EUROPE

Activists prevent deportation of Nigerians, Ghanaians from London airport

It was drama at the Stansted airport in London on Tuesday as activists prevented the mass deportation of Nigerians and Ghanaians. The activists, working under the name Stop Charter Flights – End Deportations, blocked the runway of the Stansted airport carrying banners and chanting songs condemning deportations. A video recording showed some of them were under the wing of a …

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UK launches exit from the EU

Britain formally launched the process for leaving the European Union today, nine months after the island nation voted to leave the EU. Britain became the first country ever to seek a divorce, striking a blow at the heart of the union forged from the ashes of World War II. Just days after the Union’s 60th birthday, Britain handed over a …

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Chancellor Merkel’s party wins German state election

Germany’s Christian-Democratic Union (CDU) party won Saarland’s state election on Sunday, with 40.7 percent, far ahead of the Social-Democratic Party (SPD), with 29.6 percent. The closely-watched election in the small, western state, which was the first since Martin Schulz became SDP leader, was seen as a test for him and CDU’s Chancellor Angela Merkel ahead of the September general elections. …

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EU commemorates 60th founding anniversary with pledge to revive momentum

The EU 27 leaders recommitted their vows to European integration in Rome on Saturday (25 March) amid warnings that the bloc’s unity remains fragile. The heads of state and government met in the same Renaissance-era palace where the six founding countries signed the Treaty of Rome on 25 March 1957, to establish the European Economic Community and the European Atomic …

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Virginia Wangare Greiner receives international women’s award

Virginia Wangare Greiner, the founder of Maisha e. V., a psychosocial centre in Frankfurt, has been honoured with the prestigious Elisabeth Norgall International Award. She was bestowed with the honour recently by the International Women’s Club (IWC) of Frankfurt in recognition of her efforts concerning the needs and problems of women. Ms Greiner, who is originally from Kenya, has been honoured …

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Germany to deport Nigerian and Algerian terror suspects

The German-born Algerian and Nigerian who were arrested in Göttingen in February on the suspicion of planning an Islamist-inspired attacks are to be deported as soon as possible, the authorities have announced yesterday. The announcement followed the rejection of the appeal of the two Africans by the Federal Administrative Court (Bundesverwaltungsgericht) in Leipzig, which refused their prayers to order the …

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EU and North African ministers meet on how to reduce migration from Africa

Interior ministers from Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Slovenia and Switzerland, along with EU migration commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos, are in Rome on Monday to discuss strategies for curbing the number of migrants coming to Europe with their North African counterparts from Algeria, Libya and Tunisia. Italy’s Interior Minister Marco Minniti wants to form a permanent “contact group” between European and …

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Talking about what it means to be Black in Germany

What is it like to be a Black person living in Germany? What does it mean to be excluded from your own society? Prominent guests met recently to discuss these questions and more at the launch of the new multimedia project ‘Afro.Germany’ by the German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW). “I used to want to be white,” says Jana Pareigis, …

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Islamic headscarves can be banned in workplace, says EU court

Banning Islamic headscarves in the workplace is not “direct discrimination” and can be “objectively justified”, ruled the European Court of Justice on Tuesday (14 March). Judges said that the dismissal of a Muslim employee who insisted on wearing a headscarf – despite an internal company rule prohibiting any sign of political, philosophical or religious beliefs – did not constitute a …

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UK parliament clears way for Brexit talks

UK lawmakers passed the Brexit bill on Monday night (13 March), overturning earlier amendments, which aimed to protect EU citizens’ rights in the UK and grant parliament a final vote at the end of the exit negotiations. Once the bill gets the so-called royal assent on Tuesday and becomes law, it will be up to Prime Minister Theresa May to …

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Germany’s upper house says Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria not safe for refugees

The German parliament’s upper chamber has rejected a law that would have allowed quicker deportations to Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. The decision deals a blow to Chancellor Angela Merkel’s refugee strategy, reports Jefferson Chase. In the end, the vote wasn’t even close. Led by federal states with left-leaning governing coalitions, a wide majority of the Bundesrat shot down a law …

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EU wants rejected asylum-seekers locked up pending deportation

  The European Commission is piling on pressure for member states to send unwanted migrants packing, including children, and lock up those at risk of disappearing before deportation. Dimitris Avramopoulos, the EU commissioner for migration, told reporters on Thursday (2 March) that EU states should not hesitate to detain anyone at risk of absconding for the maximum legal limit of …

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Germany: More than 50,000 work visas issued to highly-qualified non-EU citizens

Since its introduction in August 2012, 53704 highly-qualified immigrants have received an EU Blue Card in Germany, according to figures just released by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). The EU Blue Card, a single work and residence permit, allows non-EU citizens with a university degree to take up employment in the EU commensurate with their qualifications. Holders …

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Germany: Ten attacks on refugees per day in 2016, reveals report

New figures show there were nearly ten attacks on refugees and refugee accommodation every day in Germany in 2016. The country’s opposition says the government is not doing enough against right-wing violence. There were 3,533 attacks on refugees and refugee hostels across Germany last year, the Funke Media Group reported on Sunday. The attacks left 560 people injured, among them …

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Germany unveils new national passport

Germany has unveiled a new national passport with improved security features. The new passport has a new design as well and is slightly smaller than the previous one. The redesigned identity document, which features a security mark in the shape of Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, was shown to the public for the first time on Thursday in Berlin. “The new German …

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