos / slk Editor: Martin Kuebler | [
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West strikes dangerous balance in dealings with Egypt's military
Western nations led by the US appear to be hedging their bets on the true intentions of Egypt's military rulers as the crackdown in Cairo continues unabated. A fear of alternative leadership may be holding the West back.
The latest street battles between demonstrators demanding the end of military rule and armed members of the security services under the command of the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) have reopened barely healed wounds just 10 months since President Hosni Mubarak was forced out of power by similar protests. Again focusing on Cairo's Tahrir Square, the symbolic heart of the February demonstrations, protestors angered by the lack of progress since the revolution have returned once more to the streets of the capital - as well the cities of Suez and Alexandria - to call for a faster transition from military to civilian rule. While the elections scheduled for later this month would see the creation of a civilian assembly for the Egyptian parliament, ultimate control of Egypt would stay with the generals until a presidential poll, which may not happen until late 2012 or early 2013. The SCAF has made it clear that it will continue ruling until after a new constitution is created. The protestors are calling for a presidential vote no later than April. "The SCAF represents the old military guard that propped up the Mubarak regime and its leadership is embedded within the networks of crony capitalists that are proving so hard to dislodge," Dr. Kristian Ulrichsen, a North Africa and Middle East expert at the London School of Economics, told Deutsche Welle. With Egypt's grip on its democratic opportunity slipping, Western powers which supported the removal of Mubarak and the popular uprising once again face decisions on how to proceed with their support - or withdraw it completely. US both condemns and supports In recent days, the administration of US President Barack Obama, which has broadly supported the SCAF while quietly pressurizing it over its slow path to reform, has urged Egypt's military rulers to increase the speed of its transition to civilian control. There is a fear in Washington that the revolution that gave most heart and impetus to the Arab Spring may be dying - and the wave of pro-democracy movements across the Arab world along with it. However, while hoping for widespread change, the White House treads a careful path. Egypt is an important US ally in the region, one which has supported the US role in the Middle East and one of the few states to maintain an uneasy peace accord with Israel. It is this strategic importance which has led Obama to reject recent calls from within Washington for the delivery of $1.3 billion (0.97 billion euros) of US aid to Egypt to be conditional on the military leadership's progress on democracy and human rights. Meanwhile, the White House is keen to strengthen ties with Egypt's newly empowered political opposition which could be the country's new power-brokers. It is a stance that sits uncomfortably with the fact that the US - as well as a number of European states - has continued to supply the SCAF with the military hardware, tear gas and rubber bullets being used against the crowds in Tahrir Square. Much the same way as it supplied over $60 billion in unconditional aid to the Egyptian military during Mubarak's 30-year reign of corruption and oppression. US double standards Some critics have accused the Obama administration of playing to Egyptian public opinion by calling for faster reforms, rather than really applying pressure on the military to stand down. Others have pointed to recent comments made by US Ambassador for Middle East Transition William Taylor in Washington last week as evidence of US double standards. "Governing is not what the Egyptian military is trained to do," explained Taylor, asserting that the military crackdown can be attributed to the fact that the SCAF is unaccustomed to ruling and may be overwhelmed by the situation it finds itself in. "Western governments should make much more clear statements that the disproportional use of force against civilian protesters contradicts any democratic standards and that the military leadership is responsible for this escalation," Dr. Stephan Roll, an Egypt expert with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, told Deutsche Welle. Some experts believe that there are elements in the US political system which see the retention of power by the SCAF as the lesser of multiple evils and are privately supporting this out of fear of the alternative. "The West's continuing support for the SCAF is sending irreparably damaging signals to the pro-democracy movements in Egypt and across the region," said Dr. Ulrichsen. "It reinforces perceptions that the West would rather see a narrow change of elites than a thorough revolution based on ideas of equality, dignity, social justice and democracy." Lesser of multiple evils? Dr. Roll points to the concerns arising from a possible Islamist-led government in Egypt. "My impression is that within the US administration - but even more so in the US Senate - there are influential voices which are totally against any 'Islamist leadership' in Egypt," he said. "There is a lot of fear that the Muslim Brotherhood could be just the beginning and that Salafist forces could become part of the country's political leadership," he added. "There are also a lot of personal links to the Egyptian military leadership within the US which have worked quite well over the last few decades." However Dr. Roll said that the Islamists, which could win 40 percent of parliamentary seats, with a big portion going to The Freedom and Justice Party of the Muslim Brothers, should not be feared if they gain power through free elections. "The Muslim Brotherhood leadership seems to be very pragmatic and if they enjoy the confidence of the people, they should get the chance to take political responsibility." "In my opinion the worst-case scenario would be that the military leadership attempts to keep the transition process unstable to keep control of developments," he added. "This would be a very risky business." Middle East expert Dr. John Chalcroft agrees. "If the military were allowed to stay in power, it would be a disaster; disappointing the hopes and sacrifice of the millions who sought bread, freedom and dignity promised by the Arab Spring," he told Deutsche Welle. "It will set the clock back, and help reproduce a Middle East full of dictators, poverty, sectarian conflict, violent movements of opposition, and national humiliation." Dr. Ulrichsen believes that the worst-case scenario for the West would be if any Egyptian rebellion against a military supported by the West fuelled powerful feelings of anti-Western resentment that in turn translated into support for radical alternatives in Egypt itself. "The Egyptian revolution was notably free of nakedly Islamist or anti-Western motivations but any second uprising might not escape this, particularly if the West came to be seen as part of the problem," he said. Author: Nick Amies Editor: Rob Mudge | [
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Philosophy goes high gloss in Germany
Thoughts on life's big questions are hitting German kiosks. Two new philosophy magazines have appeared recently. Publishers see an unmet need for philosophical reflection in the country's media.
On the cover, a child's legs protrude from a pair of clunky, brown men's shoes. The image bears a question: "Why do we have kids?" "Philosophie Magazin" (Philosophy Magazine) is among the latest efforts at thrusting philosophy into the public eye. "It's a magazine that takes its questions to the marketplace, letting the public help feel them out," editor-in-chief Wolfram Eilenberger wrote in an editorial in the magazine. That's also what a second new philosophy magazine seeks to accomplish. Called "Hohe Luft" (Literally: High Air), its editors hope to offer philosophy "for everyone who's interested in reading and thinking." A rather big target audience indeed. And right with the first edition, readers are confronted with a big question to ponder: "You shouldn't lie - but why not exactly?" Perhaps the better question is why do two publishers now think that German readers want to explore the mysteries of life in high gloss format? "I believe that there are two developments involved. One is that, in our society, the traditional organizational structures like religion are losing significance," explained Michael Quante, director of the German Society for Philosophy, "That means that more and more people are trying to get their questions answered in other places." Quante added that the world has become more complex through globalization and the associated phenomena of rapid technological development and social change. The new magazines are out to offer new perspectives - something for audiences to chew on in the form of bite-size chunks of philosophy, garnished, of course, with a chic layout and large-scale pictures. Bestseller philosophy But the idea of philosophy stepping out from behind its academic shadow and addressing a broader public is not new. "When you look at the 19th century or the French intellectuals of the 20th century, back then there were very important personalities and voices in philosophy that discussed relevant questions outside of the academic establishment," said Michael Quante. Norwegian Jostein Gaarder struck success with his 1991 history of philosophy for laypeople in "Sophie's World." In Germany, the 2007 title "Wer bin ich und wenn ja, wie viele" (Who am I and if so, how many?) by author Richard David Precht also topped bestseller lists. The book went on to become 2008's most successful nonfiction hardcover, and its author has since become almost inescapable on the TV circuit of Germany's evening talk and debate shows. The trend toward popular philosophy goes beyond German borders. Next door, a French-language version of Philosophie Magazin has been in print since 2006. "In France, philosophy is a required subject through the end of school in the entire country, not just in certain regions, like in Germany," said Claudia Bickmann of the Society for Intercultural Philosophy, adding that French people in general have a better education in basic philosophical issues and figures. "With around 300 salons and a number of magazines dedicated to the subject, philosophical life in France is lively and multilayered," Bickmann said. However, in Anglo-Saxon countries, the subject is more of a specialty discipline taught almost exclusively at universities. Changing course In China, Bickmann said, philosophy seems to be taking on an increasingly important role in society. "It seems as though the orientation sometimes shifts away from Confucius' teachings of promoting harmony and toward the hegemony of the communist party. The coming years will show whether the party or a renewed approach to Confucius' teachings will pave the way for the country," she said. In the Arabic world, philosophy is also playing a significant role in social and political affairs, particularly "in the various democracy movements," Bickmann believes. These days, everyone can be a philosopher - at least that's what the new philosophy magazines seem to suggest. On Philosophie Magazin's Facebook page, people can sound off on what they think counts in life. But whether that lives up to what most mean by philosophy is an open question. That the subject loses somewhat on depth and substance is a natural consequence for any discipline that attracts a large audience, pointed out philosophy professor Michael Quante. "When a professor of physics or biology gives a public address, certain concessions for the sake of understandability have to be made, and that's legitimate," Quante said. For him, a popular approach to philosophy doesn't hinder the subject from remaining a serious area of academic study. But he hopes that a mass embrace of deep thinking won't fall into pseudo-philosophy. Quante said the marks of fake philosophy are "a lack of argumentation and the rational justification of positions and worldviews." Author: Laura Döing / gsw Editor: Kate Bowen | [
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'The Egyptian revolution is one of the greatest revolutions in history'
Alaa Al Aswany is one of Egypt's leading intellectuals and a vocal supporter of the nation's uprising. He spoke to Deutsche Welle about the revolution's success and the tasks Egypt still faces.
The dentist turned blacklisted novelist Alaa Al Aswany rose to fame with his 2002 exploration of post-colonial Egyptian society "The Yacoubian Building." He has been one of the leading voices of the Kifaya ("Enough") opposition movement for years and joined the revolution on Tahrir Square in January and February. Deutsche Welle: One year ago, Hosni Mubarak was still in charge and no one imagined that mass protests could have ended his presidency. But more than nine months later, Egypt's reform process seems to have come to a standstill. Did the protesters fail? Alaa Al Aswany: Of course I believe that the Egyptian revolution achieved a great thing by forcing one of the most terrible dictators Hosni Mubarak to step down. But since then, I don't think we have been on the right track. All the decisions of the SCAF (Editor's note: Supreme Council of the Armed Forces) - the military council - were not to protect the revolution, but on the contrary, the SCAF has shown the tendency to preserve Mubarak's regime. So we have a very unique situation in Egypt now that Mubarak is no longer in power, but the regime of Mubarak is. The elections showed this. Despite fair voting, they are not fair elections. Voting is just one step of the election procedure. Everything was prepared from the beginning by the SCAF and the elections law to push the Muslim Brotherhood to have a majority. For example, the electoral zones were too big so that the revolutionary youth couldn't afford to participate. Or in one electoral zone we discovered that there were 176 employees who are in charge of the elections and these 176 are founding members of the Muslim Brotherhood. I don't think at all that the coming parliament will represent the Egyptian revolution. You can see that in Egypt, the revolution is still in the street. The revolution of the youth doesn't think this will ever be their parliament. So you agree with some analysts who don't think Egypt has experienced a real revolution. They say only a very small segment of the elite groups have been replaced, meaning the inner circle of the Mubarak regime. But the only new power in the power sharing is the Muslim Brotherhood. Would you agree on that? I think these analysts confuse two things: the revolution and the achievement of the revolution. The term revolution is objective, not an objective. There are two elements to decide if this is a revolution or not: first, the participation of the people. We had more than 20 percent participation in the January revolution. We have more than 20 million people. Second, the aim of the revolution should be the elimination of the old regime. And when I say regime I'm not only talking about political. I'm also talking about the cultural regime, the social regime and the political regime. I believe the Egyptian revolution in this sense was really one of the most typical revolutions by definition in history. I would say the Egyptian revolution was more a revolution than some in Eastern Europe. But the achievement of the revolution is still a long way off. We are talking about nine months here. We're still in the beginning. Still, the Egyptian revolution is one of the greatest revolutions in history - whether the analysts like it or not. What do you think it will take to fulfill the demands of the revolution from January and February? If you compare our revolution to other revolutions you see it takes time. You are eliminating an entire regime and we were not lucky because the military council was not in favor of the revolution. But I am still very optimistic because in the beginning no one could have ever imagined that Mubarak would be forced to step down. We completed the most important and most difficult part of the job, but the revolution is not over. But it is a step ahead because even with these people in the parliament that I don't think are really revolutionary, the Islamic groups, there will at least be no legal position for the SCAF to rule the country. Do you think the country's powerful military will start playing by democratic and parliamentary rules one of these days? The most powerful element in the Egyptian scene is the revolution itself. Here, I have to differentiate between the army and the military council. The military council is the political authority of the army; it is performing the role of the president and the parliament during the transition. The army is something different. It belongs to the Egyptian people and not to the SCAF. There is very strong pressure from the revolution on the streets. The military council is trying to escape from the pressure, the military council at some point gives in and that's what the revolution was. We had to make pressure in the streets to get it. In your most famous book "The Yacoubian Building" you described Egyptian society as being dominated by corruption and favoritism. What does it take to change this mentality? How can Egypt establish a spirit of solidarity like people said was felt during the revolution on Tahrir Square? The revolution wasn't just in Tahrir Square. It was in every city in Egypt. I believe that whenever you have this revolutionary attitude in the sense that you are willing to die for your freedom then you will have all the positive things coming out: you will be more courageous, more understanding and less judgmental, you will be less racist; you won't ever judge other people according to their social background or religion. I believe that the revolution as a psychological phenomenon is very positive. When you participate in a real revolution - and that was the case with me - you really become a different person, your experiences and feelings. You see attitudes you never imagined you would. I wrote about 'the people' many times before the revolution but it was only in Tahrir Square that I felt what the meaning of the word 'people' is. You live with two million people on the square for three weeks and they feel they are members of one family So you think this Tahrir Square spirit will be kept alive? Absolutely. It still exists in the streets. You saw it during the massacre against the protesters on November 19. You saw how brave these youths were, how brave the young doctors were. Two of them were killed simply because they wanted to express their political point of view. Do you think Egypt's youth will ever back down again? Up till now, they have the upper hand. I believe it's going to stay this way for a long time. Only when you have a revolution in parliament will Tahrir Square become of secondary importance. But because the coming parliament is not revolutionary, I believe that Tahrir Square will keep saying what we should do in Egypt. Interview: Thomas Kohlmann Editor: Sabina Casagrande/Rob Mudge | [
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Multi-lingual in the World Wide Web
Professional translators and interpreters beware! There’s a new product out at CeBIT this year and it’s set to make your job obsolete - or at least the more mundane portion of business correspondence.
Imagine sitting in an office in Berlin, Paris or New York, typing an e-mail to an international colleague and getting a reply - all in one language. Sure, it’s no problem if everyone speaks the same language. But what happens when three different languages are involved? You get a translator, right? Or you spend a little more time flipping through an English-German-French dictionary. Too expensive, too time consuming? Well, there’s always the option of learning a foreign language. In the global business community, bilungualism is not a bad investment. But for those of you who didn’t memorize the German irregular verbs in school and who still can’t be bothered to remember the gender of French nouns, there’s a technical solution: the Personal Translator by Linguatec. No, it’s not a mini headset that automatically interprets your every thought - at least not yet. Linguatec is one of the leading innovators in the market for language recognition software, and it’s unique Personal Translator (PT) program is getting better and more accurate every year. So far there are two language versions, German-English and German-French. Designed as a complete software package for easy installment on a normal PC or computer network, PT is ideal for the office environment. It’s compatible with any system from Windows to Apple, and can be applied to any type of common text program including e-mails. With just a click of the mouse, the user can call on the extensive language database to translate any given text. And a link up through the user’s browser connects to the e-Translation Server for translation in the internet. The PT can also be downloaded for cellular phones and Palmpilots for mobile translations - great for vacationing in foreign countries. The next step is the linguachat - an online service for automatic translation of texts in chat groups. Gone are the days of stumbling around for the correct English or German word, with Linguatec’s browser function, users can simply chat away regardless of the language. Business of words Although there are several different international companies producing translation software, Linguatec offers the most comprehensive word and phrase databanks. It is also the only translation software that reads and analyses not only single sentences, but entire contexts to produce more accurate meaning. Whereas other companies such as the American Smartlink or Babelfish offer several different languages, Linguatec offers only three: German, English and French. This enables the company to concentrate on quality rather than quantity, an important factor in serious translation services, said a Linguatec spokesperson. This year’s new and revised edition of the Personal Translator contains 620,000 words and 35,000 common idiomatic phrases. This enables the PT to recognize double meanings and colloquial speech patterns. In addition, users can expand their word base with specialty dictionaries from areas like banking, medicine and technology. The German company started out ten years ago producing German-English translation software on the basis of IBM technology. Originally the product was slow and required a lot of thorough editing after a text was translated by the system. Now it’s being used by international companies like Siemens and Deutsche Bank. Even professional translators, who are generally skeptical of electronic translation software, are beginning to recognize the quality of the system, said a Linguatec spokesperson at CeBIT. "When they have a long translation, they often let the PT run over the text once as a rough draft, before they fine tune it." Some translators and linguists are so impressed by the software, that they’ve quit their regular jobs and have begun working for Linguatec developing more accurate translation technology. | [
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WorldCom Bankruptcy Unleashes Mild Tremors in Europe
German bank stocks tumbled on Monday as investors speculated that they would suffer from the collapse of the US telecom firm. But by Tuesday, most fears had been allayed.
When US telecom giant WorldCom collapsed over the weekend, it awoke fears that the company's German investors and creditors would suffer as well. Speculation that major German creditors Deutsche Bank 24 and Commerzbank had given the US company a high amount of credit sent their stock prices tumbling on Monday. By Tuesday those fears had been all but brushed away. Commerzbank said it had no involvement in WorldCom. Deutsche Bank 24, WorldCom's largest German creditor, announced that it had no more than a $241 million (243 million euro) credit exposure to the telecom giant, which filed for bankruptcy in the United States on Sunday. German banks and insurers have rushed in recent days to announce they have only limited involvement in the second largest telecommunications operator in the U.S. WorldCom provided Internet services to more than 40 companies in Germany and the cities of Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and Hamburg. The company owes money to more than 60 banks across the globe, according to analysts, but few of them are in Germany. European WorldCom "comfortable" The company's foreign operations are not affected by the bankruptcy filing in the U.S. European WorldCom chief Lucy Woods told the Financial Times Deutschland that the company's European daughter had no plans to file bankruptcy. "We're in a very comfortable situation," she said. Analysts value the US company's debt load at $30 billion. The company was forced into declaring bankruptcy after the cash flow it uses to pay debts and make investments dwindled from $2 billion three weeks ago to a mere $200 million. Havoc in the markets The filing came just weeks after the revelation of a $3.85 billion accounting scandal that wreaked havoc in the already-vulnerable telecom industry and on stock markets around the world. Both the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Justice have opened investigations into the Mississippi-based company. The company fired Chief Financial Officer Scott Sullivan, who it said orchestrated the fraud, and hired consulting firm KPMG to sort through the mess. WorldCom stock soars in Germany Investors, at least abroad, were buoyed by news on Monday that the company plans to re-organize their operations and erase more than 75 percent of their debt. WorldCom got court approval on Monday for $2 billion in funding that it will use to restructure over the next year. WorldCom stock prices soared up to 57 percent on the Frankfurt exchange on Tuesday. The Deutsche Bank said it wasn't sure whether the credit would get repaid. News of the bank's relatively low involvement was nevertheless encouraging to investors, who pushed the stock price up by 2.4 percent in early trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange on Tuesday. “After the speculation on Monday, it was a relief for investors to know how high the bank’s engagment was,” analyst Jörn Kissenkötter from the bank M.M. Warburg told Reuters. | [
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Dutch Government Collapse Brings EU Enlargement Jitters
With the clock ticking for the European Union’s expansion in 2004, the crisis in The Hague could derail the whole process. EU leaders, however, are putting on a brave face.
