DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Germany: 150 percent rise in number of homeless since 2014 German government figures estimate the number of homeless people in the country to total around 860,000 — more than half of whom are refugees. That number is expected to rise a further 40 percent to 1.2 million by 2018. Figures released on Tuesday by Germanyʼs federal working group for homeless personsʼ assistance (BAG) point to a shrinking supply ofaffordable and social housing, coupled with the governmentʼs decision to allow to almost one million refugees to enter Germany in 2015, as reasons for the countryʼs exponential rise in the number of homeless. According to federal statistics for 2016, 440,000 of the countryʼs 860,000 homeless people were refugees. However, BAG stressed that its data does not show hundreds of thousands of refugees living on the streets, since it also took refugees living incommunal housing and sheltersinto account. Officials said they chose to include these refugees in their latest census as they are also in need of housing.
Tanzanian domestic workers ʼworking like robots,ʼ new report reveals Tanzanian migrant workers in Oman and the United Arab Emirates face excessive working hours, unpaid salaries, and physical and sexual abuse. These are some of the details in a new report by Human Rights Watch. Beatings, exploitation and harassment are a daily reality for female Tanzanian workers in parts of the Middle East. Nearly all the employers that were subject to the report force women to work up to 21 hours a day and confiscate their passports, leaving many with no option but to flee with the threat of rape and emotional abuse hanging over them. The women interviewed as part of the study said they were paid less than promised or not at all, were forced to eat spoiled or left-over food, shouted at and insulted daily, and physically and sexually abused. Some of these casesamount to slavery or labor trafficking.
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Carles Puigdemont faces extradition court in Belgium Catalonia declares independence from Spain
Prosecutors have asked a Belgian court to extradite the instigators of Cataloniaʼs independence bid. Hereʼs what happened.
Puma accused of defacing Indian heritage building with graffiti The German sportswear giant is being accused of causing permanent damage to a 17th-century building in Delhiʼs historic quarter. The historic architecture was painted with graffiti for a Puma shoe commercial. A new Puma shoe commercial is getting some unwanted attention in India. The advertisement, which Puma says is a "creative endeavor that captures the grit of Indian streets," has ruffled the feathers of conservationists who accused the German sportswear company of defacing a centuries-old heritage building with graffiti. Two other buildings in the neighborhood have also
been painted. "Itʼs a heritage area. You canʼt just go and paint what you like," Swapna Liddle from the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) told Agence FrancePresse news agency. "Permanent damage has been done to the carved sandstone, limestone plaster and Lahori bricks. Those who made and approved this advertisement, those who stood by while this was done, are all responsible for this insensitive treatment." The In‐ dian Express newspaper reported that the walls of the building, which is listed as a heritage site, were painted over a month ago, but the issue was brought forth by INTACH on Sunday.
Self-driving bus starts first route in Germany German railway company Deutsche Bahn has introduced an autonomous bus to drive passengers along a pre-programmed route in Bavaria. In case of an emergency, a human driver can take control with a joystick. The electric vehicle delivered its first passengers on Wednesday in Bad Birnach, Bavaria, starting on its eightminute route from the townʼs hot springs to the central area and the railway station. The EZ10 bus has six places to sit and can take in a further six standing passengers, and the ride is free of charge. Itʼs the first time a self-driving bus has been incorporated in Germanyʼs public trans-
port system. Among the first group to ride the self-driving bus was Richard Lutz, the head of the German railway giant Deutsche Bahn (DB), the company behind the pilot project. "Weʼve just driven, completely autonomously, into a new era of transport," he said in a statement after the first trip. The bus was developed by the French start-up EasyMile. It is equipped with sensors which can detect obstacles and activate brakes.The vehicle moves along a pre-programmed route with its speed initially limited to 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) per hour on a road with a 30 kph speed limit. Also, the bus is not yet capable of avoiding obstacles on its own.
Russia accuses US of providing cover for the ʼIslamic Stateʼ militia The US-led coalition in Syria tried to "impede" Russian warplanes from bombing "Islamic State" (IS) militia, the Russian Defense Ministry said. It also accused Washington of allowing the jihadists to regroup in Iraq. The fighter jets of the US-led military coalition were trying to hinder Russian airstrikes by flying inside the bombing zone in the Syrian town of Abu Kamal, Moscow said on Tuesday. The town is one of the last "Islamic State" (IS) strongholds in Syria, located on the Euphrates River near Iraq. In order to ensure "safe passage for the retreating IS forces" the coalition jets "were trying to interfere with Russian fighter jets which were active in the region" said the Russian Ministry of Defense. "With this goal, coalition fighter jets were entering the 15-kilometer airspace around Abu Kamal in order to impede the activities of the Russian air force," .
Alpine skier dies in tragic accident French skier David Poisson has died after a fall in training in Canada. Eyewitnesses report a lack of protection on the course. French skier David Poisson has died after a training accident at the Canadian ski resort of Nakiska, Franceʼs national ski federation has said. Poisson, 35, is survived by his wife and eighteen-month-old son. The Frenchman - a bronze medal winner in downhill at the 2013 World Championships - was reportedly preparing for scheduled World Cup races due to take place in North America later this month.
