Radio Spaetkauf – The Berlin News Show

This Berlin summer continues to be a wash-out, causing floods and public transport delays. Despite the rain, the Weißensee lake in north Berlin is drying up. The operator of Strandbad Weißensee is crowdfunding €90,000 to pay for 40,000 cubic meters of water or 20 Olympic swimming pools.

Berlin just had its annual Christopher Street Day pride parade, which celebrated Germany’s surprise legalization of gay marriage. But as Joel points out, all things are not well for gays in Berlin. Attacks against LGBTQ increased by 10% in 2016. And gays are banned from donating blood or becoming sperm donors. Time for a new campaign – sperm donor equality!

Berlin city government lost a court case against Airbnb, which is partially banned in Berlin. It had tried to force the website to hand over the names of its users, but a court ruled in Airbnb’s favour because it is data is controlled from its Irish headquarters. Those illegally renting their whole flats could still get reported by your neighbours or uncovered by the city’s team of host hunters.

The German air traffic control authority said drones are allowed to be operated in the south-eastern end of Tempelhofer Feld, the former airport. They’re not allowed to film or take photos of people without permission.

Fans of unusual sports competitions should check out the Beach Völkerball World Cup. Völkerball is a strange cross between volleyball and dodgeball in which two teams of eight try and hit their opponents with a small rubber projectile. It takes place at BeachMitte near Nordbahnhof on Saturday July 29 in Berlin.

This episode was presented by Joel Dullroy and Maisie Hitchcock.

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Police raid Neukölln houses in search of the missing 100kg gold coin! The case of the spectacular robbery of the Big Maple Leaf coin from the Bode Museum is close to being cracked. Four men have been arrested, including one who worked as a security guard at the museum. The level of detail in the execution led to suspicions that it was an inside job.

The Berlin Senate is floating extensions to several U-Bahn lines, including the U9, U1 and U7, which could run all the way to Schönefeld and the new BER airport. This might be because Tegel fans seem to be winning the PR war to keep the old airport open. These extensions would take 15 years, if approved.

Fans of British royalty – get your flowers ready. William and Kate Windsor will be in Berlin on July 19. They’ll visit the Brandenburg Gate, the Jewish Memorial and a children’s charity in Marzahn.

Berlin has just endured its most rainy June on record with 193 litres of rain per square meter three times as much as normal, leading to floods across our swampy city.

Our next live recording is on August 13 as part of the Mobile Kino Summer Camp, an open air cinema festival in the woods. Go to http://www.mobilekino.de for more details.

This episode was presented by Jöran Mandik and Joel Dullroy, and brought to you by RadioEins. Photo by Jöran Mandik.

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More than 200 Berlin police officers have been sent home from the G20 summit in Hamburg early after some were caught partying in their quarters. They were observed drinking and dancing on tables with their weapons, pissing in a row against a fence, and one couple was seen having sex in public. What might be standard behaviour for some Berliners was not acceptable in Hamburg.

Berlin’s fascination with its captive bears continues. Two adult pandas have arrived from China. Meng Meng and Jiao Qing will be on display in a fancy new enclosure at the Zoo Berlin from July 7.

Berlin’s gay pride parade, also known as Christopher Street Day or CSD, is happening on July 22. But there won’t be any Alternative CSD in Kreuzberg this year as the organizing team broke apart in a dispute. A replacement DIY picnic on Mariannenplatz was also cancelled after its Facebook event got too popular.

This episode was presented by Joel Dullroy and Jöran Mandik.

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New York has its Highline Park. Should Berlin have a lowline bike path under the U1 tracks? We interview a team member behind the idea for the U1 Radbahn.

There’s controversy over plans to rename some streets in Wedding, where a citizen’s jury trying to replace German colonialist names somehow selected the name of a slave trader instead. Our guest Kilian Flad tells us about the revisionist history of street names.

And our friend Konrad Werner is back to talk about whether Germany has an equivalent to Jeremy Corbyn in the coming federal election.

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There’s been a spate of mysterious dog deaths around the Tegeler See. The cause is unclear – either a dog hater leaving poisoned food, or a bloom of dangerous blue algae in the water. Swimmers are also advised to avoid the Tegeler See, Berlin’s second biggest lake.

It has been almost a year since a new law was introduced forcing dog owners to carry a plastic poop bag or face a €35 fine. But so far not a single fine has been issued. The law’s vague description of “suitable material” for poop collection could be at fault.

There’s a debate over whether a crucifix should be placed on top of the dome of the new Stadtschloss, or Humboldt Forum. Another suggestion is to install the word “Zweifel” (doubt) on the building. Joel’s preference? No cross, no doubt, no Stadschloss at all.

Come along to our next live recording, Sunday June 18, 17.30, at the Comedy Cafe Neukölln.

This episode was presented by Jöran Mandik and Joel Dullroy, and brought to you by RadioEins.

Subscribe to Radio Spaetkauf on iTunes.

Support us with a monthly donation!