96/2018 • 28 APRIL, 2018 WEEKEND ISSUE
DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
US-German conflicts — what you need to know We take a look at the most contentious issues
Germany is a firm believer in theJoint Comprehensive Plan of Action(JCPOA), the 2015 deal between Iran and the EU, Russia, China and the US in which Tehran pledged to restrict its nuclear program and not to develop nuclear weapons in return for the relaxation of UN, EU and US sanctions. Trump has characterized the JCPOA as the "worst deal ever" andaccused the Iranian government of failing to abideby its provisions. The president has refused to certify the agreement, which is required every 120 days, but has stopped short of formally scrapping the deal. However, he has threatened to re-impose secondary sanctions on countries doing business with Iran, which would essentially scupper the agreement. Germany and its EU partners would like to prevent this. Trump accuses the EU and Germany in particular of maintaining unfair economic policies toward the US, citing as evidenceAmericaʼs $64-billion-dollar (€52.5 billion) trade deficitas evidence of the alleged inequity. He hasthreatened to impose tariffs on imports of European steelto the US as of May 1 and hassingled out German carsas a potential target of other, further punitive action. More broadly, Trumpʼs economic protectionism has led to the suspension of negotiations over the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). Germany supports global free trade and wouldlove to see a revival of TTIP, which the European Commission says would boost the EUʼs economy by €120 billion and
Americaʼs by €90 billion. Germany points out that EU tariffs on American goods as a whole entering the bloc are slightly lower than US tariffs on EU products. Germany has indicated a willingness to renegotiate tariff agreements, the last of which was reached in 1994, but hasthreatened to respond in kindwith duties on US products like motorcycles, blue jeans and bourbon whiskey, should Trump start a trade war. Trump has accused Germany, most prominently among NATO members, ofunder-spending on defense — in essence freeloading off Americaʼs comparatively massive military expenditures. The US President wants to see Germany commit two percent of its GDP on defense in line with a goal set by NATO member states in 2014. Germany currently spends about 1.2 percent of its GDP (around €37 billion or $45 billion) on defense. The agreement reached by Angela Merkelʼs latest governing coalition will see those expenditures rise slightly, butnot to anywhere near the two percent Trump wants. Berlin argues that the relatively large sums it spends on developmental aid (€23.3 billion in 2016) help prevent conflict around the world and should be taken into account as a contribution to international security. Germany is one of the worldʼs leading advocates of the Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change, calling it "irreversible," although Berlin now acknowledges that Germany itselfwill not meet the targets for 2020set out by that deal .
Münster attack victim dies weeks after rampage
Turkish court upholds travel ban for German reporter
NATO and Washington worry about Russian subs
A 74-year-old has succumbed to serious injuries sustained in the Münster car rampage earlier in April. He is the fourth person to die after Jens R. drove his van into bystanders and then shot himself. German authorities confirmed one more victim of the Münster attack died on Thursday, 19 days aftercar rampagewhich previously claimed the lives of two victims and the driver in northwest Germany. The latest victim was a 74year-man from the nearby city of Hamm who passed away in a Münster hospital.
German reporter Mesale Tolu will not be allowed to leave Turkey, where she faces charges of terrorist propaganda, a Turkish court has decided. The "political decision" leaves the 33-year-old facing an uncertain future. German reporter Mesale Tolu will not be allowed to leave Turkey, where she is on trial on terror-related charges, a Turkish court ruled Thursday. Tolu said the decision was "politically motivated" and announced she would appeal. She also decried "harassment" by Turkish judiciary.
NATO foreign ministers are due to meet in Brussels to discuss increasingly bitter relations with Russia. Tensions have led the United States to move back into an Icelandic air base it left more than a decade ago. Captain Jon Gudnason, commander of Icelandʼs Keflavik Air Base for the last 30 years, chuckled recalling the brief phone call he got from US officials in May 2014. They informed him they wanted to reinstall some personnel in the base theyʼd left eight years earlier.
Germany and the US remain close allies, but since the election of Donald Trump, disagreements have emerged on key policies.
