DAILY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Ukraine furious after Russia speeds up passport process in eastern Ukraine Ukrainian politicians expressed outrage on Wednesday afterRussian President Vladimir Putinsigned a decree to speed up citizenship applications for people living in areas currently controlled by Russia-backed separatists. According to the Kremlin, the decree affects permanent residents living in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and would shorten the amount of time needed to examine the documents necessary to obtain a Russian passport. The Ukrainian government was swift to condemn the move, with some politicians saying that the timing was aimed at destabilizing the countryas it transitions from one president to a new one. Putin defended the decree, saying it was "purely a humanitarian issue" and that it was not meant to "create problems for the new Ukrainian administration."
France dedicates first Armenian genocide commemorations The first major European country to recognize the 1915 massacres as genocide, France has dedicated its first national day of commemoration. The French prime minister led the ceremonies. The ceremonies organized in France on Wednesday fulfilled a pledge made by French President Emmanuel Macron during his 2017 election campaign, and confirmed to the countryʼs large Armenian community in February. In 2001 France became the first major European country to recognise the massacres as genocide and in February, as he announced the national day of remembrance, Macron said France "knows how to look history in the face."
94/2019 • 25 APRIL, 2019
Scotlandʼs First Minister calls for second independence referendum by 2021 She hopes to have legislation agreed by the end of the year
Scotlandʼs First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that her devolved government will take a first step towards holding an independence referendum by May 2021.
Size and networking matter for female founders Female business founders are still the exception to the rule in Europeʼs business landscape. Only 15.6% of the continentʼs startup founders are women. But there are enough examples that things are changing. It was a pivotal moment for Maria Mattsson Mähl. She sat on a panel in the Swedish city of Visby and was supposed to talk about her experience as an entrepreneur. It was in the summer of 2017, when several politicians, busi-
nesspeople and media representatives sat together for a panel discussion organized by the "Alemedalen Week" — a prestigious annual networking event in Sweden named after the eponymous public park. But Mattsson Mähl felt very much alone because during the discussion she was confronted with figures she couldnʼt believe. Apparently, there were only 17 Swedish companies with a turnover of more than 50 million Swedish kronor ($5.42 million, €4.79 million)founded by women.
As Germany phases out coal, villages still forced to make way for mining This end of thevillage of Immerathis peaceful, with birds chirping in the gables of empty houses. But off in the distance, the sound of excavators tearing down walls and smashing stones betray that calm. The open-pit lignite mine Garzweiler II is just a stoneʼs throw away from Immerath, and soon the village will be no more. Im-
merath was once a lively community with a sports club, church and several kindergartens. Today, the homes have been barricaded or bricked up. Down one abandoned street, a gutted car sits in the open garage of a family home covered in ivy. At the other end of the road, demolition work has already begun.
German income inequality a cause for concern as east-west divide deepens A new study released by the Institute of Economic and Social Research (WSI) in Düsseldorf on Wednesday starkly outlines thedivide between wealthy and poor German communities. Whereas residents in the Bavarian city of Starnberg — near Munich — topped the list of 401 districts and independent towns with an average annual disposable income of €34,987 ($39,150), the North RhineWestphalian city of Gelsenkirchen was the countryʼs poorest with an average of €16,203. The WSI, which is associated with German unions and the Hans Böckler Foundation, found that although southern cities such as Munich, Heilbronn and Stuttgart had among the highest levels of disposable income after taxes, the northʼs Ruhrgebiet — a former coal and steel region — andthe formerly communist east lagged far behind.
Lyra McKee: Murdered journalist honored at Northern Ireland funeral Lyra McKee, a 29-year-old journalist who was shot dead by a New IRA gunman in Northern Ireland last week, was honored by hundreds of mourners and political leaders at a funeral in Belfast on Wednesday. The 29-year-old was shot in the head Thursday while reporting on clashes between rioters and police in the city of Londonderry, also known as Derry. A small Irish nationalist group called the New IRA said it was responsible for her death and apologized, adding that they had been targeting police officers at the time.
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94/2019 • 25 April, 2019
German billionaire family to donate $11M over Nazi past
Donald Trump meets with Twitter boss Jack Dorsey
One of Germanyʼs richest families has said they will donate $11 million (€9.7 million) to charity after learning the extent of their familyʼs ties to the Nazi regime, according to a report by the mass-circulation Bild am Sonntag newspaper. The Reimann familyʼs JAB Holding Companyowns a controlling interest in several major brands, including Panera Bread and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, among others. What the report revealed: The report focused on Albert Reimann Sr. and Albert Reimann Jr. and their industrial chemicals company in the city of Ludwigshafen during the Nazi era, and found that: Russian civilians and French prisoners of war were exploited as forced laborers in the familyʼs factories and private villas.The two men were anti-Semites and avowed supporters of Adolf Hitler.Reimann Sr. donated to Hitlerʼs paramilitary SS force as early as 1931.Reimann Jr. once complained in a letter to the Ludwigshafen mayor that the French POWs werenʼt working hard enough.
