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84/2018 • 14 APRIL, 2018 WEEKEND ISSUE

DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas calls for pressure on Russia over Syria role After talks in Brussels, Maas condemned Moscow for blocking resolutions on Syria at the UN Security

As the UN council met again, Maas said there must be consequences following the chemical attack.

Palestinians gather for mass protests At least one Palestinian was killed by Israeli fire in a protest at the Gaza-Israel border. Thousands gathered for a third consecutive week to protest for the right to return to lands their families lost in the 1948 war. An explosive device injured four Israeli soldiers at the border on February 17. Israel responded with air strikes on Hamas targets in Gaza. On Friday, a 28-year-old Palestinian man died due to Israeli military gunfire in the third consecutive mass protest along the border fence east of Jabalia just north of Gaza City, Gazaʼs Health Ministry said.

Russian court blocks Telegram messaging app In a hearing that took a mere 20 minutes, a Russian court ordered that access to the messaging app Telegram be blocked. Millions of Russian users need not panic yet, as the company has promised a way around the ban.

In the latest clash between tech firms and Russian authorities, a court in Moscow ruled on Friday that the popular Telegram messenger service be blocked in Russia. The court ruled in favor of Roskomnadzor, Russiaʼs state communication watchdog.

Germanyʼs Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the EU and western powers must increase pressure on Russia for its role in Syria. "We must increase pressure on Russia to force it to change its attitude," he said during a news conference in Brussels on Friday alongside EC President Jean-Claude Juncker.

"There will be no peace in Syria without a political solution. Therefore we must also increase the political pressure on Russia to end the impasse in the UN Security Council," the Foreign Ministry said in a short statement on Friday. The US, France and UK are discussing the possibility of a military strike on Syria in response to the alleged chemical attack on Douma last Saturday.Germany has said it would not take partin any such action and Maas warned of an "escalation spiral." However, the minister said of the Douma attack: "I am also of the opinion that what has happened there cannot remain without consequences." Maas gave his support to Franceʼs proposal for those responsible for chemical attacks to be brought before an international court. At Russiaʼs request, the UN Security Council met again on Friday to discuss Syria. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned that the increasing tensions over Syria and the deadlock in the Security Council could "lead to a full-blown military escalation." The Middle East was in "peril" the UN chief said and had become a threat to global peace. Guterres urged countries "to act responsibly in these dangerous circumstances." US Ambassador Nikki Haley said that President Donald Trump had not yet made a decisionabout possible ac-

tion in Syria and there would be no rush to launch military action but "at one point you have to do something." Haley said that analysis by the US, France and Britain had concluded a chemical attack had taken place in Douma last Saturday. The US estimates that Assadʼs forces have used chemical weapons at least 50 times during the seven-yearlong conflict, Haley told the Security Council. "All nations and all people will be harmed if we allow Assad to normalize the use of chemical weapons," she said. Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia urged the US, France and Britain to refrain from military action: "We continue to observe dangerous military preparations for an illegal act of force against a sovereign state," he told the Council. After meeting with the EUʼs top diplomat Federica Mogherini in Brussels, Germanyʼs Maas said: "If we want to be heard in the world, we need a common European foreign policy." For the EU itself, Maas suggested that to achieve a more capable EU: "We should consider taking more decisions by majority vote, rather than insisting on unanimity." EU foreign ministers are to meet in Luxembourg for their regular monthly talks on Monday. They are expected to condemn the Douma attack and call again for a political resolution to Syriaʼs conflict.

Syria has been engulfed in a devastating civil war since 2011 after Syrian President Bashar Assad lost control over large parts of the country to multiple revolutionary groups. The conflict has since drawn in foreign powers and brought misery and death to many civilians.

Croatia ratifies convention on

Germanyʼs military reluctance rooted in history

womenʼs rights despite protests Croatian lawmakers have backed a treaty safeguarding women and girls in the face of right-wing and Catholic opposition. Critics of the Istanbul Convention argue that it will indirectly legalize gay marriage. Croatiaʼs parliament on Friday voted 110-30 in favor of ratifying theIstanbul Convention,the worldʼs first binding treaty on preventing and fighting violence against women. The convention, agreed in 2011, has now been ratified by 29 countries, including 18 European Union member states. Croatia became the blocʼs newest member in 2013.

Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan: When it comes to the German militaryʼs foreign missions, leaders in Berlin tend to be hesitant. Chancellor Angela Merkelʼs rejection of a Syrian deployment continues that tradition. Germany is one of the worldʼs leading industrialized nations, a firmly established NATO member and closely aligned with other Western democracies. Militarily, however, the most economically powerful country in the European Union is comparatively conservative.

84/2018 • 14 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.

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Hungaryʼs Viktor Orban targets critics with ʼSoros mercenariesʼ blacklist Does the news mark a new step in Hungaryʼs ongoing political escalation?

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.

A pro-government magazine has published the names of hundreds of Viktor Orban critics, including academics, civil rights activists and journalists.

On March 15, Hungaryʼs national holiday, Prime Minister Viktor Orban declared in a speech before tens of thousands of supporters that "after the elections we will take revenge — moral, political and legal revenge." Now, mere days after hisoverwhelming electoral victory, Orban is apparently about to make good on his threat. On Thursday, pro-government magazine Figyelo published a blacklist with the names

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-

of 200 Orban critics. The list, dubbed "the investorsʼ people" and spanning two whole pages, includes academics, journalists andnongovernmental organization workers, labeling them "mercenaries" of USHungarian billionaire investor George Soros. The accompanying article claims that one hundred individuals have been identified who work for and belong to Sorosʼ Hungarian network. 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.

84/2018 • 14 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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84/2018 • 14 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.

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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.

84/2018 • 14 April, 2018 Weekend issue

Surviving Australiaʼs most extreme bushfire In the eye of the firestorm:

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.

The driest inhabited continent on earth, Australia, has lived with bushfires for millennia. But the 2009 Black Saturday infernos were so fierce that survivors are still grappling with the consequences.

Ash carried by heavy winds had started to fall from the sky when a neighbor sent me a text message to warn us that a fire might be descending over the valley. As my partner and I got into the car to leave, we couldnʼt see smoke in the immediate vicinity — but the ash was a clear sign that things were bad in the distance. Ten minutes later, we sought safety by a river and waited for the fire to engulf the mountain — and ultimately, our

German university hospital defends auto firmsʼ nitrogen dioxide test ethics

Budapest Spring Fair

house. Living mostly in the city, we had retreated to our cabin in the thickly forested mountains outside Melbourne to escape the peak of a brutal heatwave. Urban temperatures had been expected to spike at 47 degrees Celsius (117 degrees Fahrenheit), the hottest day on record, and had regularly been in the mid-40s the week before. Scientists says climate change is driving record-breaking heat waves and "bushfire weather."

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.

Between March 23rd and April 22nd, Budapest’s central Vörösmarty Square fills with stands and stalls crammed with hundreds of handcrafted Hungarian products for the Budapest Spring Fair. Besides the traditional and modern folk-art displays, visitors can sample local flavors prepared on-site, while cultural and artisanal events, workshops, folk music and folkdance shows entertain children and adults alike.

Weather

Sun

5 / 24

Mon

Tue

4 / 23

3 / 19

Hungary Budapest: Debrecen: Eger: Hévíz:

4/25 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

The 25th Titanic Film Festival begins in Budapest Hungary’s most popular international film festival, the Titanic, is taking place for the 25th time in Budapest, between April 4th and 13th. Titanic specializes in films from all around the world that are not, or not yet, distributed in Hungary, balancing arthouse with mainstream.

Altogether 47 features from 34 countries will be screened, with original audio and in the most cases English subtitles, at arthouse film theaters and eminent event venues citywide. Opening the festival will be Wes Andersons’s “Isle of Dogs”, a stopmotion animated comedy which won the Best Director Silver Bear at the Berlinale. Altogether nine films are competing for the prestigious main prize at the Titanic, the “Breaking Waves Award”. Seven venues – the Uránia National Film Theater, the Toldi Cinema, the Pop-Up Cinema at the Ódry Színpad, the Kino Cinema, the French Institute, the Art+ Cinema and the Magvető Café – screen films during the festival between April 4th and 13th. The selection is truly colourful this year; with the festival placing special focus on Iceland, film lovers can enjoy several features from the land of ice and fire.