Brussels is trying to reassure the 10 countries waiting to join the European Union that the collapse of the Dutch government barely a week before a key EU summit will not upset the bloc's plans for eastern enlargement. The Prime Minister Jan-Peter Balkenende's center-right coalition resigned on Wednesday over a feud within one of the three member parties. The government had been in office for less than 100 days. The issue of EU enlargement was a key factor in the break-up. In a cabinet row last Friday, Balkenende’s two junior coalition partners, the liberal VVD party and the anti-immigration List Pim Fortuyn (LPF), both opposed the admission of Poland, Slovakia and Cyprus to the EU in 2004. Caretaker government has authority to vote A caretaker government will run the country for the time being. Constitutional experts in the Netherlands insist it will have the legal authority to participate fully in next week's Brussels summit, which is due to approve the new members’ accession and agree on the terms for financing enlargement. Caretaker cabinets are expected to refrain from decisions on "controversial" subjects but can interpret this flexibly and have done so in the past. With Ireland due to hold a referendum on enlargement on Saturday, the political crisis in The Hague has added to diplomatic tensions within the EU. But Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency, said he did not believe it would prove an obstacle. The EU hopes to close accession talks with the 10 candidate states at a summit in Copenhagen in December. European Commission statement points to concern EU Enlargement Commissioner Guenter Verheugen also put on a brave face, saying he thought it unlikely the Dutch would overturn decisions which had already been taken. However, the Commission has taken the unusual step of issuing a statement commenting on the political situation in a member state. "Obviously it is up to the Netherlands to decide, in the current situation, whether or not they can take a position on the next steps of the enlargement process and if so, which position," it said. Some Dutch politicians, including members of the outgoing government, have criticized the scale and estimated cost of enlargement, but EU diplomats said they were confident a broad majority in the Dutch parliament backed it. | [
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Love and Betrayal in the Animal Kingdom
In its latest major show, the German Hygiene Museum in Dresden is exploring the contradictory relationship between people and animals.
We love animals, but we also kill them. We cuddle them, but we also hunt them. We revere them, but we also use them. We mass produce livestock, we keep house pets, we go on luxury safaris and, at the same time, we protect endangered species. The list of incredible contradictions in the relationship between humans and the animal kingdom seems endless and is now the focus of a new exhibit at the German Hygiene Museum in Dresden titled, "Man and Animals: Scenes from a Paradoxical Relationship". The exhibit begins in a dimly-lit room. Loud speakers pipe out the sounds of many different types of animals. Hundreds of rubber animals are held in a case behind small Adam and Eve figures. It's clear from the beginning that the show's creators have also infused a dose of humor into a provocative and deep subject. Tough moral questions "The exhibit is really about the self-image of humans," says curator Jasdan Joerges. "What's so distinguishing about humans? What makes them human? Who wears the crown of creation? Will animals in the future need a bigger divide from humans? Do we need new ethics for an animal of the future? These are the kinds of questions this exhibit deals with." Animals are a central component of human culture and civilization. Without them, we humans never would have become what we are today. The first thematic block of the exhibit, under the title "Beloved Animals," examines that motif. The wide-reaching exhibit covers everything from hunting as an existential necessity to killing for sport, to the exotic menageries kept by European dynasties to today's zoos, which have become the last refuges for some endangered species. From the everyday to the bizarre The Hygiene Museum also devotes considerable space to examining the complex relationship between humans and their pets. "The rank of house pets as a social and economic factor is enormous," says Joerges. "It's a billion euro industry. We show everything here from jars from Germany's first blood bank for dogs to animal coffins to wedding dresses for dogs to fish-flavored toothpaste for cats to a model used to teach mouth-to-snout CPR." The show brings together more than 750 artifacts including paintings, films, stuffed animals and everyday objects. It also includes its share of strange stuff, like a real elephant foot that was made into a trash can and given to former East German President Wilhelm Pieck on the occasion of his 80th birthday. All of the exhibits are displayed behind a wire-netting fence, which is meant to symbolize the border between humans and animals. A world divided The fence is omnipresent in the first three sections of the exhibit, signifying how humans have tinkered with animals and sought to perfect certain species over thousands of years. We've used genetic engineering to add ribs in order to produce more meat cutlets and we've devised technical equipment that guarantees the continued existence of breeding animals. But it also leaves you asking yourself exactly the questions the curators intended. How far should humans be able to go in their relationships with animals? Should humans be able to experiment with animals that the latest scientific discoveries show share most of our genes? The exhibit doesn't try to answer any of these questions -- it merely poses them. "Man and Animal" runs through August 10, 2003, at the Deutsches Hygiene Museum, located at Lingnerplatz 1 in Dresden. | [
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Holzklasse
Do you like to pinch pennies?
Holzklasse (literally, wood class) refers to the cheapest ticket that used to be available on a German train. In the past, that meant spending the journey sitting on flimsy wooden planks. Today, the term is often used to describe economy flight tickets, where leg room seems to be continually shrinking. First class seats, like those pictured, come with a price. Author: Breandáin O'Shea Editor: Kate Bowen | [] | [] | true |
Training your memory - Interview with memory coach Oliver Geisselhart
Memory coach and author Oliver Geisselhart gives tips on how to train the brain to remember names and faces and how to combat forgetfulness with memory exercises.
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Greece steps closer to fresh bailout money
International creditors working with Greece to come up with reforms necessary to secure the next batch of bailout loans say they have struck an agreement on the most important measures.
The clock is ticking for Greece and the international troika of the European Union, the European Central Bank, and the International Monetary Fund to reach an agreement on austerity measures needed to secure the next loan for Greece. Without the next instalment of bailout money, Greece risks defaulting on its loans and possibly exiting the eurozone. But Wednesday's progress was a sign that, at least in the near future, Greece's reforms were still on track. Greece needs to come up with an additional 13.5 billion euros ($17.7 billion) in spending cuts on top of previous austerity measures that are putting the squeeze on Greeks suffering from high unemployment and an economy that has been in recession for five years. The exact details of the deal between Greece and the troika have yet to be determined, but the two sides have agreed on most policy issues. Sources close to the negotiations say the final remaining sticking point is labor reform. Representatives from the troika left Greece on Wednesday and are scheduled to update European leaders at a two-day EU summit that kicks off on Thursday. Greece is likely to dominate the talks even though the country isn't officially the focus of the discussion. mz/jm (Reuters, AP, AFP) | [
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Jewelry found at Sobibor could be linked to Anne Frank: researchers
A Jewish girl's necklace found at the former Sobibor Nazi death camp has led researchers to speculate she may have known the famous diarist Anne Frank. The pendant belonged to Karoline Cohn, also of Frankfurt.
Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial said Karoline Cohn's necklace with a triangular pendant was unearthed at the former death camp by researchers, who believe it fell between floorboards when taken off on the way to the gas chambers. The museum issued an appeal Sunday, urging anyone or surviving relatives who knew more about Cohn to make contact with Yad Vashem. The necklace - engraved with three small Stars of David, the date July 3, 1929, and the word "Frankfurt" - appeared to closely resemble one that belonged to Anne Frank, who perished at Bergen-Belsen, east of Hannover, in early 1945, aged 15. Frank and Cohn were both born in Frankfurt in 1929. Necklace unearthed at Sobibor More than 250,000 Jews were killed in Sobibor in then-Nazi-occupied Poland during World War Two, as the Hitler regime carried out its systematic murder of 6 million Jews across Europe. The excavations at Sobibor, involving researchers from Poland, the Netherlands and Israel's Antiquities Authority and conducted since 2007, have so far uncovered the gas-chamber foundations and train platform used by the Nazis. On the pendant were also the Hebrew letter "heh," symbolizing God, and the word "Mazal Tov," literally translated as "good luck," but used as an expression of congratulations for a joyous or significant occurrence. Ex-guard Demjanjuk One of the guards at Sobibor, John Demjanjuk, was convicted in 2011 by a Munich court of being an accessory to the murders of more than 28,000 Jews on the sole ground that he been present at the death camp. His conviction set a belated landmark legal precedent for German courts, which had previously argued that the top Nazi leadership was mainly to blame. Demjanjuk, a former autoworker in the US state of Ohio, died in 2012 before his appeal application was heard. He had denied serving at Sobibor. Ministry shielded ex-Nazi jurists A recent German Justice Ministry study compiled by historians and published last October found that Germany's immediate post-war justice system was infested with ex-Nazis who shielded each other. Current German Justice Minister Heiko Maas said the study helped explain why post-war German courts convicted only around 6,650 ex-Nazis, a tiny fraction of the membership in Hitler's NSDAP party. "The Nazi-era lawyers went on to cover up old injustice rather than to uncover it, and thereby created new injustice," said Maas. Jurists who survived the war in exile or joined the anti-Nazi resistance remained largely unemployed by the ministry. ipj/tj (AFP, Reuters, dpa) | [
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Contentious US-Korea missile defense system delayed
China has long campaigned against the deployment of the military system and some Korean politicians say it is not worth the trouble. It is a heated political issue in a country gripped by political instability.
The deployment of a controversial US missile defense system in South Korea designed to protect against North Korean aggression could be delayed, Seoul's defense ministry said on Monday. The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system was due to be built on a golf course owned by the Lotte Group conglomerate in the Seongju region, southeast of South Korea's capital Seoul. "The plan to go ahead with the exchange will be signed by mid-January, but there is a possibility it will be slightly delayed," South Korean ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun said. He said they were waiting on a meeting with Lotte directors to settle land use fees. South Korea and the US had said the THAAD deployment was to protect against North Korea's growing nuclear and ballistic capabilities. Heavy regional opposition But China strongly objected, saying its powerful radar could penetrate Chinese territory. This led to some South Korea opposition leaders to call for its delay or cancellation. They argued that the security benefits would be outweighed by worsened relations with China and Russia. China and Russia railed against the deployment, warning of unspecified retaliation and a sharp downturn in relations with Seoul if it went ahead. "China believes it is a serious threat to China's security interests and for the region," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said last week. "I believe that as long as our country has legitimate security concerns, it is understandable that necessary measures be taken to safeguard such interests." Local landowners also protested against its use saying it would destroy melon crops and make the area a target for North Korea. Effect of political crisis South Korea is currently in the midst of a political crisis after lawmakers voted to impeach incumbent President Park Geun-hye over an influence-peddling scandal. If upheld by the Constitutional Court, the motion will trigger new presidential elections. Presidential hopeful Moon Jae-in said its deployment should wait until the next administration is elected. Potential rival candidate, former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, said on Sunday it was appropriate for THAAD to be deployed in the country. "Since the reality is the Korean peninsula is in a quasi-war-like state, such action made by the government is appropriate," Ban was quoted by South Korea's Yonhap News Agency as saying. aw/rt (Reuters, AP) | [
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Gambian refugees in Germany react to crisis at home
Gambian refugees across the world are following the political crisis in their home country with both apprehension and hope. DW's Daniel Pelz met some of them in Germany's capital Berlin.
General's hands were glued to his smartphone, even when he spoke. "I am so scared. I am always thinking about Gambia, about what's happening next," the 30-year-old refugee from The Gambia said in a fast-paced voice. Like many of the estimated 14,500 Gambians in Germany, he has been anxiously waiting for a peaceful end to the political crisis at home. General is not his real name. While he sat in a small cafe in Berlin's Kreuzberg district, his thoughts always wandered back to his family at home. "I call my brother every day after waking up to ask if everything is okay. And at night I go online and read what news is there. Sometimes I don't even sleep. I just have to read what is happening," he said. His younger brothers have already fled The Gambia. Like some 45,000 other Gambians, they have crossed the border into neighboring Senegal. WhatsApp connections General showed me a video on his smartphone where people are standing beside a country road, clapping and shouting while armored vehicles drive by. It's said to show Senegalese troops entering The Gambia, but that's impossible to verify. Messages kept popping up on his screen. Through WhatsApp, Gambians like General are struggling to stay in touch with friends and relatives. Even some Gambian soldiers he went to school with are sending him messages. "I just wonder what's next. We have never experienced war. We never had a situation like this since I was born," he said. "Everybody is very excited. They all hope that change will finally come," said Brigitta Varadinek. She's the founder of Bantabaa, an association which provides legal advice, training courses and German language classes for Gambian refugees in Berlin. Even after the Gambian President Yahya Jammeh backtracked on his original promise to accept defeat after elections last December prompting the current stand-off, many of the Gambian refugees in Germany have remained hopeful, Varadinek said. "We were very afraid and pessimistic about what would happen next, but they remained optimistic and said now he has to step down. Of course they were afraid for their families, but they kept being optimistic. I think in the end they will be right, change will come," she said. Hope remains That's what 42-year-old Carlos (not his real name) also desperately has been hoping for. "I tried to call my family yesterday and also this morning and did not get them. I was very confused," Carlos said as he clinched his left fist. "I am so afraid, because Jammeh does not want to step down." Three years ago he fled Gambia because of President Jammeh's draconian regime. "You could not say what you wanted to say, you could not do, what you wanted to do. Whatever you do, the government would come to you, beat you, put you into prison. It was very hard for me. I do not like this government of Jammeh," he said. More messages have arrived from The Gambia. Some people there were already celebrating because they were convinced that the ECOWAS troops would oust President Jammeh. On another video, a crowd cheered and clapped in front of the chief of staff of Gambia's army. He was announcing that the army would not fight against the foreign soldiers. But Carlos could not breathe easily just yet. "I am still afraid, until I hear that they have caught Jammeh or that he is gone. When I hear that Jammeh has gone or Jammeh has been caught, I will be happy for that," he said. | [
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Authorities probe Hungarian bus company over deadly Italy crash
Hungary and Italy have begun probing a bus crash that killed 16 people. Survivors also thanked the heroic actions of a Hungarian gym teacher and his wife who tragically lost two of their own children in the crash.
Criminal negligence charges may be levied against the owners of a bus that was involved in a fatal accident in Italy over the weekend, Hungarian police said on Sunday. Investigators raided the offices of Pizolitbusz Ltd in the southern Hungarian city of Kiskunfelegyhaza on Sunday looking for technical information on the bus. The crash near Verona left 16 members of a Hungarian school group, returning from a ski vacation, dead while two people are battling life threatening injuries. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto confirmed on Sunday that the bus carrying Hungarian students had 56 people on board, including two Hungarian drivers, when it crashed and burst into flames. He said it could take days to officially identify the victims due to severe burns. "Two people are in critical condition and have not yet been identified. One of the injured has suffered third-degree burns on 60 percent of his body," Szijjarto said adding that another four people remained in serious condition. Heroic rescue Survivors of the bus crash told Italian media on Sunday that they were saved thanks to the actions of a gym teacher, his wife and a student. Gym teacher Gyorgy Vigh and his wife Erika dashed repeatedly into the blazing bus to get students but were unable to extract their own son and daughter, reported the "Corriere della Sera" newspaper. "The teacher's wife was aboard and "she saw her daughter die. She didn't see her son at all, but unfortunately he was among the deceased," confirmed Judit Timaffy, the Hungarian consulate in Milan, speaking to ANSA news agency. Survivors also spoke of a fellow student who saved numerous lives by running up and down the aisle of the bus, breaking windows with an emergency hammer. "When he broke the one next to me I threw myself out. I don't know if I would have been able to get out if he hadn't been so brave. I never saw him again" a student identified as Andras told the "La Stampa" newspaper. Police found the boy's body near the windows, still holding the hammer, highway police chief Girolamo Lacquaniti told local media. Malfunctioning wheel? A Slovenian truck driver who had been driving behind the bus told authorities that he noticed one of the vehicle's wheels appeared to be malfunctioning, a police official told news agency DPA. The owner of the bus company told the MTI news agency on Sunday that the bus was in good condition before the trip, adding that he could not explain the accident. rs/jm (AP, dpa, Reuters) | [
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Mexican president calls Canada's Trudeau ahead of NAFTA talks
Mexico's President Pena Nieto has asked Canada's Prime Minister Trudeau to help press Donald Trump on the importance of NAFTA to the region. Trump has promised to renegotiate or tear up the free trade agreement.
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday as the two agreed to mount a united front after US President Donald Trump announced he would meet with the pair to renegotiate a regional trade deal. A statement from Pena Nieto's office said that Mexico would push for economic integration in North America. Earlier on Sunday, Trump announced plans to meet with Pena Nieto and Trudeau "very soon" to discuss the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Trump has said he wants a "fair deal" for the United States, and has threatened to withdraw from the treaty if a new agreement is not reached. Under the deal's stipulations, it is relatively simple for one party to withdraw from the agreement. One country simply has to notify the other signatories, thereby opening up a 180-day window for a new deal to be reached. Canadian officials have warned their US counterparts that with the two countries' economies so inextricably linked, protectionist adjustments to the deal would hurt Americans and Canadians alike. As Canada's ambassador to Washington, David MacNaughton, pointed out on Sunday, however, his country is not likely to be in the spotlight during the talks. "I don't think Canada is the focus at all," MacNaughton told reporters. "But we are part of NAFTA, and there are discussions that need to be had, and we'll be having them over the next few weeks." Mexican economy shudders under Trump comments The situation may be more worrying for Mexico, as Trump's threats to sanction companies that move manufacturing from the US to its southern neighbor have sent shock waves through Mexico's economy. The announcement of renewed NAFTA negotiations came ahead of high-level talks on immigration, trade and security between senior US and Mexican officials set to take place on Wednesday and Thursday. Trump will met with Pena Nieto separately on January 31. Despite his repeated threats to build a border wall between their two countries, Trump praised his Mexican counterpart on Sunday when he discussed the NAFTA talks. "The president has been really very amazing and I think we are going to have a very good result for Mexico, for the United States, for everybody involved. It's very important." es/kl (AP, AFP, Reuters) | [
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Vatican will take over Knights of Malta following condom row
Pope Francis requested Grand Master Matthew Festing to step down from the Knights of Malta. The decision comes during an ongoing argument between church liberals and conservatives over the use of condoms.
Grand Master Matthew Festing is out of the Knights of Malta following a request by Pope Francis. "The Grand Master was received on Tuesday by Pope Francis who requested his resignation, which the Grand Master agreed to," a spokesman for the Order told French press agency AFP. Festing's resignation still must be confirmed by the Knights of Malta's sovereign council, which is scheduled to convene on Saturday. The Vatican said a papal delegate would be named to lead the Order. Condoms at the forefront Grand Masters of the Knights of Malta are usually in the position for life, but the disagreement over the use of condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS, and the controversy following the removal of Knights' Grand Chancellor Albrecht Freiherr von Boeselager for allowing the distribution of condoms in the Order's humanitarian aid agency pushed Francis into action. Festing also claimed in a leaked letter that three Vatican appointees had a conflict of interest due to links to a Geneva-based fund the Order also had a stake in. It appears the defiance of papal authority was the final straw. Von Boeselager was health minister of the order when the Malteser International was found to have distributed condoms in Myanmar under his watch. The church forbids the use of condoms or other forms of artificial contraception. Von Boeselager said he shut down two programs in Myanmar but kept a third going as it was the only supplier of basic medical services for needy people. Liberals vs. conservatives Von Boeselager's dismissal is seen as being due to him being too liberal for Cardinal Raymond Burke, a conservative figure from the US and the Vatican. Burke has been outspoken in his views, which directly contrast with Pope Francis. Francis, as well as his predecessor Benedict XVI, said the use of condoms to preserve life is acceptable in AIDS-ravaged communities. The Knights of Malta was founded in Jerusalem in 1048 as a community of hospitals. After it was recognized by the pope in 1113, it now operates in 120 countries with 13,500 members and 100,000 employees and volunteers. kbd/rc (AFP, AP, Reuters) | [
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Shell sells North Sea oil fields to rival group
Royal Dutch Shell has agreed to sell 3.6 billion euros ($3.8 billion) worth of its North Sea assets to oil explorer Chrysaor as part of its debt restructuring plan aimed at adapting to lower oil prices.
