TIG Post

Tag: Germany

  • About 7,000 Ghanaian immigrants in Germany risk deportation

    About 7,000 Ghanaian immigrants in Germany risk deportation

    Founder and Chairman of GH. Support Association, Germany, Gee Queue, has noted that about 5,000 to 7,000 Ghanaian immigrants in Germany risk deportation.

    On Wednesday, October 25, the German Cabinet passed legislation aimed at facilitating the deportation of unsuccessful asylum-seekers.

    Data published by the German Federal Police on Saturday revealed that 21,366 individuals entered Germany illegally in September. 

    This figure marks the highest monthly count of “unauthorized entries” into the country since February 2016, when 25,650 people arrived following the peak of the “refugee crisis.” This recent trend of rising entry numbers spans seven consecutive months.

    According to police data, 92,119 individuals entered Germany illegally between January and September 2023. This puts the country on a trajectory to surpass the 112,000 people who illegally entered in 2016.

    In an interview on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Thursday, October 26, monitored by The Independent Ghana, Gee Queue noted that there are about 60,000 Ghanaians living in Germany, and about 11 percent risk deportation.

    Founder and Chairman of GH. Support Association, Germany, Gee Queue

    “I think Ghanaians could be 60,000 across the country but might not include those with the German passports because those with the German passports are not considered Ghanaians, but we see them as Ghanaians because on the passport, the place of birth says Obuasi, Accra.”

    “We see Germany as a good place to start your life,” he explained as the reason for the significant immigration into the country.

    “Those 60,000 are general, and there are those who have stay permits. But those that might be deported run around 5,000 to 7,000,” he added.

    This comes at a time when illegal migration, long a topic of hot debate across Europe and within Germany, has continued to put pressure on politicians to come up with an effective migration policy.

    As such, the German Cabinet, under Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s leadership, approved a legislative proposal on Wednesday to streamline the deportation process for unsuccessful asylum-seekers, addressing the pressing issue of migration in the political landscape.

    This draft legislation, contingent on parliamentary approval, introduces several significant provisions. 

    It extends the maximum period of pre-deportation detention from 10 days to 28 days, expedites the deportation of individuals associated with criminal organizations, and grants authorities the ability to conduct residential searches to confirm an individual’s identity conclusively. 

    In some cases, it also eliminates the requirement for advance notice of deportations, per reports from international tabloids.

    In Germany, a significant portion of rejected asylum-seekers are granted temporary stays for various reasons, which may include medical conditions, having a child with residency status, or challenges in obtaining proper identification.

    Nevertheless, deportations can face obstacles stemming from a variety of factors, some of which are addressed by the newly proposed legislation. These challenges may also involve uncooperative attitudes from the migrants’ home countries. Germany is actively engaged in negotiations with various nations to address this issue while simultaneously promoting legal pathways for immigration.

  • Search for four missing British ship members called off by German rescue workers

    Search for four missing British ship members called off by German rescue workers

    Rescue workers from Germany have decided to stop looking for four crew members who are lost from a British ship that sank in the North Sea on Tuesday morning.

    The Verity crashed into a bigger boat called the Bahamian Polesie near the German shore.

    The rescue service said they stopped looking for survivors on Tuesday night and won’t start again.

    Two out of the seven crew members on the British-flagged ship were saved.

    They found another person’s body in the water, about 22km (13 miles) southwest of Heligoland. Heligoland is a group of islands that belongs to the state of Schleswig-Holstein in Germany.

    The Verity ship was traveling to the UK, carrying steel from a city called Bremen in Germany to a place called Immingham in Lincolnshire. The collision happened around 5:00 AM on Tuesday between the Verity ship and another ship called Polesie. The Polesie ship had departed from Hamburg in Germany and was heading to La Coruña in Spain.

    No one on the Polesie ship got injured. We don’t know yet why the crash happened.

    Two boats and a helicopter from Germany helped in the search, according to the rescue service.

    Rescue divers tried to find any signs of life in the wreck, but they had a hard time because of challenging conditions.

    The German Central Command for Maritime Emergencies said that the situation around the wreck was very challenging. The visibility was only one to two meters, and the strong currents made it difficult for the rescue team to carry out their work. Eventually, the rescue efforts had to be stopped.
    Passengers were told at about 5:30 AM local time that the ship was assisting in the search. The company told ITV that the Iona had done what it was supposed to according to “international and moral law”.

    The Iona ship, which started its trip from Southampton on Saturday and was going to Hamburg, Rotterdam, and Bruges, was allowed to continue its journey.

  • Ship collision in North Sea near Germany results in one death

    Ship collision in North Sea near Germany results in one death

    One person has died and four others cannot be found after two cargo ships crashed near Germany’s North Sea coast.

    Two out of the seven crew members on the British-flagged ship Verity were saved after it sank in an accident.

    The rescue work is still going on and the German coastguard is sending divers to look for any signs of life in the sunken ship.

    The Verity and the Bahamian Polesie crashed into each other at around 5:00 in the morning, local time.

    The Verity ship was heading to the UK, carrying steel from a city called Bremen in Germany to a place called Immingham in Lincolnshire. At the same time, another ship named Polesie was traveling from Hamburg in Germany to La Coruña in Spain. Unfortunately, the two ships crashed into each other. No one on the Polesie ship got hurt.

    The event took place near a group of islands in Germany called Heligoland, which is a part of the state of Schleswig-Holstein.

    Two boats and a helicopter from the German maritime search and rescue service were used in the search.

    Robby Renner, the leader of the German Central Command for Maritime Emergencies (CCME), said that it is possible that the people who are missing are still alive and inside the ship.

    “He said there is a small possibility that they are stuck in the ship’s hull. ”

    Michael Ippich, who runs the German Sea Rescue Society, mentioned that the water was about 12 degrees Celsius. He also stated that if the crew members who are missing fell into the water, they could potentially survive for roughly 20 hours, provided that they are healthy and have appropriate gear.

    The group’s spokesperson said they will keep looking for survivors until there is even a slight possibility of finding them.
    A P&O cruise ship called the Iona also helped with the search.

    The people on board the ship were told around 05:30 in the morning that the ship was assisting in searching for something. The company told ITV that the Iona had done what it was supposed to do according to the laws and values of the world.

    The Iona ship left Southampton on Saturday to go to Hamburg, Rotterdam, and Bruges. It has now been allowed to continue its trip.

    In a message on X, previously called Twitter, German Transport Minister Volker Wissing expressed gratitude towards the rescue teams and assured that every possible attempt is being made to find and save the people who are currently missing.

    It is not known why the crash happened yet.

  • Ships collide in North Sea, leaving one dead and 4 missing

    Ships collide in North Sea, leaving one dead and 4 missing

    A fatal collision between two cargo ships off the coast of Germany has left one person dead and four others missing, with two crew members having been rescued.

    The incident involved the British-flagged Verity and the Bahamian Polesie, occurring near the German archipelago of Heligoland.

    The Verity, en route from Bremen, Germany, to Immingham, UK, is believed to have sunk, while the Polesie remains afloat.

    Search and rescue efforts are ongoing, and the cause of the collision is yet to be determined.

    German Transport Minister Volker Wissing expressed gratitude to the rescue teams and emphasized the commitment to finding the missing individuals.

    https://twitter.com/Ramy_Sawma/status/1716732008750076377
  • Foreign minister of Germany visits Egypt

    Foreign minister of Germany visits Egypt

    Today, the German Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, will go to Cairo. She will have a conversation about the difficult situation for people in Gaza. Her journey is expected to end later in the day.

    Baerbock mentioned that she is discussing with Egypt and the United Nations about creating safe areas in Gaza for regular people. This is important because the Israeli army told over one million civilians to relocate to the south as they expected a ground attack.

    Egypt is in charge of the Rafah crossing, which is the only way to get into or out of the enclave.

  • Julian Nagelsmann has ‘something special’ for Germany as he replaces Flick as Germany manager

    Julian Nagelsmann has ‘something special’ for Germany as he replaces Flick as Germany manager


    Following Hansi Flick’s departure, Julian Nagelsmann has been appointed as the new manager for the German national team ahead of Euro 2024.

    Nagelsmann, the former Bayern Munich boss, has officially signed a contract that extends until the conclusion of July 2024.

    Additionally, he will have Sandro Wagner and Benjamin Glück as his assistants for the national team.

    “We have a European Championship in our own country. That’s something special—something that happens every few decades. I subordinate everything to the fact of having a great tournament in a great country,” he told the DFB. “I have a great desire to take on this challenge.

    The appearance at Dortmund was the beginning. We will be a close-knit group next year.”

    DFB sports director Rudi Voller holds a strong belief that Nagelsmann is the ideal candidate for the role in preparation for next summer’s tournament in Germany.

    “Julian Nagelsmann was our preferred candidate as national coach when the search began. He is not only an absolute football expert but has already proven in all his positions—at a very young age for a head coach—that he can motivate and inspire a team and the entire environment,” he said.

    “His fire for football is noticeable and contagious—just like with his two assistant coaches, Benjamin Glück and Sandro Wagner, whose great energy I was recently able to experience myself.

    Julian Nagelsmann, with his qualities and his personality, will play a crucial role in ensuring that we will all experience a great European Championship in our own country in the summer.”

    Hansi Flick’s tenure as Germany boss came to an end when he became the first person to be dismissed from the position following a 4-1 defeat by Japan. This setback followed a disappointing World Cup campaign in which Germany suffered early elimination from the group stages for the second consecutive time.

    Unfortunately, results didn’t show improvement post-tournament, with Flick managing just 12 wins out of 25 matches. The appointment of Julian Nagelsmann is now seen as a fresh start and a hopeful catalyst for a turnaround, aiming to inspire the Euro 2024 hosts to victory next summer.

    At the age of 36, Julian Nagelsmann becomes the second-youngest coach to lead the German national team. Only Otto Nerz was younger, debuting at the age of 34 years and 10 days as the first German coach in 1926.

    Nagelsmann and the German squad are gearing up for their upcoming journey to the United States in October, where they will engage in friendly matches against the Stars and Stripes and Mexico.

  • Ralf Rangnick declines Germany coaching job says he is focused on ‘qualifying for European Championships’

    Ralf Rangnick declines Germany coaching job says he is focused on ‘qualifying for European Championships’

    Ralf Rangnick has made it clear that he has no interest in taking over as coach of the German national team, should he be approached for the position.

    Following the dismissal of Hansi Flick on Sunday, the German Football Association is in search of a new manager, with only nine months remaining until they host Euro 2024.

    Flick’s tenure saw only 12 wins out of 25 games, including a World Cup group stage exit last year. In his final match, Germany suffered a humiliating 4-1 defeat to Japan.

    While Rangnick has been mentioned as a potential candidate for the German Football Association, he has denied any such claims and affirmed his commitment to his current role, as the Euros are less than a year away.

    The Austrian claimed he has no interest in the Germany role, telling ORE: “No chance. I decided 14 months ago to work as head coach in Austria, prepare the team to qualify for the Euros, and play a good role there. Everything else is not a topic for me.”

    Jurgen Klopp is reportedly the German Football Association’s (DFB) first option for his replacement, as per The Mirror, despite the fact that they are aware it would be extremely difficult to persuade him to leave Liverpool.

  • Musiala to miss Germany’s friendly matches over back injury

    Musiala to miss Germany’s friendly matches over back injury

    Germany midfielder Jamal Musiala (20) will miss his team’s next friendlies against Japan and France, the German FA said on Thursday, due to a back injury.

    The statement said Musiala “would not be available for selection in the upcoming games with Japan and France due to back pain”, explaining “he didn’t travel to the team hotel today as planned.”

    Musiala had been included in manager Hansi Flick’s 24-player squad for the September friendlies, despite nursing a thigh injury that had sidelined him for Bayern Munich’s last two matches.

    However, Bayern Munich later confirmed that Musiala was dealing with a back injury, necessitating his withdrawal from both the Saturday clash against Japan and the Tuesday meeting with France.

