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Insects perish at the frontlines of humansʼ war with nature Insects can sting, bite and carry diseases. Some of us would be happy if there werenʼt any mosquitoes, horseflies and cockroaches left to bother us. But what about butterflies and bumblebees? Wouldnʼt we miss them if they were gone? Conservationists have been voicing their concern that all insects — including those that we love so much — are slipping away. "In the summer, there were hundreds of butterflies, especially monarch butterflies, where I grew up," Scott Black, executive director of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation in Portland, Oregon, tells DW. "Now, youʼre lucky to find a dozen." Studies by Xerces Society and the scientific network NatureServe confirm that the population of themonarch butterflyhas fallen on average about 80 percentacross North America from the mid-1990s to 2015.

Turkey blocks German MP from vote observer role Turkey has blocked a German parliamentarian from traveling to the country to be an election observer ahead of this Sundayʼs vote. Andrej Hunko, a member of the German Bundestag for The Left party (Die Linke), was set to travel to Turkey before being notified by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) that he would be denied entry. Hunko told Germanyʼs dpa news agency that the OSCE informed him of the Turkish ambassadorʼs declaration shortly before his flight from Vienna to Ankara was to depart. Hunko, who is also a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for The Left party, participated as an OSCE election observer in the April 2017 constitutional referendum in Turkey.

140/2018 • 22 JUNE, 2018

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuʼs wife charged with fraud Netanyahu had been the focus of a long investigation into misuse of state funds

Trumpʼs migrant family separations reversal too little, too late Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has been charged with fraud and breaches of trust. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuʼs wife, Sara Netanyahu, was indicted for misusing state funds, Israelʼs Justice Ministry said Thursday. Netanyahu was the subject of a long police probe into allegations that she had falsified household expenses, including claims she had spent "over 350,000 shekels" ($96,500, €83,500) on catering for the premierʼs office. "The Jerusalem district prosecutor a short time ago filed charges against the prime ministerʼs wife," the Justice Ministry said. The charges against Netanyahu include fraud and breaches of trust. When Netanyahu was told shemay face a possible corruption trial in September last year, the Office the Prime Ministerʼs official Facebook page published a post denying her involvement and said the allegations were "absurd and will be proven to

be unfounded." The Netanyahus instead blamed Meni Naftali, the premierʼs former housekeeper, for having ordered the food. The prime minister himself is facing several graft cases at the moment. In March,police questioned Netanyahu and his wifefor an investigation into whether his government improperly awarded benefits toIsraelʼs largest telecom company, Bezeq. Netanyahu and his family members are also suspected of having received 1 million shekelsʼ ($285,000, €240,000) worth of luxury cigars, champagne and jewelry from wealthy personalities in exchange for financial or personal favors. Another investigation sees Netanyahu suspected of attempting to reach an agreement with the owner of Yediot Aharonot, a best-selling Israeli newspaper, for more favorable coverage.

Hours after US PresidentDonald Trump backtracked on his administrationʼs practiceof intentionally separating migrant children from their parents, Hugo Castro joined other activists coloring in the lines of protest placards reading, "Families Belong Together." He said that despite the reversal, he was still planning to attend a demonstration expected to draw thousands in San Diego this weekend.

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140/2018 • 22 June, 2018

Malta bird-trapping breaches EU law, Europeʼs top court says Hunters in Malta who trap and trade several varieties of finch birds are in violation of EU law, the European Court of Justice (EJC) ruled on Thursday. The case had been brought to the court by the European Commission in 2015. The Maltese government responded to the ruling by saying it would study the courtʼs decision. Thursdayʼs EJC ruling concluded that recreational trapping in Malta is unlawful because birds were not being trapped on a selective basis, or in small numbers. In Malta, the trapping of birds is a centuries-old tradition and one that has the support of the Maltese government, which reintroduced the controversial birdtrapping practice in 2013. This practice, however, is illegal everywhere else in the EU. Under European law, member nations can be exempted from regulations protecting specific bird species, but only if hunting can be done in controlled conditions. The Maltese government was hoping that Malta country could qualify for this exemption. But the court ruled that Malta had not met the requirements, due to the fact that the island nation was not able to control the practice enough to guarantee the survival of the species.