Ten Shell-owned oil fields in the North Sea will go to smaller rival group Chrysaor under the deal, reducing the anglo-dutch energy giant's output by over half. Some 400 employees are expected to transfer to Chrysaor. The transaction, which is still subject to regulators' approval, is slated for completion in the second half of 2017. The move is an integral part of Shell's strategy to adapt to lower oil prices and pay off debt in the wake of its massive takeover of rival BG group. "This deal shows the clear momentum behind Shell's global, value-driven $30 billion divestment program," said Simon Henry, Shell's chief financial officer, adding that the "value here represents a profit against the book values of the assets, and a breakeven oil price above that for the BG acquisition." Shell took over BG Group for $52.6 billion last year, increasing its proven reserves by 25 percent. Many critics questioned the logic of the move at a time when oil prices hit 12-year lows amid slowing economic growth in China and increased production in the US. Oil prices have since rebounded somewhat, with Brent crude currently back above $50 a barrel. hch/uhe (AP, DPA) | [
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Lake Chad: 'Countries need to recognize the gravity of the crisis'
The Lake Chad Basin crisis is now at a turning point. Boko Haram’s attacks and military counter-offensives have displaced at least 2.3 million people.
The Lake Chad Basin is grappling with a humanitarian emergency affecting some 17 million people across north-eastern Nigeria, northern Cameroon, western Chad and Niger. Many of those affected have had to flee their homes. The majority of the displaced are sheltered by communities who are themselves among the world’s most vulnerable. The Lake Chad Basin crisis was until recently one of the fastest growing refugee crises in Africa and it is becoming the most acute food and nutritional crisis in Africa. It is the fourth biggest humanitarian response for United Nations (UN) and non-governmental organisations in 2017. Toby Lanzer, the assistant Secretary-General to the UN, spoke to DW ahead of the Oslo Humanitarian Conference on Nigeria and the Lake Chad Region at the end of February. DW: How is the humanitarian situation in the Lake Chad region? Toby Lanzer: The situation continues to be very grave. I think over the past few months we have understood more fully what is happening thanks to an improved security situation which has enabled the United Nations and its partners to travel further afield from the main town, Maiduguri, and get a stronger appreciation from the people themselves who have been stuck in many villages and towns. But we know that there are millions of people in desperate need of humanitarian assistance and we are doing our utmost together with the international community to meet the needs. Has the response from foreign governments been adequate? Well, adequate is a difficult word to use. And I think there are so many crises in different parts of the world. I think that via DW and others we are hoping to get the word out. That there is a particularly grave crisis the numbers are huge 10 million in need, 7 million who are severely food insecure, and 515,000 children who are acutely malnourished. I don’t think any single government on earth in the world could face that alone. International solidarity is required. And that is required at a time when pressures are high all over the globe and so, no, the response is inadequate at the moment but am hopeful that in coming weeks more countries will come on board and help the UN and NGOs to work with the communities and the authorities of Cameroon, Chad, Niger and of course of Nigeria, to meet the needs. What support do you want from the German government? I think Germany has really come on board as a very strong supporter in political terms and the chancellor herself has been to Niger one of the key countries in this region. I think that political support usually signals financial support which I understand will be on its way. And at the end of the day, that’s actually what people need because the money will be translated into medicines, food, shelter, and all the other things that people who are in desperate need require on a day to day basis to weather this terrible storm that’s afflicted them. What is your wish as far as the donor's conference is concerned? There will be a conference thanks to Germany, Nigeria and Norway, and with support of the UN, the international community will gather in Oslo Norway on the February 24. I think my wish there is really a stronger recognition by a broader range of countries including Canada, the Netherlands, and Korea. Let's say a broader range of countries who recognize the gravity of the situation and the scale of the need and that that they actually join the effort of countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Commission and the UN in meeting peoples various serious need to survive this violence perpetrated by Boko Haram, which comes on top of abject poverty, climate change and real challenges which have wrecked peoples lives and made it so very difficult for them. What could the governments of the countries located in the Lake Chad region do? We are hopeful that, whether it’s Cameroon, Chad, Niger or Nigeria, they will continue to do what they have been which is to do that utmost to care for their own people. But there are limits to what poor countries can do. And you know on that note so many people look at me and say " isn’t Nigeria a rich country?" Well it is and it is not. At the moment oil production has plummeted. Oil prices are low so it’s a very trying moment for Nigeria to do everything that it would like to for its own people. But let's congratulate the government of Nigeria and others in the region for having facilitated the work of the aid agencies. For having made sure that we feel welcome, for making sure that we are safe. This is a difficult part oft the world to be operating in. Violent extremists are not particularly easy by any means when it comes to the populations of the region, but also aid agencies. So the governments really have been very forthcoming trying to do as much as they possibly can, but also welcoming the international communities support in this time of severe crisis. Toby Lanzer is the assistant-Secretary General to the United Nations and Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Sahel region. Interview: Daniel Pelz | [
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Cazeneuve, Merkel reaffirm Paris-Berlin links
France's new premier Bernard Cazeneuve says the French-German partnership remains a "daily lived reality." Welcoming him on his first visit to Berlin, Chancellor Merkel said a strong Europe depends on their two nations.
Cazaneuve on Monday began a two-day visit to Berlin, emphasizing that the Paris-Berlin dialog was "so important" for Europe in turbulent times in which populists had become louder and the EU faced strains. Answers had to be communicated to those who had doubts about Europe's "added value," said France's premier on his first bilateral trip abroad. "It's also our joint obligation to push for the stability of the eurozone and to ensure growth and employment," said Cazeneuve, referring to joblessness, which is relatively high among young people in France. 'Intertwinned,' says Merkel Chancellor Angela Merkel told a Berlin news conference that Germany and France were "intertwined" through close trade relations. "Europe can only be strong when both countries prosper economically," she said. Merkel also vowed intensive consultation with France on anti-terror initiatives. Danger could only be mitigated through close cooperation, she added. Cazeneuve praises Merkel's 'courage' Cazeneuze praised what he called Merkel's "courage" during the so-called refugee crisis of 2015 and early 2016, when migrants transited Aegean-Balkans routes, heading mainly for Germany and Scandinavia. In its aftermath, Europe needed "stronger controls of the EU's external borders," Cazeneuve said, coupled with joint efforts by all EU nations to cope with arrivals in the context of the "values of humanity." Only indirectly did Cazeneuve refer to the new US President Donald Trump, saying it was good that Paris and Berlin spoke with one voice on transatlantic relations. Cazeneuve-Schulz encounter on Tuesday On Tuesday, the second day of Cazeneuve's Berlin visit, he is due to hold talks with Germany's new Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, the German federal Bundestag parliament's president Norbert Lammert and the Social Democrats' candidate for chancellor in Germany's September election, Martin Schulz, the former president of the European Parliament. Gabriel and Schulz are leading figures in Germany's Social Democratic (SPD) party, which since 2013 has been partner in Merkel's grand coalition, which also comprises her conservative CDU and Bavaria's CSU parties. Lammert, renouned for his advocacy of democracy, belongs to Merkel's Christian Democrats and led election proceedings last Sunday that saw Frank-Walter Steinmeier become German president, a largely ceremonial post. Cazeneuve rose from interior minister to French premier under President Francois Hollande in December, replacing Manuel Valls who later unsuccessfully sought the French Socialists' candidacy for France's presidential elections in April and May. In an opinion poll published on Tuesday in France, Emmanuel Macron, a former Minister of Economy in the socialist government of Francois Hollande, was forecast to win a second round vote in May for the presidency with 64 percent of the vote to 36 percent for far right leader of the FN, Marine le Pen. In a first round at the end of April, le Pen was forecast by Opionway to take 27 percent, ahead of Macron on 22 percent and Francois Fillon with 20 percent. The socialist candidate Benoit Hamon is trailing. ipj/kl (AFP, dpa, Reuters) | [
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US government sanctions Venezuelan vice president for drug trafficking
The Trump administration has slapped sanctions on Venezuela's new vice president, placing him on its narcotics "kingpin" list. Tareck El Aissami is the most senior Venezuelan official to be targeted by the US.
In a move likely to further strain ties between the two nations, on Monday the United States accused hard-line Venezuelan Vice President Tareck El Aissami of playing a "significant role" in international drug trafficking. El Aissami was designated for sanctions under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, the US Treasury Department announced on its website. The Treasury Department accused El Aissami of facilitating and overseeing large shipments of drugs from Venezuela to Mexico and the United States while serving as the country's interior minister. El Aissami, who became the vice president on January 4, was allegedly paid by Venezuela's largest convicted drug trafficker, Walid Makled, to protect shipments. He also allegedly coordinated those shipments with Mexico's violent Los Zetas cartel, the Treasury Department said in a statement. The US government also issued sanctions against Samark Lopez, a Venezuelan businessman who is believed to be El Aissami's front man. As a result of the actions, 13 companies owned or controlled by Lopez will be blocked and both men's US-held assets will be frozen Monday's sanctions freeze the assets of 13 companies owned or controlled by Lopez. They also ban US citizens from doing business with either men or the listed companies. Additionally, Lopez and El Aissami are barred from entering the United States. Sanctions 'overdue' El Aissami had long been targeted by US law enforcement officials for his alleged ties to Walid Makled as well as to a Middle Eastern militant group. During his tenure as interior minister, dozens of fraudulent Venezuelan passports were uncovered in the Middle East, including some held by alleged Hezbollah members. The sanctions were the result of a multiyear investigation to target drug traffickers in Venezuela, John Smith, the acting director of the US's Office of Foreign Assets Control, said in a statement. A former Obama administration official told the Associated Press that the move to levy sanctions against El Aissami was held up last year at the request of the State Department. At the time, they feared that the decision would interfere with Vatican-backed talks between the government and the opposition. "This was an overdue step to ratchet up pressure on the Venezuelan regime and signal that top officials will suffer consequences if they continue to engage in massive corruption, abuse human rights and dismantle democracy," said Mark Feierstein, who was Obama's top national security adviser on Latin America. Last Wednesday, 34 Republican and Democratic members of Congress sent a letter to US President Donald Trump asking his administration to sanction Venezuelan officials, including El Aissami. Senior US officials took care to emphasize that the sanctions were related to a criminal investigation and not political, diplomatic or economic. Nevertheless, the sanctions are bound to increase tensions between the United States and its harshest critic in Latin America. The countries have not stationed ambassadors in one another since 2010. rs/kl (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters) | [
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Abubakar Adam Ibrahim: northern Nigeria's 'literary provocateur'
In his first novel "Season of Crimson Blossoms" Abubakar Adam Ibrahim speaks openly about female sexuality, broaching a taboo subject in conservative northern Nigeria. Gwendolin Hilse reports.
“And because they were alone in the house, because she had always wanted to, because she could not stop herself, she moaned. With his tongue, he unlocked something deep within her. She soared with tears streaming down her face.” You could hear a pin drop while Abubakar Adam Ibrahim read out loud from his first novel "Season of Crimson Blossoms" to an audience at the Thought Pyramid Art Center in Nigeria's capital Abuja. 50 pairs of eyes were fixed on the 37-year-old author. A couple of girls in the back row - conservatively dressed with headscarves - stared at ground giggling softly to themselves. The subject of Ibrahim's novel is the sexual emancipation of Hajiya Binta Zubairu, a Muslim woman in conservative Nigeria. It is a society in which women are denied the right to sexual desire, especially when they have fulfilled the "obligations of childbirth" and are post-menopause. Binta, who belongs to this category, speaks for millions who have previously remained silent. She has done what society expected of her and lived according to its rules and yet, nonetheless, succeeds in liberating herself from its constraints by having an affair with a local crook 20 years her junior. Subject matter like this suffices to trigger heated debate in Nigera's mainly Muslim north and predominantly Christian south. "It was not easy while writing to keep a balance between reality and respect for Hausa culture," Ibrahim told DW. The Hausa ethnic group in northern Nigeria is very sensitive about how its society, traditions and values are portrayed. But Ibrahim knew that he had to expose the sexual repression of northern Nigerian women. There are many Bintas out there whose voices are not being heard. "Picture of our society" Ibrahim, who works as a journalist for one of Nigeria's leading daily newspapers, published a collection of short stories in 2012. "Season of Crimson Blossoms" was first published by Parresia in Nigeria in 2015. In June 2015, Cassava Republic bought the rights for international publication. The first edition quickly sold out in Nigeria. "As a Hausa woman, I was rather shocked when I read the book because it deals which subjects which are taboo in our culture," said 30-year-old Bilkisu Ahmad. "But it really is a realistic picture of our society." Overcoming trauma "Season of Crimson Blossoms" describes not only the affair of an unlikely couple but also a society in upheaval, locked in conflict between the modern age and the traditions of the past. The novel explores the conflicts and violence that have shaped Nigeria over the past decades and that have turned neighbors into enemies and left the victims of terrorism trying to resolve their traumas without any help from anyone.Ibrahim is himself a member of the Hausa ethnic group. He grew up in Jos, a city in northern Nigeria which has a history of ethnic and religious unrest. Binta, the main character in the novel, loses her husband and her oldest son through ethnically-motivated violence. The novel was his personal attempt to try and come to terms with his own experiences and the never-ending crisis in his home city. "It is terrible to have to watch how the city that one loves is destroyed, especially when that destruction comes from within," he said. It took a long time for Ibrahim to get over the broken relationships with people who had once been neighbors or school friends. "The worst of it is that people deliberately ignore what happened and nobody talks about it," he said. That's why he believes it is important to draw attention to the plight of the traumatized who never receive proper counseling in Nigeria. The voice of the north Ibrahim joins a long list of Nigerian authors who have won international acclaim such as Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Most of them came from the south of the country. Northern Nigeria does indeed have an extensive literature of its own, but most of it is written in Hausa and therefore accessible only to a small readership. But now that authors such as Ibrahim and Elnathan John are publishing in English, stories from northern Nigeria are acquiring a bigger, more international audience. Ibrahim made a conscious decision to write in English. "I think it is more necessary than ever before that the north [of Nigeria] establishes contact with the south and the rest of the world," he said. His publisher Bibi Bakare Yusuf agrees wholeheartedly. She founded her publishing house, Cassava Republic, in Abuja in 2006. It now has offices in London and is launching their list in the United States in April 2017. Bridge between cultures Yusuf is proud of her young writers and believes there is a great need for stories from the north. "For many Nigerians, people from other parts of the country are effectively foreigners," she said. Yusuf comes from Nigeria's financial and commercial hub, Lagos, in the south. "We know almost nothing about one another. Literature is a sort of bridge between cultures." In spite of its controversial subject matter, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim's first novel received instant acclaim. He is included in the Hay Festival's Africa 39, which is a list of the 39 most promising African writers under the age of 40. In October 2016, he won the Nigerian Literature Prize which is worth $100,000 (95,000 euros). He has also been awarded the "African Writers' Residency Award" by Germany's Goethe Institute and the Sylt Institute. In the summer of this year he will spend two months of the North Frisian island of Sylt working on his next novel. | [
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South Africa's ANC 'must end corruption' to win back voters
The ruling party has published a policy paper calling for an end to internal squabbles, poor governance and corruption. The report predicts that more voters will desert the party if it fails to reform.
An ANC policy document released on Sunday warned that the party, which has ruled virtually unopposed since the end of apartheid in 1994, now faced "declining fortunes." The paper, produced by the party's leadership, blamed "internal squabbles, money politics, corruption and poor performance in government" adding that they had all conspired "to undermine its legitimacy in the eyes of the broader public." The report also warned that the party must deliver on promises to tackle poverty, in a country where about 35 percent of the labor force is unemployed or has given up looking for work. The ANC suffered its worst-ever results in local polls last August, losing its grip on cities including Pretoria and Johannesburg, amid a slew of corruption allegations against President Jacob Zuma. The party's policy chief Jeff Radebe acknowledged that the party was "increasingly losing trust of the people." Win back trust "The organization must act urgently to restore its moral character to win back the trust of the people," he told a meeting at the ANC's Johannesburg headquarters. More than two decades after the ANC ended white-minority rule with Nelson Mandela at its helm, inequality festers in South Africa. Black people make up 80 percent of the 54 million population, yet the white minority control the lion's share of the economy in terms of ownership of land and companies. The paper contained few specific policies but is to form the basis of debates at the party's national conference which kicks off on June 30, party officials said. Zuma tries to shore up support Zuma called this month for the constitution to be changed so white-owned land could be redistributed to black South Africans without compensation for owners. He has also called for a public expenditure boost to fund a "radical economic transformation," at the same time as his Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan is trying to tackle graft and uncontrolled spending. Zuma's term as ANC leader ends at the end of the year, and a new leader will be picked at the June conference. Analysts said factional fighting over who should replace Zuma, who has governed since 2009, has seen the ANC government take its eye off much-needed policy implementation. The party's constitution does not bar him from standing for a third term, but he has repeatedly said he will not. mm/jm (AFP, Reuters) | [
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Cologne public library redefines its role through new refugee project
Is a library only a storehouse of books for visitors to borrow and read? Not for Cologne. The city library's mission is to facilitate networks of knowledge and information between residents and newcomers - the refugees.