    In addition, on Wednesday, striker Niclas Fuellkrug left the training camp and returned to his club side, Borussia Dortmund, due to thigh problems.

    In response to Fuellkrug’s absence, Flick summoned forward Thomas Muller, marking Muller’s return to the Germany national team for the first time since the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

    Germany, having secured qualification for Euro 2024 as the tournament hosts, will primarily engage in friendly matches during their preparations.

  • Police looking into child’s body recovered in river in Germany

    Police looking into child’s body recovered in river in Germany

    The police are checking if a child’s body found in a river in Germany might be the body of a missing toddler named Ben Needham.

    A body was found in the River Danube in Bavaria a year ago. It was weighed down with a heavy stone and wrapped in tin foil.

    Ben disappeared in 1991 on the Greek island of Kos while he was playing at his grandparents’ farmhouse.

    His mother, Kerry, is happy that South Yorkshire Police are investigating if the body found is her son’s, after Interpol asked for help.

    She said: ‘I’m glad that they are investigating it. ‘ We need to look into and eliminate every option. We hope that someday, we will receive a single piece of information that reveals the truth.

    I hope the British police will look into this and talk to the German officers about it. We need to eliminate or exclude it as a possibility. I have consistently said that I don’t think he has passed away.

    The rebuilding project resembles Ben. I never knew that child trafficking is so common and widespread.

    The person in charge of the Interpol DNA Database, Francois-Xavier Laurent, shared that they received 33 clues/tips from the public.
    ‘We can now guess that this boy was most likely not from Germany. ‘

    The organization asked for the public’s help to find the identity of a dead boy and figure out what happened under questionable circumstances.

    They also made a model of the boy’s head.

    They thought the child was around five or six years old when he passed away.

    We don’t know how long the boy’s body was in the river, and the police in Germany can’t figure out who the child is.
    Investigators think that he was about 110 centimeters tall, weighed 15 kilograms, had brown hair, and had blood type O.

    They made a model of what they believe he might have looked like in 3D and are offering a reward of £8,600 (€10,000) to anyone who provides any information.

    It is thought that the boy had been in other countries, so the International Criminal Police Organization and its 195 member countries, including the UK, are now helping with the case.
    The international police organization has sent out a message called a ‘Black Notice’. They want people to share any information they have about certain dead bodies that have been identified.

    The head of the organization, Jürgen Stock, said: “There is someone out there who knows information about this boy, so it is very important to share specific details with the public. ”

    ‘We promise to use all of Interpol’s policing abilities to find out who he is and help investigators understand how he died, whether he was taken against his will or hurt. ‘

  • Rwanda and Bayern Munich agree on five-year contract

    Rwanda and Bayern Munich agree on five-year contract

    Rwanda and Germany‘s top football club, FC Bayern Munich, have made an agreement to support local football and tourism. However,some people are criticizing this deal, claiming it is an attempt to distract attention from Rwanda’s bad human rights situation.

    The “Visit Rwanda” logo will be shown at the German team’s big stadium with 75,000 seats during matches as part of a five-year agreement made for an unknown amount of money.

    Approximately 30 gifted children in Rwanda will be given the chance to enhance their abilities and receive education at a newly established FC Bayern youth academy, as announced by the government.
    This opportunity is also a chance for Germany’s top team to get involved in Africa and learn important things, says its chief executive, Jan-Christian Dreesen.

    Kigali has agreements with Arsenal and Paris St-Germain for sponsorship, but Rwandan football teams have not done well in regional and continental competitions.

    Critics say that these deals are a waste of valuable resources for wealthy European clubs, especially when many Rwandans are living in poverty.

  • Two-thirds of women endure abuse, mistreatment during childbirth – Research

    Two-thirds of women endure abuse, mistreatment during childbirth – Research

    A recent study focusing on obstetric violence experienced by Ghanaian women has brought to light distressing findings.

    According to the research two-thirds of pregnant women are subjected to mistreatment at the hands of healthcare professionals during labor and childbirth.

    The investigation was led by Dr. Abena Yalley, a Ghanaian researcher based in Germany, alongside her team of researchers.

    Over the span of September 2021 to February 2022, they engaged with 2,142 mothers residing in the Western and Ashanti Regions of Ghana, delving into the issue of Obstetric Violence.

    Termed as “Humanizing the Birthing Process,” the study aimed to uncover the underlying factors that hinder both maternal and newborn well-being. It aimed to bridge the gap between the high rates of antenatal care utilization and the comparatively low rates of hospital deliveries, a discrepancy that undermines the goals of ensuring safe maternal care, reducing morbidity, and preventing mortality.

    The context in Ghana revealed a disturbing statistic: in 2017 alone, 310 maternal deaths were recorded per 100,000 live births, a deeply concerning figure for achieving Sustainable Development Goal indicators.

    Dr. Abena Yalley, during a dissemination workshop involving nurses, midwives, doctors, women’s groups, and educators from training institutions, emphasized the pressing nature of the burden posed by obstetric violence in Ghana.

    She described how this violence manifested in various forms: disrespect, lack of empathy, undignified care, neglect, abandonment, physical violence, and procedures performed without consent.

    The research identified distressing practices within healthcare facilities, including shouting, beating of women during labor, and performing episiotomy stitches without anesthesia after deliveries. These practices were identified as common yet perilous.

    Significantly, the study uncovered that these abuses were particularly inflicted upon single mothers and teenage girls.

    The repercussions of these negative behaviors displayed by healthcare professionals were far-reaching.

    It led many women to prefer seeking assistance from traditional birth attendants over skilled medical professionals. Moreover, women who had endured such mistreatment experienced psychological and emotional trauma, often leading to a reluctance to seek facility-based deliveries.

    This situation, as revealed by the study, has the potential to undermine progress in reducing maternal and newborn mortality rates, as well as in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV and AIDS.

    Addressing these grave concerns, the study put forth recommendations. It called for a revision of the curricula in healthcare institutions, emphasizing the importance of compassionate care.

    It also urged strategic interventions to break the cycle of violence and proposed the implementation of grievance systems to address instances of abuse. Such measures are deemed crucial to ensure that maternal care is not just safe but also respectful and dignified.

  • Fulham should strive to compete in European football – Bernd Leno

    Fulham should strive to compete in European football – Bernd Leno

    In addition to joking that Fulham should be seeking to win the Premier League, Bernd Leno is adamant that they should be looking to finish the job and qualify for Europe this season.

    A run of eight losses in their last 13 matches in the top division put an end to the Germany goalkeeper’s hopes of qualifying for Europe last season.

    Even though their outstanding first season back in the top flight came to an end in tenth place, Marco Silva’s team was at least spared the scrap for relegation.

    After the Londoners’ 1-0 victory at Everton on Saturday, Leno thinks they should once again set lofty goals.

    When asked about Fulham’s goals for the upcoming season, he said to Metro: “Same as last season – after 20-25 matches we can change the target and say, “We go for Europe or mid-table or whatever” or for the (league) trophy.” No, I’m kidding.

    We “only prepare for [the upcoming game] and not what might occur in May of next year.”

    Leno asserts that the fact that Fulham managed to keep Manchester City and Manchester United close both at home and away last season should give supporters hope that they can compete with their more seasoned rivals on an equal level.

    I think now everyone is aware of our competitiveness. We are capable of competing against the top clubs, especially at home,’ he continued. You can tell that United and City fought against us by looking at them.

    ‘At the end we lost these games but you saw they were decided by details – in the last minute against United.

    ‘We know how we can compete against these teams and they also know what they can expect from us so it will be a challenge.’

    The Fulham No.1 admits the fact the transfer window remains open, with the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic and Joao Palhinha attracting attention, ensures the next few weeks will not be easy.

    While manager Silva turned down a £40 million offer from Al-Ahli, the Saudi club Al-Hilal wanted striker Mitrovic. Al-Hilal is expected to make a new offer of £47 million. West Ham and Liverpool have both been connected to Palhinha.

    Leno said: “Every season you have the same problem.” There might possibly be incomings before this Saturday’s home derby against Brentford. The previous season, I arrived the day before the opening match against Liverpool. I didn’t participate in any friendly or preseason games because I didn’t train much at Arsenal.

    “I had no rhythm, so I had to adjust as quickly as possible, but that’s what we do and why we’re professionals,” the speaker said. I don’t worry about it because the team is really easy to adapt to and the fans help players adapt and gain confidence.

    Leno was tight with Aaron Ramsdale, who later took over as the Gunners’ custodian after Leno departed the Emirates in quest of regular first-team action.

    Ramsdale recently disclosed that his wife lost her unborn child in January. When asked if he had contacted Ramsdale, Leno replied, “No, not yet. He’s a genuinely nice man, and I believe I truly admire him as a person. Even when we were both goalkeepers for Arsenal, our friendship was great.

    “I’m going to talk to him soon, and I think it’s great that he speaks so openly about his personal life. I wish him the best in the future.”

  • Greece sends rescuers to stranded boat to save refugees

    Greece sends rescuers to stranded boat to save refugees

    As a plug-in hybrid built on the Multivan platform, the California nameplate is apparently going to continue to exist.

    Volkswagen’s all-electric ID. Buzz minibus has been a triumph for the European automaker, helping VW surpass Tesla in the EV sales race in Germany in the first seven months of the year.

    As demonstrated by conversion experts like Alpin Camper, which unveiled a prototype mobile home in January, the zero-emissions people hauler—which draws design cues from the iconic VW Type 2 van—is also a strong contender for a camper.

    As a result, it seems logical that Volkswagen is considering adding the California label to the ID. Buzz model, but it appears that the electric version of the upscale pop-up camper has been delayed due to weight issues, according to a recent story from Edison Media that quotes company officials.

    Currently, the VW California is based on the ICE-powered Multivan and, depending on the configuration, has an unladen weight that ranges from 5,070 pounds (2,300 kilogrammes) to 5,732 pounds (2,600 kilogrammes). This indicates that it falls under the European B driving licence category, which caps the maximum weight of a vehicle to 7,716 lbs (3,500 kg) when four passengers and some luggage are present.

    As a result, the next California Concept camper, which will be put on display at the Caravan Salon event in Dusseldorf, Germany at the end of this month, will be based on a plug-in hybrid long-wheelbase Multivan, with the series production version set to roll off the assembly line next year.

    In June, the Volkswagen ID. Buzz made its debut in the US as a long-wheelbase vehicle with two battery options: an 82-kWh battery pack and a 91-kWh battery pack. The third quarter of 2024 will see the start of deliveries for the all-electric microbus.

  • France: 11 killed in fire outbreak in vacation home for disabilities

    France: 11 killed in fire outbreak in vacation home for disabilities

    A tragic fire has destroyed a vacation residence catering to adults with disabilities in eastern France, resulting in the loss of 11 lives, according to an official statement.

    The deputy prosecutor for Colmar, Nathalie Kielwasser, revealed that the inferno trapped 11 individuals who were asleep on the upper floor and mezzanine of the private accommodation situated in Wintzenheim.

    In contrast, five managed to escape the flames. Twelve occupants staying on the ground floor were able to evacuate.

    The vacationers, who had “mild intellectual disabilities,” were partaking in a sponsored holiday organized by two specialized associations, Kielwasser explained. Investigations are currently underway to ascertain the fire’s origin and whether the building adhered to required safety standards. One survivor suffered significant injuries and was transported to a hospital.

    French Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne visited the scene to demonstrate the government’s solidarity with the victims’ families, as well as the courageous firefighters and rescuers. Lt. Col. Philippe Hauwiller, leading the firefighter rescue operation, indicated that the fire likely initiated on the upper level.

    The building’s lower part was constructed from stone, while the upper section followed the region’s traditional wooden design, potentially contributing to the rapid spread of the blaze.

    The fire erupted at 6:30 a.m., as reported by the local administration of the Haut-Rhin region. Christophe Marot, the secretary general of the local administration, conveyed that among the deceased were ten disabled individuals and a group escort.