A German rightwing extremist soldierʼs double life One year ago, a right-wing extremist German army officer was arrested on suspicion of terrorism, then it was discovered he was also leading a double life as a Syrian refugee. The case is anything but closed. "At first I just couldnʼt believe it," Christof Gramm, head of the Military CounterIntelligence Service (MAD) told the German weekly magazine Spiegel in 2017: "Weʼve never had a case like this in the counter-extremism program at MAD."
96/2018 • 28 April, 2018 Weekend issue
Sweden and North Korea end talks ahead of possible Trump-Kim summit The Swedish and North Korean foreign ministers have wrapped up three days of talks on the security situation on the Korean peninsula. Have they cleared the way for a historic meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un? Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom and her North Korean counterpart Ri Yong Ho discussed the "opportunities and challenges for continued diplomatic efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the conflict," Swedenʼs Foreign Ministry said Saturday. The ministry did not comment on whether thethree days of talksin Stockholm hadlaid any groundwork for a possible meetingbetween US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. "The main focus for the talks was the security situation on the Korean Peninsula," Wallstrom told reporters, adding that UN sanctions, nuclear weapons, and humanitarian concerns in North Korea were also on the agenda. Ri did not address the media during his visit.
Publisher slammed as Hitler appears in ʼgreat leadersʼ book The book "would bring tears of joy to neo-Nazis," a Jewish human rights organization has said. Adolf Hitler carries a certain fascination in some parts of the world that is largely untouched by his atrocities. Indian publisher Pegasus landed itself in hot water this week when it emerged that itʼs "Great Leaders" book for children included Adolf Hitler. Pictured alongside freedom fighters Mathama Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, the book chose Hitler as one of the "powerful world leaders who have dedicated their lives to the betterment of their countries and the people living in them." Also included in the book are current Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, controversial Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi and former US President Barack Obama. "Dedicated to the betterment of countries and people? Adolf Hitler? This description would bring tears of joy to the Nazis and their racist neo-Nazi heirs," said Abraham Cooper of the Jewish human rights organization the Wiesenthal Center. "Placing Hitler alongside truly great political and humanitarian leaders is an abomination that is made worse as it targets young people with little or no knowledge of world history and ethics," Cooper said. 2
US comedian Bill Cosby convicted of sexual assault The 80-year-old comedian has been found guilty of aggravated indecent assault in a retrial of 2017 case
Canada to deploy troops, helicopters to Mali Canada will send troops and helicopters to Mali to join a UN peacekeeping mission there, Canadian media have reported. The helicopters are expected to replace a German contingent. Canada will soon take part in its first peacekeeping mission to Africa since Rwanda in 1994, sending peacekeepers, backed by helicopters, to join UN Blue Helmets in Mali before autumn, Canadian media reported late on Friday. The commitment comes amid pressure on Canada from Germany and the Netherlands to send peacekeepers, with the Canadian helicopters expected to replace a German contingent, CBC News said, citing a senior government official. The deployment would be for a planned 12 months, according to the report.
The verdict follows other celebrity sexual misconduct revelations that sparked the #MeToo movement. A jury in the city of Pennsylvania found US comedian Bill Cosby guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault. The verdict is part of the 80-year-oldʼs second trial for drugging and sexually assaulting 45-year-old Andrea Constand in 2004. Constand, a former womenʼs basketball administrator, accused Cosby of drugging her with pills before molesting her while she was in-
Donald Trump signs Taiwan Travel Act, drawing Chinaʼs ire US President Donald Trump has signed a law promoting official exchanges between the US and Taiwan. The move could further strain US-China ties. US President Donald Trump on Friday signed legislation promoting contacts between Washington officials and their Taiwanese counterparts, angering China, which considers Taiwan as part of its territory. The Taiwan Travel Act will allow unrestricted two-way travel for officials from the United States and Taiwan, thus restoring direct official US contacts with the self-ruled is-
capacitated in his Philadelphia home in 2004.The comedian dismissed the charges, claiming the encounter was consensual.The first trial against Cosby ended with a hung jury in 2017, prompting prosecutors to decide to retry him for a second time.On Thursday, the jury found him guilty of all three charges of aggravated indecent assault after 14 hours of deliberation. land, which were cut in 1979 when Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing. The White House said the bill, which was passed unanimously by Congress, would go into effect on Saturday morning even without the presidentʼs signature. The United States still does not have formal ties with Taiwan, but is required by lawto help it with selfdefense.