On a sunny day, Neumarkt, Cologne's popular commercial district, is abuzz with shoppers. Slightly off the main road, a quiet street lined with small restaurants and grocery shops leads to the city's public library - a solid concrete-and-glass structure. The words "Zentralbibliothek" at the entrance door announce the location. Past the entrance hall and reading areas, a big steel door leads to the library's offices, where diligent librarians stamp, classify and line up books to be taken back to their shelves. But the library is much more than endless rows of shelves filled with books for the word-hungry. "A library is a consumerism-free space," says Hannelore Vogt, director of the Cologne Public Library. "You can be here without having to consume anything. What I mean is, if you go anywhere in the city, to a cafe or if you want to meet anyone, you need to spend money. And people perceive a library as a place where you simply go to and that is what is important for us," she adds. The 'Sprachraum' as a meeting place This was the basic idea that gave birth to the "Sprachraum" - literally, the language room - at the library. The project began in 2015, shortly before Germany experienced a massive influx of refugees who arrived in Munich in September that year. "We began receiving queries from people who wanted to know if we had space for organizing events, voluntary activities and for teaching German. Many of these were official requests, but we had several people who said they wanted to volunteer for such activities," Vogt said. Vogt and her employees then decided to open the "Sprachraum" in a separate building, a minute's walk away from the main library. The room was furnished with tables and chairs, books for learning German, a projector and whiteboards and a comfortable seating area with a couch and a coffee machine. Now, around 15 teams use the room in the morning for their courses and 55 volunteers come by in the afternoons to help migrants learn German or other subjects. "Volunteers engage with refugees in different ways," says Carolin Köhnen, head of the literature section in the library. "Many of them help in organizing events that take place in the Sprachraum," she adds, showing a brochure which announces events and meetings planned for the week. "We also decided to organize game meetings on one Saturday every month, because we thought that even if there were problems speaking the language, people would still have fun playing." Other workshops in the Sprachraum include courses in writing for everyday communication and a conversation club that decides on a topic each week. "Last week we discussed the concept of respect. We also compared holidays in Germany with those in the countries of origin of the migrants." According to Köhnen, many people attend the same events again and again, but others prefer to just sit and listen. Contrary to expectation, the Sprachraum's administrators have not faced any big problems until now. "We never had a problem in the Sprachraum where we had to call the security or something similar," says Carolin Köhnen, adding that the biggest challenge has been to find enough tables and chairs when there were too many participants. Connecting old residents with newcomers Meanwhile, Cologne's newest residents are warm up to the idea of having a space to meet new people -other than their designated shelters. On a weekday afternoon, Abdullah, from the town of Afrin in Syria, has come down to the Sprachraum to get help with his language. He arrived in Germany five months ago and is trying to get a language certificate that will let him enrol in a professional course. After a few moments of hesitation, he agrees to chat. "I am 35 years old and unmarried. I am a tailor by profession and my hobbies include music," he rattles off in short sentences in his newly-acquired German. "The Sprachraum was a coincidence. I was out for a walk and saw a poster and came here last week," he says. Since his first visit, Abdullah has been regularly coming to the library to practise spoken and written German. "I have met new people here and am happy. I am really satisfied," Abdullah says. Another refugee, El Mehdi from Algeria, is sitting at a table with a volunteer and struggling to make sense of German sentence structures - so different from his native languages, French and Arabic. El Mehdi came to know about the initiative from a friend and visited the place frequently. "I came here a lot last month, but now I am not here very often because I have to go to work," he says during a break from his German lessons. El Mehdi's teacher for today, Charlotte Starke, is used to working with refugees. She is a German teacher by profession and comes to the Sprachraum once a week. "I have worked with refugees before and am a language teacher. I am helping people here because I think it is a good thing to do," she says. The library has 55 volunteers who take turns to come and help migrants with German language lessons and participate in discussions with them. Starke and dozens of other volunteers have helped made Cologne library's Sprachraum a success and the project seems to be gathering more and more followers. For Director Hannelore Vogt, this is a prime example of how the library fulfils its role in the city. "We as a library see our role in providing the space, the media and the infrastructure, and we get things rolling," she says. Ultimately, the library connects people with one another, but the actual task is carried out by Cologne's residents for their newer counterparts - the refugees who will inhabit the city, she adds. | [
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Fed hikes interest rates as inflation picks up
The US central bank has increased its benchmark interest rate for the first time since last December. Analysts said the move was overdue and reflected a buoyant economy and higher consumer prices.
Ending its two-day policy meeting in Washington, the US Federal Reserve reported it had decided to up its key federal funds rate by 25 basis points, up from the current target range of 0.5-0.75 percent. The announcement came after a long period of no changes to the interest rates amid uncertainty over US President Donald Trump's economic agenda. Prior to Wednesday's move, the Fed had raised its key rate last December for only the second time since setting an unprecedented near-zero level at the peak of the global financial crisis in 2008. While markets had fully priced in Wednesday's rate hike, investors had been waiting for clues on the central bank's future monetary policy. There had been little doubt that the lender was now on course for regular three-monthly rises this year, but there was speculation that the rate-hike speed for 2018 and 2019 could turn out to be slightly higher. The bank said Wednesday there could be two more hikes this year, with an accelerated pace envisaged only for 2019. What made the Fed step into action? The Federal Reserve had earlier indicated that stronger signs of inflation had in no small way bolstered the argument for tighter monetary policy. The price index of personal consumption expenditures (PCE) jumped by 0.4 percent in January, showing a 1.9-percent increase for the last 12 months and thus approaching the central bank's own long-term inflation target of 2.0 percent for the first time in nearly five years. The Fed cites the spending-based PCE index as its preferred inflation gauge over the better-known consumer price index. While the latter showed only a slight 0.1-percent rise for February in data released earlier on Wednesday, the index' 12-month reading came in at 0.6 percent, reaching a nearly four-year high. The central bank was also guided by continuously good labor market figures, with roughly 200,000 new jobs created in each of the past three months and the unemployment rate standing at 4.7 percent at present. Fresh figures also showed a pickup in retail sales in the US despite delays in tax return payments, holding spending back somewhat. hg/sri (AP, dpa) | [
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China may not be the EU's answer to US protectionism
There is currently tension in the triangle of globalization powerhouses as the EU, US and China try to maintain cooperative growth amid US protectionism and Chinese ambition. Healthy competition hangs in the balance.
At the G20 finance ministers meeting in Germany on Friday, March 17, finance ministers from the world's largest economies were struggling to find consensus on free trade and protectionism for their final communiqué due to be released Saturday. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble told reporters that "It's possible that we explicitly exclude the topic of trade in Baden-Baden and say that can only be resolved at the summit of the state and government leaders." And in a phone conversation on Thursday, German Chancellor Angela Markel and Chinese President Xi Jinping, both expressed concern about the direction of US trade policy. Last year, China surpassed the US as Germany's largest trading partner. The uncertainty at the G20 and the handshaking between Berlin and Beijing are in response to an anticipated US turn to protectionism under President Donald Trump's "America First" economic rhetoric and statements from Trump threatening import duties on Chinese and German goods. In February, Reuters reported that the EU was preparing an "early" summit in April or May with China to "promote free trade and international cooperation" in the face of protectionism from Washington. The report suggests that China wants to reemphasize President Xi Jinping's performance at the World Economic Forum in Davos where he championed China as a bastion of globalization. But behind diplomatic assurances of cooperation and open markets between China and the EU vis á vis a new tone in Washington, the US and the EU share concerns that if China becomes the leader in key global industries, they will able to form their own protectionist policies and cut out western companies in favor of domestic enterprises. A great wall of innovation The EU Chamber of Commerce in China recently released a report criticizing Beijing's plan "Made in China 2025," which calls for a giant increase in Chinese domestic production in key industries like transportation, robotics and renewable energy. They argue that eventually China will be able to discriminate against foreign companies, or pressure foreign businesses to give up technology in return for near-term market access. Unlike in the EU and US, China is more able to manipulate its domestic market with government subsidies of preferred companies instead of allowing market competition to determine which enterprises succeed. European and American companies would find it hard to compete with government-supported Chinese firms. "A decision to continue to use industrial policy to set market share targets for both China's domestic and international markets instead of allowing the market to determine who wins would come at Europe's expense," Lance Noble, policy and communications manager at the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, told DW. "If they are allowed to compete on an even playing field, European firms with advanced knowhow and products can make an important contribution to this process," added Noble. Mirjam Meissner, head of the economy and technology program at the Berlin-based Mercator Institute of China Studies (MERICS) told DW that, in general, China wouldn't grow at Europe's expense, but that government intervention in industries would lead to market conditions that discriminate against foreign companies on the Chinese market. "In those sectors that have been identified by the Chinese government as strategic industries, this potentially leads to a painful decrease of market share for European companies within a few years," said Meissner. Growth is good China's aim to liberalize its markets and become a global innovator is a positive thing for the global economy, but for observers, the question remains how they go about growing key industries at the will of market mechanisms free of government subsidies. "Government intervention in the market and state steering of investment, both in China and Europe, is an integral part of the 2025 initiative," said Noble. "Unfortunately, governments are not well placed to pick winners or to determine which industries will drive future development." But there are many indications that China is developing a large number of dynamic and innovative companies using a less direct form of government intervention. "While the 'old' model of creating markets with the help of massive government funding still exists and poses a certain risk for the success of the strategy, the methods of government intervention have become subtler and more diversified in the past few years," said Meissner, adding that the government would use a "fine-tuned" system of policy measures to steer the economy and market players into the direction it is aiming at. The eagle and the dragon In the US, a report recently released by the Washington-based technology and innovation think tank, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) took a much more direct tone regarding Chinese industrial ambitions under Made in China 2025 than the EU report. The report stated clearly that Chinese "mercantilism" was a direct threat to the US economy and the global trading system. Robert Atkinson, economist and president of the ITIF, told DW that the US would need to work with allies in the EU to "constructively push back" against Chinese "innovation mercantilism." "The United States will have to lead this coalition but European nations will have to be willing to participate and not sit on the sidelines in the hope that the US plays the role of 'bad cop' while they sit back and enjoy 'good' relations with China," said Atkinson. "Chinese firms are heavily dependent on government support, and taking advantage of foreign firms, in developing local champions in these sectors," added Atkinson. "No doubt there are pockets of genuine innovation and competitiveness in some high-tech sectors in China, but the vast majority of the activity we see happening in these high-tech sectors is driven by the government, which leads to ineffective policies and wasteful spending." "If the Chinese government wanted to significantly curb its innovation mercantilist policies and actions it could easily do so. They simply chose not to do so because they want to gain global market share in advanced industries," said Atkinson. Can everyone work together? The balance between the world's three economic powerhouses is in a state of continual flux as each player tries to gain influence, maintain dominance or ensure stability. Whether the EU or the US constructively participate in China's growth and increasing gravity in a globalized economy depends on identifying common goals and common outcomes, which can benefit enterprise while being politically palatable for each region. "China will improve economic governance and transparency, but its understanding of both substantially differs from what we would assume in Europe," said Meissner at MERICS. "We should not expect China to turn into a liberal market economy based on our standards of economic governance and transparency. Instead, China is about to develop its own model of economic governance and it is highly likely that this will provide a strong basis for fast industrial development." | [
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Swiss open probe into spying on its Turkish community
A criminal investigation has been opened into allegations that the Ankara government has spied on expatriate Turks. Several academic events in Switzerland were reportedly filmed and photographed by unspecified agents.
Swiss prosecutors said on Friday they had "concrete suspicions [of espionage] against the Turkish community in Switzerland [by] a political intelligence service." The Office of the Attorney General confirmed it had opened a criminal investigation on March 16, after receiving a green light from the Swiss government. Prosecutors, however, refused to provide details on which specific people or organizations the investigation was targeting. University events filmed The investigation follows reports that in January, two men took photos of the participants at a University of Zurich seminar discussing the 1915 Armenian genocide by Ottoman Turks, a term which the Ankara government vehemently rejects. Local media reported that other events at the University in late 2016 and early 2017 were filmed or photographed, including one where the editor in chief of the Turkish newspaper "Cumhuriyet" was honored. On Thursday, the Swiss foreign minister told his Turkish counterpart that his country would "rigorously investigate" any illegal spying by Ankara on expatriate Turks and urged Turkey to comply with Swiss law. Close to 70,000 Turkish citizens live in Switzerland, according to Swiss government statistics, while the Turkish embassy's website refers to 130,000 Turkish nationals. Guarded response Still, the Swiss government has been trying to avoid a confrontation similar to those seen in Germany and the Netherlands in recent weeks after Turkish ministers were banned from attending political rallies in support of a referendum on Turkey's new draft constitution. The vote on April 16 would see Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's powers massively expanded, amid criticism that he has already sought to crack down on dissent. Switzerland has not blocked the campaign events, but Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu did call off a visit earlier this month after the hotel he had booked for a rally refused to host it. Separate lawsuit In mid-March, a member of Switzerland's upper house of parliament, Josef Dittli, filed a lawsuit accusing two Turkish organizations of spying on Turkish citizens and dual nationals living in Switzerland and requested an investigation. His suit singled out the Swiss Turkish-Islamic Foundation (TISS) and the Union of European Turkish Democrats and said Turkish diplomatic institutions might also be involved, according to the ATS news agency. Allegations of intelligence gathering by Erdogan supporters have arisen elsewhere in Europe. Last month, German police raided the apartments of four imams suspected of spying for Turkey's government on followers of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Ankara of organizing a failed coup last July. mm/sms (AFP, Reuters) | [
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Unnecessary protection? YouTube's 'LGBT filter'
YouTube's "restricted" mode aims to keep children and young people from seeing inappropriate content. But harmless videos by members of the LGBT community are also being blocked.
The British video blogger Rowan Ellis was one of the first to notice the problem. If you scroll down to the bottom of a page on YouTube and click on "restricted mode," lots of videos dealing with gay, lesbian, bi- or transsexual issues are no longer visible. "In that mode, there are 40 of my videos you can't see," she says. These include a video she made with her father in which he gives tips to other parents on how to support their lesbian, gay, bi- or transsexual child. YouTube introduced the "restricted" function in 2010. The company says it's intended primarily as an aid for institutions such as schools to help them control content. YouTube said in an official statement that, once the mode is activated, videos that are obscene or violent or deal with "certain illnesses such as addiction or eating disorders" should no longer be searchable. And it works - rather too well, unfortunately. Many videos labeled with the keywords "gay," "lesbian," "transsexual" or "bisexual" are also categorized as "possibly inappropriate" when the user is in restricted mode. Or, to put it another way: They can't be viewed. Only seven videos not blocked The German non-profit organization queerblick e.V. is among those affected. Only seven out of a total of 462 videos on the organization's channel are still available once the restricted mode has been activated. YouTube's algorithm evaluates as "possibly inappropriate" videos with titles such as "Coming out as trans," "Nic tells his story," or "Pickled cucumbers and a liter of milk – Michelle on the interview couch." Paul Klammer, co-founder of the organization and a member of its board, only realized what was happening once the debate had kicked off in the US and Britain. "It is quite a blow," he told DW. As for what makes the seven unblocked videos different from the other 455, he really couldn't say. Klammer, a science journalist, founded the organization in 2009 along with a couple of friends, with the aim of offering other young people some authentic role models. At the time, the number of LGBT videos available online was very limited, and co-founder Falk Steinborn, also a journalist and a media trainer, established as part of his PhD research that young LGBT people wished there were more videos online that addressed themes relevant to them. Honored by the Family Ministry - blocked by YouTube Their YouTube channel now has almost 38,000 subscribers, and the project has received numerous awards, most recently from the German Ministry for Family Affairs. The videos the organization publishes on its YouTube channel are all made under the guidance of professional media trainers. "The videos address the worries and needs of young people that age, particularly people who are gay, lesbian, bi- or transexual," says Paul Klammer. The organization also broadcasts its videos on German television, on the local educational channel nrwision. However, as Klammer explains, YouTube is much more important when it comes to getting them out to a wider audience. YouTuber Rowan Ellis also emphasizes the importance of YouTube for people who are confused about their sexual identity. "There are a lot of people, both young and old, who are very afraid and don't feel at home in their bodies. These people have often been helped by online videos, because they couldn't talk about it to anyone," Ellis told DW. Apology from YouTube Some 23,500 people have subscribed to Ellis's channel, and in Britain she's an official YouTube ambassador. "I know they do take the issue of diversity seriously; a lot of people in the company have done a lot in this area," she says. However, it makes her furious that her videos have been blocked, yet at the same time extremely insulting comments are publicly visible underneath them when the filter is deactivated. "I had to ask 10 guest moderators to help me as I couldn't get through the comments fast enough," she says. So far, the company has made hardly any comment. There was just one short blog entry on a blog aimed specifically at YouTube producers. In response to an enquiry from DW, the parent company, Google, confirmed that there have been no other statements on the subject so far. In the statement, YouTube admits that the function isn't working as it's supposed to: "We're sorry, and we'll put that right," it said. However, several days have passed since that announcement and nothing has happened. The company has just removed a few selected videos from the restricted mode filter bubble. Hashtag: The YouTubeIsOverParty YouTube has said that only 1.5 percent of the videos watched on the channel are viewed in restricted mode – but that they understand this is "a matter of principle." However, for YouTuber Rowan Ellis and many other users this admission is not enough. They've initiated the Twitter hashtag #YouTubeIsOverParty to call on people to work together to set up a new platform. Because, as Ellis points out, there isn't really an alternative to YouTube. "It's not intended as a call for a boycott; it's more of a symbolic appeal," she says. "And we'll keep saying it loud until YouTube makes some changes." Paul Klammer and his organization queerblick also say they don't want to take any action on this for the time being. "YouTube is the platform that made LGBT bloggers and producers big in the first place, and it's always supported them," he said. Nonetheless, he too is demanding that the filter be revised: "LGBT people are a part of the world we live in - whether or not they're ignored online." | [
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South African finance minister Pravin Gordhan sacked in cabinet reshuffle
A major cabinet reshuffle in South Africa has the potential to widen rifts within the ruling ANC. President Jacob Zuma is under renewed pressure to step down.
South African President Jacob Zuma sacked his popular finance minister late Thursday as part of a larger cabinet reshuffle which could deepen divisions within the ruling ANC party and spook investors. Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, who has clashed with Zuma for months over graft and public spending, was replaced by Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba, a relatively unknown figure with little finance experience. Zuma also made changes at 10 of the country's 35 ministries, including energy, police and tourism. Some of the ministers are newcomers, while others were moved to new portfolios. "I have directed the new ministers and deputy ministers to work tirelessly with their colleagues to bring about radical socioeconomic transformation and to ensure that the promise of a better life for the poor and the working class becomes a reality," Zuma said in a statement. The mid-night announcement sent the rand lower, extending losses from earlier this week that were triggered by speculation Gordhan would be replaced after Zuma recalled him from a trade trip in London. Investors are concerned that Zuma will now be unrestrained in government spending. Gordhan is widely respected by international investors and domestically for his tough stance on corruption and budget discipline at a time the country faces possible credit rating downgrades. Those positions have brought Gordhan up against Zuma allies who argue he was blocking efforts to tackle inequality. The cabinet reshuffle comes amid a split within the ruling African National Congress and growing calls for Zuma to step down over corruption and mismanagement. A number of senior ANC officials had sided with Gordhan in a months-long dispute with Zuma and warned against replacing him. "We view this as an open attack on Treasury to replace people who are conservative and anti-corruption with people loyal to Zuma," said Peter Attard Montalto, analyst at Nomura bank. "Zuma is taking a risk here and the next step is to watch what happens with resignations." The South African Communist Party, which is in an alliance with the ANC, warned that the party's seven cabinet members would resign if Zuma replaced his finance minister. Divisions within the ANC were on display earlier this week at the funeral of anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Kathrada, a critic of Zuma. The funeral turned into a political demonstration as Gordhan received a standing ovation and several longtime leaders of the ANC called on Zuma to step down. The president did not attend the funeral at the request of Kathrada's family. The party that spearheaded the anti-apartheid struggle has lost popularity due to corruption allegations, unemployment and poor economic growth. The scandal-plagued Zuma is under increasing pressure to resign. "Zuma has bowed to the whims of those who determined to enrich themselves at the expense of the poor & jobless," the Democratic Alliance, the country's main opposition said. The party said it would call for a no-confidence vote in Zuma in parliament Also on Thursday, leftist opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party applied to the country's top court to request parliament begin impeachment proceedings against Zuma for lying to the legislature. Last year, the court found Zuma guilty of breaking the constitution after he refused to repay money for upgrades to his home. He is also battling a court order to prevent the reemergence of almost 800 corruption charges over an arms deal in the 1990s. The president is also accused of having unscrupulous ties with wealthy Gupta business family. He has allegedly given them influence over appointing ministers and provided special treatment for contracts. In November, the president survived an attempt by senior party officials to oust him. Gordhan, who was finance minister between 2009 to 2014, took back the portfolio in December 2015 after Zuma unsettled markets by firing two other finance ministers within four days. Late last year, fraud charges against Gordhan were dropped. Many pointed to the charges being politically motivated. cw/bw (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters) | [
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What alchemy and art have in common
Alchemists and artists alike are highly ingenious, transforming materials and creating their own worlds and realities. A Berlin show now throws some light on how they have mutually inspired each other over centuries.