    The victims primarily hailed from the city of Nancy in eastern France.

    A total of 76 firefighters, along with four fire engines and ambulances, were deployed to combat the fire’s progress and provide medical care. Additionally, 40 police officers were mobilized to assist.

    By Wednesday morning, the fire had been successfully brought under control.

  • Maria Fernanda Sanchez, missing Mexican woman discovered dead in Germany

    Maria Fernanda Sanchez, missing Mexican woman discovered dead in Germany

    On Saturday, German police said that they had discovered the body of a 24-year-old Mexican woman who vanished in Berlin at the end of July and whose story had received a lot of attention in her home country.

    According to the authorities, a guy walking over a bridge in Berlin’s Adlershof district discovered Maria Fernanda Sanchez’s body floating in a canal. Interpol had issued a yellow search notice for Sanchez.

    “No third-party blame can be assumed,” police said in a statement, but added that “the police investigation continues.”

    On social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, the Mexican Foreign Ministry announced that German officials had discovered a dead lady who matched Sanchez’s description.

    The president of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, stated earlier this week that he would urge the leader of Germany to help with the search for Sanchez, who, according to local media, was a masters student there.

    A few days after the woman’s disappearance, Berlin police said in a statement that there were “indications” that the woman was “in an exceptional psychological situation.”

    The reporting was done by Stefanie Eschenbacher and Adriana Barrera. The writing was carried out by Alexander Villegas, with editing done by Jonathan Oatis.

  • Ellis surprised by ‘unpredictable’ Women’s World Cup

    Ellis surprised by ‘unpredictable’ Women’s World Cup

    Jill Ellis, the coach who has won the World Cup twice, openly admits that even she is taken aback by the complete unpredictability of the 2023 tournament, which has witnessed the elimination of six top-20 teams during the group stage.

    The most astounding among these upsets occurred on Thursday night, as Germany, ranked second in the world, were eliminated from Group H.

    This was a surprising turn of events considering Germany had always advanced to the quarter-finals in their eight previous tournament appearances.

    In contrast to the disappointed expressions of the two-time champions, the debutant Moroccan team, ranked 72nd globally, exuded joy. In a viral video clip, they gathered around a phone on the field before erupting into celebration upon discovering that they had secured a spot in the knockout stage.

    “It’s been a doozy so far,” said Ellis, who guided the USA to back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2019 and now heads the tournament’s technical study group.

    “I think we all feel this. Gone are the days of total predictability. Progress sits very clearly at the core and certainly the competitiveness can be felt [with] giants in the game getting knocked out. 

    “We see debutants advance to the next round, which I think lends itself to this being just one of the most unpredictable and arguably exciting World Cups we’ve seen to date.

    “If I’m candid, I really am surprised. I think when you suddenly see a Germany or a Brazil get knocked out of a World Cup in group stage.

    “I don’t think any of us could have predicted that. I’m excited by the development, of course, for sure. 

    “But I think I was thinking that one more iteration of the World Cup before we started to see even more parity that we’re starting to see right now.”

    In addition to Germany, Olympic champions Canada (ranked seventh) and Brazil (ranked eighth) also faced an early exit from the tournament following the group stage. They were accompanied by other top-10 teams such as China (ranked 14th), Italy (ranked 16th), and South Korea (ranked 17th), forming a notable list of high-ranking teams that were eliminated.

    This World Cup has witnessed a remarkable first, as three African nations – Morocco, Nigeria, and South Africa – all successfully advanced to the knockout stage. Meanwhile, Jamaica achieved a historic feat by reaching the last-16 for the first time.

    This accomplishment is particularly noteworthy considering the ongoing dispute between Jamaican players and their federation regarding pay, resources, and working conditions. The players expressed their concerns openly through a letter shared on social media before the World Cup.

    Similar disputes with their respective federations were faced by other qualifying nations, including Nigeria, South Africa, and England. Despite these challenges, the focus remains on their performance in the tournament.

    England, for instance, has committed to concentrating on securing their first World Cup victory before revisiting discussions with the Football Association regarding bonus payments and commercial arrangements.

    To facilitate preparations, each participating nation in this World Cup received an exclusive fund of £753,830.

    As the tournament unfolds, patterns are emerging that suggest a direct connection between investment, resources, and performance.

    Notably, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation implemented a comprehensive overhaul in 2009, significantly investing in girls’ and women’s football. In an important move, they established a women’s football academy six years ago, affording players the same facilities as the men’s national team.

    Ellis said: “I was blown away by the facility. It’s one of the nicest I’ve ever seen, and it just kind of made me realise that yes, there are federations that are taking this very seriously.”

    FIFA’s post-group stage data reveals a heightened level of competition in the tournament. The percentage of goals scored during the first half of matches has risen by nine percent since the 2019 tournament. Additionally, the percentage of goals scored during the first half by teams that did not progress further has increased by 18 percent, transitioning from 5 percent in 2019 to 23 percent in 2023.

    Furthermore, a noticeable improvement in goalkeeping quality has been observed by Ellis’ team. The average save percentage has escalated from 70 percent during the previous tournament in France to 77 percent in the current 2023 edition.

    Simultaneously, the proportion of matches ending in a draw has surged from eight percent to 21 percent.

    Moreover, the influx of players joining clubs in leagues with enhanced resources, coupled with national teams refining their tactical identities based on their unique strengths and weaknesses, adds to the evolving landscape.

    These factors combined contribute to making the present Women’s World Cup potentially the most fiercely contested one yet.

    Ellis added: “We hear this constant comment about gaps and where are the gaps. We can arguably say that there aren’t gaps. That on any given day, a team can come out here and be competitive against another team.

    “And so it’s going to be incredibly exciting to see how this plays out.”

  • German heavy metal festival suspends as weather makes venue muddy

    German heavy metal festival suspends as weather makes venue muddy

    German heavy metal festival admissions have been suspended after days of rain turned the venue into a mud puddle.

    Tens of thousands of fans of heavy metal music attend the annual Wacken Open Air festival, which is held in fields outside the German municipality of Wacken.

    However, this year’s relentless rain converted the farmland into a muddy swamp, creating serious accessibility issues and forcing organisers to impose a quota on attendance for the first time since the festival’s inception in 1990.

    According to Germany’s dpa news agency, the event’s organisers declared a “total admission stop” on Wednesday due to the worsening weather, which left just about 60% of the 85,000 ticket holders able to attend.

    The reasonable visitor capacity for Wacken Open Air 2023 has now been reached, according to a statement on the festival’s website from the organisers.

    We’re really sorry, but there is little we can do given the current severe weather conditions.

    Unattended “metalheads” with tickets were instructed to turn around and head home.

    Social media videos that depict participants trudging through ankle-deep muck demonstrate the gravity of the issue.

    Some people made the decision to embrace the challenging circumstances. One man stripped off his shirt and dove headfirst into the muck, while another laid on his back in the soil and flailed his limbs.

    Wacken’s running order has also been impacted by the muddy weather, forcing a delay in the festival’s opening. Six bands could not play as a result, according to a statement on the website. On eight stages over the course of four days, 150 musicians were scheduled to perform at the event.

    Bands like Pennywise, Megadeth, and Iron Maiden are among those scheduled to perform at the festival, which ends on Saturday.

    After building an underground pipeline to transport the hundreds of thousands of litres of beer that attendees drank to the venue, the festival grabbed news a few years ago.

  • Hands to reach major titles lately getting shorter, says Germany’s Sara Dabritz

    Hands to reach major titles lately getting shorter, says Germany’s Sara Dabritz

    At 28 years old, Sara Dabritz has enjoyed a successful career, winning several titles with Germany and in club football.

    However, the midfielder acknowledges that it is becoming more challenging to secure major trophies as the women’s game continues to grow in depth and quality.

    Having achieved victories in Euros and Olympics with Germany, as well as German and French league titles with Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain respectively, Dabritz is now in Australia, aiming to add more medals to her collection at the Women’s World Cup.

    Germany kicked off their campaign with an impressive 6-0 win against Morocco. Despite their strong start, Dabritz is aware that other potential contenders have struggled against lower-ranked teams, highlighting the increasing competitiveness in women’s football.

    “It is a really positive development,” she told reporters at the team base on Friday.

    “I think it’s great to watch women’s football and you can really see a lot of exciting games, balanced games at this World Cup.

    “It’s noticeable that even the supposedly small nations have really caught up and are physically present, but are also really good at defending.

    “That’s why it’s simply outstanding that it’s developed in such a way that you meet such a world championship where you just don’t know who’s going to win the game. It makes football more exciting.”

    Germany celebrate beating Morocco

    The rise in quality of the women’s game will, of course, make it tougher for Germany to win a third world title but Dabritz has confidence her team has what it takes.

    “I do think it’s getting more difficult to win titles now because the favourites and the level at such a tournament have developed upwards,” she added.

    “It doesn’t make it any easier, but I think that first of all, we have an outstanding squad in terms of quality, an outstanding team, and above all, this spirit.”

    Next up for Germany in Sydney on Sunday are 25th-ranked Colombia, who impressed in their Group H opener with a 2-0 win over South Korea.

    “Against Colombia, transition will play an important role, whether it is forward or backward,” Dabritz said.

    “When we had the ball (against Morocco), you could see that we had a phase where we were perhaps imprecise, where we had a few unnecessary ball losses, and that can be dangerous against(Colombia), when they start their counter-attack at speed.”

  • Ship carrying 3,000 vehicles catches fire off coast of Holland, leaving one person dead

    Ship carrying 3,000 vehicles catches fire off coast of Holland, leaving one person dead

    On Wednesday, a fire broke out on a ship carrying some 3,000 cars off the coast of the Netherlands, killing one person and wounding numerous others, according to the coastguard.

    A spokesperson for the Dutch coast guard told CNN on Wednesday that rescue boats and helicopters were used to remove the 23 crew members off the ship after some of them jumped into the water.

    Images show grey smoke coming from the ship, and there are fears that it may be sinking 27 kilometres north of the Dutch island of Ameland in the Wadden Sea, one of the world’s most important migratory bird migration routes.

    According to CNN affiliate and Dutch national network NOS, the ship, which flies the flag of Panama, was travelling from Bremerhaven, Germany, to Port Said, Egypt.

    According to NOS, one of the 25 electric vehicles on board may have ignited the fire, but the coast guard representative told CNN that the cause is still being looked into.

    On Wednesday night at around midnight local time, the ship reported an onboard fire to the Coast Guard.

    The crew made an effort to put out the fire on their own but failed, according to the coast guard.

    A number of crew members leaped overboard as the fire advanced.

    The Ameland rescue ship’s skipper Willard Molenaar told NOS that “the people had to get off.” “They all jumped at once, and we pulled them out of the water.” Molenaar estimates that the ship carrying the cars is about 30 metres tall. They had to jump since they were in desperate need. You don’t simply do that, he continued.

    All 23 crew members disembarked using rescue boats and helicopters, but according to the coast guard, several of them were hurt and one of them died.

    As reported by NOS, the remaining crew were evacuated from the ship by helicopter, leaving it empty.

    The burning ship is still ablaze. The recovery vessel Hunter is holding the ship in a controlled position and is connected to it in case of emergency. To minimise the damage as much as possible, several parties are putting together an action plan, the coast guard announced in a message on Twitter.

    The crew members were treated by paramedics and transported to the adjacent coastal community of Lauwersoog, while others were flown to Groningen Airport in Eelde, according to the coast guard.

  • Saharan heatwave surpasses 40ºC, making it the hottest site in Europe 40ºC

    Saharan heatwave surpasses 40ºC, making it the hottest site in Europe 40ºC

    If you hadn’t noticed, mainland Europe is presently suffering an unprecedented heatwave.

    ‘Unprecedented’ weather has caused certain countries to experience highs of over 40 °C, grabbing the media for some time now.