Syria: Al-Qaida and IS increasingly lose territory to Assad With the exception of Idlib, Syriaʼs government has recovered control of most major cities from rebels and ter-
ror organizations. Are the "Islamic State" and al-Qaida being beaten out of Syria? With Syriaʼs civil war now in its eighth year, the "Islamic State" (IS) and al-Qaida — two of the most prominent terror organizations active in the fighting — are on the decline. DW takes a closer look at their roles in the conflict. IS drew international attention when it swept across Iraq and Syria in 2014, making Raqqa, Syria, its capital and taking control of Iraqʼs second-largest city, Mosul. In Syria, IS now only really controls some area near Iraqʼs border, as well as some parts of the countryside. The organization does not currently have a central headquarters. In October, the US military estimated that the group still had about 6,500 members. AlQaida operates most prominently as Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham, a Salafist group that is concentrated near and in the major Syrian city of Idlib.
96/2018 • 28 April, 2018 Weekend issue
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Argentina navy loses contact with submarine with 44 crew on board
No one has heard from an Argentinian submarine for at least two days. While authorities initially insisted it wasnʼt missing, Argentinaʼs navy has stepped up its search efforts. Argentinaʼs navy lost contact with one of its submarines and its 44 crew members, it announced on Friday. Although the German-built ARA San Juan has been out of contact for two days, the navy initially did not consider it lost. "Itʼs not that itʼs lost, because to be lost, you have to look for it and not find it," the navy told a local broadcaster. However, after an initial search operation in the submarineʼs last known position, around 430 kilometers (267miles) off the southeastern Valdez peninsula, bore no results, Argentina said it was stepping up its search efforts and calling on allies for help. "We have not been able to find, or have visual or radar communication with the submarine," navy spokesman Enrique Balbi told reporters at a news conference. "I donʼt want to dramatize the issue. Weʼre lacking communication and donʼt know what happened." The incident has formally been upgraded to a "search and rescue" operation, Balbi added.
Gardrób Community Market at Dürer Kert The next Gardrób community market will be on March 25 in Dürer Kert. Here you can get some cool stuff for a great price or you can sell those pieces of clothing that are not the right fit anymore, or the ones that you know that you will never going to wear again.
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96/2018 • 28 April, 2018 Weekend issue
Environmentalists skeptical of ʼbreakthroughʼ on bee-friendly pesticides Critics say we need to move away from a ʼchemical mindsetʼ altogether
NASA shoots human sperm into space With the new experiment, the US space agency wants to research how human sperm cells react to microgravity — and whether humans could procreate in space. Other mammals have had little success so far. Space agencies and companies have sent many a strange object into space: pizza,lego mini figuresand even aconvertible. All have made their way into the seemingly endless world of microgravity that lies just beyond our planet. But a new experiment takes the cake: for research
project Micro-11, NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is now sending frozen samples of human sperm to space. "As we plan to travel beyond the space station with thoughts of colonization on the moon and Mars and other heavenly bodies, the question of whether or not multi-generational survival can occur — not only in animals but in humans — is a very fundamental question that needs to be addressed," Joseph Tash, a researcher at the University of Kansas Medical Center who will examine the sperm upon its return to Earth, said.
