TOP NEWS

The new elections in Germany
Expert: One in five German immigrants could vote for the AfD

One in eight German voters has an

immigrant background – and they could play a decisive role in the election, reports Deutsche Welle.

With less than a month left, there is a chance for the smaller parties to attract a large group of voters. The 7.1 million Germans who are first or second generation immigrants feel increasingly let down by the larger parties, the newspaper writes.

The party with the highest potential to attract their votes is the SPD. But around 20 percent of voters could also consider voting for the far-right AfD, according to expert Friederike Römer.

She believes that the AfD has a good political strategy for reaching people with an immigrant background, including by pointing to new arrivals as the big problem.

– It is very effective, especially on social media, Friederike Römer tells Deutsche Welle.

Coronavirus  Covid Research
China Hits Back on Covid-19: Not from Lab

The US intelligence agency CIA stated on Saturday that it is “more likely” that the Covid-19 virus came from a laboratory rather than nature.

But now China is hitting back. They say it is “extremely unlikely” that the virus was created in a lab, AFP reports.

“The conclusion that a leak did not come from a laboratory was made by joint experts from WHO and China and was based on field visits to relevant labs in Wuhan,” writes State Department spokesperson Mao Ning.

The CIA’s new assessment of the origin of the pandemic was made under their new leadership with director John Ratcliffe. He was appointed by Donald Trump on Thursday.

On Monday, China urged the US not to politicize the origin of the pandemic.

South Korean plane crash
Report shows: Feathers and bird blood in engines

South Korean authorities have submitted a preliminary accident report on last month's plane crash to the UN aviation organization, Reuters reports.

The report focuses on the theory that birds flew into the engine. Feathers and bird blood were found in both engines, but the cause is not yet fully understood, according to AFP.

The plane crashed into a wall after landing at Muan airport in late December after its landing gear failed to deploy. 179 people died in the accident. Two cabin crew members survived the crash.

Lula da Silva’s health
Doctors’ report: Lula can work as usual again

Brazilian President Lula da Silva has been given the green light by his doctors to work as usual after undergoing two major operations, Reuters reports. On Monday, the 79-year-old president underwent a new examination that shows that his health is improving.

On October 19, Lula da Silva fell at home and hit his head. It was later discovered that he had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage.

He is now allowed to travel and train, according to doctors.