    With temperatures much above average, people are finding it difficult to handle the severe heat of both the Charon anticyclone, named after the ferrymen of the dead, and the Cerberus heatwave, which was first and was named after the hound that guarded the gates of hell.

    From France to Italy, Spain to Germany, people are doing everything they can to stay cool and hydrated, seeking refuge in air-conditioned buildings or finding shade under trees.

    So, what are temperatures like at the moment, and what is each country doing about it?

    Here is what you need to know.

    Where is the hottest place in Europe?

    According to AccuWeather, today, Athens will be the hottest capital city in Europe, clocking in at highs of an astonishing 37ºC.

    Rome is finishing a close second at 36ºC, with Bucharest coming in third with 32ºC temperatures.

    Win a seven-day cruise around the Mediterranean with Virgin Voyages

    You could win a glorious trip to the Med for two with Virgin Voyages.

    Our lucky winner will be sailing around the Mediterranean on a superyacht-inspired ship with five-star food whenever you want it, top-drawer entertainment on tap, exercise classes, pool, hot tubs, the works… all thrown in as part of the package.

    With two packages to choose between, you can opt for French Daze And Ibiza Nights, where you get to mix stop-offs to the beautiful beaches of the south of France and Ibiza and sample some of the party island’s famous nightlife.

    Or you can take it easier on the Irresistible Med cruise, which combines Provençal heritage, the intriguing island of Corsica and the famous countryside of Tuscany.

    Ready to set sail? Click here and answer the question to be in with a chance of winning this fabulous prize.

    In the meantime, don’t forget to sign up to The Getaway, Metro’s fabulous weekly newsletter, to receive all the latest travel news, advice and inspiration straight to your inbox. Plus you can opt to receive even more fantastic offers and deals.

    You have until midnight on August 11 2023 to enter. Good luck!

    This is unsurprising, as Italy, Spain, and Greece have all been experiencing some of the most severe temperatures Cerberus has had to offer, with the Foreign Office issuing travel warnings for Spain and Greece.

    Hotest capital cities in Europe

    As of today, the top 10 hottest capitals in Europe have forecasted highs of:

    • Athens – 37ºC
    • Rome – 36ºC
    • Bucharest – 35ºC
    • Marseille – 32ºC
    • Madrid – 32ºC
    • Kyiv – 26ºC
    • Lisbon – 26ºC
    • Budapest – 25ºC
    • Paris – 25ºC
    • Vienna – 24ºC

    How hot will London get today?

    Britons hoping for a heat blast will need to keep waiting as the UK capital is only forecasted highs of 21ºC.

    How is the heatwave affecting each country?

    Each country has been undertaking different efforts in its battle to keep its citizens safe from the heat, with some even experiencing dangerous spreads of wildfires.

    Southern Europe is undoubtedly seeing the worst of the temperatures, with some places having hit north of 45ºC.

    The Foreign Office’s advice remains that travelling to Europe is generally safe, but to check with your travel provider and follow the advice of local authorities.  

    Spain

    Parts of Spain have hit highs of 45ºC this week, with Spanish authorities reporting that around 300 people have died due to the intense temperatures over the three weeks from June to July.

    The Spanish island of La Palm saw 4,000 citizens evacuated as firefighters battled to control wildfires.

    Italy

    Southern Italy has seen some of the worst of the heatwave so far, with temperatures expected to climb to 48ºC on the islands of Sicily and Sardinia this summer.

    iNews report that the Italian Weather Service predicts Sardinia will be at the heatwave’s ‘epicentre’.

    Earlier in the week, Italy put 23 cities on ‘red alert’ for the extreme temperatures.

    Greece

    Greece has seen some of the worst wildfires during this period of extreme weather, with fires across the country often burning for days.

    Firefighters utilised air-water bombers to combat blazes west of Athens, which prompted evacuations earlier in the week but is now contained.

    A densely wooded area on the island of Rhodes is still alight, with firefighters struggling to control the fire, which has seen people forced to leave their homes.

    Cyprus

    A second heatwave is expected to hit Cyprus and much of Greece this weekend

    Those flying into Paphos can currently expect temperatures of about 37ºC (98.6F).

    According to the Cyprus Department of Meteorology the maximum temperature is expected to reach around 40ºC over inland areas and around 32ºC (89.6F) over the highest mountainous areas.

    Croatia

    Throughout Croatia, you can expect mid-to-low 30ºCs, with areas around Split currently the hottest.

    The country will be hit by even warmer weather as the weekend approaches, but it is currently not included in the UK heightened travel advice.

    Wildfires in Grebastica have also caused damage, and six people have died after storms tore through Croatia and the Balkans where strong winds and heavy rain hammered the region in the wake of the heatwave.

    France

    Temperatures have come down considerably in France since the beginning of the Cerberus heatwave, but an orange weather warning – the second-highest alert – has been issued for some areas along the Mediterranean coast. with Marseille currently at around 31ºC.

    Paris meanwhile is staying slightly cooler at around 25ºC.

    Germany

    Those looking to travel to Germany should expect temperatures to rise in the country as well.

    While Germany has not been hit with as extreme weather as much of southern Europe, the Bavaria region has recorded temperatures of around 38ºC.

  • Teenager passes away after consuming McDonald’s food and experiencing anaphylactic shock

    Teenager passes away after consuming McDonald’s food and experiencing anaphylactic shock

    A renowned young cellist passed away after eating a hamburger while on tour in Germany and experiencing anaphylactic shock.

    Alexander Ngai-Jun Wu, 19, passed away in August of last year from multiple severe allergies, particularly to dairy products.

    While on tour with other members of the Ealing Youth Orchestra, he’mixed’ ingredients at a McDonald‘s in Cologne, western Germany, and went into shock.

    Coroner Lydia Brown told West London Coroner’s Court how the ‘outstanding musician’ immediately injected himself with his epipen after reacting to the mixture of foods, which she said had been part of a ‘team-building exercise’.

    Despite the efforts of paramedics Alex died in hospital a week later. 

    Ms Brown said during the inquest there’d been no evidence of reckless behaviour leading to Alex’s death.

    She added there were also no grounds to criticise the restaurant over its provision of allergen information. 

    Ms Brown said: ‘What is tragically apparent is that during the course of that lunchtime, he mingled together several food products from McDonald’s.

    ‘Some contained dairy food products.

    ‘I see it as the most awful, unfortunate incident that occurred not due to anyone’s carelessness, but simply as a consequence of an action that went so terribly and unexpectedly wrong.’

    She added: ‘I hope his life can be remembered in happier times. This is an unbearable loss.’

    According to an online tribute to Alex from family and friends, the young man had chosen to register as an organ donor. 

    His death allowed five lives to be saved, as well as restoring eyesight for two other people. 

    The tribute read: ‘Alex, or Jun, wholeheartedly embraced life with tremendous energy, spreading happiness through his music, his character and his humour. He was generous to his friends, family and strangers.

    ‘Alex managed his health challenges with great maturity and calmness. Despite the limitations these placed on him, he still maintained a buoyant and positive attitude.’

    Ealing Youth Orchestra also said Alex’s fellow musicians had been ‘devasted’ by his sudden death. 

    A spokesperson for the orchestra said: ‘Alex was an outstanding musician and had enjoyed many previous tours with us.

    ‘The EYO family has been devastated by this tragedy and we continue to support Alex’s family and the orchestra and tour staff as we come to terms with this.’

  • Russia possesses ‘sufficient’ cluster munitions, using them could result in retaliation – Putin

    Russia possesses ‘sufficient’ cluster munitions, using them could result in retaliation – Putin

    Considering employing cluster munitions against Ukraine “if they are used against us,” Russian President Vladimir Putin stated, his country has a stockpile of them.

    Putin made his remarks just days after American-manufactured cluster munitions were sent to Ukraine, though a senior Ukrainian military official told CNN that they had not yet been deployed.

    The Russian leader claimed in an interview with a pro-Kremlin journalist that “Russia has a sufficient supply of various types of cluster munitions.”

    “If they are used against us, we reserve the right to mirror actions.”

    Washington’s decision to send cluster bombs to Kyiv was controversial and criticized by human rights groups.

    The weapons are particularly dangerous to civilians and noncombattants when fired near populated areas because they scatter explosive material, so-called “bomblets,” across large areas. Those that fail to explode on impact can detonate years later, posing a long-term risk to anyone who encounters them, similar to landmines.

    What are cluster munitions?

    Cluster munitions contain multiple explosives that are released over an area up to the size of several football fields. They can be dropped from a plane or launched from the ground or sea.

    The submunitions are released in flight and fall to the ground. They can range from the tens to many hundreds

    They are designed to explode on impact but as many as a third don’t, and remain a deadly risk to civilians for years to come

    94% of recorded cluster bomb casualties are civilians, of which almost 40% are children

    Note: Cluster munitions can vary widely in design and scale, this graphic only aims to explain their general function.

    The danger posed by cluster weapons has prompted more than 100 countries – including the United Kingdom, France and Germany – to sign a treaty prohibiting their use.

    US President Joe Biden told CNN that the decision whether to send cluster munitions to Ukraine was “very difficult,” but he opted to do so because Kyiv needs more ammunition to continue its fight to push Russian troops out of Ukrainian territory.

    A top official at the US Defense Department said Kyiv gave “assurances in writing” that it would not use the cluster munitions in urban areas.

    In his interview, Putin said that the Biden administration had called the use of cluster munitions a war crime and that he agreed with that assessment.

    It’s not clear exactly which comments Putin was referring to, but former White House press secretary Jen Psaki said last year at the outset of the conflict that reports of Russia’s use of cluster bombs, if confirmed, would constitute a war crime.

    Putin also claimed that Russia has not yet used cluster munitions, despite evidence to the contrary.

    In March, the United Nations said it had compiled credible reports that Russian forces had used cluster munitions in populated areas at least 24 times. A CNN investigation last year found that the Kremlin fired 11 cluster rockets at Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, during the war’s opening days.

  • Blame Guardiola for Germany’s football struggles – Ex Man Utd star, Schweinsteiger

    Blame Guardiola for Germany’s football struggles – Ex Man Utd star, Schweinsteiger


    Former Bayern Munich and Manchester United star Bastian Schweinsteiger has made a surprising statement, attributing the failure of the German national team to Pep Guardiola.

    Schweinsteiger, during an interview with talkSPORT, expressed his belief that Guardiola’s influence is to blame for Germany’s recent shortcomings on the international stage.

    In the previous World Cup, Germany, under the guidance of Hansi Flick, failed to progress past the group stage for the second consecutive tournament.

    Since then, they have struggled to secure victories in their last four international matches, including a disheartening 2-0 loss to Colombia on home soil a mere two weeks ago.

    Schweinsteiger has connected these disappointing performances to Guardiola’s impact.

    Schweinsteiger, 38, said: “It’s a situation that’s very tricky for the German national team and football in general. 

    “There has been a lot of change. 

    “When Pep Guardiola joined Bayern Munich [as manager in 2013-14] — when he came to the country — everyone believed we have to play his kind of football, passes and everything. We were kind of losing our values.

    “Most of the other countries were looking at Germany as a fighter, we can run until the end and everything. 

    “Those strengths got lost through the last seven, eight years.

    “We forgot about that and became more focused on playing the ball nicely to each other and that’s one of the reasons.”

    Pep Guardiola would argue that his methods work
    Pep Guardiola would argue that his methods work

    The future is not exactly looking bright either. 

    Germany’s youngsters finished bottom of their group in the recent European Under-21 Championship in Georgia and Romania, failing to win any of their three games. 

    Guardiola will be pleased to hear it is not all his fault though. 

    Schweinsteiger added: “I’m just trying to explain in one or two sentences but obviously I could take longer.”

  • Warning against new blue ecstasy pill following the deaths of two teenage girls

    Warning against new blue ecstasy pill following the deaths of two teenage girls

    The ‘Blue Punisher‘, a new form of ecstasy pill, has been linked to the deaths of two adolescent females in Germany.