Researchers say a new discovery may help to create pesticides that donʼt kill bees. But critics say we need to move away from a ʼchemical mindsetʼ altogether. Scientists say they have made a "breakthrough" that could lead to beefriendly pesticides — but environmentalists argue that the only solution is to switch to organic alternatives. The development is the latest in theongoing debateover neonicotinoids, which are among the most toxic pesticides for bees and other insects. Researchers from the University of Exeterʼs non-profit Rotham-
sted Research center and pesticide producer Bayer AG, saytheir findings, published Thursday, are key to production of pesticides that protect crops without causing harm to bee populations. "This knowledge can help us avoid wasting time and money on pesticides that end up with use restrictions due to intrinsic bee toxicity," Chris Bass from the University of Exeter said.
Extreme weather a factor in 2015
Trump ʼhealthyʼ with perfect
mass death of saiga antelopes
cognitive score, says doctor
"Unusually" warm weather contributed to the sudden death of 200,000 saiga antelopes in 2015 — an event that had baffled scientists — according to a new study. It could happen again, putting the species at risk. Unusually high temperatures helped contribute to the dramatic sudden death of more than 200,000 "critically endangered" saiga antelopes in Central Asiaʼs remote steppe grassland in 2015, according to a new study. Over the course of three weeks in May 2015, a bacterial disease caused blood poisoning and wiped out more than 80 percent of the saiga population in Kazakhstanʼs Betpak-Dala region. In some herds, not a single animal survived. Researchers already believed the disease was caused by the pathogen Pasteurella multocida, but they were baffled by the die-off because the bacteria had likely been living harmlessly in the saigasʼ tonsils up to that point. 4
he White House doctor says Donald Trump is in excellent health following his first physical as president. The exam took place days after a controversial book raised questions about Trumpʼs mental fitness for office. White House physician Ronny Jackson said Tuesday that Donald Trump had a very strong chance of remaining physically fit and healthy for the full term of his presidency. "In summary, the presidentʼs overall health is excellent," Jackson told reporters at a briefing in Washington.
Following UK, German politicians urge for measures to fight loneliness
German lawmakers have said more needs to be done to help those who suffer from loneliness and to remove the taboos around the issue. They also praised the UKʼs recent decision to appoint a "Minister for Loneliness."
Politicians in Germany are taking a harder look at loneliness and how it affects the countryʼs large — and growing — elderly population. For someone over the age of 60, loneliness "increases mortality as much as heavy smoking," Karl Lauterbach, a health expert and Social Democrat (SPD), told the German daily Bild newspaper on Friday."There has to be someone who is responsible for the topic of loneliness, preferably in the Health Ministry, who can coordinate the fight against loneliness," Lauterbach added. A discussion about loneliness in Germany was prompted by the United Kingdomʼs recent moveto name a "Minister for Loneliness." Marcus Weinberg, a politician with German Chancellor Angela Merkelʼs Christian Democrats (CDU), said people should be able to talk the issue freely without fearing that they would be seen as weak, reported Bild.
96/2018 • 28 April, 2018 Weekend issue
How plants survive in the desert The last drop:
Deserts might be renowned for their arid and hostile characteristics, but they are home to some incredible plants that have developed strategies to find and use the very last droplet of water. What is a desert? Per definition, the answer to this question is simple. They are areas of land with little to no flora. Though they are dry, they are not all hot. Take Antarctica, the largest desert in the world. Because itʼs so cold there, it is just as dry as the Sahara, the biggest hot desert on the planet. Generally speaking, when we think of a desert, we think
of inhospitable, sandy and furiously hot regions. We think of towering dunes, sand storms and temperatures that bake by day and chill by night. One thing we are unlikely to think about are the plants that thrive in these unfriendly conditions. But they are out there. In the Sahara alone, there are 1,400 different plant species. Some of them, cacti.
