As we enter the New Year, many new laws and regulations take effect in Germany. Consumers will have to adjust to changes as the maternity protection law enters into force, credit card surcharges go, Hartz IV benefits rise and the 500-euro note disappears gradually etc. There may be changes in your electricity bill as well. The African Courier takes us …

The BBC World Service has appointed Rachel Akidi Okwir and Toyosi Ogunseye as heads of language services for East and West Africa respectively.  The appointments are part of the BBC World Service’s continuing expansion in Africa. Rachel Akidi Okwir, Head of East Africa Languages, is based in Nairobi, Kenya and oversees services in Afaan Oromo, Amharic, Somali, Swahili and Tigrinya. …

South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) has elected Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa as its new leader. The former trade unionist and top businessman will replace his embattled boss; President Jacob Zuma; and would lead the ANC into elections slated for 2019. Ramaphosa polled 2440 votes as against 2261 received by his main rival, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, in the tightly fought …

West African leaders have called on Togolese political actors to hold an “inclusive dialogue” to resolve the political crisis in the country. The Summit of Heads of State of the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) made the call in Abuja, Nigeria, on Saturday. The conference expressed its concerns over persistent political tensions and condemned the forms of violence and …

Latest figures show an overall fall in the number of new asylum requests in the EU, compared to 2015 and 2016. Asylum is a form of international protection given by a state on its territory. It is granted to a person who is unable to seek protection in his/her country of citizenship and/or residence, in particular for fear of being …

In a case that shows that the hand of justice is long, a Dutch court has convicted an aide of former Ethiopian dictator of war crimes committed in the 1970s and sentenced him to life in jail. Eshetu Alemu, who served Ethiopia’s ruthless leader Mengesitu Haile Mariam in the late 1970s, has been sentenced to life in jail by Dutch …

The International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands; has awarded $10 million in compensation to child soldiers recruited by Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga. The ICC said Lubanga was liable to pay the full amount to his young victims and their relatives, but added it recognised there was no way he would be able to afford paying this compensation that is …

The European Union and the African Union say at least 3,100 migrants who were stranded in Libya have been returned to their home countries in the past two weeks. A new task force, which also includes the UN, aims to repatriate another 15,000 migrants from Libya by February, AP has reported. Following the CNN footage that showed African migrants in …

Senegal has a new airport as the West African country seeks to underline its status as an airline hub in the sub-region. The Blaise Diagne International Airport was officially opened on 7 December by President Macky Sall. He called it a “source of satisfaction and legitimate pride” for the country. The airport is named after the first African to be …

African presidents have reached a strong consensus to focus on regional integration, inclusive growth and youth empowerment in order to achieve continued and sustained growth on the continent at the Africa 2017 Forum in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi of Egypt hosted African heads of state and business leaders including President Alpha Condé of the Republic …

The sudden death of Mike Reichel, a leading member of the Black Community in Germany, has been announced. Reichel (54), who tragically ended his own life in Berlin last week, was one of the pioneer members of the Initiative of Black People in Germany (Initiative Schwarze Menschen in Deutschland or ISD) and was a co-founder of the Black History Month …

The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Europe (NIDOE), Hon. Kenneth Gbandi, has called on Nigerians travelling home for Christmas to be good ambassadors of the Diaspora. In his end-of-the-year message to Nigerians living in Europe, Gbandi pleaded with his countrymen and women travelling home for the yuletide to use the opportunity “for knowledge transfer, mentoring, empowerment and to …

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier signed a multi-million dollar partnership deal with Ghana on his first trip to Africa since taking office. Germany hopes the accord might help curb migration to Europe. Germany has agreed to grant Ghana $118 million (€100 million) to promote renewable energies, energy efficiency and vocational training. The two countries signed the “Investment and Reform Partnership” agreement …

Liberia will hold a delayed presidential run-off vote on 26 December, the electoral commission chief said on Tuesday (12 December). Former football star George Weah faces Vice-President Joseph Boakai in the poll that was held up for several weeks by a court challenge by the candidate who came third in round one. The winner will replace Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as …

Mohamed Salah has won BBC’s African Footballer of the Year for 2017 award after impressing in the Premier League for Liverpool and leading Egypt to the World Cup for the third time in their history The 25-year-old forward beat Gabon’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Guinean Naby Keita, Senegal’s Sadio Mane and Nigeria’s Victor Moses to be named the continent’s greatest player by …

Last week, YouTube released its annual Rewind lists. These lists are separated by country and showcase the moments that captured the attention of YouTube users around the globe this year. The Nigerian section of these list made for some interesting viewing by giving an insight into what Nigerians like to watch on YouTube. The top 10 videos (excluding from major …

“Press Statement of the Central Council of the African Community in Germany e.V. (Zentralrat der afrikanischen Gemeinde in Deutschland e.V.) on the murder of Oury Jalloh. Fixed to a fireproof mattress with his hands and feet shackled, Oury Jalloh was found burnt in cell N ° 6 of the Dessau police station on 7 January 2005. The horrible image of …

The wave of protests against the enslavement of African migrants in Libya continued on Saturday (9 December) with demonstrations in the British capital and the German city of Hamburg. Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Libyan embassy in London to demand an end to slave auctions in the North African country. Carrying placards reading “End the Damn Slavery!!” and “Human …

In the 13 years since Oury Jalloh’s death, his case has been shuffled from one prosecutor’s office to another. Now a state justice minister has stepped in. And a murder allegation has been filed at the federal level. Lea Fauth of Deutsche Welle (DW) reports. In the latest twist surrounding the investigation into the mysterious death of Sierra Leone asylum …

Dr Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, will travel to Ghana and Gambia on 11-14 December 2017 on state visits. He will be accompanied by a delegation, including the Federal Minister for Economy and Energy, Mrs Brigitte Zypries, the Deputy Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Friedrich Kitschelt, the State Minister at the German Foreign Office, Maria …