DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Andrew Brunson: US pastor on trial in Turkey on terror charges Evangelical Christian pastor Andrew Brunson ran a church in the Turkish city of Izmir. He faces two separate terms of 15 and 20 years in prison if convicted. A Turkish court on Monday decided to keep a US pastor in prison pending trial on terror-related charges. Andrew Brunson went on trail over alleged involvement with both the movement of Fethullah Gulen — a Muslim preacher who lives in self-imposed exile in the US who Ankara says masterminded a failed 2016 coup in Turkey — and the Kurdistan Workersʼ Party (PKK). The trial further increases tensions between Turkey and the US — two NATO allies. In the Syria conflict, the United States has backed fighters from the Kurdish Peopleʼs Protection Units (YPG); a group Turkey considers a terrorist organization, and Washington refuses to extradite Gulen, despite repeated demands by Ankara.
Russian investigative reporter dies after balcony fall Authorities have said that Maksim Borodinʼs death was likely a suicide. But both his editor and friends disagree that Borodin, who wrote about crime and corruption, was suicidial. Thirty-two-year-old Russian investigative journalist Maksim Borodin died suddenly over the weekend, his employer Novy Den confirmed on Monday. Authorities have described his death as a probable suicide, a narrative contested both by friends and Novy Den. Borodin was found underneath the balconies of his building in the city of Yekaterinburg on April 12 and died three days later without having recovered consciousness. According to the US government-funded Radio Free Europe, a policeman spokesman from Sverdlovsk Oblast said it was "unlikely that this story is of a criminal nature." Police said that the reporterʼs fifth-floor apartment was locked from the inside, and that there was no sign of a breakin. They added that no suicide note had been found.
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Theresa May grilled in UK parliament over Syria airstrikes She argued the UK had to re-establish the global consensus against chemical weapons
The prime minister responded to allegations that she was "riding the coat-tails" of the United States.
Spotify: Market unicorn prepares to go public The Swedish music-streaming platform Spotify goes public on Tuesday, following in the footsteps of fellow "unicorns" Dropbox and Zscaler. The stock market is healthy and the timing seems good, but what are the risks? Drew Houston and Arash Ferdosi stood in New Yorkʼs Times Square, surrounded by their associates who cheered and threw confetti in celebration. The two Dropbox founders highfived, onlookers clapped, and the cameras flashed. On March 23, theNasdaq stock market welcomed Dropboxwith open arms. Only a few
minutes into trading and stock prices had risen over 50 percent. "A very exciting day for us," said billionaire Houston. "A milestone," said Matt Kennedy of Renaissance Capital, an IPO-focused analyst firm. In the wake of the Dropbox IPO, investors are turning their attention to another major startup about to go public. Spotify,the beloved music-streaming platform based out of Stockholm, opens for public trading on Tuesday. The media is hyping Spotify, the third unicorn to go public this year following Dropbox and the cybersecurity provider Zscaler.
German university hospital defends auto firmsʼ nitrogen dioxide test ethics 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. "None of them had any negative health effects," he went on, adding that the tests were meant to measure the impact of pollutants in the workplace.
Egyptʼs Nadeem Center for torture victims persists against odds Amnesty has recognized the Nadeem Centerʼs work in treating victims of torture and documenting abuse by the security forces with its 2018 human rights award. DWʼs Ruth Michaelson spoke with one of the founders. "According to the constitution, torture is a crime — but it is practiced every day," said Dr Aida Seif el Dawla (pictured above, second from left), as she sat on the sofa of her cozy Cairo apartment. "There is a total negligence of the law — ignoring the law, ignoring the constitution." Seif el Dawla is one of the founders of the Nadeem Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture. She can immediately recall the number of people the center has helped with physical and psychological therapy: "4,968."
Gunmen kidnap German in Nigeria The German national was working at a construction site in northern Nigeria. Kidnapping for ransom is common in Nigeria. Five armed men kidnapped a German national and killed a policeman in northern Nigeria, police said on Monday. Gunmen on motorcycles opened fire on a vehicle carrying workers to a construction site run by construction company Dantata & Sawoe in Kano city, abducting the German national working for the firm and killing a police escort, said police spokesman Magaji Musa Majia.