Russian accused of running spam network extradited to US Suspected Russian hacker Pyotr Levashov pleaded not guilty before a US judge after being extradited from Spain. Prosecutors claim he ran a massive computer network that sent out spam and installed malicious software. Spanish authorities have extradited to the US a Russian man suspected of carrying out cybercrimes using bulk spam emails and malicious software, US officials announced Friday. Pyotr Levashov, a 37-year-old from St. Petersburg, pleaded not guilty to the charges of wire and email fraud, hacking, identity theft and conspiracy after appearing before a federal judge in the US state of Connecticut. He re-
mains in detention. Levashov was arrested in Aprilwhile vacationing with his family in Barcelona. In October, Spainʼs National Court granted the US extradition request, rejecting a counter-extradition request from Russia. US prosecutors say Levashov ran the sprawling Kelihos botnet — a network involving up to 100,000 infected computers that sent spam emails, harvested usersʼ logins and installed malicious software that intercepted bank account passwords. According to the indictment, the network generated and distributed more than 2,500 spam emails a day and allegedly victimized thousands of people in the US.
German university hospital defends auto firmsʼ nitrogen dioxide test ethics No experiments on animals or humans can take place in Germany without a go from an authorized ethics committee. Dr. Thomas Kraus from Aachen University Hospital says this was the case in the most recent NO2 scandal. The European Research Group on Environment and Health in the Transport Sector (EUGT) "did not impinge in any way on the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) research it commissioned Aachen University Hospital to do," Professor Thomas Kraus from the hospital told the German press agency DPA on Monday. The EUGT is a now defunct organization that was funded by German carmakers Volkswagen, Daimler and BMW plus partsmaker Bosch, thus raising questions of possible conflicts of interest. In 2013, 25 healthy volunteers were exposed to NO2 pollution for three hours, Kraus said. "None of them had any negative health effects," he went on, adding that the tests were meant to measure the impact of pollutants in the workplace.
Sakura celebrations paint Budapest pink
Spring is now in full swing and Budapest is swathed in pink with all the lovely cherry trees in bloom. At this time of the year, the sprawling 200year-old ELTE Botanical Garden attracts crowds for picnics. People gather on the grass with blankets to celebrate the Hanami, a traditional Japanese custom when the flowering cherry trees create colorful scenery. On Saturday and Sunday, this alfresco extravaganza is complete with Asian-inspired activities and attractions, concerts, martial arts and board games. Every year, there are only two weekends when picnics on the grass are allowed in the park.
Weather
Sun
5 / 24
Mon
Tue
4 / 23
3 / 19
Hungary Budapest: Debrecen: Eger: Hévíz:
4/21 4/16 2/16 3/17
Athens: Berlin: Bratislava: Bucharest: London: Madrid:
5/22 5/12 4/16 4/14 8/8 10/22
Kecskemét: Keszthely: Miskolc:
2/20 5/14 5/16
Europe Moscow: Paris: Prague: Rome: Varsaw: Vienna:
0/5 9/11 4/17 10/23 4/15 2/15
Culture
Gergő Szinyova: Comfortable/Comfortless The new exhibition at Kisterem, Comfortable/Comfortless, presents Gergő Szinyova’s latest series. The paintings’ extremely thin, print-like painted surfaces are similar to silk screen printing, and echo aesthetic characteristics of risograph printing. The artist developed a technique that makes it possible for him to paint print-like surfaces that are unique, unrepeatable and not multipliable, however, the repetition of digitally pre-drawn motifs in the pictures is a reference to the possibilities of reproduction. Gergő Szinyova (born 1986), one of the most prominent talents of his generation, participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions in the past years in Budapest, Graz, New York and Los Angeles. The artist developed a technique that makes it possible for him to paint print-like surfaces that are unique, unrepeatable and not multipliable, however, the repetition of digitally pre-drawn motifs in the pictures is a reference to the possibilities of reproduction. Gergő Szinyova (born 1986), one of the most prominent talents of his generation, participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions in the past years in Budapest, Graz, New York and Los Angeles. however, the repetition of digitally pre-drawn motifs in the pictures is a reference to the possibilities of reproduction. Gergő Szinyova, one of the most prominent talents of his generation, participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions in the past years in Budapest, Graz, New York and LA.
