DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Journalists go to court over Germanyʼs ʼunrestrictiveʼ surveillance laws Press groups have argued that Germanyʼs surveillance laws are unconstitutional as they allow foreign reporters to be monitored. The case is raising awareness on social media under the slogan "No trust, no news." Germanyʼs Constitutional Court is reviewing the legality of the governmentʼs surveillance capabilities, after several journalists and rights activists lodged a complaint arguing that the law allows for the "virtually unrestricted" monitoring of foreign reporters. The complaint aims to strip the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), the countryʼs intelligence agency, of its powers to mass surveil foreign journalistsʼ communications, said Frank Überall, chairman of theGerman Federation of Journalists (DJV).
Kenya: Huge crowds at opposition leaderʼs ʼswearing inʼ ceremony Kenya opposition leader Raila Odinga has sworn himself in as "president of the people." The government responded by declaring the oppositionʼs ʼNational Resistance Movementʼ a criminal group. Opposition leader Raila Odinga took an oath of office as what Kenyaʼs opposition coalition has named the "president of the people." "I, Raila Omolo Odinga, do swear that I will protect the nation as peopleʼs president, so help me God," he said. His running mate Kalonzo Musyoka who was supposed to be sworn in as his deputy did not appear at Odingaʼs side. Thousands of opposition supporters had gathered in Nairobiʼs Uhuru Park on Tuesday for the staged "inauguration." Authorities had initially warned the opposition to not gather in the park, but security forces remained at a distance and allowed the ceremony to go ahead. Following the ceremony, the government issued a notice, declaring the oppositionʼs National Resistance Movement illegal.
26/2018 • 01, FEBRUARY 2018
Israel risks ʼperpetual occupation and conflict,ʼ German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel says He called on Israel to clarify its policy on Mideast peace talks
Germanyʼs foreign minister ended a 15-hour trip to Israel warning the country against abandoning a two-state solution to the IsraeliPalestinian conflict. Israel must clarify its position on peace talks with Palestinians or risk "perpetual occupation and conflict," German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said Wednesday at a security conference in Tel Aviv. "As a friend and close ally, we need to know if Israel is not supporting a negotiated solution to this conflict anymore," he said. "What exactly is Israelʼs strategy in this conflict?" Germany and the European Union support the creation of a Palestinian state as part of a twostate solution to the long-standing conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said Palestinians should govern themselves but has not clarified whether that would mean an independent state or greater autonomy within Israel. A majority of lawmakers in Netanyahuʼs Likud party reject a Palestinian state. "Are you prepared to pay the price of perpetual occupation and conflict — a price that will continue to grow if there is no hope for selfdetermination on the Palestinian side," Gabriel said. He also sug-
gested European countries may reduce aid to Israel if the country abandons the two-state solution. The proposal, Gabriel said, was the "foundation of our engagement for Israeli-Palestinian peace and for the large amount of funding that Germany and Europe make available in support of the situation on the ground." EU members met in Brussels on Wednesdayto pledge additional support to Palestinian statebuilding efforts. Gabrielʼs speech at the conference marked the end of a 15-hour trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories that included earlier meetings with Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. During a joint press conference with Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister interrupted Gabriel after he said he was thankful to hear "the government of Israel wants to have two states." "Whether or not itʼs defined as a state when we have the military control is another matter, but Iʼd rather not discuss labels, but substance," Netanyahu said, referring to the West Bank, a Palestinian territory.
India: 63 million women statistically ʼmissing,ʼ 21 million unwanted The Indian government says sexselective abortions and a neglect of girls have resulted in millions of statistically "missing" women. Despite the numbers, some gender equality indicators have improved for women. An Indian government report presented to parliament on Monday has found that about 63 million women are statistically "missing" from Indiaʼs population, due to a preference for male children. The survey, presented with a pink cover, included a chapter on womenʼs issues for the first time with the slogan #MeToo in recognition of the global campaign against sexual harassment. A sex ratio of 943 females per 1,000 males has led to the identification of some 63 million "missing" women, the annual economic survey found. The survey reported the reason for the figures was largely because of sex-selective abortions, better nutrition and medical care for boys and that "families where a son is born are more likely to stop having children than families where a girl is born." German authorities carry out massive raid targeting illegal work racket Raids across the populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia have broken up an organized crime network involved in illegal employment at construction sites. Hundreds of construction companies are believed to be involved. Hundreds of German police and agents with a special customs task force took part in early-morning raids on Tuesday to bust the organizers and backers of a massive network of illegal, off-the-books construction jobs.
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