Is China building ʼpolitical reeducationʼ camps for Muslim minorities? Adrian Zenz: The most important sources are government reports that are often published by local media. These include official government documents, for example travel reports from top officials, or budgetary reports that outline expenditures for facilities. Read more: Chinaʼs Xinjiang Muslims ʼrequire DNA samplesʼ for travel documents Muslim Uighurs are increasingly being persecuted. Do the reports specifically say: ʼWe are planning a reeducation camp here?ʼ Absolutely. The reports

even go into great detail about how the camp system functions. There are camps operated at three administrative levels – village, town and government district. Inmates are treated according to a four-level system corresponding to the "severity" of their case. However, this system is evolving into a mechanism of mass-internment, and this fourlevel case-differentiation scheme is no longer in play. The documents demonstrate clearly that this internment system is growing. 2

How would the US deal with ʼPrime Minister Imran Khanʼ? Pakistani politician Imran Khan could become the countryʼs next premier

Pakistani politician Imran Khan could become the countryʼs next premier after the July 25 vote, but his stance against the USʼ role in Afghanistan could be a hurdle in the Trump administrationʼs dealings with Islamabad. Pakistani politician Imran Khanis known in the US as a philanthropist who operates a world-class charity hospital in his country. He is also admired as a sportsman whose stunning looks charmed many Western women. But he is yet to make an impact as a politician in Washington. When DW asked US officials whether they would like to work with Khan if he became Pakistanʼs

Oxfam slams German supermarkets over ʼunfair practicesʼ Giant supermarket chains in the West push their suppliers into cutting prices, contributing to the exploitation of global farmers and, in some cases, taking advantage of forced labor, charity Oxfam said in a report titled "Ripe for Change" on Thursday. "Millions of women and men who produce our food are trapped in poverty and face brutal working conditions, despite billion-dollar profits in the food industry," they said. "It is one of the cruelest paradoxes of our time that the people producing our food and their families are often going without enough to eat themselves." Germans

EU top court: Germany failed to curb nitrate levels in groundwater The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled on Thursday that the German government had not taken sufficient action to curb high nitrate levels in groundwater in accordance with EUwide directives. Nitrate pollution is caused by the overuse of fertilizers in agriculture. When too much is used, its residue can seep into groundwater and water systems. Read more: Almost all German lakes and rivers face ecological crisis High levels of nitrate and its component nitrogen in drinking water can be dangerous to the health. Nitrates can also damage rivers, streams, lakes and oceans by creating algae blooms and low oxygen levels in water, which threatens some aquatic species. The European Commission sued Germany in 2016over what it viewed as Berlinʼs yearslong foot-dragging in taking strong enough measures against nitrate pollution. In 2014, the Commission had cautioned Germany over the issue. A 2016 German government report found that 28 percent of groundwater measuring stations registered nitrate levels above the EU-mandated threshold of 50 milligrams per liter.

prime minister after the July 25 general election, they gave a smooth, diplomatic response, which says all without saying much. "The US government supports a free and fair vote by the Pakistani people, and stands ready to partner with the leadership they choose to work on a shared agenda for regional peace and prosperity," said a State Department spokesperson. at the bottom The report looks into "unfair trading practices" pursued by 16 biggest supermarkets in the US, the UK, the Netherlands, and Germany. The four German chains – Aldi, Lidl, Edeka, and Rewe – are performing worst of all, according to the report.