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96/2018 • 28 April, 2018 Weekend issue
Leroy Sané honored in England, now Germany starting berth beckons
Manchester City winger Leroy Sané has been named the English Professional Footballersʼ Association Young Player of the Year. His next challenge should be snatching Julian Draxlerʼs Germany starting spot at the World Cup. Germanyʼs Leroy Sané has been rewarded for a stellar season at English Premier League champions Manchester City by being recognized by his peers as the best young player in England — becoming the first German to win a PFA award. The Professional Footballersʼ Association accolade, one of the most prestigious in the English game, is richly deserved after the ex-Schalke winger terrorized defenses with his pace, trickery and powerful shooting.
Lance Armstrong settles $100 million lawsuit with US government
The disgraced cyclist will pay $5 million to settle claims that he defrauded the US government when he cheated while riding under the Postal Service banner. His former teammate will pocket up to 25 percent of the amount. Lance Armstrong has agreed to pay $5 million (€4 million) to settle a lawsuit with the US government thatsought around $100 million in damages from the cyclist. The lawsuit claimed that Armstrong, who was stripped of his record seven Tour de France victories afteradmitting he used performance-enhancing drugs,committed fraud against the US government when he cheated while the Postal Service spent millions sponsoring his team. 6
Autopsy confirms Michael Goolaerts died of heart attack An autopsy carried out on the body of Michael Goolaerts has confirmed that the Belgian rider died of cardiac arrest. He suffered the heart attack and fell off his bike during a race on the weekend. Remy Schwartz, the state prosecutor for the northern French commune of Cambrai said the autopsy following Michael Goolaertsʼ death on Sunday, confirmed that the Belgian had died of cardiac arrest, as had been widely speculated. "The autopsy confirms the previous hypothesis that death was due to a heart attack and not a crash," Schwartz told the AFP news agency on Wednesday. "He suffered an attack while racing. His heart stopped, and thatʼs why he crashed." The 23-yearoldGoolaerts crashed in the early stages of the Paris-Roubaix oneday classicand shortly afterwards he was found unconscious and not breathing along the side of the road. He was rushed to a hospital in Lille, but the Verandaʼs Willems team rider was pronounced dead late on Sunday. Toxicology and other tests are now to be conducted on his body in an effort to determine an exact cause of the heart attack. The results of these may not be known for several weeks.
Jerome Boateng a doubt for World Cup Boateng himself took to social media to confirm the news
Bayern Munich and Germany defender Jerome Boateng will miss the rest of the season after pulling his hamstring against Real Madrid, according to reports. The 29-year-old now faces a race to be fit for the World Cup. Jerome Boateng pulled up clutching his hamstring just half an hour intoBayern Munichʼs Champions League semifinal first leg defeat to Real Madridlast night. Coach Jupp Heynckes said immediately that Boateng "will be out" for a while, and German media now report that the 29-year-old will indeed miss the rest of the Bundesliga season - and maybe even the World Cup. According to Sportbild, Boateng will be out for "four to six weeks" after
pulling his hamstring, meaning he will miss both the return leg in Madrid next week and the German Cup final against Eintracht Frankfurt in his home city of Berlin next month. Boateng himself took to social media to confirm the news, tweeting: "Life is full of setbacks. Live, feel, love, laugh, cry, play, win, lose, stumble, fall - but always get back up! Now my aim is to fight to be available in Russia. Iʼm going to give my all."
Arsenalʼs Arsene Wenger to quit at end of season The longtime manager of English Premier League club Arsenal has announced that he is to step down at the end of this season. Arsene Wenger has been with the Gunners for more than two decades. Arsene Wenger announced his departure from the London club in a statement posted on Arsenalʼs website on Friday. "After careful consideration and following discussions with the club, I feel it is the right time for me to step down at the end of the season," the 68-year-old Frenchman said. "I am grateful for having had the privi-
lege to serve the club for so many memorable years. I managed the club with full commitment and integrity." Majority owner Stan Kroenke was full of praise for Wenger, who moved to the club from Nagoya Grampus Eight of the J-League in the summer of 1996. Sports Arsenalʼs Arsene Wenger to quit at end of season The longtime manager of English Premier League club Arsenal has announced that he is to step down at the end of this season. Arsene Wenger has been with the Gunners for more than two decades.