DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Anti-Semitism in the EU: Jewish people consider leaving over safety concerns Some 90 percent of European Jews believe anti-Semitism has grown stronger —particularly in France— in recent years, according toa European Union survey published on Monday. Over one third of the Jewish respondents said theyʼd considered leaving the EU in the past five years due to concerns for their safety, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) found. "Member states must take note and step up their efforts to prevent and combat antiSemitism. Jewish people have a right to live freely, without hate and without fear for their safety," said FRA Director Michael OʼFlaherty. The FRA questioned 16,395 Jewish people for the anti-Semitism survey, which was also carried out in 2012. The respondents live in 12 EU member states where 96 percent of the EUʼs Jewish population lives, including: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Germany: AfDʼs ʼwhite menʼ advent calendar sparks controversy and ridicule Germanyʼs right-wing populists said they sought to celebrate the contributions of white men, who faced "rampant discrimination" in society. The calendar was promoted with the hashtag ʼsay yes to white menʼ on Twitter. The AfD of the Berlin parliament drew criticism for a new Christmas campaign honoring notable white men every day in the month of December, in the tradition of the advent calendar. The far-right populists announced their controversial move with a message on Twitter, using the hashtag "yes to white men" (#JaZuWeißenMännern).
281/2018 • 12 DECEMBER, 2018
Angela Merkel urges Vladimir Putin to release Ukrainian sailors Stopping conflict in the Sea of Azov wasnʼt the only thing the two leaders discussed
The chancellor told her Russian counterpart that measures needed to be taken to ensure "smooth passage" through the Kerch Strait. But stopping conflict in the Sea of Azov wasnʼt the only thing the two leaders discussed.
Germanyʼs welfare experiment: Sanction-free ʼbasic securityʼ Fear of sanctions is demotivating the unemployed from getting a job, a new study aims to show. Meanwhile, Germanyʼs political left is mulling a welfare reform to refit the system for 21st century work. A basic principle of social security in Germany is this: The best incentive to get people into work is to cut their payments if they miss an appointment, or fail to finish a training course, or refuse to sign an "integration agreement" in which they pledge to do all they can to find a job. But this simply doesnʼt work, says the Sanktionsfrei ("sanction-free") organization. Not only does the pressure created by the threat of sanctions lead more people to fall out of the system completely, it even demotivates those
who arenʼt even being sanctioned. To prove its point, the organization launched a study on Thursday to find out what effect sanction-free support has on people. Starting in February 2019 and for the next three years, 250 randomly-chosen recipients of Hartz IV financial assistance — the system of German long-term unemployment benefits or welfare support — will get any sanctions immediately reimbursed by the organization, no questions asked. The scheme is called HartzPlus. The organization will then record the psychological effects of this newfound security in periodical questionnaires that the participants fill out. A control group of another 250 Hartz IV recipients will get no such safety net, but still out the forms.
Cornelia Funke at 60: Why the star childrenʼs author distrusts words She launched to fame with "Dragon Rider" in 1997 and has since become one of Germanyʼs most successful authors. In an interview with DW, star kidsʼ author Cornelia Funke spoke about why words can be challenging. Cornelia Funke cheerfully answers the phone at 9:30 a.m. California time. She had already been to the ocean, written a bit, made a few calls,
and drunk her coffee. Every workday begins with a good cup of coffee, she says. Funke laughs sincerely and frequently, then speaks thoughtfully about her life, her work with words and pictures, and her relationship to fantasy and reality. Her childrenʼs fantasy novels, which she illustrated herself, have sold 20 million copies and been translated into 37 languages.
Illegal gold mines destroying Amazon rainforest An increase in illegal gold mining in the Amazon rainforest has reached "epidemic" proportions, a study has revealed. The report, released by the Amazon Socio-Environmental GeoReferenced Information Project (RAISG) on Monday, exposed the damage that illicit mining for gold has had on forest and waterways, as well as on the life of indigenous tribes in the area. Combining satellite imagery and government data, researchers identified at least 2,312 illegal mining sites that spanned across six countries: Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela. The group was not able to collect data on mining activity in Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname. "The scope of illegal mining in the Amazon, especially in indigenous territories and protected natural areas, has grown exponentially in recent years, with the rise in the price of gold," said Beto Ricardo, head of the RAISG.
Climate protection: Germany falls farther behind As greenhouse gas emissions increase, the Climate Change Performance Index 2019 shows that only a handful of nations have implemented strategies to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). The annual report — published Monday at the COP24 climate summit in Katowice, Poland — tracks climate change performance in 56 countries and the EU. It comes on the heels of news that after CO2 emissions stabilized for three consecutive years, they are set to hithistoric highs in 2018. Germany, so often held up as a beacon in the climate change fight, comes in at a middling 27th position — five places below its spot last year
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281/2018 • 12 December, 2018
Luxembourg election presents tough challenge to PM Xavier Bettel The future of Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel hangs in the balance as some 256,000 voters head to the polls in the European landlocked Grand Duchy on Sunday. Any party or alliance needs to obtain 31 seats to form a government. Opinion polls suggest Bettel could lose the vote due to his unpopular economic policies and declining support within his Democratic Party and coalition partners. A high growth rate under the coalition has put pressure on housing and infrastructure. According to polls, a quarter of voters were undecided in who to vote for. Claude Wiseler, a former literature teacher and the prime minister candidate of the Christian Social Peopleʼs Party (CSV), is expected to pick up seats. Bettel became the countryʼs prime minister in 2013 after a spying scandal toppled the CSV government of Jean-Claude Juncker, who is now president of the European Commission.