Does the world still love German cars? One of the rare occasions in which you will find the German language being used for marketing purposes outside of German-speaking nations is when cars are being advertised. "Vorsprung Durch Technik" (advancement through technology), "Wir leben Autos" (we live cars) and sim-

ply "Das Auto" (the car) have been used by Audi, Opel and Volkswagen for several years in their overseas marketing campaigns to emphasize the "German-ness" of their product. Evidently, the logic goes: if people know itʼs German, they will want to buy it. Yet rough winds have shaken this most darling of German industries in recent years. The Dieselgate scandal, in which several German manufacturers were implicated, exposed the industryʼs grubby side and continues to bring trouble.Now US President Donald Trump has it in his sights: he wants to effectively ban the sale of luxury German cars in the USA. Germany is a monster exporter of cars. In 2016 and 2017, the country accounted for around 22 percent of all cars exported in the world, the most of any one country and almost as much as the rest of Europe combined.

140/2018 • 22 June, 2018

EU bailout decision unlikely to soothe Athensʼ Sisyphean headache Eurozone finance ministers decide on Thursday how much debt relief to give Athens in return for its compliance with economic reforms over the last three years. The aim of the Luxembourg meeting is to ensure Athens will be able to finance itself, bearing in mind that Greece still has to service a debt of 180 percent of GDP, the highest in the 19-member currency bloc. And with growth expected at 1.9 percent this year the task facing Athens could be described as, well, Herculean. Expectations are that a loan payment of between €10 billion ($12 billion) and €12 billion will be agreed, in addition

German police set up fake traffic accident to test how many will stop German police set up a fake road accident on national road safety day to test the response of passing traffic, they said on Wednesday. Police in Oberhavel, in the eastern German state of Brandenburg, teamed up with a local media agency to stage a fake car accident complete with two victims. They wanted to see how many people would stop to help the two young ladies who were still in the vehicle. The actresses and the car itself were smeared in blood to make it seem more realistic. Seven hidden cameras were trained on the scene as police hid further up the road and pulled over cars that didnʼt stop to help. Police did not inform duped drivers who had stopped that it was fake until they were well into the process of helping. One helper even ended up in tears, according to thepress release. One couple pulled over, called the 112 emergency number, and were comforting the young actresses, according to local newspaper Märkische Allgemeine.

to a cash buffer of up to €20 billion that would provide liquidity until the end of 2019. Athens, advised by Rothschild & Company, could then choose the right moment over the next two years to re-enter the sovereign bond market, with the ECB expected to reschedule some of Athensʼ existing debt, pushing repayment dates back on the €130 billion lent to Greece under its second bailout to the 2030s and 2040s.

Tesla saboteur claims to be whistleblower

Former Tesla employee, Martin Tripp, told US news media Wednesday night that he had not tampered with the carmakerʼs internal systems and was, instead, a whistleblower who spoke out after seeing "some really scary things" inside the company. Speaking to the daily The Washington Post and CNN television, Tripp confirmed that he provided information to Business Insider for a story the news website did earlier this month about the com-

panyʼs raw-material waste. Tripp also said he had been alarmed by what he learned while an employee, including what he claimed were hundreds of Model 3s that had dangerously punctured batteries. The 40-year-old technician, who joined Tesla last October, is seeking an attorney and official protection as a whistleblower. He said he was interrogated at work last week and subsequently fired by a humanresource representative.

Germany to test flying taxis in Ingolstadt, Bavaria Flying cars have been a science fiction staple for many decades, but Germany is now working on putting the idea into practice with the help of carmaker Audi and airplane manufacturer Airbus. Bavarian tech hub Ingolstadt, which is also the home of Audi, will serve as testing grounds. The representatives of the two companies, alongside German Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer, Bavarian Transport Minister Dorothee Bär and Ingolstadtʼs mayor, Christian Lösel, signed a declaration of intent to develop flying taxis in the southern Bavarian city on Wednesday.

140/2018 • 22 June, 2018

EU firms worried about Chinaʼs tough business environment, trade tensions Mats Harborn: European firms face a number of challenges in a variety of areas. The Chinese economic slowdown tops the list, but regulatory issues present greater challenges than competition from Chinese firms. This is especially striking considering how competitive they are becoming. Regulatory issues range from ambiguous rules to discretionary enforcement of policy to specific problems like access to licenses and financing or equal access to public procurement bids. All of these challenges are especially acute for SMEs, as they lack the resources and manpower to navigate these problems as easily as their larger counterparts.

