January, 2026

• 1 January

  Germany: Chancellor Merz Calls for Confidence in 2026

  

  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 …

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• 1 January

  2026: Major changes for people living in Germany

  

  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 …

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December, 2025

• 30 December

  Key Changes for Travellers to Europe in 2026

  

  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 …

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• 19 December

  New Study Shows How Black People Experience Everyday Racism in Germany

  

  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 …

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• 19 December

  Racism: Why Youth Circle Is Crucial for Black Children

  

  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, …

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• 19 December

  Germany to Replace Bürgergeld with a Stricter Unemployment Benefit System

  

  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 …

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• 19 December

  Zimbabwean Journalist Wins Prestigious Dutch Prize

  

  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 …

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• 19 December

  Online Portal to Upskill Youth Innovation and Enterprise in Sub-Saharan Africa Launches 

  

  The GSMESKILL project represents a timely response to the urgent need for youth employment, green skills, and sustainable entrepreneurship in Sub-Saharan Africa. Funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ Programme, the initiative seeks to strengthen Vocational Education and Training (VET) systems in Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa by aligning them more closely with labour market demands. Against the backdrop …

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• 12 December

  SPECIAL: EU Pushes Asylum Reform Forward and What It Means for People Seeking Protection

  

  Last week in Brussels, interior ministers of the European Union took decisive steps to advance a far‑reaching overhaul of the Common European Asylum System (GEAS) — a reform process that has been among the most contentious in recent EU political debate. The meeting resulted in concrete agreements on measures that could transform asylum procedures across the Union, reshape where and …

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• 12 December

  Accra hosts Diaspora Summit for Reparative Justice and Strategic Partnership

  

  Accra is set to become the epicentre of Pan‑African engagement later this month as Ghana hosts the Diaspora Summit 2025 from 19–20 December at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC). Under the theme “Resetting Ghana: The Diaspora as the 17th Region,” the summit aims to advance dialogue on reparative justice while redefining the role of the African diaspora in Ghana’s …

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