January, 2020

• 1 January

  New laws and regulations in Germany from January 2020

  Numerous new laws and regulations take effect in Germany from 1 January 2020. These include a minimum stipend for job trainees, reduced VAT for train tickets and hygiene products for women, increases in welfare benefits, tax relief for families as well as new opportunities for the regularisation of the residency status of tolerated asylum-seekers. ———— Doctor’s appointments round the clock …

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December, 2019

• 30 December

  Brussels Airlines launches new Premium Economy Class to sub-Saharan destinations

  Brussels Airlines gradually introduces its brand new Premium Economy class on its African routes. With 84 weekly flights and 17 destinations in sub-Saharan Africa, the African continent remains Brussels Airlines’ most important market. Improved offer on African routes In 2019, the Belgian carrier announced the retrofitting of its fleet with the concept of a Boutique Hotel above the clouds. On …

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• 29 December

  Controversies over drowning of three members of UK-based Nigerian family in Spain

  

  The news of the drowning of three members of a British-Nigerian family holidaying in southern Spain on Christmas eve hit the British press during the festive period. What was initially thought to be an unfortunate accident could also be a case of criminal negligence on the part of the hotel management, according to new reports on the tragic incident. Gabriel …

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• 28 December

  N-Word: Noah Becker‘s victory in Berlin and the setback in Magdeburg

  The State Constitutional Court of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (Landesverfassungsgericht Mecklenburg-Vorpommern), sitting in Magdeburg, ruled on 19 December that sanctioning an AfD member of the state parliament, Nikolaus Kramer, over the use of the word “neger” during a debate in the house amounted to a restriction of his right to free expression. Kramer had taken the leadership of the state parliament to …

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• 27 December

  Germany: 5 very important legal changes that entered into force in 2019

  

  These are very important amendments to laws or new regulations – affecting withdrawal of German citizenship from dual nationals, minimum wage, HIV prophylaxis etc – that entered into force in the course of 2019

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• 26 December

  Experts predict bright economic future for East Africa in new report

  As the global recession gathers strength, most African economies are relatively unaffected owing to the strength of economic diversity in some regions. This is according to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) latest report, Economic Update: Africa Q4 2019. The professional accountancy body provides GDP growth forecasts for various regions including East Africa, which is the …

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• 26 December

  “Stop bastardising Igbo culture in Germany!” – Group warns

  

  “Ndi-Igbo Germany is calling on all Ndi-Igbo, both home and abroad, to join hands with us and halt this cultural aberration which erodes, cheapens and bastardizes our value system of hard work, honesty and enviable benefit-and-reward system."

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• 25 December

  Is the renaming of CFA franc a prelude to an Ecowas common currency?

  

  Francophone West African countries have decided to rename their common currency CFA franc as the Eco. Côte d’Ivoire’s President Alassane Ouattara announced the decision during a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Abidjan on 23 December, showing that it was a decision jointly reached with France. The currency is used by Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, Côte d’Ivoire, …

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• 25 December

  Sowore: Nigerian govt bows to pressure, releases activist – but what next?

  

  The Nigerian federal government on Tuesday (24 December) ordered the release of the convener of #RevolutionNow protests, Omoyele Sowore, who has been in detention since August. The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, announced the decision in a statement. The move followed mounting local and international pressure on the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari …

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• 25 December

  Germany struggles to deport rejected asylum-seekers, says police chief

  Germany’s federal police chief said a lack of pre-deportation facilities is hampering the deportation of rejected asylum seekers and illegal foreigners to third-countries. Germany is struggling to deport rejected asylu-seekers, the country’s top police chief said on Wednesday. Federal police chief Dieter Romann blamed a lack of pre-deportation facilities for deportations not being carried out. Speaking to Germany’s Funke media group, he said …

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