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US and Poland strike $10.5 billion missile defense deal The US has approved the $10.5 billion sale of a Patriot anti-missile system to NATO ally Poland. Eastern European NATO states have been ramping up their military capabilities in the face of perceived Russian aggression. In a move likely to irk Russia, the US and Poland agreed on Friday a major arms deal that could see the eastern European NATO member soon begin conducting air and missile defense operations. As part of the $10.5 billion (€8.9 billion) sale, Poland is expected to receive 208 Patriot Advanced Capabilty-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement missiles, 16 M903 launching stations, four AN/MPQ-65 radars, four control stations, spares, software and associated equipment. Made by US defense contractor Raytheon, the missiles are reportedly designed to detect, track and engage unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), cruise missiles and shortrange or tactical ballistic missiles. In a statement issued following the sale, the State Department said that: "A secure Europe capable of deterring air and missile threats and other forms of aggression promotes peace and stability within NATO and on the European continent."
Angelique Kerber changes coaches in a bid to revive her career Former womenʼs world No. 1 Angelique Kerber has switched coaches at the end of a disappointing season for the German. Kerber is hoping to the move will help her kick-start her career in 2018. Angelique Kerber, who started 2017 as the world No. 1 but has since plunged down the rankings to 21, announced via Twitter on Thursday that she was parting ways with longtime coach Torben Beltz for a second time. Beltz first began working with Kerber when she turned professional in 2003 but the two first went their separate ways following the 2013 season, when she hired Benjamin Ebrahimzadeh as her new coach.
Airbus secures record order from Indigo Partners
Climate change: World way off
Investment group Indigo Partners has placed a historic order for hundreds of Airbus A320 jets at the Dubai Air Show. The deal looks set to shake up the low-cost industry and fuel the Boeing-Airbus rivalry.
track on Paris accord goals
European planemaker Airbus on Wednesday announced the sale of 430 of its medium-range A320 aircraftto US investment firm Indigo Partners in a deal worth more than $49 billion (€42 billion). Both sides confirmed the record order included A320neos and A321neos, with the deal officially announced later at the Dubai Air Show. It is biggest ever order for Airbus and will more than double the value of the companyʼs sales for the year. Airbus had announced orders for 288 planes as of the end of October. The deal with In-
digo Partnerswill allow Airbus to overtake US rival Boeing. Indigo Partners controls Denver-based Frontier Airlines and owns part of Mexicoʼs Volaris. Itʼs known for unbundled fares in ultra-low-cost airlines, where passengers are offered cheap base prices with the option of paying more for extras. Wednesdayʼs deal marks a major coup for Airbus CEO John Leahy, who is expected to leave the group soon at the end of a careerin which he oversaw the sale of nearly 15,000 planes.
Can trophy hunting really help species survival? When the US announced plans this week to allow the import of elephant trophies, global outrage echoed loud, and President Donald Trump soon put the decision ʼon holdʼ. But are there arguments for controlled slaughter? Shooting endangered animals as a contribution to conservation efforts sounds like the greatest oxymoron of all time, yet it is that reasoning that US President Donald Trumpʼs administration used to back up its highly contentious proposal to allow elephant parts obtained through hunting in Zimbabwe and Zambiato be taken home as
trophies. The outcry that ensued prompted the Trump Administration to reverse its stance the next day. "African elephants are protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA)," the US Fish and Wildlife Service said in a written statement. "Our nation has an obligation under the ESA to make sure US hunters are contributing to the conservation of elephants in the wild by participating in hunting programs that provide a clear conservation benefit and contribute to the long-term survival of the species in the wild." Trump himself tweeted on the issue, saying the decision was on hold "until such time as I review all conservation facts."
Netflix to release Hungary’s Oscar Entry ‘On Body and Soul’ On Body and Soul’ by eminent Hungarian director Ildikó Enyedi receives its U.S. premier on November 12th at the prestigious American Film Institute Fest in Los Angeles, before being made available from February on streaming service Netflix.
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Existing national goals will only meet one-third of the Paris climate target, according to a UN report. The study comes less than a week before the world climate conference kicks off in Bonn. As the United Nations prepares to welcomedelegates from across the world to Bonnon Monday for the two-week COP23 climate summit, it released a stark warning today. The national pledges currently on the table by the signatory countries will only bring a third of the reduction in emissions required by 2030 to meet global climate targets. The biggest roadblock is not with national governments, says the United Nations Environment Program report. Rather, the private sector and regional governments arenʼt increasing their climate action at a rate that would help close this gap. The Paris goal is to limit global warming to at least under 2 degrees Celsius — and to 1.5 degrees if possible — in order to avoid catastrophic climate change. German police detain Syrian for ʼpreparingʼ explosives attack A 19-year-old Syrian has been detained on suspicion of planning to carry out a terror attack in Germany. The man was ready to carry out the attack using highly explosive materials, according to prosecutors. A Syrian man suspected of planning a terror attack was detained in the northern German city of Schwerin, the Federal Prosecutorʼs Office said on Tuesday in a statement. The suspect, identified as 19-year-old Yamen A., was taken into police custody. Prosecutors said in a statement that the teen is "strongly suspected of having planned an Islamistmotivated attack" that involved "highly explosive" materials. Authorities added that Yamen A. had already "concretely prepared" the attack. In July this year, the suspect made the decision to detonate an explosive device in Germany "in order to kill and injure as many people as possible," the statement read. Yamen A. then began to procure components to make an explosive device, including chemicals. It was not initially clear whether the suspect had selected a location to carry out the attack, prosecutors said. They added that there are no signs that Yamen A. was connected toany terrorist organizations. German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said the suspectʼs arrest prevented a "serious terror attack in Germany."