Daimler, Volvo: Tariffs threaten earnings and jobs The US-China trade row has seen carmakers worrying about their exports to the worldʼs second-largest economy. German auto manufacturers are particularly concerned and suggest removing industry tariffs completely. German luxury carmaker Daimler has cut its profit forecast for 2018. One would think this was because of its involvement in the Dieselgate emissions-cheating scandal, with the company ordered to recall 774,000 vehicles across Europe for installing what authorities have called illegal defeat devices to rig emissions tests. But it appears that Daimler is more worried about the long-term impact of the current trade spat between the United States and China. Last week, US President Donald Trump announced 25-percent tariffs on $50 billion (€43 billion) in Chinese im-

The never-ending story of Germanyʼs ghost money Nostalgia can be a powerful temptation. But the dozens who line up each morning at Germanyʼs central bank, the Bundesbank, are perhaps among the less sentimental. A smorgasbord of the elderly, young mothers with children in tow and students, they have one thing in common and more often than not itʼs hidden inside a heavy bag. Nearly 28 years after the complete demise of the East German mark and 16 years after the introduction of the euro, these people are patiently waiting to hand in some of the billions of old deutschmarks still in circulation. Read more: German banker takes 6 months to count 1.2 million inheritance pennies by hand Today German marks are travel souvenirs, bits of history forgotten at the back of a drawer or still stashed in safety deposit boxes. Most assuredly, marks are not an old-fashioned alternative to cryptocurrencies. Yet with so much of the cash still out there, many more Germans are holding onto the old currency than will probably ever own bitcoin, the most famous digital asset. It is no secret thatGermans love carrying and paying with wads of cash, and despite being branded with a dark history of super inflation they are also hoarding a currency that no store or taxi driver will accept. Amazingly, its limited practicality doesnʼt seem to bother Germans. It is no secret thatGermans love carrying and paying with wads of cash, and despite being branded with a dark history of super inflation they are also hoarding a currency that no store or taxi driver will accept. Amazingly, its limited practicality doesnʼt seem to bother Germans. 4

Instagram launches video streaming service to rival YouTube

Facebook-owned social networking platform Instagram unveiled a new video mobile app on Wednesday designed to allow for longer usergenerated videos. The new app, dubbed IGTV, will increase Instagramʼs video time limit from one minute to 10 minutes for most viewers. Accounts with larger audiences will be allowed to post videos up to an hour long. "Teens are now watching 40 percent less TV than they did five years ago," Instagram chief executive Kevin Systrom said at an event to announce the launch in San Francisco. "Itʼs time for video to move forward and evolve." Instagram, which was founded as a photosharing app in 2010 and was bought by Facebook for $1 billion in 2012, has surpassed 1 billion accounts, Systrom said.

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ports,prompting Beijing to retaliate by matching duties on US goods, including cars. Asset mangers AllianceBernstein (AB) pointed out in a recent study that German carmakers with big US operations such as Daimler and BMW would be hit hardest by Chinese import tariffs on cars, much harder than American firms like Tesla. "Fewer-than-expected SUV sales and higher-than-expected costs not completely passed on to customers must be assumed because of increased import tariffs for US vehicles into the Chinese market," Daimler concluded.

EU to impose countertariffs on US products as of Friday

A raft of retaliatory tariffs from the European Union on US products will come into effect on June 22. The EUʼs list of targets reads like a summary of emblematic American exports, including motorbikes and jeans. EU countertariffs on a list of US products would come into force on Friday, the European Commission said Wednesday. The retaliatory measure comes in response to US tariff hikes on steel and aluminumthat were imposed on EU member countries on June 1, with the White House citing grounds of national security. "We did not want to be in this position," EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said in a statement. "However, the unilateral and unjustified decision of the United States to impose steel and aluminum tariffs on the EU means that we are left with no other choice." ʼDoing nothing no optionʼ The agreed EU countermeasures will initially target a list of US goods worth $3.2 billion (€2.8 billion), most of which will be hit with import duties of 25 percent.

