This Week in the News (4th-10th February)
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Brexit bill passes House of Commons
©BBC
After the Supreme Court of the UK had decided that the Government could not trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty without consulting the Parliament, a bill demanding to ”Confer power on the Prime Minister to notify, under Article 50(2) of the Treaty on European Union, the United Kingdom’s intention to withdraw from the EU” was voted on in the House of Commons on Wednesday, passing with 494 votes to 122. During the debates on the bill, the Brexit supporters faced heavy opposition from Europhile MPs such as those belonging to the Labour Party or to the Liberal-Democrats, as 100 pages worth of amendments were submitted in an attempt to modify the draft legislation, which were all rejected, among them, a plan to protect the residence rights of EU citizens living in the UK and a call for another EU referendum. The leaders of the Labour Party took another hit as 52 of its MPs defied party orders by voting against the bill. During the procedure, members of the Scottish National Party started singing Ode to Joy, the anthem of the European Union, in this way attracting the immediate reprimand of Deputy Speaker Lindsay Hoyle, who mentioned that he did “not want a sing-off within the chamber”. The bill will next be debated and voted on in the House of Lords.
to trigger = auslösen
to demand = fordern
to confer = verleihen
worth of = (hier) von
amendments = Änderungsanträge
to submit = einreichen
attempt = Versuch
draft legislation = Gesetzentwurf
take a hit= einen harten Schlag einstecken
to defy = trotzen
anthem = Hymne
reprimand = Verweis
sing–off = Singwettbewerb
Read an extensive report on the House of Commons vote at http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-38902484?intlink_from_url=http://www.bbc.com/news/live/uk-politics-parliaments-38893817&link_location=live-reporting-story
Germany determined to speed up the migrant deportation process
©rtr
The case of Anis Amri, the Tunisian citizen who was rejected asylum in Germany and went on to kill 12 people in the terrorist attack on a Berlin Christmas market last December, led to the German state authorities deciding to make changes to the deportation system currently in place. Chancellor Angela Merkel and other state leaders are currently discussing a 16-point plan meant to increase the efficiency of the repatriation procedures for migrants whose applications for asylum were unsuccessful, among others by founding a new deportation coordination centre in Berlin, as well as exit centres in the vicinity of airports. Other measures include allowing access to the telephones of the asylum seekers for identity checks and raising the sums awarded to those who voluntarily decide to return to their home countries.
deportation = Abschiebung
in place = vorhanden
repatriation = Heimführung
in the vicinity of = in der Nähe von
Read the BBC report on the topic at http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38919038
SPORT
Violence at RB Leipzig’s away match against Borussia Dortmund
The football club Borussia Dortmund came under fire throughout the week following its fans’ attacks directed at RB Leipzig supporters prior to the Bundesliga match which took place on Saturday. According to the Dortmund police, 32 charges were filed for explosives, assault, dangerous bodily injury, damage to property and theft, which targeted not only male fans, but also women and children. Ten supporters of RB Leipzig were injured, as well as four police officers and a police dog. As the club is not legally responsible for any events taking place outside its stadium, it can only face punishment from the German Football Association for the offensive banners displayed by Dortmund fans during the game. The BVB has officially apologised for the violence, while the supporters of the team also showed their commitment to a civilised atmosphere by displaying anti-violence banners at the match against Hertha Berlin.
©dpa
away match = Auswärtsspiel
come under fire = in die Kritik greaten
to direct sth at sb = etw auf jdn richten
to file a charge = eine Anzeige erstatten
explosives = Sprengstoffe
assault = Angriff
damage to property = Sachschaden
theft = Diebstahl
to target = anvisieren
commitment = Zusage
SCIENCE
The 12th cave believed to have housed Dead Sea scrolls has been found
©Casey L. Olson and Oren Gutfeld
The Dead Sea scrolls, dating back from as early as 5th century BC and containing the oldest versions of several biblical texts, as well as secular writings describing life in those times, have been found throughout the last 60 years in 11 caves located in the Judean desert. A recent discovery made by archaeologists from the Hebrew University in Israel and from Liberty University in Virginia, USA adds a 12th cave to those already known to have housed the ancient manuscripts. Although no scrolls were found in this geologic formation, several excavated items, such as pottery jars, fragments of scroll wrapping and a leather tying string indicate a former storage of such valuable documents in the cave’s walls. As for the scrolls themselves, the archaeologists believe that they were stolen by Bedouin people in the 1950s.
Dead Sea scrolls = Handschriften vom Toten Meer
to house = beherbergen
pottery jars = Keramik-Krüge
wrapping = Umhüllung
tying string = Bindeschnur
For more information regarding this archaeological discovery, take a look at the following article: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-38916687