    After taking the medication, a 13-year-old girl from Altentreptow in the northeastern state of Mecklenburg Western Pomerania passed away in a hospital on Monday.

    After taking it and being discovered on the ground, two further youths, 14 and 15, were admitted to the hospital.

    A 37-year-old German has been detained in relation to the passing.

    Police are also investigating the death of a girl aged 15 in Rathenow, in the neighbouring state of Brandenburg, who is suspected to have overdosed earlier this month.

    An upcoming autopsy will confirm whether she also took the new pill.

    The tablet features a skull logo associated with the Marvel comic book character The Punisher.

    It is thought the triangular blue tablets can contain up to 2.5 times more MDMA – the psychoactive ingredient in ecstasy – than standard pills.

    Neubrandenburg Police spokesperson Claudia Tupeit said in a statement: ‘A 13-year-old child died at the Klinikum Neubrandenburg following the intake of a Blue Punisher ecstasy pill.

    ‘Another teenager is in a very critical condition. Medical tests have confirmed that she had also consumed the dangerous drug which is nicknamed “Blue Punisher”.

    ‘We do warn from any consumption of synthetic drugs, especially the Blue Punisher pills which contain high doses of MDMA.

    ‘Regular consumption can cause irreversible brain damage.’

    She added even half a pill could cause life-threatening illness.

    Ms Tupeit said: ‘We believe that the pill has been distributed by dealers in the Neubrandenburg area.

    ‘They sell or give them away for free, especially to children and teenagers.’

    A suspected drug dealer aged 29 was arrested on Wednesday after being found carrying 60 Blue Punisher tablets at Fusion Festival, an electronic music event in Lärz.

    The interior minister of Mecklenburg Western Pomerania, Christian Pegel, said: ‘I urge all parents of the Neubrandenburg area to warn their children of the acute threat to life.’

  • Germany facing increased pressure after ‘premature’ elimination of their under-21 national team at the group stage

    Germany facing increased pressure after ‘premature’ elimination of their under-21 national team at the group stage

    After a succession of poor performances over the previous few months, pressure on hosts Germany to perform well at Euro 2024 has increased significantly. But, with the nation’s shocking group stage exit from the under-21 European Championship, the pressure increased even more.

    Germany’s junior squad, which will be crowned European champions in 2021, had been eager to demonstrate a stronger side than the senior team in recent matches, but on Wednesday, they were defeated 2-0 by England in Georgia, exiting the group stage with just one point from three games.

    They also miss out on a spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

    “England were at least one level better than us,” said Germany under-21 coach Antonio Di Salvo. “They have a lot of players with potential and an amazing depth in the squad.

    “We had imagined it all differently,” he added.

    With the German fans dreading hearing those same words at Euro 2024 all eyes shift to Germany coach Hansi Flick.

    His team look nowhere near the level required for next year’s Euros when they will seek redemption for a disappointing five-year run.

    Germany drew 3-3 with visiting Ukraine, lost 1-0 to Poland in Warsaw and 2-0 at home to Colombia in friendlies earlier this month, confirming their bad form since before last December’s World Cup first-round elimination in Qatar.

    When Flick took over in September 2021 the Germans were in a slump, having been eliminated at the group stage of the 2018 World Cup — at the time their earliest exit in more than 80 years — and lost to England in the last 16 at Euro 2020.

  • German mother who joined ISIS imprisoned for enslaving and mistreating young Yazidi woman

    German mother who joined ISIS imprisoned for enslaving and mistreating young Yazidi woman

    The victim’s attorney said on Wednesday that a former ISIS member had been found guilty of war crimes for holding and mistreating a young Yazidi woman.

    According to a release, the German national Nadine K., 37, who was found guilty of “aiding and abetting genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes,” was found guilty by the Higher Regional Court of Koblenz. For her part in the victim’s abuse, she received a sentence of nine years and three months.

    According to the victim’s counsel, the victim, referred to as N, was “gifted” to Nadine K.’s husband in 2016, and she was “raped and subjected to forced labor” for three years. Both Nadine K. and her husband were members of ISIS. The abuse took place across different locations in Syria and in Iraq.

    The victim’s counsel said that, although Nadine K. knew that N was being “regularly beat and raped,” she did nothing to intervene, hoping to “further ISIS’ ideology” through her treatment of N.

    N was also forced to adhere to Islamic practices despite being of the Yazidi faith, her counsel said.

    Travelling from Iraq to Germany to testify against Nadine K., N recounted her abuse in court for six days.

    In the press statement released by her counsel, N said of the judgment: “The justice that I hope to achieve through this trial not only concerns me personally but also our Yazidi community… I allow myself to speak on behalf of all survivors, stating that as individuals and as a Yazidi community, we can only process what happened to us if we experience justice.”

    Sonka Mehner, who represented N in court, said that “the tragic accounts of our client got under the skin of everyone present.”

    “I am sure that with her testimony before a German court, she has achieved her goal of bringing the cruel fate of the Yazidi religious community to the attention of the world, in addition to her own, in order to prevent repetition,” she added.

    Amal Clooney, another member of N’s counsel, hailed the fact that this is the third conviction of an ISIS member for genocide.

    “We have reached these milestones because of the bravery of survivors, like my client, who were raped and enslaved by ISIS but were determined to face their abusers in the dock,” said Clooney. “In this trial, my client stared down the ISIS member who enslaved her for three years. And today, she won.”

    Another member of N’s legal team, Natalie von Wistinghausen, said that she had found N’s “courage” to be “truly humbling.”

    “She sent a strong message by wearing a Yazidi traditional dress when she attended the hearing today: ISIS hasn’t and never will succeed in destroying the Yazidi culture and identity,” said von Wistinghausen.

    In August 2014, ISIS captured thousands of Yazidis when the terror group launched an assault on Sinjar, then home to more than half a million members of this minority group. ISIS fighters split up families, executed the men and declared the women their slaves.

    In the years since, there have been international efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice.

    Another German woman who joined ISIS was sentenced in October 2021 to 10 years in prison over the death of a five-year-old Yazidi girl.

    The Higher Regional Court in Munich found the woman, identified only as Jennifer W., guilty of crimes against humanity for “enslavement resulting in the death of another” as well as being a member of a foreign terrorist group, the court’s spokesperson Florian Gliwitzky told CNN.

    Jennifer W. was living in Iraq with her ISIS fighter husband in 2015 when he purchased a Yazidi woman and her five-year-old daughter as slaves.

  • Germany’s football struggles is a ‘mentality’ issue – Carsten Ramelow

    Germany’s football struggles is a ‘mentality’ issue – Carsten Ramelow

    Former international player Carsten Ramelow believes that Germany is facing a mentality issue that is holding them back.

    Ramelow warned that simply relying on talent is not enough to secure victories. Germany recently suffered a 2-0 defeat to Colombia in a friendly match, marking their third loss in their last four games.

    In another game during this stretch, they managed a 3-3 draw against Ukraine through a late comeback in a charity match.

    The disappointing performance continued for Germany in the 2022 World Cup, where they were eliminated in the group stage.

    Ramelow, who was a World Cup runner-up in 2002, suggests that German football as a whole is grappling with a mentality problem.

    “I think there’s multiple issues. That was not just about a bad performance in Qatar. The problems lie much deeper,” he told Stats Perform.

    “This is what aggravates everything. Having seen the game yesterday, I have only seen 15 minutes, that was enough. It shows which state the team has been in for weeks and months. Or maybe you have to say years.

    “In that regard, we have big problems in Germany concerning youth players. I think [the team] lacks mentality. Talent alone doesn’t win you games. Talent alone also doesn’t bring you team spirit.

    “People talk a lot about team spirit. Where is that team spirit? All those years, we have been saying that we have great talent. Maybe that’s true but after this long period of suffering, you have to recognise that we have a lot of talent, but as I said, it lacks mentality, it lacks team spirit.

    “We are not able to form a team, a unit. Be it Hansi Flick or any other coach, and you can see that in many Bundesliga teams. I think mentality is very, very important. A manager once told me something I will never forget: ‘Passion is more important than skill’.

    “You have to see how the players will develop. I don’t know when it continues, in September or October. The ones that will be available then. There is quality but currently but at the moment this is not enough to compete with teams like [Colombia] or Ukraine and Poland.”

    Ramelow sympathises with Flick, and is unsure a change of coach would necessarily result in a change of fortunes. The pressure, though, is on ahead of Euro 2024.

    “I think we all agree that the coach and his staff have an important role,” he added. “We know what the business is like and the fact that the manager has to listen to a lot of criticism now is justified.

    “He also accepts that. I see a lot of helplessness right now. No one in the interviews can say how things will continue. We all know we have good young players, which is fine, but to reach the final stages of an international tournament again is being considered very difficult. But what is the solution now?

    “I feel like the manager had a lot of helplessness. He won’t give up and it will go on as he said. He wants to prepare well for the next games. His task is to put a good team together and to bring back passion and mentality. You have to see a unit.

    “Mentality is also a matter of character. A coach can barely train that. You either have it or you don’t but he has to form a team and the results have to be good. I’m not saying anything new here, the business is tough. I think you could put anyone else on the touchline, it would be difficult for every coach.”

  • Woman murdered after man shoves two tourists over a ravine

    Woman murdered after man shoves two tourists over a ravine

    Near Germany’s Neuschwanstein Castle, a woman was tossed down a ravine and perished.

    According to local authorities, the 21-year-old and her buddy, 22, had crossed paths with another American traveller on a hiking trail on Wednesday afternoon.

    Then, according to reports, he enticed the two to a scenic spot close to the Marienbruecke bridge.

    The younger woman was then “physically attacked” by the man, according to authorities.

    When her 22-year-old companion tried to intervene, he choked her and pushed her down a steep slope, they added.

    The man then appears to have allegedly attempted to sexually assault the 21-year-old before pushing her down the slope as well.

    She fell nearly 50 metres (165 feet), ending up close to her friend.

    The mountain rescue service rescued both women as shocked tourists watched on.

    The 22-year-old was ‘responsive’ and taken to hospital, police said.

    The 21-year-old was flown by helicopter to hospital with serious injuries and died there overnight.

    The suspect left the scene but was arrested nearby shortly afterwards.

    Chief Public Prosecutor Thomas Hörmann told Bild: ‘The crime happened on Wednesday around 2.40 pm. The two tourists met the man on a hiking tour east of the Marienbrücke and joined him.’

    The trio then reached ‘a beaten path to a viewpoint’.

    After the younger woman was attacked, ‘the 22-year-old wanted to help, so he choked her and pushed her down the slope,’ Mr Hörmann added.

    Under German law, suspects must be brought before a judge at a closed-doors hearing by the end of the calendar day after their arrest if investigators intend to keep them in custody.

    Police said a judge in nearby Kempten on Thursday ordered him held pending a potential indictment and he was taken to jail. He is under investigation on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and a sexual offence.

    Police said they and prosecutors were focusing on trying to reconstruct exactly what happened and called for any witnesses to come forward.

    Neuschwanstein, in southern Bavaria and close to the Austrian border, is one of Germany’s most popular tourist attractions.

  • Germany to donate £1,100,000,000 to Holocaust victims worldwide

    Germany to donate £1,100,000,000 to Holocaust victims worldwide

    Holocaust survivors to receive an additional £1.1 billion in 2024, according to a recent announcement.

    With the help of Germany’s finance minister, a settlement was reached that includes £703 million for the care and support of elderly and weak Holocaust survivors in their homes.

    Additionally, increments of £138 million in the Hardship Fund Supplemental program’s symbolic payments have been made.

    The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, popularly known as the Claims Conference, estimates that the money will affect more than 128,000 Holocaust survivors worldwide.

    The organisations’s vice president, Greg Schneider, said: ‘Every year these negotiations become more and more critical as this last generation of Holocaust survivors age and their needs increase.

    ‘Being able to ensure direct payments to survivors in addition to the expansions to the social welfare services is essential in making sure every Holocaust survivor is taken care of for as long as it is required, addressing each individual need.’