In a way, they are artists. That's the topic explored by the large-scale exhibition "Alchemy. The Great Art," which runs from April 6 to July 23, 2017, in Berlin's Kulturforum. The foreword of the exhibition's program explains that alchemy is a creation myth and therefore intimately related to artistic practice. Berlin's Kulturforum can be seen as predestined location for such a show, as the Berlin state museums and the Berlin state library contain a myriad of items representing 3,000 years of art and cultural history. The exhibition was also supplemented by loans from international institutions. From Ancient Egypt to Joseph Beuys On show are 200 exhibits, ranging from items of Ancient Egyptian temples and writings of the early modern era to works of contemporary artists including Anselm Kiefer, Yves Klein and Joseph Beuys. As the permanent transformation of materials is part of Beuys' work, he actually sees himself as part of the alchemist tradition. Alchemy, the art of metallurgy For thousands of years, alchemists have searched for the stone of the wise, a technique for transforming raw metals into precious ones, particularly gold. According to a legend, the deity Hermes Trismegistos engraved the formula for the creation of the stone of the wise into an emerald panel 2,500 years ago. According to that formula, the legendary stone of the wise was to be created by combining the four basic elements - namely fire, water, earth and air - with quicksilver, sulfur and salt. The term "alchemy" itself originated in Ancient Greece and signified something like "metal casting." During the Middle Ages, alchemy was referred to as "Ars Magna" in Europe. Not surprisingly therefore, the "great art" was also seen as serving artistic endeavors. The mysterious stories surrounding alchemists portray them either as cranky and crazy, or as wise and omniscient. Even if nowadays they are much ridiculed for their superstitious spirituality, alchemists were once the precursors of modern chemistry and pharmacology. Creation, creator and creature The exhibition "Alchemy. The Great Art" is divided in three sections showing how alchemists and artists have mutually influenced and enriched each other. The section "Creation" focuses on the origins of alchemy, as well as the influence of alchemist techniques on art. The section "Creator" illustrates the influence of alchemists, and their pursuit of creative power. The section "Creature" presents the successful transformation of raw materials into precious materials, as well as the creation of artworks. Click through the gallery above to see a selection of the works on show at the exhibition. | [
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How to recycle plastic yourself
Every year, we humans produce over 310 million tons of plastic. Unfortunately, just a fraction of it gets recycled. Now a designer from Holland has come up with a way for anyone to turn plastic waste into new products.
#doingyourbit is a campaign that invites anyone working on protecting the environment - whether through conservation, innovation or mitigation - to submit their projects and stories to us to be profiled both on eco@africa TV and online. The idea is to receive user generated content or produce our own content to showcase existing activities of people in Africa and Europe and to inspire others to embark on new environmental initiatives that could help to save our planet. | [
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Cambodia: New Asian tiger thrives amid autocracy
Hun Sen, Cambodia’s prime minister and Asia’s longest ruling leader is hosting the World Economic Forum on Asia and more than 700 delegates just weeks before an election. Manuela Kasper-Claridge reports from Phnom Penh.
"Cambodia is more capitalistic than the United States," says Tassilio Brinzer and enjoys how surprised his conversational partner is to hear that. Brinzer, a man in his late forties sits at a beautiful wooden table with a freshly brewed beer in front of him. Behind him, some people are shooting pool. "Hops", as it is called, serves Cambodian and Asian dishes but also Bratwurst and Currywurst. It is located in the central part of Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh. Outside, the traffic is roaring and Brinzer is visibly pleased with his pub. He even brought a master brewer in from Germany. Brinzer has been living in Cambodia for many years. Aside from his pub, he owns a restaurant, an advertising publishing company and three magazines. "Fifteen years ago, there wasn't a single building here that was higher than 5 stories," he says. "Look around now!" Cambodia's success stories and its tragic personal stories There is a new building being constructed at almost every corner. Stylish apartments with balconies are going up, as are commercial buildings with several dozen floors. The construction boom is driven by Chinese money and an economic boom that is almost unparalleled. During the past ten years, the Cambodian economy has grown by at least 7 percent year after year. That makes the South East Asian country one ofthe fastest growing economies in the world. But there are no signs of widespread wealth. Many people continue to be desperately poor. Especially in rural areas farmers can barely live on what their harvest provides. The average income is $1,200 per year. But it is important to remember that the state of the country had been catastrophic. It started with the reign of terror that the Khmer Rouge unleashed between 1975 and 1979 when they essentially tried to take the country back to the Stone Age. More than 2 million people were murdered or died of hunger and disease. What followed were years of civil war, which didn't really end completely until the mid-1990s. The heart of ASEAN Few remnants of the past are visible in the capital. There are modern street cafes, which serve baguettes or macarons, and you can find restaurants from US fast food chains throughout the city. Their offerings complement the many street food stands, which sell homemade Asian specialties at little plastic tables. "It is much easier to set up a business in Cambodia than in Vietnam or Thailand," stresses Ratana Phurik-Callebaut, Executive Director of the European Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia. All that is required is a deposit of $2,000 at a bank as a security, then you can get started, she adds. And companies can be 100 percent foreign-owned. "We are well located, we are in the heart of ASEAN." Education is the key But there reasons why foreign companies aren't founding subsidiaries here in droves. Compared to neighboring Vietnam or Thailand, the country is relatively small. There are a little less than 16 million people here and many of them lack a decent education. "After all, the Khmer Rouge killed all the teachers back then and then the doctors, the nurses, the accountants and many more," says Tassilo Brinzer, who is married to a Cambodian woman. "Almost every family lost several people. A quarter of the population - and especially the educated ones - were practically annihilated." The repercussions of this genocide can still be felt today. On many buildings there are posters with job offers for well-trained people. It is difficult to fill positions, say entrepreneurs. What is easy, however, is to find unskilled labor and it will probably take at least one more generation until the level of education among the population is reasonably good. The emergence of a middle class Tassilo Brinzer is familiar with the complaints because he runs the working group "German business," which has 28 members including Porsche, Bayer and DHL. His colleague from the European Chamber of Commerce thinks that Cambodia mainly has an image problem. "Foreign companies don't know much about Cambodia. They just think about the past but we see here even the emergence of a middle class," she emphasizes and goes on to mention several positive figures. The fact that the World Economic Forum on Asia is convening in Phnom Penh from May 10 through 12 is generally viewed as the achievement of prime minister Hun Sen who has been ruling the country with an iron fist for 32 years. His liberal economic course has boosted growth but critics see no cause for celebration. They talk about human rights violations and growing corruption. In June, Hun Sen is up for re-election. He continues to see his country as closely allied with China, both politically and economically. The WEF's Global Competitiveness Report criticizes Cambodia citing "poor governance und lack of transparency." Regardless, there are big posters in central Phnom Penh: "Welcome to the Delegates of the World Economic Forum on Asia." | [
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Woman who searched for Mexico's "disappeared" is slain
Miriam Rodriguez was known for her courage facing Mexico's drug gangs after her daughter disappeared. She was killed on Mother's Day in Mexico.
A Mexican human rights activist who tirelessly searched for her missing daughter and organized more than 600 families to look for disappeared persons was shot to death in the northern state of Tamaulipas, authorities said on Thursday. Miriam Rodriguez was shot multiple times by unknown gunmen at her home in town of San Fernando on Wednesday, which is Mother's Day in Mexico. After her daughter went missing in 2012, Rodriguez led a search that found her child's remains in an unmarked grave. She later identified the perpetrators tied to the Zetas drug cartel, nine of whom were arrested. One of the men held responsible for her daughter's death recently escaped from prison, but Tamaulipas state attorney's office said he was quickly recaptured. Still, they responded to threats against Rodriguez by providing police patrols three times a day at her house. More than 30,000 people have gone missing in drug gang-ravaged Mexico in the last decade. Citizen Community in Search of the Disappeared in Tamaulipas, the group Rodriguez founded, is one of dozens of civic organizations that have sprouted up to find disappeared persons in the absence of what they say is the state's failure to find the missing. "Mexico has become a very dangerous place for those who have the courage to devote their lives to search for missing persons," Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International director for the Americas, said in response to Rodriguez's murder. "The nightmare they face not knowing the fate or whereabouts of their relatives and the dangers they face in their work, which they perform given the negligent response from the authorities, is alarming," she said. The governor of Tamaulipas, Francisco García Cabeza de Vaca, condemned Rodriguez's murder. "The state of Tamaulipas will not allow the death of Miriam Rodriguez to be another statistic," he said on Twitter. cw/rc (AP, dpa, Reuters) | [
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China's new Silk Road summit opens with major funding vision
Announcing billions of yuan in financing, China's president has promised to assist countries along the new Silk Road. The ambitious "One Belt, One Road" initiative aims to expand links between Asia, Europe and Africa.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday announced that Beijing will lend 380 billion yuan (50.37 billion euros, $55.09 billion) to support cooperation on its ambitious "One Belt, One Road" initiative to expand links between Asia, Africa and Europe. "We should build an open platform of cooperation and uphold and grow an open world economy," said Xi during the opening of the two-day summit on the new Silk Road. "We should jointly create an environment that will facilitate opening up and development - establish a fair, equitable and transparent system of international trade and investment rules," the Chinese president added. Xi said that Beijing will also contribute an additional 100 billion yuan to the Silk Road Fund, which aims to bankroll the country's plans to build the infrastructure network for improved intercontinental trade. The attendees included Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, Russian President Vladimir Putin and UN chief Antonio Guterres. Putin said at the conference that protectionism is a threat to the global economy amid a resurgence of isolationist rhetoric on the international stage. North Korea's shadow Despite the notable absence of Western leaders at China's biggest diplomatic event this year, Xi said all countries are welcome to cooperate on the project. The US embassy in Beijing expressed concern to China for its decision to invite North Korea, which has escalated tensions in the region through multiple missile test-launches since US President Donald Trump assumed office in January. However, China's foreign ministry said in a statement that it did "not understand the situation." "The Belt and Road initiative is an open and inclusive one. We welcome all countries' delegations to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation," the foreign ministry said. Earlier on Sunday, North Korea launched a test missile believed to be a new model. The test launch prompted outrage from South Korea and Japan, saying it violated numerous UN resolutions and undermined international security. ls/rc (Reuters, AP, AFP, dpa) | [
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Bundesliga: What to watch out for on the final day of the season
All eyes will be on Hamburg as the battle to avoid the dreaded relegation play-off goes down to the wire. At the top, Dortmund and Hoffenheim fight for third, while Cologne could return to Europe after 25 years.
The relegation battle - Hamburg, Wolfsburg & Augsburg Hamburg are on the brink again. Despite an upturn in home form under Markus Gisdol, a recent run of five games without a win has once again left the Bundesliga dinosaur in serious trouble. Only a win against direct relegation rivals Wolfsburg will be enough to avoid a third play-off in four seasons. Hamburg will be without their relegation savior Pierre-Michel Lasogga, who has been ruled out with a hamstring injury. Lasogga scored the deciding goal against Greuther Fürth in the 2014 play-off and also scored a vital, last-gasp equalizer away at Schalke last week. Adding to Hamburg's worries, top scorer Nicolai Müller also limped out of training on Wednesday - although medical staff have confirmed that he has not further damaged a knee ligament which he tore only six weeks ago. Just as they did two weeks ago ahead of the 0-0 draw against Mainz, Hamburg have retreated to a secluded training camp in Lower Saxony for team-building. For opponents Wolfsburg, it's business as usual. "The special thing about us is that we're not doing anything special," said sport director Olaf Rebbe. Two years since coming second in the Bundesliga and winning the German Cup, the Wolves need a point to guarantee survival. "The pressure is on HSV," insists striker Mario Gomez, who has scored 10 of Wolfsburg's 13 goals since Dutch coach Andries Jonker took over, and who could play a decisive role on Saturday. Augsburg aren't safe yet either. Should they lose to Hoffenheim by a greater margin than Wolfsburg lose to HSV, it will be Manuel Baum's team who finish 16th. That all depends on Hoffenheim … The battle for third - Dortmund & Hoffenheim Both Borussia Dortmund and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim will play Champions League football next season - although one will have to negotiate a potentially tricky qualifying round first. After Dortmund's draw at Augsburg last week, the two sides are level on points, meaning it could come down to goal difference - a fact which annoyed Hoffenheim coach Julian Nagelsmann after his team only managed to beat Werder Bremen 5-3 last week having lead 5-0. "We could have scored seven or eight," he said. "That would have made our position much stronger." "I must admit, I didn't realize that goal difference could come into play," admitted striker Andre Kramaric. "We were too relaxed in the final 30 minutes. We could have got closer to Dortmund." The fact that Hoffenheim need to make up a four-goal deficit on Dortmund is not good news for opponents Ausgburg, for whom a heavy defeat combined with a Hamburg victory over Wolfsburg would see them drop into the play-off. Should Dortmund and Hoffenheim finish level on points and with an equal goal difference, Dortmund would finish third based on the two teams' head-to-head record. Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will be hoping to add to his 27 Bundesliga goals as the battle for the Bundesliga golden boot goes down to the final day. Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski (28 goals) will feel confident of finding the net against Freiburg. The battle for Europe - Berlin, Freiburg, Cologne & Bremen The Champions League places may have been decided but three teams are still battling to qualify for the Europa League. For Hertha Berlin, a point at home to Bayer Leverkusen would see them qualify automatically for a competition which they were knocked out of this season before it even began. For Freiburg, the Europa League would merely be an unexpected cherry on the icing of their Bundesliga cake. For all the talk of Red Bull-backed Leipzig and Dietmar Hopp's multi-million-euro investment in Hoffenheim, Christian Streich has produced a genuine fairytale in the Black Forest with the league's third-smallest budget. A point away at champions Bayern could be enough for Europe. However, doubts remain as to whether Freiburg could handle the added burden of European football with a small squad which is already set to be weakened by the departures of top scorer Vincenzo Grifo (to Borussia Mönchengladbach) and perhaps also Maximillian Philipp (interest from RB Leipzig and Tottenham Hotspur). For Cologne, the 25-year wait for European competition could finally be at an end. "One day it will happen!" the fanatical fans have been singing all season, "one day we'll go to Milan to see FC!" The whole city is buzzing with excitement. "It's the only topic in the dressing room," revealed coach Peter Stöger. "It's a final for us and for all of Cologne." Cologne must beat Mainz and hope that either Hertha or Freiburg lose. Finally, Bremen fans would have laughed at the thought of Europe when they were 15th at Christmas. But an astonishing turnaround in the second half of the season has seen the Green & Whites rocket up the table and knock on the door of the Europa League. Werder have the simple task of winning away at Dortmund and hoping that Freiburg lose and Cologne don't win. Matchday 34 in full (all Saturday 15:30 CET): Bayern Munich vs. SC Freiburg Borussia Dortmund vs. Werder Bremen Borussia Mönchengladbach vs. SV Darmstadt 98 Hertha Berlin vs. Bayer Leverkusen 1.FC Köln vs. 1.FSV Mainz 05 Hamburg vs. Wolfsburg Ingolstadt vs. Schalke 04 Hoffenheim vs. Augsburg Eintracht Frankfurt vs. RasenBallsport Leipzig | [
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The photographer behind Marilyn Monroe's most iconic photo
We've all seen Marilyn Monroe in a white dress standing over a subway ventilation. The iconic image is Sam Shaw's most famous, but certainly not his most moving. His work is now on show in Germany.
A young blond woman in a white dress standing over a ventilation grate in the New York subway, the air pushing up the dress - and the photographer snaps the picture. That's the story behind Sam Shaw's most famous picture, but it's certainly not his most moving image. It was the famous ventilation grate picture in the 1950s that made photographer Sam Shaw better known to a larger audience - and made Marilyn Monroe even more famous. The picture has been reprinted millions of times, making it one of the best known in the world. Shaw staged the photograph himself as a PR gimmick to promote the film "The Seven-Year Itch," directed by Billy Wilder, in which Monroe starred. "Interestingly, you don't see this image set precisely in this way in the film," said Christiane Vogt, director of the Ludwig Gallery at Schloss Oberhausen, which just opened a retrospective of photographer Sam Shaw's work, "Finding the Unexpected." "There is a scene [in the film] showing her legs, and one showing her torso, but not one showing Marilyn Monroe's entire body," she noted. Marilyn Monroe was Shaw's driver Shaw had been friends with Monroe for quite a while before the picture was even taken. In fact, before Marilyn had her own breakthrough as an actress, she was actually photographer Shaw's driver, since he did not have a driver's license, curator Nina Dunkmann pointed out. Yet the retrospective is not reduced to showing photographs only of movie star Marilyn Monroe. The 230 black-and-white images from six decades show a host of other people - from starlets to everyday actors. "Our concept focused on one space being dedicated to Marilyn Monroe; that was clear from the start," said Vogt. "But the show actually opens with Sophia Loren. We wanted to show photos that weren't necessarily so famous, and Loren was the perfect motif," she said. Dunkmann stressed the stamina with which Shaw worked - taking a great deal of time for his pictures. "He did so with Sophia Loren - depicting her as a goddess and an erotic symbol," she said. "He draws the viewer's gaze across her body and up to her face." "Shaw almost always manages to tell stories with just one picture," she pointed out. Access to film stars, a passion for the less famous The show in Oberhausen portrays many pictures of film stars, from Marlon Brando in a tight t-shirt and a profile of John Wayne, to Dennis Hopper and Paul Newman and John Cassevetes with their families. Shaw had access to actors - up-close and unadorned. He was, for instance, close friends with Anthony Quinn, whom he took numerous photos of during the filming of "Alexis Sorbas" on Crete. One picture shows Quinn playing chess during a recording break. Yet Shaw also used the time as a still photographer on the film set to create a photo essay for "Life" magazine about island life in the 1950s. It showcased farmers' faces creased from working out in the sun. "These photo stories for "Life" and "Time," which were often published in color, secured a good income for Shaw, in addition to his work as a still photographer on film sets in Hollywood," said Vogt. These photo essays on social issues were close to the photographer's heart. He began creating them in the 1940s and the pictures are so expressive, that the viewer immediately recognizes which mood Shaw wanted to capture. They are glimpses of real life, showing the hardships of poor people in society and the travails of people working in dangerous jobs in a lively way. Shaw depicts an American soldier saying goodbye to his family on a farm, young women at work in an armor factory in the US, worn-out African-American women in dilapidated living conditions, and workers around oil rigs. He also captured photos of sporting events, accidents and everyday violence. Racism and the marginalized Shaw likewise created photo essays about racism in the US South and of demonstrations against the Vietnam War. "He always placed people at the center, but also expressed criticism, such as in the pictures he took of the election campaign of a racist politician in the South," said Dunkmann. One picture shows a corpulent policeman protecting a politician at an appearance before a crowd of people. Shaw dedicated whole series to African-American culture and was interested in the marginalized people of society. He brought home such pictures from his travels through Europe - series of Roma women in Spain and images from poor neighborhoods in Rome and Paris. Paris was, after all, a city Shaw loved - one he once dubbed the most picturesque in the world. Shaw's own glimpse of the world can be viewed at Schloss Oberhausen through September 17, 2017. | [
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German lawmakers call off Turkey visit as row escalates
A German parliamentary delegation has cancelled a trip to Turkey after authorities there said that the group would be unwelcome. It’s the latest row to hit increasingly strained relations between the NATO allies.
