CW8

Currencies

G-20 statement warns against currency wars (Daily Yomiuri Online)

The Group of 20 economies wrapped up a two-day meeting Saturday with a statement strongly warning against currency wars, while giving “Abenomics” a virtual free pass. The joint statement, issued by finance ministers and central bank chiefs, cautioned G-20 members several times against monetary policies aimed at intervening in foreign exchange markets.

Fashion

Zalando to slow expansion to focus on current businesses (Bloomberg)

Zalando GmbH, a German clothing and shoes online retailer, plans to enter fewer European markets this year to focus on growth at existing businesses.

Food

Horsemeat scandal is a Europe-wide problem (ABC News)

This week the scandal over horsemeat in hamburgers and lasagne has spread beyond Britain, revealing cracks in the Continent’s food supply chain. Authorities are now trying to trace the meat’s circuitous path across Europe to prevent future problems.

Germany

An introduction to “Those Germans” (DW)

We’re punctual and reliable, we’re badly dressed and we have no sense of humor. True or false? Read on to find out what other clichés we’ll be examining in our special series on the German identity.

Human resources

Fraud Factory: Helping careerists get ahead as a ghostwriter (Spiegel Online International)

In Germany, higher education titles help people in business circles burnish their credentials and get ahead. But instead of doing the work themselves, many busy careerists are employing ghostwriters to write their doctorates for them instead. One ghostwriter reveals the flaws of the educational system.

Shifts and nights replace nine-to-five for Germans (The Local)

Germans are increasingly working nights and shifts, leaving the treasured nine-to-five work model behind while one in four work at weekends, figures from the government show.

Politics

Scott Warren: Can Obama save politics? (The Huffington Post)

President Obama’s State of the Union was aggressive and meaty. From immigration reform to gun control, to raising the minimum wage and universal pre-school education, Obama clearly wants to make a mark in his second term. But regardless of the policy ambitions, Obama raised another theme that should, but has not yet, received bi-partisan support: reigniting citizen involvement in our political process.

Sport

Exclusive – The case against Oscar (City Press)

A bloodied cricket bat is the central piece of evidence in the unfolding murder investigation into Reeva Steenkamp’s death. City Press can reveal that police are investigating different scenarios involving the bat – one of which is that her boyfriend, Olympic hero Oscar Pistorius, used it to viciously assault her.