FEATURES

In a remarkable, if coincidental, series of events across Kenya last weekend, nine people were beheaded by suspected al-Shabab militants, the internal security minister suddenly died, the main opposition leader was hospitalised with food poisoning, and the president appeared to accuse the judiciary of trying to delay general elections scheduled to take place in less than a month. The events …

An increasing number of old people in Germany face the risk of being stuck in poverty in the coming years, says a new study. Single women, low-skill workers and long-term unemployed are among those starkly affected. The changes taking place in the German labour market in favour of temporary jobs, contract workers and precarious working conditions in the low-wage sector, …

In recent months, social networks across Africa have been saturated with photos and videos showing horrified people demonstrating against the presence of plastic in food items, like rice and eggs. Yet most of these videos don’t have a grain of truth (or plastic) in them. Alexandre Capron, a French journalist and member of the Observer Team of France24 (OTF), has …

Since the beginning of May this year, social networks across Africa and its Diaspora have been saturated with photos and videos showing horrified people demonstrating the presence of plastic in food items, like rice and eggs. Yet most of these videos don’t have a grain of truth (or plastic) in them. Alexandre Capron, a French journalist and member of the …

    Indigenous Christians in the Muslim-dominated northern region of Nigeria are a besieged people. They’re being systematically driven off their ancestral land by violence. “Every week, there are more massacres, but nobody seems to mind – not even their own government,” writes Douglas Murray, Associate Director of the British think tank, the Henry Jackson Society. Murray who visited the …

Newcomers to Germany face a variety of challenges when searching for a job. Several refugees told InfoMigrants about their struggles finding employment in Germany but many are succeeding in the job market. “By 2020, half of the newcomers to Germany will have found a job,” Detlef Scheele, the head of the German Federal Employment Agency, said when asked about the …

Many migrants from Africa, Asia and the Middle East often choose to travel to Europe through illegal routes with all the attendant dangers and frustrations. The fact is: there are ways they can do this without risking their lives on perilous journeys. What legal ways are there for migration to Europe? Sertan Sanderson reveals the various options available to prospective …

Entering the job market in Germany can be difficult for a refugee and often requires special educational qualifications. Could self-employment be the solution? 26-year-old Rani couldn’t imagine 5 years ago that he would find success in Germany. In his home country, Iraq, he was constantly exposed to violence due to the war there. In addition, he and his family faced …

Daniel is a refugee from Eritrea. His journey involved human traffickers and a search across Europe for asylum. He has been a political refugee since October and will soon be in Rome to teach an English language course for migrant centre workers. 28-year-old Daniel worked as a chemistry and physics teacher in Eritrea. One day in 2014, he was arrested …

“My name is Tijan Bah, I’m 27 years old and I come from Sierra Leone. I arrived in Italy by boat in 2002. I was 12 at the time.” By that age, Tijan had already experienced various traumas, from hunger to the death of his loved ones and last but not least, a  dangerous sea crossing to Europe. Tijan’s story …

The EU is spending millions of euros to forcibly send people back to their home countries with a case costing up to €90,000 per person. Rather than powering ahead with deportations, there should be a focus on integration, which could be more beneficial in the long-term, experts say. Matteo Civillini and Lorenzo Bagnoli* report. An EUobserver probe of some 100 …

The staff of the UN’s International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Niger and Libya have documented shocking events on North African migrant routes, which they have described as ‘slave markets’ tormenting hundreds of young African men bound for Libya. Operations Officers with IOM’s office in Niger, reported on the rescue of a Senegalese migrant (referred to as SC to protect his …

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government is trying to stop poor German men from selling paternity so that children born of foreign mothers can gain citizenship. But the Constitutional Court has some objections, reports Ben Knight. Men often claim paternity over children that are not their own for various reasons. There are six months left of Angela Merkel’s third administration, and it …

"Adults can't change much, their mind is already made up, even if I try to speak to that person. But with young people, you can really talk to them and make it clear: We are all the same. The children are our future."

The United Kingdom decided to end its European Union membership at the referendum of 23 June. Actual exit will not commence until the British government invokes Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. British Prime Minister Theresa May has indicated this will not be rushed and will not happen this year. Our contributing editor and London-based legal scholar Sylvester …

Tom Skye, a frequent visitor to Côte d’Ivoire and the author of a travel book on the country, writes on the evolution of Ivorian music, tracing the roots of its modern expression to its very distant past. Music is everywhere in Côte d’Ivoire. It’s played and performed on buses, trains, beaches and football pitches, and in bars, restaurants, workplaces and …

Stakeholders take stock of Equal Opportunity in Germany, ten years after the anti-discrimination law went into effect The General Act on Equal Treatment (Allgemeine Gleichbehandlungsgesetz or AGG), enacted for the purpose of preventing or stopping discrimination on the grounds of race or ethnic origin, gender, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation in Germany, went into force in August …

Investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, whose trademark is his anonymity, has become famous all over the world for his unconventional way of unearthing corruption. His recent exposé video recordings, revealing corruption in Ghana’s judiciary, has been watched by millions across the world. Reporting from Accra, Francis Sackitey writes on how the sensational scandal can affect foreign investment in a country …

Literally translated, Boa Vista, the easternmost island of Cape Verde, means “beautiful view” and it lives up to its name, surprising visitors with stunning views. But there is so much more to Boa Vista than spectacular landscapes and observation points, as our Associate publisher Bugs Steffen discovered when he went to explore.  I was asked how I came up with …

The Initiative Schwarze Menschen in Deutschland (Initiative of Black People in Germany or ISD Bund e.V.) marked the 30th anniversary of its founding early this year. The ISD is the first and the most important group formed by the African diaspora in this country since 1945 for the promotion of its interests. Although Blacks have not attained the level of …