DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Germany to tighten development aid conditions for Africa
Germany is out to tighten up its aid conditions for developing countries, in an attempt to combat corruption, safeguard human rights, and stimulate the creation of democratic structures. In a new strategy paper released ahead of theG20ʼs Compact with Africasummit in Berlin next week, the German Development Ministry outlined plans to reduce the number of partner countries and better control how aid money is spent. These socalled "reform partnerships," which Germany already has with Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Tunisia, would involve the target countries also increasing their own development contributions. According to the strategy paper, entitled "Entwicklungspolitik 2030" ("development policy 2030"), "an important element of this is the creation of domestic finance and tax administrations, accounting offices, and institutions to combat corruption."
Thousands protest German coal phase-out IG BCE President Michael Vassiliadis has been a member of the coal commission since the summer. He called for a more respectful approach toward mine workers, akin to the attitude shown environmentalists campaigningto save the ancient Hambach forest. "The actions of forest conservationists are given maximum understanding," Vassiliadis told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. "But employeesʼ concerns are often ignored." "In Germany there are about 100,000 jobs dependent on coal-fired power generation," Vassiliadis said. About 20,000 people are directly employed in the brown coal industry in Germany, according to Germanyʼs Federal Association for Brown Coal.
243/2018 • 25 OCTOBER, 2018
Suspected explosives sent to Obama and Clinton homes in mail Officials are investigating items sent to the homes of former Presidents
Khashoggi: Saudi crown prince calls murder ʼheinous crime,ʼ pledges justice Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman promised on Wednesday to work with Turkey to bring those responsiblefor the murder of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggito "justice." "Those behind this crime will be held accountable," he said during a speechto business leaders at the Future Investment Initiative forum in Riyadh. Khashoggiʼs death, he added, was a "heinous crime." Prevarication, Saudi style He said Riyadhʼs adversaries have been exploiting the incident to "drive a wedge between Saudi Arabia and Turkey." The journalist, who had repeatedly criticized the crown prince before his death, went missing at the beginning of October after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Turkey accused the Saudi government of murdering and dismembering Khashoggi in the consulate. Riyadh said the journalist had died during a fight after initially claiming he had left the consulate building alive.
EU Parliament votes for ban on single-use plastic Officials are investigating items sent to the homes of former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. The US Secret Service described both items, intercepted in the mail, as "suspicious packages." Potential explosive devices have been found in mail that was sent to the homes of Hillary and Bill Clinton and the Obama family. "The packages were immediately identified during routine mail screening procedures as potential explosive devices and were appropriately handled as such," the US Secret Service said in a statment. "Both packages were intercepted prior to being delivered to their intended location. The protectees did not receive the packages nor were they at risk of receiving them." The package sent to the Clintons — addressed to Hillary — was intercepted late on Tuesday local time, while the one addressed to Obama was found early on
Wednesday morning by security personnel in Washington. The Secret Service said that it had initiated a "full scope criminal investigation." The Associated Press reported, citing an unnamed US official, that the device sent to the Clinton residence was similar to one that was sent to billionaire philanthropist George Soros on Monday. According to officials, the device was discovered early Wednesday morning at the Clintonʼs home in Chappaqua, New York.Police in New Castle, New York - who cover Chappaqua - say they assisted the FBI, Secret Service and Westchester County authorities in "the investigation of a suspicious package."
The European Parliament on Wednesday approved measures which could lead to a ban on single-use plastic items, including straws, cotton swabs and disposable plastic plates and cutlery, by 2021. The parliament backed the proposals with a 571-53 majority. In May, the EU Commission proposed EU-wide rulesto target the top 10 single-use plastic items that litter Europeʼs beaches or are found in its seas, as well as lost and abandoned fishing gear.
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