The waters off The Gambia have claimed yet more young lives in a devastating reminder of the perils of irregular migration. On New Year’s Eve, a boat carrying over 200 migrants capsized near Jinak village in the North Bank Region, leaving at least 31 people dead and dozens still missing. For the survivors, hope has come at a steep price: …

African fashion has flourished in terms of creativity and innovation in recent years, and is attracting global attention, writes Adwoa Owusuaa Bobie* in this study _________ African fashion has flourished in terms of creativity and innovation in recent years, and is attracting global attention. Designers and labels are churning out garments that reflect African cities and how they interact with …

Bulgaria officially joined the Eurozone on 1 January, adopting the euro as its national currency and becoming the 21st EU member state to share the common European currency. This development represents a major milestone not only for Bulgaria, but also for the broader European integration project. With Bulgaria’s accession, 21 of the European Union’s 27 member states now use the …

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered his New Year’s address to the nation at the end of 2025, outlining his vision and priorities for 2026 and urging citizens to face global and domestic challenges with confidence and unity. In his speech, Merz reflected on the past year as one of both personal and national stories, marked by achievements, setbacks, and rapid …

The minimum wage and the CO₂ price are rising. The Germany-wide public transport ticket is becoming more expensive, as are fuel and heating with oil and gas. A wide range of changes will come into force in 2026. Many of them take effect automatically, through taxes, social security contributions or higher tax allowances. Others will be felt more directly when …

Travelling to Europe will become more digital and more regulated in 2026, as the European Union and the United Kingdom introduce new entry systems aimed at improving border security and managing migration. These changes will be particularly relevant for travellers from Africa and other non-EU regions who visit Europe for tourism, business, education or family reasons. One of the most …

Racist insults, threats and online hate are part of everyday life for many Black people and Afro-Germans in Germany, according to a new study by the Institute for Democracy and Civil Society (Instituts für Demokratie und Zivilgesellschaft, IDZ). The study, which was officially presented and released in Jena in December 2025, highlights racism as a structural problem deeply embedded in …

Institutional racism does not begin with open hostility or explicit exclusion. It often starts quietly, in everyday routines, expectations, and silences within spaces meant to nurture children. Drawing on recent research, Amal Abbass* examines how early childhood institutions shape the emotional safety and self-worth of Black children. This article explores the hidden costs of over-adaptation, empathy gaps, and identity erasure, …

Germany is preparing to overhaul its welfare system in a move that will have far-reaching consequences for millions of benefit recipients. The planned abolition of the Bürgergeld (Germany’s basic unemployment benefit and the successor to Hartz IV) and its replacement with a stricter “Grundsicherung” marks a significant shift in social policy, with tougher sanctions and new obligations for claimants. In this …

Veteran Zimbabwean journalist Faith Zaba, editor of the Zimbabwe Independent, has been named the 2025 Human Rights Tulip Award winner by the Dutch Embassy in Harare. Zaba is recognised for her outstanding investigative journalism and pioneering leadership in a traditionally male-dominated media landscape. With a career spanning more than three decades, she is widely regarded as a trailblazer and a …