    The Hardship Fund Supplemental payment was originally established to be a one-time payment, negotiated during the Covid-19 lockdowns and eventually resulted in three supplemental payments for eligible Holocaust survivors.

    This year, Germany again agreed to extend the hardship payment, which was set to end in December 2023, through to 2027.

    The amount for each of the additional years was set at approximately 1,370 dollars (£1,083) per person for 2024, rising to 1,534 dollars (£1,213) for 2027.

    The survivors receiving these payments are largely Jews who were not in camps or ghettos, and are not eligible for pension programmes, the Claims Conference said.

    As children they fled the so-called Einsatzgruppen – Nazi mobile killing units charged with murdering entire Jewish communities.

    More than one million Jews were killed by these units, which operated largely by shooting hundreds and thousands of Jews at a time and burying them in mass pits.

    ‘For those who were able to flee and survive – they are some of the poorest in the survivor community; the loss of time, family, property and life cannot be made whole,’ the Claims Conference group said.

    ‘By expanding payments to these survivors, the German government is acknowledging that this suffering is still being felt deeply, both emotionally and financially,’ the Claims Conference group said in a statement.

    ‘While symbolic, these payments provide financial relief for many aging Jewish Holocaust survivors living around the world.’

    With the end of the Second World War now nearly eight decades ago, all living Holocaust survivors are elderly, and many suffer from numerous medical issues because they were deprived of proper nutrition when they were young.

    As the number of survivors dwindles, the Claims Conference also negotiated continuing funding for Holocaust education, which has been extended for two more years and increased each year by 3.3 million dollars (£2.61 million).

    Since 1952, the German government has paid more than 90 billion dollars (£71 billion) to individuals for suffering and losses resulting from persecution by the Nazis.

    In 2023, the Claims Conference projects it will distribute hundreds of millions in compensation to more than 200,000 survivors in 83 countries.

    ‘It has been nearly 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz, and the need to negotiate for survivor care and compensation is more urgent than ever,’ said Stuart Eizenstat, the special negotiator for the Claims Conference negotiations delegation.

    ‘Every negotiation is a near-last opportunity to ensure survivors of the Holocaust are receiving some measure of justice and a chance at the dignity that was taken from them in their youth.

    ‘It will never be enough until the last survivor has taken their last breath,’ he added.

  • Germany in recession as inflation hits economy

    Germany in recession as inflation hits economy

    An adjustment to growth figures shows that persistent inflation helped push Germany into recession in the first three months of the year.

    Europe’s largest economy was also badly affected when Russian gas supplies dried up after the invasion of Ukraine, analysts said.

    The economy contracted by 0.3% between January and March, the statistics office said.

    That followed a 0.5% contraction in the last three months of last year.

    A country is deemed to be in recession when its economy shrinks for two consecutive three-month periods, or quarters.

    “Under the weight of immense inflation, the German consumer has fallen to his knees, dragging the entire economy down with him,” said Andreas Scheuerle, an analyst at DekaBank.

    Germany’s inflation rate stood at 7.2% in April, above the euro area’s average but below the UK’s 8.7%.

    Higher prices have weighed on household spending on things such as food, clothing and furniture. Industrial orders are also weaker, reflecting the impact of higher energy prices on businesses.

    “The persistence of high price increases continued to be a burden on the German economy at the start of the year,” the federal statistics agency Destatis said in a statement.

    Originally, the agency had estimated zero growth for the first quarter of this year, suggesting Germany would side-step a recession.

    However, the revised figures showed household spending was 1.2% lower than in the previous quarter.

    Government spending was 4.9% lower, and car sales also fell after government grants for electric and hybrid cars were scaled back.

    The recession was less severe than some had predicted, given Germany’s heavy reliance on Russian energy. A mild winter and the reopening of China’s economy, helped ease the impact of higher energy prices.

    Private sector investment and exports rose, but that was not enough to get Germany out of the “danger zone” for recession, analysts said.

    “The early indicators suggest that things will continue to be similarly weak in the second quarter [of 2023],” said LBBW bank analyst Jens-Oliver Niklasch.

    However, the German central bank, the Bundesbank, expects the economy to grow modestly in the April to June quarter, with a rebound in industry offsetting stagnating consumer spending.

    The IMF has predicted that Germany will be the weakest of the world’s advanced economies, shrinking 0.1% this year, after it upgraded its forecast for the UK from minus 0.3% to growth of 0.4%.

  • Sadio Mane’s sad spell at Germany to end

    Sadio Mane’s sad spell at Germany to end

    Sadio Mane’s debut season at Bayern Munich has been filled with challenges and setbacks.

    With a managerial change, a goal drought since October, and a reported dressing room altercation with teammate Leroy Sane, the former Liverpool star finds himself facing an uncertain future in Bavaria.

    Adding to the difficulties, Bayern is poised to miss out on clinching the Bundesliga title for the first time since 2012, barring a significant stumble from league leaders Borussia Dortmund in their final match.

    As Mane and his teammates prepare for their last league game against FC Cologne on Saturday, it’s worth examining the Senegalese forward’s turbulent year and contemplating the possibility of a potential transfer in the near future.

    Bayern’s capture of Mane looked to be one of last summer’s most impressive signings.

    The Senegalese star, 31, won everything there was to win during his six-year stint at Anfield but turned down a contract offer to explore pastures new. 

    And after seeing talismanic striker Robert Lewandowski leave for Barcelona, Bayern board member Hasan Salihamidzic was quick to hail Mane as the club’s new star attraction.

    Salihamidzic said: “The fact that he’s joining Bayern Munich shows that our club and he have big aims.

    “Sadio fits perfectly with the football that we play under Julian Nagelsmann.”

    Change of plan

    Unfortunately for Mane, Nagelsmann is no longer in charge at the Allianz Arena.

    The ex-RB Leipzig boss, 35, was sacked two months ago with club CEO Oliver Kahn citing “fluctuation in performances since the World Cup” as the reason for his dismissal.

    His departure has unquestionably impacted Mane’s form. Under Nagelsmann, the forward notched 16 direct goal involvements (11 goals, five assists) in 28 appearances across all competitions — a steady, if not outstanding, return.

    But since ex-Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel took the reins, he has managed only a solitary goal and assist apiece in 10 outings.

    What is more, six of those 10 appearances have been cameos from the bench lasting under half an hour.

    Sadio Mane's first campaign with Bayern Munich has been a frustrating one
    Sadio Mane’s first campaign with Bayern Munich has been a frustrating one

    Sane scrap

    Sections of the German press have suggested that Mane’s April punch-up with Sane has lowered his stock among club chiefs.

    The forwards came to blows after Bayern’s 3-0 Champions League loss at Manchester City and a bust lip for the former Citizens winger saw Mane internally disciplined with a fine and one-game suspension.

    Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg said this week: “That situation with Sane was a shock for the management and his team-mates. 

    “My information is that he is seen critically inside from now because of his performances and that behaviour.

    “A lot of players have distanced themselves from Mane. He is a candidate for sale in the summer because he has a high salary and Tuchel has no real plans to work with him next season.”

    English return

    Newcastle could target Sadio Mane after securing Champions League qualification
    Newcastle could target Sadio Mane after securing Champions League qualification

    Though Mane has suggested he has no intention of departing, the decision may be taken out of his hands.

    Sadio Mane may find a return to the Premier League appealing, although his substantial wage demands would likely deter most clubs, including his former team.

    Reports suggest that Manchester United and Newcastle are the two clubs showing the most interest in securing a deal for Mane, although his association with Liverpool makes a move to Old Trafford highly improbable.

    Nevertheless, Newcastle, backed by ambitious Saudi owners, are gearing up for their first Champions League campaign in two decades and are expected to pursue high-profile signings.

    If Mane prioritizes a significant financial boost, an approach from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal could be his best option.

    However, considering his apparent desire to continue performing at the highest level, a move to Newcastle seems to be the most plausible outcome this summer.

    Credit: Livescore

  • Man requests part payment after lightning struck an EasyJet flight

    Man requests part payment after lightning struck an EasyJet flight

    An angry passenger is now looking for compensation after his easyJet flight from Poland to the United Kingdom had to be cancelled due to lightning damage.

    On April 14, the Digances were supposed to fly back to Edinburgh, Scotland from Krakow in time for their granddaughter’s birthday party two days later.

    Due to the damage the aircraft had incurred and the requirement for repairs, the airline was obliged to cancel the flight.

    The 75-year-old claims that when he first appeared at the airport counter, service personnel told him there wouldn’t be another flight for three more days.

    That night, Mr Digance and his 74-year-old partner were put up in a hotel opposite the airport by easyJet but he says they received no further contact about an earlier alternative flight home.

    With no time to waste, the couple were forced into booking new flights off their own backs, but it cost them a whopping £1,318 and meant travelling via Frankfurt, Germany to arrive in Edinburgh on the afternoon of April 15.

    Mr Digance said his phone ran out of battery shortly after arriving at the hotel near the airport in Krakow but when he switched it on the next morning, the only correspondence he’d received from easyJet was at 5am.

    The airline had emailed to say they’d booked the pair on a flight to Belfast and then a connecting journey to Edinburgh, which would get in late at night on April 15.

    According to easyJet, Mr Digance was kept ‘regularly updated’ that evening about alternative travel arrangements – something which he disputes.

    He says their original flight had already been delayed by two hours before it was cancelled and believes they were left with no choice but to re-book flights themselves, given the time constraints they were under.

    He told EdinburghLive: ‘The young woman sitting behind the EasyJet desk said the next flight was Monday April 17 and just laughed – we didn’t know what to do as we felt as though we had just been abandoned.

    ‘The battery on my phone had almost run out and we are both in our mid 70s and struggle with technology but thankfully a lovely Polish woman Edy who was flying to Edinburgh helped us.

    ‘EasyJet put us and a number of other passengers up for the night at the Garden Hilton but this was not without difficulty as the staff at the hotel had to contact easyJet for the vouchers.

    ‘We had to get back for our granddaughter’s birthday party on the 16th so Edy booked us flights from Krakow to Frankfurt and then to Edinburgh from her tablet.’

    Mr Digance said he was ‘fully expecting’ compensation from easyJet the next morning but their request has since been declined by the company due to the ‘exceptional circumstances’ of the lightning strike. 

    The situation has left Mr Digance fuming at easyJet for refusing to reimburse his flight fee and he says he will be taking the matter further.

    He added: ‘I am prepared to take them all the way until I get what I am owed. It was not good enough for them to email us at 5am to say they had found alternative travel.’ 

    An easyJet holidays spokesperson said: ‘We’re sorry to hear that Mr and Ms Digance’s flight home was cancelled due to their aircraft being struck by lightning earlier that day.

    ‘In situations like these, it’s our priority to get our customers booked onto an alternative flight as soon as possible and source hotel accommodation if needed.

    ‘In this instance we contacted our customers to let them know that we were sourcing them an alternative flight home, and also to provide details of their overnight accommodation.

    ‘We remained in regular contact that evening, letting them know we’d sourced them a flight to Belfast, and at 5am the following morning we confirmed that the customers were booked onto flights back to Edinburgh via Belfast that day.

    ‘However, we understand Mr and Ms Digance chose to book themselves an alternative flight home instead.

    ‘Whilst circumstances like these are out of our control, we’d like to apologise for the inconvenience Mr and Ms Digance experienced.’

  • Surgeon fired for allowing cleaner hold patient’s leg during toe amputation

    Surgeon fired for allowing cleaner hold patient’s leg during toe amputation

    A surgeon in Germany was fired after requesting a cleaner to support the leg of a patient as he severed their toe.

    In 2020, the procedure was carried out by a doctor who practised at a university hospital in Mainz, Frankfurt Rhine-Main.

    He was later sacked by the hospital, the University Medical Centre Mainz of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, according to the regional newspaper Mainzer Allgemeine Zeitung.

    The hospital’s chief executive, Norbert Pfeiffer, said the patient was set to have a routine toe amputation with two surgeons scheduled for it.

