http://www.spiegel.de Daily news, analysis and opinion from Europe's leading newsmagazine and Germany's top news Web site. en Tue, 21 May 2013 16:53:02 +0200 Tue, 21 May 2013 16:53:02 +0200 http://www.spiegel.de http://www.spiegel.de/static/sys/logo_120x61.gif http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/german-coalition-backs-tougher-prostitution-laws-to-curb-trafficking-a-895748.html#ref=rss With human trafficking on the rise in Europe, Germany's governing coalition has agreed to a long-disputed reform of the country's prostitution laws, SPIEGEL has learned. Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:57:00 +0200 http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/german-coalition-backs-tougher-prostitution-laws-to-curb-trafficking-a-895748.html With human trafficking on the rise in Europe, Germany's governing coalition has agreed to a long-disputed reform of the country's prostitution laws, SPIEGEL has learned.]]> http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/human-trafficking-thrives-on-sinai-peninsula-a-891585.html#ref=rss The Sinai Peninsula has become a prison and grave for thousands of African refugees. They are kidnapped, imprisoned and tortured to death even after their families have paid hefty ransoms. But Egypt refuses to act. Fri, 29 Mar 2013 09:11:00 +0100 http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/human-trafficking-thrives-on-sinai-peninsula-a-891585.html The Sinai Peninsula has become a prison and grave for thousands of African refugees. They are kidnapped, imprisoned and tortured to death even after their families have paid hefty ransoms. But Egypt refuses to act. ]]> http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/as-profitable-as-the-drug-trade-china-s-child-trafficking-epidemic-a-696129.html#ref=rss Human trafficking, including stealing and selling children, is widespread in China. The police are almost powerless to stop it, and corruption facilitates the trade. Desperate parents are joining forces to search for their sons and daughters. But their efforts are usually unsuccessful. Fri, 21 May 2010 12:57:00 +0200 http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/as-profitable-as-the-drug-trade-china-s-child-trafficking-epidemic-a-696129.html Human trafficking, including stealing and selling children, is widespread in China. The police are almost powerless to stop it, and corruption facilitates the trade. Desperate parents are joining forces to search for their sons and daughters. But their efforts are usually unsuccessful.]]> http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/slaving-over-the-wok-chinese-restaurants-accused-of-human-trafficking-a-643945.html#ref=rss In many Asian restaurants in Germany, Chinese cooks are exploited, miserably paid and lacking in almost any rights. In many cases, they are victims of systematic human trafficking. Now German authorities are cracking down on the restaurants and institutions that bring these workers to Europe as modern-day serfs. Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:06:50 +0200 http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/slaving-over-the-wok-chinese-restaurants-accused-of-human-trafficking-a-643945.html http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/criminalizing-the-customers-prostitution-ban-huge-success-in-sweden-a-516030.html#ref=rss Sweden has drastically reduced human trafficking and prostitution by imposing a ban on the purchase of sexual services, the first of its kind worldwide. But many sex workers argue the ban robs them of their livelihood and makes them more vulnerable to violence. Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:25:09 +0100 http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/criminalizing-the-customers-prostitution-ban-huge-success-in-sweden-a-516030.html Sweden has drastically reduced human trafficking and prostitution by imposing a ban on the purchase of sexual services, the first of its kind worldwide. But many sex workers argue the ban robs them of their livelihood and makes them more vulnerable to violence.]]> http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/the-iraqi-exodus-number-of-illegal-iraqi-refugees-in-germany-surges-a-507444.html#ref=rss Word of the German government's slight relaxing of its asylum policy has gotten round in the Middle East. Human traffickers smuggled fivefold more Iraqis into Germany during the first six months of this year than the same period in 2006. Mon, 24 Sep 2007 12:12:12 +0200 http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/the-iraqi-exodus-number-of-illegal-iraqi-refugees-in-germany-surges-a-507444.html Word of the German government's slight relaxing of its asylum policy has gotten round in the Middle East. Human traffickers smuggled fivefold more Iraqis into Germany during the first six months of this year than the same period in 2006.]]> http://www.spiegel.de/international/police-raid-human-trafficking-ring-slave-labor-in-german-ice-cream-cafes-a-430510.html#ref=rss Illegal immigrants have been working in German ice cream parlors for around a tenth of the average German wage. Authorities launched a nationwide raid on Sunday to smash a gang that smuggled in thousands of people from eastern Europe. The four suspected gang leaders have been arrested. Mon, 07 Aug 2006 16:38:03 +0200 http://www.spiegel.de/international/police-raid-human-trafficking-ring-slave-labor-in-german-ice-cream-cafes-a-430510.html Illegal immigrants have been working in German ice cream parlors for around a tenth of the average German wage. Authorities launched a nationwide raid on Sunday to smash a gang that smuggled in thousands of people from eastern Europe. The four suspected gang leaders have been arrested.]]> http://www.spiegel.de/international/lust-and-the-world-cup-sex-sports-money-and-morals-a-387277.html#ref=rss The German sex industry is already gearing up for a busy World Cup next summer. So too are groups concerned with human trafficking and forced prostitution. A sex free-for-all, say many, could hurt the country's image. Mon, 28 Nov 2005 15:56:27 +0100 http://www.spiegel.de/international/lust-and-the-world-cup-sex-sports-money-and-morals-a-387277.html The German sex industry is already gearing up for a busy World Cup next summer. So too are groups concerned with human trafficking and forced prostitution. A sex free-for-all, say many, could hurt the country's image.]]> http://www.spiegel.de/international/fischer-visa-scandal-battling-human-trafficking-in-germany-a-343160.html#ref=rss With German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer on the hotseat for allegedly ignoring gaping holes in Germany's visa distribution policies, a major trial against a huge forced prostitution ring opens in eastern Germany. The pressure on Fischer is only likely to grow. Tue, 22 Feb 2005 17:43:59 +0100 http://www.spiegel.de/international/fischer-visa-scandal-battling-human-trafficking-in-germany-a-343160.html With German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer on the hotseat for allegedly ignoring gaping holes in Germany's visa distribution policies, a major trial against a huge forced prostitution ring opens in eastern Germany. The pressure on Fischer is only likely to grow.]]> http://www.spiegel.de/international/child-trafficking-in-cambodia-the-50-baby-a-339105.html#ref=rss The horror scene is, sadly, reality: A 25-day-old Cambodian baby is sold to a human trafficker for a pittance. Police manage to break up the sale at the border, but that, sadly, is the exception in a country where children have long been a major export product. Most wind up as forced workers or sex slaves. Fri, 28 Jan 2005 18:46:03 +0100 http://www.spiegel.de/international/child-trafficking-in-cambodia-the-50-baby-a-339105.html The horror scene is, sadly, reality: A 25-day-old Cambodian baby is sold to a human trafficker for a pittance. Police manage to break up the sale at the border, but that, sadly, is the exception in a country where children have long been a major export product. Most wind up as forced workers or sex slaves.]]>