A delegation of German lawmakers called off a trip to Turkey after they were told that they would not be able to meet with Turkish officials or visit parliament, Green Party deputy parliamentary speaker Claudia Roth said on Wednesday. "Yesterday we received the information that it is currently not considered opportune at the very, very, very highest Turkish level to conduct political talks with the German parliamentary side in Turkey," Roth said in Berlin, adding that the Turkish side refused to provide a security detail. She was to lead a four-person parliamentary delegation that included the Social Democrats' foreign policy spokesperson, the head of the German parliament's human rights commission of the Christian Democrats, and another Green lawmaker. The three-day visit scheduled to begin on Thursday was to include stops in Istanbul, Ankara and the largely Kurdish city of Diyarbakir to gain information following April's controversial constitutional referendum that granted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan greater powers. Read: What happens following 'yes' vote in Turkish referendum Roth spoke of a "new level of escalation" and "a de facto cancellation of political dialogue" between the two NATO allies. In China on an official visit, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel called Turkey's actions a "serious event" that did not help make dialogue any easier. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Erdogan will attend a NATO summit in Brussels on Thursday. The two leaders are likely to hold discussions on the sidelines. Blow after blow Wednesday's cancellation adds to increasingly strained ties since early last year. Relations with Turkey have also become a political football ahead national elections in Germany in September. Turkey recently blocked a parliamentary delegation from visiting Incirlik air base, where some 260 German soldiers are stationed as part of the international anti-Islamic State coalition in Syria. Read: Turkey's Incirlik air base: What you need to know In response, Germany is considering moving its troops and reconnaissance and refueling aircraft to another base in the region, possibly in Jordan. It is the second time Turkey has blocked a parliamentary delegation from visiting its troops. After the German parliament passed an Armenian genocide resolution last year Turkey blocked lawmakers from visiting Incirlik, only to later to allow the trip. Tensions have also been heightened over the arrest of two Turkish-German journalists on trumped up terrorism charges. Read: The 100th day of Deniz Yucel's imprisonment In another row, Germany granted asylum to military officers and other diplomatic passport holders who Ankara accuses of being involved in last July's failed coup attempt. Germany and the EU have voiced concern over the deterioration of democracy and human rights in the wake of coup attempt. In the lead up to April's constitutional referendum, relations hit a low point when Erdogan accused Germany and other European countries of "Nazi-like” practices for blocking Turkish ministers from campaigning. cw/rc (AFP, AP, dpa, KNA) | [
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How 'closed communities' provide a breeding ground for radical Islam
Dr. Elham Manea spent four years studying sharia councils in Britain. Talking to DW in the aftermath of the Manchester attack, she reveals how parallel societies give rise to radicalization and how to prevent it.
DW: The main suspect in the Manchester bombing was born in Britain, as were the 2005 7/7 attackers and the man who crashed his car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge. In the course of your research into Muslim communities in England and sharia councils, to what degree have you witnessed parallel societies with their own set of rules and behavior? Elham Manea: I prefer to use the word "closed community" as an expression which refers to ghettoized groups, organizing themselves along ethnic and/or religious lines. And in some European societies, specifically in Britain, they create separate cultural and social entities. They function with different cultural norms than those prevalent in British society. And talking specifically about Britain, they have parallel legal structures. Did I observe the existence of these closed communities? Yes, of course. It is a really big problem there. Read: Will Manchester change after the attack? How large are these communities? It depends. Quite often you see them like clusters in certain cities. The problem has more to do with the fact that in places like Birmingham or Bradford, you see certain areas where more than 40 percent of the population are of the Islamic faith. There is nothing wrong with having groups from different backgrounds or a certain faith. The problem is the clustering of certain ethnic groups with certain religious backgrounds in certain areas can lead to social problems - specifically with the spread of certain fundamentalist interpretations of Islam within these communities. How important is it for the more radicalized ones to stay separate from main society because they don't want to have anything to do with the "infidels"? I agree you have this pattern of behavior. I have to insist, nevertheless, that we ascertain that there are closed communities of other faiths in Britain, for instance the Hindus. And they also have their social problems, like gender issues and forced marriages. However, when we talk specifically about closed Islamic communities, we see the added factor of radicalization. Read: 'Heaven will wait': on the religious radicalization of young women There are systematic structures that make sure that the youth are separated from their outside environment ideologically. In Quran schools that follow the Deobandi strand of Islam and in their mosques, they tell children not to emulate the unbelievers, not to behave like them, not to love them, not to associate with them. How are you supposed to live within that society? So we can pour as much money as we want into combating violent extremism, but at the same time we seem to ignore that the nonviolent forms of Islamization are even more important. Because those who are willing to blow themselves up are at the last stage of a radicalization process. And we don't seem to want to look at what is happening before, because it would push us to raise serious questions about the type of integration, structures or policies that we have - or the lack of them. A lot of politicians do not have the courage to look at the public interest. In Britain - in other countries as well, but I am talking right now specifically about Britain - if we don't act in a way that tackles the roots of the problems, Britain will continue to be on high-alert when it comes to terrorism. And it is not coming from outside. It is coming from within. Read: Madrid to Manchester - a timeline of terror in Europe So what would be an appropriate answer? What should the politicians do in the public interest? They should insist on certain kinds of policy measures. I just mentioned Quran schools for instance. From my perspective, any self-respecting politician should insist that Quran schools be supervised by a state authority like any kindergarten. You would not allow a kindergarten that teaches hate speech. But the moment we say this about a Quran school, everybody will say this is a no-go zone. It is about time that we see which types of lessons are being taught at Quran schools, ending this ghettoization, making sure that we have some kind of infrastructure of nonviolent Islamists. These we have to really put under the microscope! What are they doing? What kind of schools are they are supporting? What kind of activities are they doing with young people? I mean, there are many questions that we have to raise. Is it fair to say that those closed societies provide a fertile ground for the type of radicalization that leads to people blowing themselves up? Yes! But I would not say that every closed community leads to radicalization. As I said, you have closed communities of other faiths. However, closed communities of the Islamic faith are more likely to experience high rates of radicalization. There was a study published this year in Britain that showed that high numbers of fighters joining Islamic State came from ghettoized communities. You even have the statistics to prove it. In these ghettoized communities, you still have very strong control by religious leaders who do not exactly set an example when it comes to tolerance. In fact, they speak of separation and very often of hatred. And they exercise control over the closed communities. That control makes it possible to spread the ideology to disillusioned youths. Dr. Elham Manea's latest book was published in 2016 under the title "Women and Sharia Law" and was based on four years of study of sharia councils in many Muslim communities in Great Britain. Dr. Manea works as a lecturer at the Institute for Political Science at the University of Zurich. The interview was conducted by Matthias von Hein. | [
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Will Manchester change after the attack?
As people in Manchester woke up to a "critical" terror threat level and the prospect of soldiers on the streets, Lars Bevanger reflects on what the terror attack might mean for the city’s cohesion and sense of optimism.
In the 11 years I have lived in Manchester, the city has grown steadily more prosperous, international and safe. Parts of the city which were no-go areas are turning into bustling multi-cultural communities. Concerted efforts from the city's police to work with local community leaders have thwarted serious gang and gun crime, while the city's large student population keeps Manchester feeling fresh, vibrant and new. The city has seen some of the best economic growth in all of the UK, and this has continued in the face of the uncertainties linked to the prospect of Brexit too. I have witnessed the city grow into a European business and cultural hub. Read more: Manchester resilient in the face of terrorism Manchester spirit An ingrained sense of togetherness shared by nearly all those living here has helped all this happen. As thousands of people gathered on Monday evening for a vigil to mourn those killed and injured in the terror attack, you could both sense and hear that Manchester spirit. "Mancunians and Manchester has always been a city based on people standing together, and not being divided," Mark Beatty told me as he prepared to listen to the words of the Manchester mayor and others addressing the crowds. "And we will not allow terrorism to divide us. That's why we brought our three children with us today." Changing things for the better Mark Beatty had brought his three young daughters of primary school age - like so many of those attending the Ariana Grande concert the evening before had been. I sensed he wanted to show them what this city was made of. Abid Hussein had also made his way to the vigil along with a group of friends, and expressed the same hopes as so many of those gathered around him. "I'm hoping that this will change things for the better, I'm hoping that this will bring the citizens of Manchester together whether they be black, white, yellow, whether they be Jew, Christian Muslim, Hindu or Sikh." On edge But even though the center of Manchester felt like it was bouncing back to a sense of normality that evening, with people spilling out onto the pavements of pubs and bars in the warm May sunshine, there was clearly an edge to it all. Armed police gave a sense of increased safety, but were also a reminder of what had happened, and what might still happen. A few hours earlier I got caught up in the frantic evacuation of the Arndale Center - a huge, sprawling shopping mall in the city center. People panicked when police moved in to arrest a man on matters unrelated to the terror attack, and started running for the exits. I ran with them, suddenly feeling utterly helpless, scared and angry that this is what people in this and so many other European cities have now come to expect. Read more: Britain's PM Theresa May condemns 'worst of humanity' Standing together With the immediate aftermath of the 2011 Oslo and Utøya terror attacks in mind, I had spent the morning carefully avoiding drawing any conclusions of Islamist terror being behind the attack on people inside the Manchester Arena. Then the "Islamic State" (IS) group claimed responsibility. Soon after the identity of the bomber became known - a Manchester-born British citizen and son of Libyans who fled Moammar Gadhafi in the 1980s. What now for Manchester's sizeable Muslim population? Would there be a backlash, as has been seen elsewhere in Western cities in the aftermath of IS-claimed terror? "I stand before you on behalf of the entire Old Trafford Muslim society," Imam Yusuf Chunara from the Old Trafford Jame'ah E Noor mosque told me outside Manchester Town Hall. He, and many others from a range of different faiths, had come to stand together against the terror which had struck their city. "It's terrifying, it's horrible, that someone would want to do something like this to innocent people just enjoying themselves. These acts are highly against Islam and we highly condemn it," he said. Few point finger at Islam "Everyone's got this fear inside. We teach and promote peace, it's a matter of humanity. And we're also here to show our support to the police and all those people who have helped those who have been affected," said Chunara. Manchester's Muslim population is diverse, and to generalize about a group of people based on their religion feels senseless - no less so as a reaction to a heinous act carried out by someone purporting to belong to that same religion. Yet there will always be those pointing a finger at Islam in the aftermath of terrorism performed by people who say they do it in the name of that religion. Read more: Madrid to Manchester: A chronology of terror in Europe Responsibility rests with the criminal Two days after the attack it looks as if Manchester is dusting itself off, getting ready to move on. Questions still remain around how a young individual could be radicalized to the extent of deciding to attack children and young people in the very city he himself grew up in. As people kept bringing flowers to the square in front of Town Hall on Wednesday, the consensus seemed to be that the responsibility for his actions were his and those of any fellow perpetrators, and cannot be laid on the shoulders of any one community. Meanwhile, for me and for my fellow Mancunians, the saddest thing today is the realization that for the children growing up here today, such a senseless attack is something they can expect to happen again. | [
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel urges swift Brexit talks after UK vote
Angela Merkel says she does not expect a major delay in Brexit talks following the unexpected result in the British election. EU officials are anxious about the UK's lack of mandate to negotiate its exit from the bloc.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was hopeful that Britain would stick to the Brexit plan following the snap general election that saw the ruling Conservative Party lose some of its parliamentary seats. The talks about Britain's exit from the 28 member European Union are scheduled for June 19 but the election results have cast doubts about them. British Prime Minister Theresa May had hoped to win a bigger mandate in the snap vote and improve her position in negotiations with the EU on Brexit. After the Labor Party's surge in the general election, its leader Jeremy Corbyn said Prime Minister May did not have the clear mandate to carry forward Brexit talks with the EU. Merkel optimistic "On our side we are ready to negotiate and prepared," Merkel said Friday in Mexico City after talks with President Enrique Pena Nieto, adding that she hoped Britain was also interested in sticking to the agreed negotiating schedule. "I assume that Britain, from what I heard from the prime minister today, wants to stick to its negotiating plan," Merkel told a news conference alongside President Nieto. "We want to negotiate quickly, we want to negotiate in the agreed timeframe," Merkel added. So far, May has not hinted at any deviation from the plan. - Opinion: Theresa May's devastating miscalculation - When European politicians bet big - and lost The German chancellor pointed out that regardless of Britain's imminent exit from the EU, the country will remain a good partner with the bloc. "Britain is a member of NATO, so we have a lot of shared challenges to deal with, and that's the spirit we want to carry out these negotiations in. But obviously while also asserting the interests of the 27 member states that will make up the European Union in future," she underlined. shs/jm (dpa, AFP, Reuters) | [
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Japan's nuclear mishap underlines industry malaise
Japan's nuclear energy sector is riven by poor management, is overly bureaucratic and staffed by people who no longer have any pride in their jobs. So accidents are inevitable, say critics. Julian Ryall reports.
The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) issued a statement on Saturday, June 10, claiming that none of the five workers at a nuclear research facility that it had previously reported had suffered serious internal radiation exposure after an accident on June 7 have plutonium in their lungs. The agency's report contradicts the initial claim that one of the workers had suffered internal exposure to 22,000 Becquerels of plutonium after a canister that had been in a storage unit at the Oarai Research and Development Center for 26 years was opened and bags holding the material burst. Read: Workers exposed to radioactive material at Japan nuclear research institute The initial JAEA assessment said the worker who had been holding the canister and inhaled some of its contents could expect to have a total of 360,000 Becquerels of radioactivity in his blood, bones and organs, while the other men would have lower rates of exposure. And while the announcement that the men did not inhale plutonium will be more than welcome news to all those affected by the accident, critics say it is just another example of misunderstandings, poor decision-making and lax oversight that continue to plague Japan's nuclear energy industry. Six years after disaster And they say such problems should have been stamped out a long time ago. It's already been six years since Japan endured the second-worst nuclear disaster in history after three reactors at theFukushima Daiichi nuclear plant experienced a meltdown after the facility was hit by an earthquake and tsunami. Japan's Asahi Shimbun newspaper has described the JAEA as "an organization that has been accused of gross bungling in the past" and said the confusion over the workers' exposure was caused by high levels of plutonium on the men's skin, not in their lungs. Read: The illusion of normality at Fukushima "It's just another example of poor management in these organizations," said Aileen Mioko Smith, an anti-nuclear campaigner with Kyoto-based Green Action Japan, an NGO. "I think these organizations have become overly bureaucratic, there is no longer any pride among the workforce in what they are doing - either at these sites or in management - and far too much work is subcontracted out because that is the easiest way for them to save money," she told DW. As another example, she points to an accident that occurred in January at the Takahama nuclear power plant, just outside Kyoto, that attracted relatively little media attention. High winds caused a 112-meter crane arm to collapse on the roof of the building that houses spent nuclear fuel rods. People 'furious' "People living nearby and the local authority were furious," Smith said. "And the explanation that we got from the operator of the plant was that they had not listened to the weather forecast and they did not know that high winds were predicted. That's just stupid." The nuclear industry has long had a problem with its patchy reputation for safety - a situation brought into sharp relief in Fukushima, where multiple failures of management have since been identified, including ignoring recommendations that the seawall protecting the plant be built higher and strengthened. The sector's bad image has made it an even less appealing career choice for the Japanese. "I don't think there are many people there any more who are dedicated to tackling Japan's nuclear energy problems, as there were in the past," Smith said. "The industry has lost its vision and its visionaries of the past and now it has people who really don't care very much. "And I find that very scary because we now have five reactors online again and they need to be watched very closely, while there are dozens more that now need to be decommissioned," she stressed. "We need capable and experienced people to do that work and make sure there are no more mishaps." Accidents unavoidable? Yet Jun Okumura, a political analyst at the Meiji Institute for Global Affairs, says accidents are inevitable in any industry and that the nuclear sector is no different. "Any organization with this many layers of subcontractors and procedures that require human judgment to be exercised is going to experience problems," he said. "And this is what we have now in this latest incident," he added. "I am sure there will be a government inquiry, the problems will be identified and new regulations will be introduced to make sure the same thing does not happen again." The expert agrees that Japan's nuclear energy industry is suffering from an image problem made worse by the events of 2011 and the subsequent revelations. "The media has obviously been picking up on anything that goes wrong now," he said. For Smith, simply accepting that accidents are going to happen in the nuclear industry is unacceptable. Accidents in other heavy industries - shipbuilding, mining, engineering, construction - may happen, but the impact is generally restricted to a small number of people in the immediate vicinity of the incident. Fukushima has shown the Japanese people that it is not the case with nuclear energy. "They told people nuclear power was the future of Japan, that it was necessary for this country," she said. "People now know they had the wool pulled over their eyes." | [
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'Dear Evan Hansen' takes home most statuettes at 71st Tony Awards
More unpredictable than in recent years with many strong contenders vying for the theater prizes, Kevin Spacey, who won a Tony himself, hosted the awards show. "Dear Evan Hansen" did well.
What started as an open field for theater's biggest night became Evan Hansen's big celebration. "Dear Evan Hansen" took home six statuettes at Sunday night's Tony Awards, including best musical. The show depicts a lonely teenager, Evan Hansen, who makes up a previous friendship with a classmate who just committed suicide. Hansen eventually gains the family's acceptance until the truth is discovered. Song writers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul won best original score for their work on the musical. Pasek and Paul also won an Oscar earlier this year for writing the lyrics to film musical "La La Land." Ben Platt, who plays the anxious Hansen, won best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical. Platt also starred in the "Pitch Perfect" movies and "The Book of Mormon." Oslo best play "Oslo" won the best play award. The play goes through the 1993 meetings between Israeli and Palestinian diplomats, which led to the Oslo Accords and handshake between Israel Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Chairman Yasser Arafat. Actor Michael Aronov won the Tony for best actor in a featured role in the play. "Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812" had 12 nominations, which was more than any other Broadway production. It came away with two Tony awards for best set and lighting. Dolly may never go away again The classic "Hello, Dolly!" came back to Broadway to thunderous applause. The musical won four Tonys, including best musical revivla and Bette Midler taking home her first statuette as best actress in a musical. Midler said she had a "very tough schedule" but the experience had been "life-affirming and life-changing." "It's more than I deserve," said Midler. Kevin Spacey hosted the show. A two time Oscar winner, Spacey was involved in some of the musical numbers and did impressions. He won a Tony Award in 1991 for his role in "Lost in Yonkers." Spacey currently plays ruthless politician Frank Underwood in the Netflix series "House of Cards." James Earl Jones, most well known for the voice of Darth Vader from the "Star Wars" franchise, received a lifetime achievement award. kbd/jm (AP, dpa, Reuters) | [
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French government resigns in election formality
In a post-election formality, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has tendered his government's resignation. President Emmanuel Macron has reinstated him and is expected to name a new government on Wednesday.