    When both were called to the emergency room, a third doctor stepped in despite there being no qualified assistants on hand to help.

    Wrongly going ahead with the operation anyway, the partially anaesthetised patient became restless.

    So the surgeon called over a cleaner and asked her to hold the patient’s leg down.

    She was also asked to hand him surgical instruments, Südwestrundfunk (SWR), a southwest Germany broadcaster, reported.

    MAINZ, GERMANY - March 29, 2019: The University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz.
    Hospital staff apologised for the incident, adding that the doctor was given the boot in 2021 (Picture: Getty Images)

    ‘The patient was not harmed,’ the university told Allgemeine, adding that they suffered no complications.

    According to an internal letter seen by the newspaper, the incident became known to university officials in October 2020 when the operating room manager spotted the cleaner holding bloody gauze pads in the operating theatre.

    The manager said the cleaner was not medically trained and that surgical tools were not accounted for after the surgery.

    She said: ‘After the operation, the room was simply left behind with bloody tables and we organised the cleaning up later.’

    ‘What happened to the operated limb and whether it was disposed of correctly is also beyond my knowledge,’ the manager added.

    The doctor was given a warning before being fired in 2021, the outlets reported.

    State health officials said the incident was ‘very regrettable and ‘should not be repeated’.

    The procedure, a spokesperson for the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of Health told Allgemeine, was a ‘clear violation of existing regulations’.

    ‘This never should have happened,’ the German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH (dpa) quoted Pfeiffer as saying.

  • Niger to receive troops from Germany

    Niger to receive troops from Germany

    The sending of troops to Niger has received approval from the German parliament.

    A tiny EU mission that was established in December with the goal of assisting the nation in improving its logistics and infrastructure would include 60 German soldiers.

    The decision by parliament in Berlin reinforces the continued commitment to a German presence in the Sahel region despite the recent withdrawal from Mali.

    Niger is one of the world’s poorest countries and faces the growing threat of violence spilling over from neighbouring Mali where Islamist militants have been gaining ground following the withdrawal of French and other European forces.

  • DAAD Scholarships in Germany for Postgraduate Studies in Development

    DAAD Scholarships in Germany for Postgraduate Studies in Development

    DAAD
    Masters/PhD Degree

    Deadline: Aug-Oct 2023 (annual)
    Study in:  Germany
    Next course starts AY 2024/2025

    Brief description: 

    The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers foreign graduates from developing and newly industrialised nations with at least two years of professional experience the opportunity to pursue a postgraduate or Master’s degree at a public or state-recognized German university, and in exceptional circumstances to pursue a doctoral degree, and to earn a university qualification (Master’s/PhD) in Germany.

    Host Institution(s):

    German Universities offering development-related postgraduate courses

    Level/Field(s) of Study:

    Masters or PhD courses in Economic Sciences/Business Administration/Political Economics; Development Cooperation; Engineering and Related Sciences; Mathematics; Regional and Urban Planning; Agricultural and Forest Sciences; Natural and Environmental Sciences; Medicine and Public Health; Social Sciences, Education and Law; and Media Studies.

    Number of Scholarships:

    Limited

    Target group:

    Students from eligible countries

    Scholarship value/inclusions/duration:

    The scholarships include monthly payments of 861 euros for graduates or 1,200 euros for doctoral candidates; payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover; and travel allowance, unless these expenses are covered by the home country or another source of funding.

    The scholarship duration is 12 to 24 months (depending on the particular institution) for Masters and 42 months for PhD.

    Eligibility:

    The typical scholarship holder:

    • Is currently working either for a public authority or a state or private company in a developing country and, as such, is engaged in the planning and execution of directives and projects with emphasis on development policies having a bearing on technological, economic or social areas

    • Holds a Bachelor’s degree (normally four years) in a related subject.

    • Has completed an academic degree with far above average results (upper third) and at least two years of related professional experience after the first degree (bachelor) at the time of application

    • His/her academic degrees should normally not be more than six years old.

    • For study courses in German (scholarship includes a 6-month German language course): Successful passing of the language examination DSH 2 or TestDaF 4 before the start of the study course. Therefore a minimum German language level of B1 at the time of application is a requirement, that needs to be proofed by providing a certificate.

    • For courses in English: Proof of adequate language skills, according to the regulations of the respective courses

    Application instructions:

    Applications must be made directly to the respective course. Please refer to the respective course websites for the application procedure, the application deadline, and the documents to be submitted. Deadline varies depending on the course but falls around August-October 2023.

    It is important to read the FAQs and the 2024/2025 brochure and visit the official website to access the application form and for complete information on how to apply for this scholarship.

  • German evacuation efforts in Sudan allegedly delayed by the UK

    German evacuation efforts in Sudan allegedly delayed by the UK

    Senior German political sources have told the media that British attempts to remove its diplomatic workers from Sudan over the weekend slowed down efforts by other nations to save their own citizens.

    They claim that British forces entered Sudan without the consent of the Sudanese army while other European countries hoped to fly their citizens to safety.

    That was called “complete nonsense” by the UK Ministry of Defense (MoD).

    Germany, among others, had planned to use the airfield north of Khartoum from which subsequent evacuation operations have been conducted.

    But, the sources say, the “unannounced British military presence” so angered the Sudanese army that they refused access to the facility.

    Nigeria begins to evacuate students in Sudan

    According to one source, having landed without permission, the British had to pay the army before leaving.

    And negotiations to use the airfield meant that German rescuers “lost at least half a day” during what was, at the time, considered to be a very small window of opportunity.

    The MoD denied that it was responsible for any delay.

    In a statement, it said: “It is not accurate to suggest that Britain’s efforts to evacuate embassy staff from Sudan last weekend slowed-down Germany’s plans.

    “Operating in such complex circumstances will always come with challenges, but we have worked extremely closely with our French, US and particularly German partners who have facilitated access to the airfield throughout this week, and of course we remain grateful to the Sudanese Armed Forces.”

    Sudan unrest: UK citizens say they feel dejected as evacuation intensify

    Later, an MoD spokesperson said it was “complete nonsense to claim that we landed in Sudan without permission from the Sudanese army. We had permission”.

    After airlifting more than 700 people to safety on six flights from the airfield north of Khartoum that the UK is now utilizing for its evacuation operation, Germany has now concluded its rescue mission.

    German citizens made up about 200 of those who were transported to safety, while the remaining people came from 30 other countries, including the UK.

    Defense officials’ rage has been subdued in Berlin by the pleasure and joy that its mission came to a relatively successful conclusion, but military authorities are still reportedly “not amused.”

    Even Boris Pistorius, the defense minister, couldn’t help but poke fun.

    When asked why the UK had managed to get its embassy staff out on Saturday, while German flights only started on Sunday, Mr Pistorius said: “How shall I put it diplomatically? They ignored what the Sudanese had stipulated.”

    And, in Berlin, there are lingering traces of disdain for the UK government’s initial handling of the crisis.

    German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock may not have mentioned the UK by name but launched a thinly disguised attack on countries that, she implied, had abandoned their citizens and focused their rescue efforts only on diplomatic staff.

    “It was important to us that the [German] evacuation, unlike other countries, didn’t just involve our diplomatic personnel but all Germans on the ground and their partners.”

  • My 32 years spent overseas have been a waste of time – Frankfurt based Ghanaian

    My 32 years spent overseas have been a waste of time – Frankfurt based Ghanaian

    An elderly Ghanaian resident of Frankfurt, Germany, has expressed his misgivings over going abroad.

    The man, who is known as Expensive Joe, recalled that though he was his own boss back in Accra due to his skills as a shoemaker and a carpenter, he was not allowed to utilize that in Germany.

    Speaking to Zion Felix in an interview, Expensive Joe added that, in his opinion, his life would have been better if he had been allowed to use such skills.

    “I travelled to Nigeria and Libya and finally settled in Frankfurt in 1991. We normally don’t say it, but if I am to speak for myself, I will it is the wasted years of my life. Travelling abroad didn’t help me. I was a shoemaker and carpenter back in Ghana. I was my own boss back in Accra.

    “But when I came to Germany, I couldn’t make use of my skills because the system here is different. I believe if I had been given that chance, I would have made fortunes while I was here,” he explained.

    Touching on his family, he reiterated that he was also not fortunate with women, as he has suffered 2 divorces – from a German woman who removed her womb, and from a Ghanaian woman he sponsored abroad.

    “About family, my first wife, who was a German, told me she had removed her womb so she divorced me after 3 years. After that, I brought a Ghanaian woman here. She came with her 2-year-old child. We had 2 children later together. However, we have been divorced for almost 10 years now,” he said.

    Even though he is being taken care of by the German government, Expensive Joe advised young Ghanaians to think deeply about travelling overseas for greener pastures.

    “Now I am a pensioner, but my first child is 21 years. I am not working at the moment, so I am being taken care of by the government. I will advise young people to really take their time. If you have the money to travel, it would be proper to stay and work in Ghana with that,” he advised.

  • Ghanaian living in Frankfurt: “32 years of my life spent abroad have been a waste.”

    Ghanaian living in Frankfurt: “32 years of my life spent abroad have been a waste.”

    A retired Ghanaian man who lives in Frankfurt, Germany, has expressed bitterness over going abroad.

    The man, identified only as Expensive Joe, remembered that despite being able to use his abilities as a shoemaker and a carpenter to run his own business back in Accra, Germany did not permit him to do so.

    “I travelled to Nigeria and Libya and finally settled in Frankfurt in 1991. We normally don’t say it, but if I am to speak for myself, I will it is the wasted years of my life. Travelling abroad didn’t help me. I was a shoemaker and carpenter back in Ghana. I was my own boss back in Accra.

    “But when I came to Germany, I couldn’t make use of my skills because the system here is different. I believe if I had been given that chance, I would have made fortunes while I was here,” he explained.

    Touching on his family, he reiterated that he was also not fortunate with women, as he has suffered 2 divorces – from a German woman who removed her womb, and from a Ghanaian woman he sponsored abroad.

    “About family, my first wife, who was a German, told me she had removed her womb so she divorced me after 3 years. After that, I brought a Ghanaian woman here. She came with her 2-year-old child. We had 2 children later together. However, we have been divorced for almost 10 years now,” he said.

    Even though he is being taken care of by the German government, Expensive Joe advised young Ghanaians to think deeply about travelling overseas for greener pastures.

    “Now I am a pensioner, but my first child is 21 years. I am not working at the moment, so I am being taken care of by the government. I will advise young people to really take their time. If you have the money to travel, it would be proper to stay and work in Ghana with that,” he advised.

    John Mahama campaign tour | Interacts with Nsawam Delegates || WoezorTV live https://t.co/VFlCLeRXe3— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) April 12, 2023

  • The final living Nuremberg prosecutor, Benjamin Ferencz, passes away at age 103

    The final living Nuremberg prosecutor, Benjamin Ferencz, passes away at age 103

    The final prosecutor from the Nuremberg trials, Benjamin Ferencz, passed away at the age of 103.

    Before going to the courts, Ferencz participated in combat in Europe during the Second World War and assisted in the liberation of various concentration camps.

    He was appointed chief prosecutor for Nuremberg’s Einsatzgruppen trial, where 22 Nazis were charged with crimes against humanity, at the age of 27.

    After Germany was conquered in 1945, the Allies held the Nuremberg trials in an effort to prosecute Nazis for crimes committed during World War II.

    The Einsatzgruppen trial was his first court case, but the evidence which Ferencz discovered perfectly recorded and documented in Nazi headquarters, allowed him to successfully rest the case in only two days.

    The men on trial commanded Hitler’s roaming SS extermination squads, killing between them an estimated one million victims.

    In his opening statement, he said, “Vengeance is not our goal. Nor do we seek merely a just retribution. We ask this court to affirm by international penal action man’s right to live in peace and dignity, regardless of his race or creed. The case we present is a plea to humanity.”