Donald Trump has repeatedly complained about the social media giantʼs supposed bias against conservatives. Trumpʼs latest complaints came after the companyʼs shares surged 15 percent.
Niko Kovacʼs big week at Bayern Munich
Evergreens are part and parcel of German forests — and their language. Wald, the German term for forest, or Baum (tree), are words that crop up in many everyday German sayings and phrases. Some expressions are selfexplanatory, like not seeing the forest for the trees. Others, like "einen Ast
Niko Kovac was a frustrated figure on the touchline at the Allianz Arena towards the end of November. His team had let a three-goal lead slip to recently promoted Fortuna Düsseldorf. His apparently mutinous dressing room was leaking stories to the press. Bayern Munichʼs title defense was said to be over and debate was swirling about whether or not he should be sacked. Fast forward four months and the mood at the Bavarian giants is much improved. Four wins on the bounce have pulled them level on points at the top of Bundesliga table with Borussia Dortmund, andKovac mastermindeda way to stifle Liverpool in the first leg of their Champions League tie.
US President Donald Trump met with Twitter Chief Executive Jack Dorsey on Tuesday, reportedly badgering him on why he has lost so many followers on Twitter. The meeting came after Trump criticized the platform for its supposed bias against conservatives and after its shares surged on earnings reports. "Great meeting this afternoon at the White House with Jack from
Twitter. Lots of subjects discussed regarding their platform, and the world of social media in general. Look forward to keeping an open dialogue!" Trump tweeted after the meeting. Dorsey replied: "Thank you for the time. Twitter is here to serve the entire public conversation, and we intend to make it healthier and more civil. Thanks for the discussion about that."
Sweet talk and laughter — German sayings involving forests and trees They also have a host of wonderful sayings and phrases revolving around forests and trees, with one that involves shouting into the woods.
lachen" (literally, laugh a branch), which means to be convulsed with laughter, and "Süssholz raspeln" (literally, grating licorice root), which means sweet-talking someone, may sound a bit odd to non-native ears. Click on the above picture gallery for more German phrases that utilize the terminology — and imagery — of the forest. And when youʼre done, check out more articles in theMeet The Germans seriesto find more about German culture, language and lifestyle.
Sting to return to Budapest for summer 2019 Sting is head over heels for Budapest. After a successful free show with Shaggy a month ago on Heroes’ Square, the former Police frontman has just announced another Budapest concert for next summer. On 2 July, the Grammy-winning singer brings his My Songs tour to the Papp László Aréna, where he will be taking the stage with his own band.
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Malta in the eye of a financial tempest A recent European Commission report on Malta warned that the country had made "limited progress in addressing the 2018 Country Specific Recommendations (CSRs) concerning money laundering, corruption and financial supervision." A European Parliament report meanwhile described "systemized and serious deficiencies" in the rule of law in Malta, while a police investigation in Italy has alleged that theSicilian Mafiainfiltrated companies in the online-gaming sector some based in Malta to launder money. Read more: Opinion: Golden visas and passport trade undermine EU As if that werenʼt bad enough for the Mediterranean investorsʼ paradise, the EUʼs parliament recently voted to adopt a "tax harmonization” scheme that would create one common corporate tax rate throughout the EU, a move that could halve Maltaʼs tax base.
Vietnamʼs dog meat culture clashes with modern tastes Hoang has been eating dog meat since he was young. He canʼt imagine there will be a time that he wonʼt be eating it at least twice a month. However, Vietnamese officials announced in September that dog and cat meat should no longer be served in the inner districts of the capital city Hanoi because itʼs offensive to tourists and can spread diseases like rabies. Read more: Illegal dog meat trade raises moral questions Dog meat lovers and restaurant owners fear that the government will try to expand the ban and decide to officially forbid eating dog and cat meat entirely. "I donʼt see how they can ban it. The demand is just too high," Hoang said at a restaurant in Vietnamʼs largest metropolis, Ho Chi Minh City. In a small alley in Ho Chi Minh City, at least four restaurants serve dog meat, or Thịt chó. People gather around small tables to dine on the canine meat, complementing it with rice wine or beer. Hoang, who declined to give his full name, is sitting at a table with three good friends. "For us itʼs a tradition to eat dog meat. Itʼs just as normal as eating seafood or chicken,"