The French government resigned on Monday in a post-legislative-election formality. President Emmanuel Macron immediately reappointed Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and asked the right winger to form a new cabinet, Macron said in a statement. He was due to form a government on Wednesday. Macron's centrist En Marche! party won a decisive victory in a parliamentary election, allowing his government to quickly pass laws in the future. Government spokesman Christophe Castaner told RTL radio the government reshuffle would be "technical and not far-reaching." Macron asked close ally Richard Ferrand, who is embroiled in a conflict of interest scandal, to leave his cabinet and seek the leadership of his party in parliament. His planned reshuffle was slightly delayed by an attempted attack on the Champs-Elysees on Monday afternoon. Security bills Following the attack Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said he would present a bill at cabinet meeting on Wednesday to extend France's state of emergency from July 15, its current expiration date, until November 1. Macron's government was expected to pass its first set of measures during a special parliamentary session starting on June 27. The laws were expected to include moves to strengthen security, improve ethics in politics and reform France's restrictive labor laws. En Marche! and its centrist ally MoDem won 350 seats in the 577-seat assembly. The conservative opposition, the Republicans, won a total of 130 seats with their allies. The Socialist Party of Macron's predecessor, Francois Hollande, lost more than 250 seats, obtaining just 30. Following the initial results, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said the voters had given a clear majority to President Macron, and that his government was "humbled and determined" after securing a victory in the polls. Philippe also said the diversity of new lawmakers was a good sign for France. "This majority will have a mission: to work for France," the PM said. "With their vote, the French have, by a wide majority, chosen hope over rage, optimism over pessimism, confidence over withdrawal." The newly-elected parliament is nearly six years younger on average than the previous, have a record 224 women lawmakers, and will be strikingly more varied in background. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was among the first to congratulate Macron. She lauded him for winning a "clear parliamentary majority" in elections Sunday, government spokesman Steffen Seibert said. Seibert added, in a tweet, that Merkel wished for "further good cooperation for Germany, France, Europe." aw/tj (AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa) | [
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Documentary on anti-Semitism in Europe to be screened, despite controversy
German-French public broadcaster Arte received criticism for deciding not to show the film. Then, Germany's largest tabloid made it available online. Now, the documentary will be screened on TV.
On Wednesday, the documentary titled "Chosen and Excluded - Jew Hatred in Europe" will be shown on German television. On June 21, the film will be broadcast at 10:15 pm on the public channel ARD. The documentary about discrimination against Jews in Europe was commissioned by the German-French broadcaster Arte. After an editor accepted the film and the filmmakers Sophie Hafner and Joachim Schroeder received their fee, Arte refused to screen the film. The reason, said the broadcaster, was that the subject matter did not correspond to the project as it was initially described. Instead of focusing on growing anti-Semitism in Europe, the film focused instead on the Middle East. The editorial offices were "deliberately left in the dark" about the changes until immediately before the film was delivered, according to Arte. Additionally, there were "concerns" related to the film's "craftsmanship." Allegations and accusations without confrontation For this reason, the station WDR, which commissioned the film with Arte, investigated the documentary's content. In the opinion of the review team, it contains facts which are not sufficiently substantiated with supporting documentation. Furthermore, there were allegations against individuals in the film who were then not given the opportunity to comment. Allowing comment is considered standard journalistic practice. However, the documentary will be screened regardless and viewers will be able to make up their own minds about the content. In order to allow different positions to be heard, the station has planned a discussion panel, which will air after the documentary is broadcast. Criticism against public broadcasters Arte and WDR's approach to the issue has caused a stir. The president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, said in a letter to the stations he was surprised that the documentary would not be screened as planned. Historians such as Michael Wolffsohn and Götz Aly praised the film. Aly even accused the Arte program director of censorship. On June 13, Germany's largest tabloid "Bild" put the documentary online for 24 hours. According to the publication's own data, it received around 200,000 clicks. ld/sh/als (epd, dpa) | [
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Man found guilty of abusing Russian-German teenager who fabricated rape story
A man found guilty of abusing a minor has been handed a 21-month suspended sentence. The case involved the same teenager caught up in last year's "Lisa case," which caused a diplomatic row between Germany and Russia.
Ismet S., aged 24, was found guilty of child abuse and producing child pornography after he admitted before a Berlin court to having consensual sex with a minor and filming it. The case garnered widespread attention as the minor in question was the same girl implicated in last year's "Lisa case." That case, which received global media attention, involved a 13-year-old German girl of Russian origin saying that she had been kidnapped and raped, implying people of Middle Eastern origin were to blame. The girl, identified only as Lisa, told her parents that she was kidnapped on January 11 by three men, who looked "southern" and spoke broken German. Her lawyer then said that was taken to an apartment, where she was abused and raped. However, police said they had not found evidence to support the rape claim. Nevertheless, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Berlin authorities of trying to cover up the case, which in turn caused outrage in the Russian media The case strained diplomatic ties between Germany and Russia before "Lisa" admitted that she had lied. She had in fact run away from home and was staying with a 19-year-old male friend. As part of the investigation into the alleged rape, authorities also came across another older man Ismet S., who had had sex with Lisa a few months earlier, knowing that she was underage. Despite qualifying as abuse, consent proves crucial the ruling The court recognized that the defendant had cooperated during police questioning and hearing, sparing Lisa from going before the court. Nevertheless, she was present in the Tiergarten court when the judgment was read out. A speaker for the court also said they had taken into account that Ismet S. and Lisa had In Germany, the age of consent is 14. While non-consensual sex with a minor is considered statutory rape under German law, in cases where the act is considered consensual the crime is treated as child abuse. That worked in Ismet S's favor as he received 21-month suspended sentence. Any sentence longer than two years cannot be suspended and he would have faced prison. He was also ordered to pay a fine of 3,000 euros, which will go towards a victim compensation fund. dm/msh (AFP) | [
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Twitter's rainbow reaction to marriage equality vote in Germany
Germany's historic same-sex marriage vote saw an outpouring of jubilation on social media. Hashtags like #MarriageEquality and #LoveWins were used to broadcast the news.
"Such a beautiful morning for Europe and the world," tweeted Dustin Lance Black, the American screenwriter and LGBTQ rights activist who won an Oscar for "Milk" (2008), the film tracing the life of the gay rights icon Harvey Milk. In the US, media outlets quickly took to Twitter to spread the news. Slate Magazine retweeted a picture of the German Green Party celebrating the yes vote by cutting a rainbow marriage cake crowned by two women. Meanwhile, the Stop Homophobia advocacy group urged its followers in Germany to "Now go and get married!" German author and journalist Carolin Emcke, winner of the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade in 2016, said that the "feeling of happiness on this day cannot be damaged by all the slurs," referring to conservative politicians' statements against the vote. Feminist editor and author Teresa Bücker, also from Germany, was brought to tears. "Cry and I cry with you. Thanks to all who have fought so long for this day!" she tweeted. Some were disappointed that Angela Merkel voted against the bill. Berlin-based gay travel writer, Adam Groffman, set off a flurry of debate when he pointed out Merkel's no vote. With the vote on same-sex marriage happening early morning Berlin-time, Australians were among the first to receive the news (Australia is eight hours ahead) and quickly took to social media to register their rainbow-colored support. They included the Australian Sex Party, which has been contesting elections since 2009. Popular singer and TV host David Campbell quickly noted that Australia, which has still to legalize same-sex marriage, has fallen behind Germany. Advocacy group Australian Marriage Equality was quick to note that Germany was the 23rd country to sanction same-sex marriage. Finally, Conchita Wurst, Austrian winner of Eurovision in 2015, sent out a live congratulations on Twitter, calling it a "wonderful day" for the LGBTQ community in Germany. | [
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#Germany Decides - Election Road Trip
What concerns German voters the most? This is what DW journalists Nina Haase-Trobridge and Sumi Somaskanda want to find out ahead of the nation’s parliamentary elections.
#Germany Decides - the banner under which a team of reporters from Deutsche Welle is driving across the republic this summer and before the country votes for a new parliament in autumn. The reportage aims to chart the country’s mood and answer our international audience’s question: "What really concerns the German voter?" September 24, 2017 sees elections to the 19th German Bundestag. Current incumbent Chancellor Angela Merkel is running for a fourth time, this year against the Social Democrats' candidate Martin Schulz. Many observers feel German society is becoming increasing polarized. Merkel's refugee policy has drawn sustained attack from the right. One party, the "Alternative for Germany" (AfD), has gained significant traction out of it’s anti-islamist stance. Narrowly missing entry into the Bundestag in 2013, will it make it this time? DW journalists Sumi Somaskanda and Nina Haase-Trobridge set off on a journey across the republic. They go to Dresden, city of anti-immigrant rallies, to gauge the strength of right-wing populism. They move on through the Czech Republic to Wegscheid on the German-Austrian border, where thousands of refugees poured into Germany every day in the autumn of 2015. What’s it like in the small border community now? The DW team meets Mayor Josef Lamperstorfer, who expressed his scorn for Germany’s politicians in scathing a letter about the humanitarian disaster. How welcome are refugees now? How fairly are they treated in Germany? How stable will the German economy be in the future? Nina Haase-Trobridge and Sumi Somaskanda want to find out how the people of this Republic are getting on. They meet young right-wingers, managers, politicians as well as the politically disillusioned. They travel across Germany from Saxony to Bavaria, Baden-Wurttemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia and then back to Berlin via Bremen. Who is going to be running Germany later this year? Broadcasting Hours: DW (English) SAT 19.08.2017 – 19:15 UTC SUN 20.08.2017 – 01:15 UTC SUN 20.08.2017 – 07:15 UTC SUN 20.08.2017 – 15:15 UTC MON 21.08.2017 – 05:15 UTC MON 28.08.2017 – 09:15 UTC SUN 03.09.2017 – 03:15 UTC Cape Town UTC +2 | Delhi UTC +5,5 | Hong Kong UTC +8 San Francisco UTC -7 | Edmonton UTC -6 | New York UTC -4 Lagos UTC +1 | Cape Town UTC +2 | Nairobi UTC +3 London UTC +1 | Berlin UTC +2 | Moscow UTC +3 DW (Deutsch+) SUN 20.08.2017 – 09:15 UTC Vancouver UTC -7 | New York UTC -4 | Sao Paulo UTC -3 | [
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Could migration derail Merkel re-election express?
Angela Merkel is coming under renewed fire over her refugee policies as Germany's election battleground heats up. Left-wing rival Martin Schulz has added his voice to long-standing criticism from the right.
For months, Social Democratic (SPD) candidate Martin Schulz has been trying - and failing - to find an issue to eat away at conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel's popularity. In conversation with the Sunday edition of Germany's Bild newspaper, Schulz took aim at what is perhaps Merkel's Achilles heel: her policy toward migrants from Muslim countries. "In 2015 more than 1 million refugees came to Germany, mostly without government monitoring," Schulz told Bild. "The chancellor opened our border with Austria for humanitarian reasons but unfortunately without consulting our partners in Europe. If we don't act now, that situation could repeat itself." Merkel has promised German voters that there will be no repeat of what happened two years ago when hundreds of thousands of people, many fleeing war-torn Syria, arrived in Germany. Numbers of migrants lessened last year but could well be set to rise again as people try to escape political uncertainty and economic hardship of places like Nigeria and Eritrea via North African countries like Libya. Well over 70,000 migrants made the extremely risky Mediterranean crossing to Italy in the first half of this year, representing an increase over 2016 of more than 25 percent. Italy has asked other EU states for help in dealing with the new arrivals, but it has so far been rebuffed. Schulz, who is set to travel to Italy on Thursday, says the EU commission should pay other member states to take in migrants and accuses Merkel of calculated inaction before Germany's September election. "Those who play for time and try to ignore the issue until the national election are just being cynical," Schulz said. At the height of the refugee crisis in 2015 and early 2016, Merkel and her conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) fell to historic lows in public opinion polls, with more than 80 percent of those asked saying they believed her government didn't have control over the situation. Merkel and her party have since recovered and currently lead Schulz and the SPD by around 15 percentage points in opinion surveys. Merkel, who's currently on vacation and had no public appearances scheduled for Sunday, didn't immediately respond to Schulz's criticism. And perhaps her main problem on the migrant issue is not from the Social Democrats at all. Attacks from other conservatives Although Schulz may have been trying to capitalize on the issue, Merkel, arguably, has no big reason to fear attacks from the left. As the junior coalition partners in her current government, the SPD supported her welcoming policy toward refugees. The greater threat could come from the right, where Merkel is considerably more liberal than the vast majority of conservatives in Germany and the rest of Europe. The larger the number of migrants grows, the greater the pressure to restrict the flow of people from the Middle East and Northern Africa to Europe. During the week, for instance, Austria's conservative foreign minister, Sebastian Kurz, threatened to close down the Brenner Pass between his country and Italy if the number of illegal migrants to Austria rose. And Merkel has also come under fire on the issue from the CDU's Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). On Sunday, the CSU publicly celebrated its platform for the election, entitled the "Bavaria Plan." It calls for the annual number of refugees to Germany to be capped at 200,000 - an idea Merkel has rejected. CSU chairman Horst Seehofer couldn't resist calling out the chancellor on the issue. In an interview with Welt newspaper, Seehofer said "everybody knows" that the "waves of migration will continue." Seehofer predicted that Merkel's decision to open Germany's borders would cost the CDU-CSU an absolute majority in September's election and claimed that conservatives throughout Germany were coming round to the CSU's position. "Because the orientation on refugee policy has changed in our direction, it is again possible to work with the CDU credibly," Seehofer said. Seehofer added that the conservatives' resurgence in opinion polls was down in part to a harder line taken on migrants. And he invoked the specter of the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD). "What I think is most important now is to use clever policies to push the AfD below the 5-percent hurdle (needed for parliamentary representation in Germany)," Seehofer said. "That can only happen if we continue to be smart in our policies on security, Turkey, refugees and Europe." Parallel trends between migrants and populism The connection between refugee policy and the AfD cannot be dismissed. Germany's right-wing populists made a quantum leap in the polls, taking over 20 percent of the vote in some regional German elections in 2016, as the effects of the mass arrivals in the preceding years became apparent. But when the Balkan migration route was largely closed, the number of refugees dropped, and the AfD's fortunes took a corresponding downturn. The party currently attracts between 7 and 9 percent in the opinion-polls. The downswing is due to party in-fighting, but also to the general sense among the populace that the refugee "crisis" is easing. The loss of support for the AfD roughly coincides with the conservatives' revival in opinions polls. But that trend itself could very well reverse if the increasing number of migrants coming to Italy results in a spike in new arrivals to Germany before the election. A study published by the Bertelsmann Foundation last November found that fear of globalization was the main driver of support for right-wing populism in Europe, and that the issue of refugees played the largest role in constituting that fear. Political scientists say that migrants and refugees are the single biggest issue inspiring people to vote for the AfD, and that AfD supporters tend to be single-issue voters. An analysis done by the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper after one of the AfD's biggest triumphs in September 2016 showed that 82 percent of the party's voters said that immigration was a major issue. And 17 percent of voters in general said the AfD was best equipped of all the parts to deal with refugees - on other issues, the party struggled to escape the low single digits on the competence question. All of this suggests that the upturn in the number of migrants to Germany this summer would benefit the AfD at the polls and possibly have an effect on Angela Merkel's attempt to win a fourth term as chancellor. | [
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Jordan repeals 'marry the rapist' law
Lawmakers in Jordan have scrapped a controversial law that allowed rapists to escape punishment by marrying their victims. Activists are celebrating the change, calling it a "historic achievement."
Cheers and applause erupted from the spectators' gallery in the lower house of Jordan's parliament on Tuesday after legislators voted by a majority to abolish Article 308. The provision in the conservative kingdom's penal code allowed rape charges to be dropped if the perpetrator married his victim. Ahead of the vote, Prime Minister Hani Mulqi told the parliament he fully supported the repeal. "The government is committed to eliminating Article 308 to reinforce the protection of the Jordanian family," he said. Read more - Uncensored: Muslim women speak about women's rights Long campaign Activists, who had campaigned for years to change the law, hailed the vote as a major step forward for ending sexual violence against women. Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at New York-based Human Rights Watch, praised the move in a tweet. "The article did not have a positive effect on society. On the contrary, it was an easy way out for attackers," Hala Ahed, legal consultant at Jordanian Women's Union, told German news agency DPA. "Now the repeal makes the state responsible for supporting victims of assault." The amendment must still be approved by the 65-member Senate, the upper house of parliament, and by King Abdullah II. "Our work is not done yet," Ahed added. "There is a conservative bloc within the Senate, so we will continue our mobilization until the law is ratified." Read more - Tunisia: Women celebrate their rights Several countries have similar laws Ahead of Tuesday's vote, several dozen activists rallied outside the parliament building in Amman, the capital, calling for repeal. Campaigners say the "marry the rapist" clause condemns girls to a lifetime of sexual violence and abuse at the hands of their rapist. But some Jordanian lawmakers had been apprehensive about change, arguing that the provision could be a form of "protection" from social stigma for some victims. Despite its pro-Western political orientation, many parts of Jordan remain socially conservative, with "family honor" an important value in many households. Jordanian parliamentarian Wafa Bani Mustafa, who campaigned to end the law, said last week that parents often agreed to such "rapist marriages" to minimize "family shame," but she said no girl should be "presented as a gift" to her rapist. The repeal vote came a week after Tunisia scrapped a similar law. Morocco overhauled its "marry the rapist" legislation in 2014, and Egypt took the step in 1999. A number of countries in the region still have such laws, including Algeria, Libya, Lebanon, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Syria and the Palestinian Territories, according to Human Rights Watch. Outside the Middle East, some countries in Latin America, as well as the Philippines and Tajikistan also have "marry the rapist" clauses. nm/kms (AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa) | [
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Oscar Pistorius taken to hospital with chest pains, reports say
Oscar Pistorius has been taken to hospital for overnight observation. The South African athlete, who is serving a six-year jail term for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, was reportedly suffering chest pains.
Jailed Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius was taken from Pretoria's Atteridgeville prison to a medical facility for checks, a spokesman for the South African Department of Correctional Services said Thursday. "This morning he went for a medical examination and he was scheduled to return back (to jail), but he will now be kept overnight for observation," the spokesman, Logan Maistry, said, without elaborating on Pistorius's condition. Local media reported that the 30-year-old double-amputee was suffering from chest pains and was taken by ambulance to the emergency department at Kalafong Hospital. This is the second time Pistorius has left prison for medical treatment. Last August he was taken to hospital with wrist injuries, which prison authorities said he sustained after falling in his cell. Pistorius is one year into a six-year jail sentence for the 2013 shooting death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The Paralympic athlete has always maintained that he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder when he fired multiple times at her through a locked toilet door at his Pretoria home. Sometimes dubbed the "Blade Runner," Pistorius soared to international fame after becoming the first amputee to compete against able-bodied athletes in the 2012 Olympic Games. nm/kms (AP, AFP, dpa) | [
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Athletics: Norovirus makes these 'no ordinary world championships'
The outbreak of a stomach virus at the IAAF World Championships in London has officials scrambling to contain it. The German team and delegation are among those taking great pains to try to prevent it from spreading.