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84/2018 • 14 April, 2018 Weekend issue

F1: Sebastian Vettel wins in Bahrain as Valtteri Bottas takes it to the wire

Sebastian Vettel survived a sensational late surge by Valtteri Bottas to win a thrilling Bahrain Grand Prix.

Itʼs the Germanʼs second win from two races this season, with title rival Lewis Hamilton finishing third. ebastian Vettel marked his 200th Formula One race with a dramatic victory for Ferrari in Sundayʼs Bahrain Grand Prix. The four-time champion crossed the line with Valtteri Bottas on his tail and the Finnʼs Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton in third in a nail-biting finish to an intriguing contest.

Bundesliga: Mario Gomez at the double as Stuttgart go seven unbeaten

A return to the international fold was celebrated in style as Stuttgart grabbed another three points on the road. The win lifts them to eighth in the table and an outside shot at European qualification. Never mind a return to the national squad, on this evidence, Gomez will have given Germany coach Jogi Löw plenty to chew as he considers his starting XI to face Spain next Friday night.

The veteran striker staked his claim with a brace that gave Stuttgart a sixth win in their last seven league games, lifting the club into European contention. It also showed why he remains one of the best around when it comes to giving himself that crucial yard of space in the penalty area.

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Athletics doping: IOC confident over Russia doping reform plans International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach believes Russia will resolve its doping issues and field athletes at next yearʼs Rio Games.

Russia was provisionally suspendedfrom world athletics after an independent World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) report alleged "state-sponsored doping". Bach met with his Russian Olympic Committee counterpart Alexander Zhukov to discuss the report. He said he was "confident" in the measures put forward by the ROC. Council members of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on Friday voted 22-1 in favour of Russia being banned. As it stands, Russian athletes may not enter international competitions, including the World Athletic Series and Rio Olympics, which begin on 5 August next year. Russia will also not be entitled to host the 2016 World Race Walking Cup in Cheboksary and the 2016 World Junior Championships in Kazan. "We are confident that the initiatives being proposed by the ROC, with the responsible international organisations - Wada and the IAAF - will ensure compliance as soon as possible in order to provide participation of the clean Russian athletes at the Olympic Games," said IOC president Bach.

Jürgen Klopp looking for Champions League greatness with Liverpool Looking at the pattern of success in Jürgen Kloppʼs career so far, more is due

After a devastating performance in the first leg, Liverpool are within touching distance of a spot in the Champions League semifinals.

In his first season in the Champions League with Liverpool, Jürgen Klopp has the chance to lead the club to their first semifinal in the competition in a decade. With one of the most devastating attacks in football and an increasingly stable defense,Liverpool are starting to look like a team with Kloppʼs fingerprints all over them. They lead Manchester City 3-0 going into the second leg but, for many, this tie remains the only one of the four mid-

week matches that could still spring a surprise. Thereʼs no denying that Klopp has made Liverpool better as he has done with every team he has coached. Gradually they finish higher up the table, or go further in cup competitions. But thereʼs concern that Kloppʼs self-proclaimed "heavy-metal" football has too strong a downside and that City, who boast an equally potent attack, are capable of swinging the tie back in their favor in just 90 minutes.

Roger Federer to skip French Open after losing No.1 ranking Roger Federer will be replaced as world number one by Rafael Nadal after a shock loss at the Miami Open. The 20-time Grand Slam winner confirmed that he will skip the clay court season again, including the French Open.

Roger Federer will be replaced as world number one by Rafael Nadal after a shock 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 defeat by Australian outsider Thanasi Kokkinakis at the Miami Open. It was the second loss in six days for the Swiss champion, who was beaten by Juan Martin del Potro in the

Indian Wells final. Kokkinakis, ranked 175th in the world, used a vicious topspin forehand to wear down the defending champion and claim an upset victory in front of a stunned near-capacity crowd. He only got into the Miami qualifiers on a wildcard, but he displayed the talent that has long had him earmarked as one to watch. Federer, who became the oldest ever world number one when hetopped the rankings in February at the age of 36, will skip the French Open, which starts on May 27, for the second straight season.