DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
US says Russia meddling in Macedonia ahead of name referendum US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Monday that there is "no doubt" that Moscow is funding pro-Russian groups to influence areferendum on changing the countryʼs namelater this month, which could lead to NATO and EU membership. "They have transferred money and theyʼre also conducting broader influence campaigns," Mattis said to reporters traveling with him to the Macedonian capital Skopje. Macedonians are voting on September 30 on whether to change the countryʼs name to the Republic of North Macedonia. The referendum follows aJune deal with neighboring Greece, which has long called for the name change, as Macedonia is also the name of a Greek region.
Typhoon Mangkhut leaves trail of destruction in China Southern China braced for more heavy rains and winds on Monday, after a powerful typhoon already ravaged Hong Kong and left dozens dead from landslides in the Philippines. Tropical cyclone Mangkhut advanced west through southern Chinaʼs Guangdong province after making landfall on Sunday, forcing more than 2.4 million people to evacuate. The storm also brought transportation in the region to a halt. Read more: The worldʼs deadliest hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones The China Meteorological Administration said 100-160 millimeters (4-6 inches) of rain was expected on Monday in parts of Guangdong, Chinaʼs most populous province. Two people were killed in southern China, authorities said.
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Germanyʼs Angela Merkel backs Austria on stronger EU borders European leaders are under pressure after the main route across the Mediterranean shifted
The German chancellor and her Austrian counterpart, Sebastian Kurz, have agreed to stem migrant arrivals to the EU.
EU investment in Africa: Europe racing to catch up The EU plans to invest more in Africa and wants to intensify trade relations. Since the refugee crisis, Europe has been courting African governments and banking on increased cooperation. For many years now, the EUʼs Africa policy has been a graveyard of big words, good intentions and unfulfilled promises. However, since the refugee crisis interest in a new strategy for cooperation with the continent has increased sharply. The Europeans have stood by and watched as China established itself in Africa,investing billions in the continent. EU states fear they will find themselves relegated to
the second league. This is why, in his speech this week on the state of the EU, Commission President JeanClaude Juncker once again announced "a new pact with Africa." Read more: Jean-Claude Juncker calls for EU to be a global player More investment, more work, more training In the next budget period the EU plans to increase funding to Africa to €40 billion ($46.5 billion). The hope is that this money will then be multiplied by private investors. As an incentive, the EU wants to provide risk guarantees to encourage the private sector to make the commitment and invest in African countries.
Anti-Nazi hashtag campaign tries to correct eastern Germanyʼs far-right image A new social media campaign is aiming to redress the perception that eastern Germany is in the grip of far-right populists and neo-Nazis. The blogger Stefan Krabbes has started "the other East" hashtag, which has been taken up enthusiastically. Eastern Germany is divided these days, but if thereʼs one thing that unites people who join far-right demos and those who march against them, itʼs the conviction that the region
has been misrepresented in the media. Reporters who travelled to Chemnitz orKöthento coverthe countless demosthat took place after the deaths of Daniel H. and Markus B. – allegedly at the hands of asylum-seekers – would regularly be told by locals not to simply dismiss the entire region as a "Nazi swamp" and point out that many of the neo-Nazis that took part in the demos had travelled from the West.
Merkel in Algeria: Migration likely to influence trade talks Officially, the main purpose of German Chancellor Angela Merkelʼs visit to Algeria is to strengthen trade relations. According to Algerian news agency APS, the visit will offer "an opportunity to take stock of the economic relations between Algeria and Germany" and to strengthen them. And there is room for improvement. In terms of imports to Algeria, Germany ranks fifth behind China and the Mediterranean states of France, Italy and Spain. In terms of exports — Algeriaʼs most important are oil and gas — Germany is barely on the list. But Merkelʼs talks with President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia will likely also focus on migration. Algeria is by far the largest country in the region, bordering Mali and Niger in the south. Many migrants travel through these countries to reach the Mediterranean and attempt the perilous voyage to Europe.
Honduras: Environmental activist Berta Caceresʼ alleged murderers go on trial Berta Caceres, a human rights and environmental activist in Honduras, was a prominent coordinator of the indigenous organization COPINH. For years she fought against the construction of a hydroelectric power plant on the Gualcarque River, a project that would have severely altered fragile ecosystems and the traditional home of the Lenca people. In April 2015 Caceres was awarded the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize for her work.
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