DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
German parliament debates Down Syndrome, trisomy blood tests Members of the Bundestag are holding a two-hour debate on prenatal genetic blood tests on Thursday morning. The debate is not based on a bill but will serve as a guide for lawmakers on the benefits of non-invasive blood tests for the diagnosis of trisomies such asDown syndrome. They will also discuss the question of whether prenatal trisomy blood tests should be paid by health insurance companies in the future. Health Minister Jens Spahn has spoken in favor of the tests as they are less risky than the amniotic fluid examinations, the costs of which are already covered by health insurance companies in certain cases — either for the over 35s or for women who have previously borne children with chromosomal abnormalities. Opponents of insurance reimbursement for the tests say they could lead to more tests being carried out, and ultimately to more abortions.
India elections: Can Narendra Modi repeat his 2014 success? Around 900 million people are eligible to vote for the 543-strong Lok Sabha, Indiaʼs lower house of parliament. The polls, which run from April 11 to May 19, will be held in seven phases to ensure free and fair elections. Many Indian states will complete voting in one day, whereas others with larger populations will take multiple days. Votes will be counted on May 23. More than 84 million people, including 15 million new voters over the age of 18, are going to cast ballots for the first time. Around 430 million women are expected to vote and could exceed the number of male voters for the first time in a general election in India, the worldʼs largest democracy.
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Wikileaksʼ Julian Assange arrested in London Charged with conspiracy by the US
London police have said that Assange was apprehended outside the Embassy of Ecuador and is set to appear in court "as soon as possible." Home Secretary Sajid Javid has confirmed that Assange will "rightly face justice."
China could be big winner in no-deal Brexit A no-deal Brexit would hit the EU and developing countries, but bring big gains for China and the US, a new report says. Unwinding economic integration is not only complex, but doing so is a bad idea, its author says. NewUNCTAD researchshows that the UK and its future trading partners need to think fast about signing new bilateral deals if they are to avoid the costs of the UK exiting the EU without a deal. The UK market accounts for about 3.5% of global trade. In 2018, the UK was the fifth-largest importer inside the EU, letting in almost $680 billion (€600 billion) worth of goods from the rest of the world, about $360 billion of which
came from other EU countries. Read more: EUʼs Tusk argues for longer Brexit extension "Brexit is not only a regional affair. Once the UK has left its 27 EU partners behind, it will alter the ability of non-EU countries to export to the UK market," said UNCTADʼs director of international trade and commodities, Pamela Coke-Hamilton. The biggest beneficiaries of a no-deal Brexit would be countries which now face higher tariffs, the report found. China could gain an additional $10.2 billion in exports to the UK, with the second-ranked US adding $5.3 billion to its exports to the UK. Japan could expect to gain $4.9 billion, the report found.
Man leaves €10,000 Picasso jug on German train German police are trying to help a man find a ceramic jug made by Pablo Picasso, after he accidentally left it on a train earlier this month. The elderly man was traveling from Kassel to Dusseldorf on February 15 when he switched trains at the city of Hamm and forgot to bring his precious cargo with him. Read more: How German was Picasso? The 26centimeter-tall (10-inch-tall) ceramic piece dates to 1953 and was an original crafted by Picasso at his Madoura workshop in Vallauris in the south of France, police said. It is part of Picas-
soʼs "Owl series" and is estimated to be worth at least €10,000 ($8,800). Police said the man reported the disappearance immediately after exiting the train but the bag with the jug inside it was already gone. Read more: Picasso and windows The shopping bag was made of solid cardboard with blue lettering that read "Neumeister — Alte Kunst — Moderne." Munster Federal Police, which is investigating the case, asked witnesses who might have seen the man "forgetting" the bag to report the sighting to them.
Sudanʼs military ousts President Omar al-Bashir following protests The Sudanese military on Thursday removed longtime President Omar alBashir in a coup following months of popular protests against his three decades of iron-fisted rule. The army deployed at strategic points around the capital Khartoum and the international airport was closed, as tens of thousands of protesters gathered at the Defense Ministry celebrating the fall of al-Bashir. Defense Minister Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf in a televised address said the army had arrested alBashir as he announced the dissolution of the regime. "I announce as minister of defence the toppling of the regime and detaining its chief in a secure place," he said on state TV. The statement followed an intense morning after the military had taken control of state radio and television stations, leaving Sudanese awaiting for details in the wake of the coup.
South Koreaʼs top court strikes down abortion ban South Koreaʼs Constitutional Court ruled on Thursday that the countryʼs law criminalizing abortion is unconstitutional, as well as a law making doctors who perform them liable to criminal charges. "The law criminalising a woman who undergoes abortion of her own will goes beyond the minimum needed to achieve the legislative purpose and limits the right of self-determination of the woman who has become pregnant," the court said.
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