Harry Redknapp: Why people are falling in love with the Iʼm a Celeb star It may be on the "other" channel but we are loving this yearʼs Iʼm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here. The reason this season is the best yet? Two words... Harry. Redknapp. The former Tottenham managerʼs name was the most Googled topic in the UK on Sunday, with more than 200,000 searches. For millions of football fans, the "Redknapp dynasty" is nothing new, but for younger viewers of the ITV show, they may not have been as familiar with Harry before he went in the jungle. We wanted to answer a few of the most commonly asked Harry Redknapp-related questions.
Australia passes law forcing tech firms to hand over encrypted data
Sri Lanka seeks investment, but China questions linger
Passage of a law expanding Australiaʼs spying powers may have global implications for encrypted communications. Critics say the law may unleash unintended consequences.
You donʼt need to be an expert on international trade routes to look at a map and understandthat Sri Lankaʼs location is one of potentially serious economic advantage. The island nation — population 22 million — sits at the southern tip of India, almost as close to the Middle East and the Horn of Africa as it is to South East Asia. The value of this location has not been lost on its northern neighbor China.Under Xi Jinpingʼs so-called ʼBelt and Road Initiative,ʼ the Chinese government has pumped billions into Sri Lanka in the form of both foreign investment and loans in recent years. This reliance on Chinese money is part of a long-standing Sri Lankan problem. With a major trade deficit, as well as crippling levels of debt, the country needs foreign money. China has rushed to fill the gap more enthusiastically than anyone else. The current Sri Lankan government came to power in 2015, when it replaced former President Mahinda Rajapaksaʼs administration. His government had been unabashedly eager to seek Chinese money, regardless of the costs, and it left the incoming government with a major web of deals — and debt — to untangle.
Australiaʼs Parliament on Thursday passed a controversial bill that will force tech firms to give police access to the encrypted communications of suspected terrorists and criminals. The law, which has been opposed by tech giants, has caused heated debate over national security and privacy at a time when governments across the globe are grappling with how to access encrypted information to monitor illegal activities. Under the law, Australian security services can force local and international communications giants such as Google, Facebook or
WhatsApp to remove encryption, help conceal government snooping and hand over data linked to suspected illegal activities. Police must still first obtain a warrant. The new law passed the Senate after a last-minute deal was struck with the opposition Labor Party, which had demanded more oversight and safeguards in how the law is used. Under the deal, the coalition government agreed to add amendments next year. The bill passed the lower house earlier on Thursday.
Juliette Binoche named president of Berlin Film Festival jury The French movie actor has been awarded by the Berlinale twice before, including a best actress prize. French actress Juliette Binoche will head the jury of this yearʼsBerlin International Film Festival, organizers announced on Tuesday. She has appeared in more than 70 films and won a slew of prizes. "Iʼm very pleased that Juliette is president of the 2019 International Jury," said Berlinale director Dieter Kosslick. "The festival shares a strong connection with her, and Iʼm very happy that sheʼll be returning to the festival in this distinguished position," added Kosslick, al-
luding to the two awards Binoche has received at the festival in the past. She won the Berlinale Camera, for "personalities and institutions that have made a unique contribution to film," in 1993, and then the festivalʼs best actress prize in 1997 for The Eng‐ lish Patient, a role which also nabbed her an Academy Award. Binoche, 54, had her first film role under the direction of Jean-Luc Godard, with a small role in 1983ʼs Hail Mary. She first became known to English-language audiences starring opposite Daniel DayLewis in Philip Kaufmannʼs 1988 adaption of The Unbearable Lightness of Being.
Visit Budapest’s most charming Basilica Advent Fair The Advent Fair by St Stephen’s Basilica is one of the most atmospheric in Budapest. Centrepieced by a towering Christmas tree and a free ice-rink for kids, stalls offer delicious dishes and all things jolly, while special light shows projected onto the façade of the Basilica make every night special. See below for tips on what to eat, drink and buy – and find out what film star Antonio Banderas was up to here last year!
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Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege accept Nobel Peace Prize In theirNobel Peace Prize acceptance speeches on Monday,Denis MukwegeandNadia Murad called on the world to protect victims of wartime sexual violence. They also slammed global indifference to the plight of women and children in conflict. In her speech Murad implored the global community to help free hundreds of women and girls still held by jihadists. She also said that the world must protect her people and other vulnerable communities. Speaking at Osloʼs City Hall and seemingly overcome with emotion, Murad said: "It is my view that all victims deserve a safe haven until justice is done for them." Murad survived the horrors of captivity under the "Islamic State" (IS) group in Iraq and Syria where they targeted her Kurdishspeaking community.Older women and men faced summary execution during the IS assault, which the United Nations has described as a possible genocide. Murad was captured in 2014 and suffered beatings and gang-rape before she was able to escape.