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86/2018 • 17 April, 2018
Facebook bans Trump campaign data firm Cambridge Analytica The social media giant has accused the data analysis company of illegally obtaining user data. At the same time, a whistleblower has said that Cambridge Analytica illegally harvested data from 50 million users. Facebook announced on Saturday that it had suspended the data research firm Cambridge Analytica for holding onto dubiously obtained user data after assuring the social media firm that the information had been deleted. Cambridge Analytica has become well-known in political circles for its work on the election campaign of US President Donald Trump and for the pro-Brexit group Leave.eu. Facebook said it was also suspending the firmʼs parent company, Strategic Communications Laboratories (SCL). The incident revolves around an app put on the site in 2015 by Aleksandr Kogan, a professor at the University of Cambridge, that purported to be a personality test and psychological research tool. About 270,000 users downloaded it and shared their information with it, according to Facebook.
F1: Sebastian Vettel wins in Bahrain as Valtteri Bottas takes it to the wire
Facebook to notify users affected by Cambridge Analytica scandal Facebook users are about to find out if their information was harvested by the political research firm. More than 70 million of the 87 million affected people reside in the US, but the scandalʼs impact spans the globe. Facebook users are about to find out if their information was harvested by the political research firm. More than 70 million of the 87 million affected people reside in the US, but the scandalʼs impact spans the globe. Facebook has said that it will inform users on Monday if their information was harvested by the data research firmCambridge Analytica. The move comes as authorities in the US and the UK are scrutinizing the social media giant over user privacy. Of the at least
87 million users affected by the scandal, more than 70 million are in the US, and there are more than a million each in the UK,Indonesia, and the Philippines. The firm is also set to put out a notice on privacy protection to all its 2.2 billion users, which will show individuals what apps are linked to their account and what information has been shared with those apps. The user will then be able to turn off thirdparty apps individually or altogether.
Supply chains at risk as pollinators die out Even intensive modern agriculture still relies on wild birds, bees and beasts for pollination. But these species — and whole industrial supply chains that depend on them — are at risk, according to a new global survey. The decline of species that pollinate our worldʼs flowering plants has been making headlines for some time. Falling numbers of bees — perhaps our best-loved creepy crawlies — are the focus of much public attention, and have driven a current push toban cer-
tain agricultural chemicals, like neonicotinoids. But a vast range of insect species, along with birds, bats and even squirrels, are also key pollinators.Agricultural chemicals and climate change suppress biodiversity, making it increasing difficult for them to survive. This is endangering the crops we rely on as well. According to anew report, around 75 percent of food crops rely on pollinators, making these critters worth $577 billion (€470 billion) annually. Half that value comes from wild pollinators.
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.
Budapest Spring Fair 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 folk-dance shows entertain children and adults alike.
H-1056 Budapest, Só u. 6. Telephone: +36 1 577 0700 Fax: +36 1 577 0710 bhzinfo@zeinahotels.com www.boutiquehotelbudapest.com
Published by: Mega Media Kft. 1075 Budapest, Madách I. út 13-14. +36 1 398 0344 www.hotelujsag.hu
German metalworkers finally secure wage agreement Following weeks of bitter fighting, a wage agreement for the German metal and electrical industries has finally been struck. Employees were able to secure higher wages and more flexible working hours. A wage agreement was reached in the early hours on Tuesday in Germanyʼs metal and electrical industries. The powerful IG Metall union announced the deal initially covering workers in the southern German state of BadenWürttemberg, but expected to be eventually implemented for a total of 3.9 million workers in the sector nationwide. According to the deal, employeesare to receive a pay hike of 4.3 percent from April this year. Additionally, monthly one-off payments of €100 ($124) were agreed for January through March. Employers and trade union representatives also agreed on the possibility of workers reducing their hours from 35 to 28 hours per week for two years, should they need to look after children or care for older relatives.
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.