Germany's athletics team and staff have been among the hardest hit by the outbreak of the stomach virus at the world athletics championships in London, however, their medical staff on Thursday said the worst may be over. "We have no new case," Dr. Andrew Lichtenthal told the DPA news agency. He added that only one German athlete remained in quarantine - of a total of seven athletes and six support staff who have been infected by what appears to be the norovirus, although only two cases have been confirmed in London. The outbreak has caused the delegation to go to extraordinary lengths to try to contain the outbreak at a track meet that has become "no ordinary world championships," as the German athletics federation's (DLV) head coach, Idriss Gonschinska, put it. For one thing, German athletes and staff arriving after the outbreak are being put up at different hotels from the one near London's Tower Bridge, where it was detected. These include a couple of Germany's biggest medal hopes, javelin throwers Johannes Vetter and Thomas Röhler. At the same time, the hygienic measures in place at the main team hotel have been stepped up. Limited personal contact Speaking to German public broadcaster ARD, Gonschinska said that due to how contagious the virus is, everything possible was being done to limit physical personal contact between members of the team and staff. Athletes and staff have been told to avoid contact with their counterparts from other hotels, where the virus may or may not be present. "Then the next step was to ban all treatment except for emergencies, because we know that any personal contact raises the risk of infection," Gonschinska said. "Physiotherapy is only being given in the case of emergencies, so de facto it isn't happening" Telephone, Skype, Whatsapp He also said that the coaches are primarily communicating with each other and the athletes through electronic media - and that they hadn't and wouldn't hold any team meetings, as they normally would. There will be no joint training, including between members of the relay teams. "I will be just happy if we can get a relay team to the starting line," Gonschinska said. The athletes have also been instructed to wash their hands regularly and avoid hugging each other or even shaking hands. Eating fruit that is left out for them at the facilities is also a no-go area. As Rebekka Haase put it after her heat in the 200-meter dash:"We are only allowed to high-fives with our elbows." "This wasn't the sort of situation we had expected when we were on our way to London, but this applies to the other teams as well," Gonshinska concluded. | [
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Deadly train crash in India's Uttar Pradesh
Rescuers in India have been searching through for survivors after a train came of the tracks in the northeast of the country. India's woefully underfunded railway system is a death trap, killing 15,000 every year.
At least 23 people were killed and scores more injured when a train derailed in northern India Saturday. At least five railcars went off the tracks, according to Railways spokesman Anil Saxena, leaving emergency workers and private citizens to pull people out of mangled, upended carriages. "Rescue and relief operations are continuing," G S Priyadarshi, Muzaffarnagar district magistrate, told the AFP news agency. Read more: Train disaster turns focus on India's shoddy railways The government deployed rescuers and sniffer dogs to the scene, with emergency workers using metal cutters and cranes were being used to reach inside the damaged coaches. "Scores of people have been safely evacuated from the coaches. Some dead bodies have also been recovered," fire and emergency officer Naresh Kumar told AFP. Second tragedy in a week The derailment occurred in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and is the second tragedy to hit the state in the past week. Dozens of children died in a hospital there that had run out of oxygen. The national authorities have sent disaster teams to help. "We have mobilized all our resources to provide the best relief and rescue operations at this time," Saxena said on Indian television. Read more: Dozens killed in south India train crash India's railway network is the main form of long-distance travel in the vast country, but it is notoriously unsafe due to being under funded. In the past year 146 people died in a similar disaster in Uttar Pradesh. A government report in 2012 said almost 15,000 people were killed every year on India's railways. It described the loss of life as an annual "massacre". Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has pledged to invest $137 billion over five years to modernize the crumbling railway network, making it safer, faster and more efficient. bik/rc (AFP, Reuters, AP) | [
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Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong sentenced to five years in jail
A South Korean court has ruled that the 49-year-old heir to one of the world's biggest business empires paid bribes in anticipation of favors from former President Park Geun-hye, and handed him a 5-year jail sentence.
A Seoul Central District Court judge on Friday found Lee guilty of corruption, hiding assets abroad and perjury, handing down a 5-year prison sentence to the Samsung vice chairman and de facto head of the country's largest company. During the two-year trial, prosecutors sought a 12-year jail term over a scandal which brought down South Korean President Park Geun-hye. Lee Jae-yong's penalty could leave the giant firm without a leader for years, and inhibit the company's ability to make key investment decisions. Samsung did not have any immediate comment. During the trial, the world's largest mobile phone maker however acknowledged it offered to donate about 43 billion won ($38 million, 32.3 million euros) to entities backed by Park's close friend, Choi Soon-sil, including sponsoring the equestrian career of Choi's daughter. The court found the money was in return for policy favors including government support for a controversial 2015 merger of two of its affiliates, which helped tighten Lee's hereditary succession at the group, after his father was left bedridden by a heart attack in 2014. The defense had denied the charges, saying Samsung was pressured by Park to make the donations under duress, and that Lee was not aware of them and did not approve them. Four other top Samsung executives were also convicted and received sentences of up to four years. Chaebols under pressure The verdict could add support to South Korea's new president, Moon Jae-in, who was campaigning on a pledge to reform the country's powerful family-owned conglomerates, also known as chaebols. Moon promised to empower minority shareholders and end the practice of pardoning corporate tycoons convicted of white-collar crime. The firms have long had dubious connections with political authorities, and past trials of their leaders have often ended with light or suspended sentences, with courts citing their contributions to the economy. The Lee clan directly owns about 5 percent of Samsung Electronics shares, but maintains its grip on the wider group through a complex web of cross-ownership stakes involving dozens of companies. South Koreans, who once applauded the chaebols for catapulting the country into a global economic power, now criticize them for holding back the economy and squeezing smaller businesses. Fallout for Samsung Lee has been Samsung's de facto leader since his father fell ill, but analysts' views about how the sentence will affect the company differ. Geoffrey Cain, the author of a forthcoming book on the group, said the company "will not be doomed" without Lee. "It's up to the specialists to make their own decisions," he told the news agency Reuters. But Chung Sun-Sup, the head of corporate analysis firm chaebul.com, said major chaebol decisions on large-scale acquisitions or investments "are often endorsed by the patriarch of a ruling family," and with Lee in prison the firm "may move more slowly than before." Samsung shares have soared in recent months, but were down 1.05 percent on Friday afternoon after the verdict. The ruling is also seen as a strong indicator of the likely outcome in the trial of ex-President Park, who is facing her own corruption trial, with a ruling expected later this year. uhe/tr (Reuters, AFP, dpa) | [
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Turkey summons German envoy for second time in two days
Ankara has summoned Germany's ambassador for the second time in as many days with tensions between the two countries showing no sign of ending. It is the 17th time Berlin's envoy has been summoned in two years.
Germany's ambassador to Ankara was called in to Turkey's Foreign Ministry on Monday just 48 hours after responding to a previous summons over the weekend, German officials said. German Foreign Office spokesman Martin Schäfer confirmed the summons, but did not elaborate on what the reason was. The spokesman noted, however, that it was the 17th time Ambassador Martin Erdmann had received such an order since he began his tenure as Berlin's envoy to Ankara in 2015. Read more: Can Merkel push the EU toward a new Turkey policy? Schäfer noted that the number of summonses that Erdmann had received was "very unusual" between "partners within NATO." German news magazine Der Spiegel reported that Erdmann was summoned over a German parliamentary motion last year that declared the 1915 massacre of Armenians by Ottoman forces as a genocide. Turkey has long fiercely rejected the term. Read more: Turkey: Is Germany Recep Tayyip Erdogan's 'best enemy?' Summons over Kurdish rally Erdmann was previously summoned on Saturday over a Kurdish festival that was held in the western German city of Cologne. The slogan of the festival referred to Abdullah Oclan, the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which has been designated as a terrorist group in the European Union and Turkey. Turkey's Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that the country's condemnation of the Cologne event was relayed to the German ambassador. Summoning an ambassador is one of the harshest diplomatic protest measures a country can order. Germany's Foreign Office has also summoned Turkey's ambassador multiple times – most recently over Turkey's imprisonment of human rights activist Peter Steudtner. Relations between the two countries plummeted after a series of diplomatic crises that followed last year's failed attempt to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Berlin has strongly criticized Ankara's post-coup crackdown that has seen over 50,000 people arrested. rs/kl (AFP, dpa) | [
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Archaeologist Lutz: ‘We really weren’t expecting this tremendous discovery’
The great ape teeth found in Eppelsheim last year could topple the understanding of our earliest history. Herbert Lutz, head of the excavation team, tells DW what the find means to him - and how it almost didn’t happen.
A little over a year ago, a team of archaeologists in southwestern Germany uncovered two teeth where the Rhine River used to flow, in the town of Eppelsheim near Mainz. The news of the discovery was announced officially this week, because the team that performed the excavation wanted to make sure that what they had found was as significant as they initially thought. Herbert Lutz heads that team at the Natural History Museum in Mainz. Herbert Lutz: It's completely new to science, and it is a big surprise because nobody had expected such a tremendous, extremely rare discovery. To find a completely new species? Nobody expected that. DW: Why were you looking at this precise location? We were excavating riverbed sediments of the proto-Rhine River near Eppelsheim. These sediments are approximately 10 million years old and are well known in science, ever since the first fossils were excavated here in the early 19th century. And how old are the teeth you've found? Around 9.7 million years old. What does a 9.7-million-year-old tooth look like? It's perfectly preserved. It actually looks like a new excellent tooth; however, it's no longer white. It's shining like amber. No less has been said about this tooth than that the history of mankind now has to be rewritten… Well you know it's a question that's been discussed for decades. New discoveries lead to new insights that may contribute to our knowledge about our own history, and this finding has that potential because the great ape species has a relationship to Homo sapiens. Read more: Neanderthals dined on woolly rhinos and used aspirin So what's the big groundbreaking knowledge here? The groundbreaking knowledge is that we have comparable finds only in East Africa. And these are much, much younger. These species are well known as Ardi and Lucy, and their canines look very similar to the one here from Eppelsheim, but they are only two, three, four or five million years old, and Eppelsheim is almost 10. So the question is: What has happened? You mean - how this great ape got up to the Rhine valley, or whether the species in Africa came from Europe? Yeah, we have similar species in Africa, but we don't know where this great ape came from. We do not have comparable finds from southern Europe, even from in between maybe Greece or Turkey. From there, we know of great ape fossils, but they all look much different. And so it's a great mystery. So this is the lone Rhineland monkey whose teeth have been found. Can the general public see the discovery? Until Sunday, yes, they are in our exhibition in the museum in Mainz. And most likely about mid November they will be on display in a great exhibition in the Landesmuseum in Mainz. Professor Lutz, can you give us a sense of how important this finding was to you personally? Well, we've been digging at this site for 17 years now. And when we started, of course everybody knew it had the potential to yield hominoid fossils. We were always waiting for such a find. But at the end of 2016, we decided to finish the excavation and just in the last second, if you will, these two teeth came to light. We really weren't expecting such a tremendous discovery. So for us now it's clear we have to continue, and we will continue. And, well, I think it's a big luck to experience such an exciting story. I did not expect it. Professor Herbert Lutz is deputy director of the Natural History Museum in Mainz. His focus is geological and paleontological excavation. | [
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El-Sonni: Stable Libya 'five to 10 years' away
With three rival governments and the reluctant host to thousands of migrants making their way to Europe, Libya is in chaos. Will it ever unite for democracy? Taher El-Sonni meets Tim Sebastian on Conflict Zone.
"It is something that [a government cannot] easily handle on its own, even if we are united. It needs support from all over," El-Sonni told Conflict Zone, regarding his country's many troubles. Six years on from the revolution that overthrew the decades-long dictatorship of Colonel Gaddafi, Libya's problems can hardly be overstated: with no legitimate central government, violence common and terrorism a continual threat, the conclusion of many - including in recent months France’s Foreign Minister - is that Libya is a failed state. One million people in waiting On top of all this, the main route for African migrants heading to Europe is through Libya. "The situation of migrants crossing Libya was appalling during Gaddafi's era, but it has become diabolical since," said Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, in September. While stating his desire to establish centers to process migrants in Libya before people took "crazy risks when they are not all eligible for asylum", Emmanuel Macron in July put the number waiting to cross the Mediterranean there at between 800,000 and 1 million people. For those that did manage to set off from Libya's coast, their treatment at the hands of the country's coastguard also came under fire from Al Hussein: "Like the militias onshore, [they] also sometimes beat, rob and even shoot the migrants they intercept." Was this a situation El-Sonni – who worked for the UN for 17 years, specializing in crisis management – recognized? "We don't shoot migrants. What we're doing is trying to apply our sovereign rules and regulations and by saving their lives and bringing them back. This is an international agreement. This is an EU-Libya agreement." The EU's SOPHIA military operation, which involves the Libyan navy and coastguard, aims to "identify, capture and dispose of vessels and enabling assets used or suspected of being used by migrant smugglers or traffickers" in the Southern Central Mediterranean. The EU says SOPHIA has saved 40,000 lives off the coast of Libya since it began in June 2015. But there is grave concern too from the UN and NGOs for the lives of those thousands of migrants stranded in Libya. Dr Joanne Liu, International President of Medecins Sans Frontieres, also in September wrote that the "detention of migrants and refugees in Libya is rotten to the core. It must be named for what it is: a thriving enterprise of kidnapping, torture and extortion." "Human rights abuse is something that we don't accept," said El Sonni. "We have our minister of interior working on it. We have our civil society working and supporting it. We allow all international organizations to work and support in these detention centers ... But, what I'm telling you, it's a massive thing that even European countries who are steady states could not fix." An honest assessment of Libya? So when could Libyans expect a steady state? How many more years would chaos prevail in the country? "I think five to 10 years, in order for us to have a steady state and a stable state, to be realistic," El-Sonni told Tim Sebastian. But had he already been overly optimistic in his prognosis of Libya? Speaking in April 2016, El-Sonni said the Government of National Accord (GNA) – to whose Prime Minister, Fayez Sarraj, he is chief advisor – had "control of the state institutions" and that their opponents "understand the game is over." Didn’t Libyans deserve a more honest assessment of what is going on? "We were fair and we are fair," El-Sonni told DW. "You can see how things are shaping up much better; embassies coming back to Tripoli, the United Nations is coming back next month. These are good signs." 'A new phase'? Nevertheless, confidence in Libya's political institutions remains at rock bottom. Polls reported by the Libya Herald on 18 October showed 91% of people believed the government had failed to deliver on the aims of the revolution. Perhaps more critical still, 92% thought that corruption had become even worse since the fall of Gaddafi. "When there is a centralized dictatorship, centralized on a person and without proper institutions [that] collapse all of a sudden, with weapons spread around, this is the typical result you get," said El-Sonni. "The political awareness of the people is minimum because they never got a chance to even be vocal about what they want and to express themselves. This is a new phase in Libya." While insisting that security was "not worse" than 2014 when elections did take place, Prime Minister Sarraj's right-hand man accepted elections could still bring more factionalism, but said they were "something that we have to go through. There is no guarantee." "In order to achieve a democracy, you need more democracy," El-Sonni told Conflict Zone, summing up the difficulty for Libya of reaching that goal. Despite the country's myriad problems, the recent polls also showed a high level of hopefulness – 44% say they are "very optimistic" about its future. | [
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Social entrepreneurs take on inequality at Davos
The journey to the winter wonderland of Davos has been long for many participants in the WEF 2014. Among them are a group of social entrepreneurs who've come here from all over the world to make their voices heard.
It's breakfast in lofty heights for a group of social entrepreneurs, as they're lodging on the Schatzalp - one of the highest-elevation spots in Davos. Vacant rooms are few and far between during the World Economic Forum, and the group can only reach their hotel after a 10-minute mountain railway ride. For social entrepreneur Mads Kjaer from Denmark, it's a very special day as he has breakfast together with Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohamed Yunus, who was able to escape from the hustle and bustle in the meeting center for a few moments and is also residing on the Schatzalp. Kjaer manages to get a few tips from the prominent guest as to how to run his business. The Dane's firm is called My C4, through which he collects money for entrepreneurs on the ground in Africa. The online platform presents projects and coordinates co-financing. "A credit of $1,000 [738 euros] is enough to create five jobs," said the Dane, who lives in Kenya. He's collected and allocated 22 million euros in the past seven years. Small group, big impact 30 social entrepreneurs have come to Davos at the invitation of the Schwab Foundation. Many have a long journey behind them, as they came from as far way as India, South Africa and Rwanda. In their home countries, they've founded companies with a view to promote social change. They build schools, improve the healthcare system, or help unemployed youth. At the World Economic Forum, they join with the world's mighty in debating global issues. Considering the 2,600 participants in the forum, they are but a tiny group - but the topics they raise draw a good deal of attention. Combating poverty "The way we've acted in the past few decades has led to more inequality and more people going hungry," said Philippine social entrepreneur Bam Aquino. "There's poverty all over the world, and so many feel the urge to behave differently." His firm Hapinoy supports small entrepreneurs across his home country who, with their network of kiosks, have helped supply goods to people who need them. The uneven distribution of wealth is an abundantly debated topic in Davos. Small wonder, as the presence of only few rich people among many poor creates high potential for conflict. Blue-blooded social entrepreneur Fazle Hasan Abed from Bangladesh has been aware of that for a long time. The 77-year-old has been knighted by the Queen of England for his commitment to social justice. His organization called BRAC now has 100,000 members. He started out in 1972 when he was still working for Shell in London. He became fully aware of the poverty levels in his home country upon visiting. He sold his house for 7,000 British pounds and used the money to found BRAC, which helps to improve people's lives by organizing school education or granting micro-credit. "People will remain poor if we do not invest in education," he told DW. Failed policy-making? Politicians fail quite often, Sir Fazle Hasan Abed said - hence social entrepreneurs must step in, particularly in emerging and developing nations. A company has to earn money in order to be able to invest, he added. What he owned now belongs to BRAC. "I don't need a house, nor do I need a car," he stated. He said he's confident about Bangladesh's future. "We have 6 percent growth annually, and after the terrible accident in the textile factory, our government has finally introduced a minimum wage to improvie the situation of many people, he said. Then he walked off through the snow of Davos. | [
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Ukraine activist Bulatov reveals details of alleged kidnapping
Ukraine activist Dmytro Bulatov has shed light on his alleged kidnapping, and has told reporters he had begged his captors to kill him. Bulatov said he was so desperate to end the ordeal he made false confessions.
Bulatov fronted a press conference in Vilnius, Lithuania on Thursday to outline the details of his ordeal, which began with his abduction on January 22. He was discovered eight days later, bloodied and claiming he was tortured by his captors. Bulatov was one of the leaders of the group Automaidan, which uses vehicles to blockade streets in protection of protest groups. He had been active in the anti-government protests gripping Ukraine, with President Viktor Yanukovych under pressure after electing not to sign an association agreement with the European Union in November. False confession Bulatov is one of several prominent activists said to have been abducted, and said his captors repeatedly asked him who was funding the protests. He said he had falsely confessed to having received $50,000 (36,800 euros) from a United States ambassador in an attempt to stop the torture. "They cut my ear, I couldn't feel how much they cut off my ear. They took the piece of my ear and touched my face with it," he told reporters. "The only thing I wanted was for this to stop … I said whatever they wanted." "On the last day they put me on my knees. They said, 'We are going to crucify you.' I was asking them to kill me because I was unable to stand this any more," he added "Some time later they came and put a bag on my head and took me somewhere. I was hoping my suffering was finished." Bulatov flew to Lithuania for further medical treatment, and told news agency Reuters he would not return to Ukraine unless he received guarantees he would not be prosecuted. Constitutional change sought Ukraine's opposition parties are continuing their push to return the constitution to its 2004 form - a move that would shift several powers from the president to parliament. Yanukovych has rejected the proposal, but a spokesman from the president's Party of the Regions said leaders of all parliamentary groups are set to meet in the coming days to discuss a bill. "Next week, we should take a decision - maybe on Tuesday, Wednesday - to consider this draft law," Party of the Regions' speaker Volodymyr Rybak told lawmakers. Speaking on Wednesday, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton called for political action to end the turmoil, saying a potential aid package from the US and EU would be more than simply monetary assistance. ph/dr (Reuters, dpa) | [
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