Germany has once again ruled out reparations for colonial-era atrocities, a decision that has sparked outrage among Black German advocates and descendants of genocide victims in Africa. The Initiative Schwarze Menschen in Deutschland (ISD), a leading Black German advocacy group, condemned the government’s stance as “deeply unjust and historically whitewashing.” The organization said Berlin’s reliance on the legal principle of …

In a welcome development, Germany has unveiled four new Schengen visa application centres — two in Nigeria (Abuja and Lagos), one in Yaoundé (Cameroon) and another in Nicosia (Cyprus). This expansion, launched under a renewed seven-year agreement with VFS Global, seeks to streamline visa services and reduce bottlenecks affecting applicants. VFS Global is the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services …

The European Commission has confirmed that its long-awaited Entry/Exit System (EES) will begin its phased rollout on 12 October 2025, launching a digital transformation of border management across 29 European countries, including Schengen-associated states. Designed to modernise the cumbersome process of passport stamping, the EES will capture biometric data — fingerprints, facial images along with travel document and entry/exit details …