After serving just 18 months as head of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), Jutta Cordt was fired on Friday by Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, after an internal review discovered that the agency’s branch in the city of Bremen had violated legal and internal regulations for the approval of asylum applications. In April, it was revealed that a …

Ignorance of a landmark European Union law that scraps mobile phone roaming charges is on the increase, according to a new study. It’s a year since Brussels abolished the fees in a move that was hailed as a “real European success story”. It means travellers within the EU can call, text and browse the web on mobile devices at the …

Nigerian asylum seekers in Germany seem to find it easier than other African refugees to integrate into the labour market, a survey found. Sonia Piotie Yakap of Deutsche Welle (DW) reports. The latest monthly report on the integration of migrants in the German labour market, issued by the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), which is affiliated to the German Employment …

With the opening match of hosts Russia against Saudi Arabia on 14 June at 17:00 hrs (Central European Summer Time) in Moscow, begins the 21st FIFA World Cup. Among the 32 participating national teams are also 5 African teams. On the second day of the tournament, Egypt (against Uruguay) and Morocco (against Iran) have to win two important points for …

As the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia begins, our contributing editor, Michael Nnaji, previews the chances of Africa’s representatives at the Mundial. The football fiesta will hold in Russia between 14 June and 15 July 2018. For the third time since the World Cup was expanded to accommodate 32 teams, Africa will be represented by 5 nations who emerged from …

Russian President Vladimir Putin has released a personal video address welcoming each of the 32 participating nations and the millions of expected fans arriving in Russia to the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals. With just days to go until the grand showpiece event begins on Thursday, President Putin has invited all those taking part in the first World Cup ever …

The Nigerian ambassador to Russia believes the country is a safe place for Black people, amid Western media’s drive to portray it as a place with rampant racism ahead of the FIFA 2018 World Cup. “Racism is a very serious issue, it breaks your morale, it breaks your concentration,” Ambassador Steve Davies Ugbah said at a press conference in Moscow on Friday. “When there …

The Austrian government is closing down seven mosques because they allegedly “lack a positive mindset” towards Austria. Citing a 2015 law that prevents religious communities from receiving funding from abroad, the government also plans to expel 40 imams employed by ATIB, a group that oversees Turkish mosques in Austria. “Even if there were mistakes, even if these mosque communities have …

The African Union (AU) passport is expected to be fully rolled out by 2020, the AU Commissioner in charge of Infrastructure, Energy, ICT and Tourism, Dr Amani Abou-Zeid, has disclosed. The passport, a common travel document set to replace existing national passports, is expected to grant citizens of member states of the AU visa exemption to all the 54 states …

Michael Ballack believes there is more going on behind the scenes between Joachim Low and Leroy Aziz Sané than has been said following the Manchester City star’s shock omission from Germany’s World Cup squad. Sané is the son of former German rhythmic gymnast and the 1984 Summer Olympics bronze medalist Regina Weber and former footballer and Senegalese international Souleymane Sané. …