140/2018 • 22 June, 2018

Paul McCartneyʼs to release first album in 5 years He just released two songs from the upcoming work

Paper cups: A silent killer of Indiaʼs honeybees? Paper cups are killing Indiaʼs honeybees, two studies show. The important pollinators are attracted to the sugary residue left behind by beverages. Small changes could make a big difference in saving Indiaʼs bees. Chandrasekaran found that paper cups filled with sugary liquid are a lethal trap for honeybees As Sivagnanam Chandrasekaran sat sipping chai at a small roadside tea stand in southern India, he noticed something unusual: honey bees hovering en masse around discarded paper cups. That might not strike the untrained eye as strange bee behavior. But for Chandrasekaran, a professor of plant biology at Madurai Kamaraj University, it posed some questions: Why were the insects not off flitting from flower to flower instead? Was this an anomaly, or part of a bigger picture? And could this be yet another factor in the important pollinatorʼs decline?

Nicki Minaj and Future confirmed for Budapest Describing it as a musical travelogue, musician Paul McCartney says each song on his new album, Egypt Station, explores a different area. Paul McCartneyʼs first album in five years is due out on September 7, but two tracks have already been released, a peppy pop song called "Come on to Me" and the ballad "I Donʼt Know." While there is little explicit connection to Egypt, McCartney has described it nonetheless

as a kind of musical travelogue. "Egypt Station starts off at the station on the first song and then each song is like a different station. So it gave us some idea to base all the songs around that," he said in a statement. "I think of it as a dream location that the music emanates from."

Fete de la Musique gets Paris and Berlin dancing Clubs, bars, parks, gardens, even child day care centers and small neighborhood grocery stores — thereʼs barely a place in Berlin, which has hosted the festival for more than 20 years, where a Fete de la Musique concert isnʼt imaginable. The same is true for the French capital where the music festival that has spread all over the world was originally launched. One of the highlights in Paris this year is scheduled to take place at the presidential palaceʼs inner

courtyard, the famous Cour dʼhonneur, where heads of state have often gathered. More than 1,500 concertgoers and DJs including Kavinsky and former Daft Punk manager Busy P. will turn the courtyard into a dance floor, for free. The DJ line-up is a tribute to what is known as the French touch or French House, a strong sound known the world over that uses special effects and filters, propagated by Air, David Guetta and Laurent Garnier in the 1990s.

Queen of rap Nicki Minaj and influential American hip-hop artist Future are coming to Budapest. The singer of 2014 hit ‘Anaconda’ has just announced that the pair will be touching down in the UK and Europe as part of her NICKIHNDRXX tour, a global series of live shows kicking off in North America this September. The Budapest leg takes place at the Papp László Sport Aréna on February 25th, 2019. Tickets are already on sale. The tour will promote Nicki’s new album ‘Queen’, due for release on August 10th.

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Culture

Good Reasons to visit Budapest in summer 2018 Picnics on a Danube bridge, wild music festivals and a white-sand beach make Budapest the perfect destination for summer. With the city experiencing an all-time high in visitor numbers, there are still many lesser-known sites where you can hang out with the local crowd, even during peak tourist season. These include the riverside Valyo Kikötő chill zone, the hidden courtyards of ruin bars and the outdoor pools at the century-old Gellért Baths. Dive in to find out what’s hot around town. Chill at Budapest’s newest riverside hangout Visit thoughtprovoking international exhibitions Soak up sunshine at Budapest’s white-sand beach Attend mini concerts taking place around landmarks Lounge at the city’s most unique picnic spot Sample Hungarian treats made with a twist Explore downtown murals during walking tours Take a plunge at the alfresco wave-pool of 100-year-old Gellért Baths Celebrate freedom at music festivals Eat authentic Asian food at Budapestʼs Chinatown Hang out in hidden courtyards of ruin bars Indulge in one-of-a-kind sweet treats Party aboard a repurposed Ukrainian cargo boat, etc.

140/2018 • 22 June, 2018

Sami Khedira handed fake boarding pass for Germany squad

A Swedish journalist pranked Germany midfielder Sami Khedira by giving him a homemade return ticket from the World Cup for the entire squad. The 2014 winners started the tournament with ashock 1-0 defeat by Mexico,and a second loss against Sweden on Saturday could send them out in the group stage. The Juventus player, 31, smiled when he was handed the mocked-up ticket. "I donʼt think we will need that until 16 July," he replied. The final takes place in Moscow the day before.

Roger Federer beats Benoit Paire after saving two match points

Roger Federer saved two match points against Franceʼs Benoit Paire to avoid an upset and reach the quarter-finals of the Halle Open. Federer, the 20-time Grand Slam champion and world number one, was made to work hard by the world number 48 before winning 6-3 3-6 7-6 (9-7). Swiss Federer, 36, missed two match points to wrap up victory without the need for a tie-break in the final set. He faces Australian Matthew Ebden next in the grass-court tournament. Federer, seeking a 10th Halle title, must win the event if he is to retain the world number one ranking. He will begin the defence of his Wimbledon title on 2 July. 6

Aleksandar Kolarovʼs free kick stunner secures Serbia win over Costa Rica A brilliant second half free kick from captain Aleksandar Kolarov led Serbia to a deserved win over Costa Rica. Serbia were wasteful in front of goal but did enough to secure three vital points in Group E. Another World Cup day, another sublime freekick. If Cristiano Ronaldo’s ice-cold effort tosnatch a point against arch-rivals Spain on day two was the current goal of the tournament frontrunner, the Portuguese may have just met his match. Aleksandar Kolarov, take a bow. A combination of poor finishing and sublime goalkeeping had kept the scores level until Serbia’s no.11 produced his moment of magic. Kolarov’s powerful left foot is no secret, but few inside the stadium would have expected such a thunderous strike when the Roma defender stood over a free kick midway through the second half. His shot was unstoppable; a side-footed missile which screamed into the top corner of the Costa Rica net. Kaylor Navas, who kept his team in the game with several crucial saves either side of half time, was nowhere near it.

Memorable moments World Cup 2018:

The World Cup has kicked off and is sure to keep fans fascinated for the weeks leading up to the final in Moscow on July 15. Here are some of the most memorable moments of Russia 2018 so far. Disgraced former FIFA president Sepp Blatter made a shock appearance as Portugal beat Morocco 1-0 on Wednesday. The 82-year-old said he was invited to the tournament by Russian President Vladimir Putin. His successor Gianni Infantino was also at the fixture, according to FIFAʼs list of dignitaries. "I am still president, just suspended," Blatter told Russian channel RT. Less than a

month after the Champions League final, when he sustained a shoulder injury that some thought could threaten his World Cup, Mohamed Salah returned to the pitch. Liverpoolʼs Egyptian king first drew a foul that led to a penalty and then converted from the spot. But it was a mere consolation as Egypt lost 3-1 to hosts Russia and lost their chance of progressing to the knockout stage.

Caster Semenya: Olympic champion will challenge ʼunfairʼ IAAF testosterone ruling Olympic and world 800m champion Caster Semenya will challenge "unfair" rules affecting some female athletes. Athleticsʼ governing body the IAAF has ruled some female runners with naturally high testosterone levelswill have to race against men or change eventsunless they take medication. Semenya will fight the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas). "It is not fair. I just want to run naturally, the way I was born," said the 27-year-old South African. "I am Mokgadi Caster Semenya. I am a woman and I am fast."

BBC pundits on testosterone debate The rule, which comes into force on 1 November, applies to women who race in track events from 400m up to the mile. Semenya, a two-time Olympic champion and three-time world champion, has previously been asked to undertake gender testing by athletics chiefs, but no results have officially been made public. Testosterone is a hormone that increases muscle mass, strength and haemoglobin, which affects endurance. Lawyers Norton Rose Fulbright are leading Semenyaʼs legal challenge in Lausanne.