    All the defendents were convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity. It is often considered the biggest murder trials in history.

    Ferencz was the first prosecutor to use the term “genocide” in a court of law, introducing the term in his opening statement: “So, here, the killing of defenseless civilians during a war may be a war crime, but the same killings are part of another crime, a graver one, if you will, genocide, or a crime against humanity. This is the distinction we make in our pleading. It is real and most significant.”

    For Ferencz “law, not war” was more than a motto, it was his life’s mission.

    For decades he advocated the establishment of an International Criminal Court and is considered one of the ICC’s founding fathers.

    In 2011, he delivered the closing statement for the prosecution at the ICC’s first trial, saying, “What makes this Court so distinctive is its primary goal to deter crimes before they take place by letting wrongdoers know in advance that they will be called to account by an impartial International Criminal Court.”

    In January, Ferencz was awarded the US Congressional Gold Medal, but was unable to attend the ceremony due to his declining health.

    In an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour last year, Ferencz said he was “heartbroken” by the war in Ukraine.

    “To see it happening again, very similar, kids being shot, homes being blown up, it pains me to see that we have learned so little from the Holocaust and from the trials,” he said.

    Ferencz fought for justice his entire life, saying “to let the world continue to use [war] as an instrument of persuasion is so stupid and so incredible, that I simply can’t stop doing it at the age of 103.” He added that he was “not discouraged,” and to “never give up, never give up, never give up.”

    At the end of the interview, he asked for help to create a more humane world.

  • A rapist who has been on the run for eight years finally apprehended

    A rapist who has been on the run for eight years finally apprehended

    An eight-year manhunt in Europe finally ended with the capture and imprisonment of a rapist.

    While being on trial for raping a man he knew in September 2014, Sarbaz Najmadeen Ali, 36, escaped the courtroom during a lunch break.

    He was found guilty of rape, attempted rape, penetration assault, and two counts of sexual assault against a 33-year-old in Hastings in 2013 by a jury at Hove Crown Court while he was not present.

    Ali, however, managed to flee the nation before being apprehended, and he later committed other sex crimes in Germany and France.

    Eventually, a police officer in the German city of Regensburg recognised Ali from a BBC Crimewatch appeal and told Sussex Police he was in custody there.

    But Ali was then extradited to France for sexual offences he carried out there.

    He had to serve one year in jail there before the UK could execute a European Arrest Warrant and get him extradited to this country.

    Hove Crown Court.
    Ali escaped from Hove Crown Court while he was on trial for multiple sex offences in September 2014

    Ali, a former barber, appeared at Lewes Crown Court on Wednesday and was finally brought to justice.

    The predator, formerly of Stockleigh Road, St Leonards-on-Sea in East Sussex, was handed a total of seven years in prison, plus a further three years on an extended licence.

    He was also sentenced to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life, which will restrict his access to children under the age of 16.

    ‘This is to reflect his dangerousness to young people following his conviction in France,’ Sussex Police said.

    Investigator Julian Stokes said: ‘Admiration has to be given to the courageous victim, who gave evidence at the trial in 2014 and who has had to wait for more than eight years for justice to be served following Ali’s sentencing.

    ‘This demonstrates that Sussex Police will go to extraordinary lengths to bring dangerous offenders such as Ali, back to the UK to face justice.’

  • Hamann still insist on Germany to sack Flick

    Hamann still insist on Germany to sack Flick

    Dietmar Hamann worries it is “too late” for this Germany team as he called again for coach Hansi Flick to be sacked following Tuesday’s defeat to Belgium.

    Hamann was a vocal critic of Flick following the 2022 World Cup, where Germany exited at the group stage for the second consecutive finals.

    Former midfielder Hamann wanted the coach to go then, and his stance was not softened by the March internationals.

    With Germany hosting Euro 2024 and therefore absent from the qualification process, they played friendlies against Peru and Belgium.

    A 2-0 win over Peru in Mainz was followed by a 3-2 defeat to Belgium in Cologne, in which Hamann suggested “it could have been 0-3, 0-4 or 1-5 in the first half”.

    Speaking to Sky Sport, the pundit said: “Nothing has changed at all.

    “The team that started yesterday included eight World Cup players. [Florian] Wirtz and [Timo] Werner were also in the starting line-up, who were not there in Qatar due to injury.

    “Marius Wolf was the only one who played against Belgium who wasn’t at the World Cup. He did an excellent job in Dortmund in the last few weeks and months.

    “So, it felt like there were 10 World Cup players in the line-up, and then I can’t speak of a change.

    “If [Flick] had let youngsters play and they had gotten under the wheels in the first half, then I would have understood because they would have learned something from it.

    “But the way it was yesterday, that they play with the same players and we get served the same c*** as at the World Cup, sooner or later people will turn their backs on the national team.”

    Hamann felt that performance backed up his argument following a World Cup exit he had described as “pathetic”.

    “It’s too late for me,” he said. “I spoke after the World Cup, where it was clear to me that it’s difficult to continue working with the coach when you’re eliminated from the group for the second time in a row.

    “I couldn’t imagine it because you need a new impetus.

    “They hid in Qatar, they let the team down, they didn’t take responsibility. And if the coach doesn’t take responsibility, then I can’t expect the players to take responsibility.

    “That’s why I don’t think the discussion [around Flick’s future] comes too early. It’s too late, for me, and they decided to continue with it.

    “I have big, big concerns about whether things will get better in the coming weeks, months and then at the European Championships next year.”

  • Flick rues slow start after Belgium earn first win over Germany since 1954

    Flick rues slow start after Belgium earn first win over Germany since 1954

    Hansi Flick rued a timid Germany performance as Belgium “took full advantage” to seize an unassailable early lead in Tuesday’s 3-2 friendly triumph in Cologne.

    Yannick Carrasco and Romelu Lukaku fired Domenico Tedesco’s new-look Belgium into a 2-0 lead inside nine minutes at RheinEnergieStadion.

    A Niclas Fullkrug penalty, his sixth goal in as many international appearances, brought Flick’s side back into it before Kevin De Bruyne – who created Belgium’s first two goals – put the game out of reach.

    Serge Gnabry managed a late consolation but Flick acknowledged there was no way back after Tedesco’s visitors punished a woeful start to earn Belgium’s first win against Germany since 1954.

    “We were too cautious, too passive and weren’t able to put our opponents under pressure, and Belgium took full advantage,” Flick said on RTL.

    “Our passion brought us back into contention, but it wasn’t quite enough to get a result.”

    While a late fightback offered Flick reason for hope, Germany must improve and make use of their international friendlies, given they have automatically qualified for Euro 2024 as a host nation.

    Their cause was not helped by Leon Goretzka limping off with an ankle injury in the first half, raising fears the midfielder will not feature in Bayern Munich’s crucial Bundesliga meeting with Borussia Dortmund.

    Just a point separates Bundesliga leaders Dortmund and Bayern ahead of Saturday’s Klassiker at Allianz Arena, with Thomas Tuchel set to take charge of the reigning champions for the first time.

    The former Chelsea coach’s appointment came after the dismissal of Julian Nagelsmann last week, but Tuchel may be boosted by the injury update Goretzka provided after the match.

    Bayern star Goretzka, who appeared in an upbeat mood, told reporters: “I’ve twisted my ankle. It shouldn’t last until Saturday.”

  • Ukraine receives Leopard tanks from Germany

    Ukraine receives Leopard tanks from Germany

    According to the German defense ministry, Germany has shipped its first cargo of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.

    After receiving training to operate them, 18 state-of-the-art main battle tanks were sent to Ukraine.

    Boris Pistorius, the defence minister, expressed his confidence that the tanks might “make a major contribution” on the front lines of the conflict.

    According to reports from Ukraine, Challenger 2 tanks have also arrived.

    For months, Ukraine has demanded more advanced vehicles and weaponry to aid in defending against the Russian invasion.

    The Ukrainian government is yet to comment on the arrival of the Leopard 2s, but they have confirmed the arrival of the first UK-made Challenger 2 tanks.

    Around 2,000 Leopard 2s, widely regarded as being among the best main battle tanks produced by Nato countries, are in use by European countries.

    Germany agreed to supply the tanks to Ukraine in January, after being initially reluctant to do so – or even to permit other countries from sending their own.

    Under German law, Berlin must approve Leopard 2s being re-exported by any country.

    German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said the tanks “have made it into the hands of our Ukrainian friends as promised and on time”.

    The German army has trained Ukrainian tank crews to use the advanced A6 variant of the Leopard 2 over the past several weeks.

    They have been specifically designed to compete with the Russian T-90 main battle tank and is considered to be easier to maintain and more fuel-efficient than most other Western tanks.

    On top of the Leopard 2s, Germany has also sent Ukraine two specialist tank-recovery vehicles and 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles.

    Meanwhile, Challenger 2 tanks from the UK “are in Ukraine already”, defence ministry spokeswoman Iryna Zolotar told AFP news agency.

    Posting a picture of a Challenger 2 alongside other Western-made military vehicles on his Facebook page, Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov described the British vehicle as a work of military art.

    The UK Ministry of Defence declined to comment but earlier confirmed Ukrainian tank crews training in Britain had returned home after completing their training with the tanks.

  • VW opens an assembly line in Tema Free Zone

    VW opens an assembly line in Tema Free Zone

    With a capacity to produce more than 5,000 automobiles and pickup trucks per year, Volkswagen (VW) Ghana Limited has constructed a vehicle assembly factory in Tema Free Zone.

    The new, more upscale Tema assembly facility will take the place of the old Accra site, which inaugurated in August 2020.

    Mr Jeffery Oppong Peprah, Managing Director of VW Ghana, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at the commissioning, said the company had so far spent about eight million Euros in establishing a branch of the Germany Company in Ghana.

    Mr Peprah said having the plant in Tema was strategic as it provided them with space to expand, adding that their proximity to the Tema Port also gave them a great advantage in exporting to other countries within the sub-region.

    He said VW was currently producing six of its brands in Ghana namely, T-Cross, Teramount, Tiguan, Amarock, Passat, and Polo, which he stated best fit the local market.

    Touching on the quality of the cars assembled in Ghana, he gave the assurance that the products were the same as those manufactured in their other plants in South Africa and Germany.

    He said the vehicles as part of standards checks, undergosuspension tests, and fuel quality tests, among others.

    He indicated that even though the quality was the same, the prices were affordable due to the VAT-free incentive from the government to buyers of the locally assembled vehicles as well as the non-payment of import tax on the vehicles compared to the imported ones.

    He commended the Government for the initiative on the automotive industry, as according to him, countries that have developed, used automobiles as a backbone, adding that theGovernment must speed up the implementation of the remaining parts of the automotive policy to ensure they receive the benefits of their investments.

    Mr Peprah noted that the ban on the importation of used vehicles which have devastating effects on the environment and health was yet to be fully implemented by the Government.

    He added that auto financing policies must also be rolled out to provide the needed support for potential buyers of locally assembled vehicles.

    Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, the caretaker Minister of Trade and Industry, and substantive Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, recalled that the establishment of the VW plant in Ghana was an offshoot from a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)which was signed between the Government of Ghana and German Chancellor when she visited Ghana in 2018.

    Mr Jinapor said the government showed its commitment to the MOU through the Ghana Automotive Development Policy (GADP) which was approved by Cabinet, saying currently Ghana has six vehicle assembling plants producing nine brands of vehicles.

    He reiterated that government knows the importance of the automotive industry to the growth of the economy and as a key strategic industry which provided skilled employment to the people, technology transfer, sustainable jobs, and local supply chain opportunities.

    He said the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development programme, which operates under his ministry was another initiative aimed at supporting the automotive industry and adding value to the country’s aluminium, bauxite and other minerals.

    He gave the assurance that the automotive component manufacturing policy would be laid before Cabinet in a few days to provide the needed full support for the companies.

  • Cut your budget and we’ll help – German Ambassador to government

    Cut your budget and we’ll help – German Ambassador to government

    Germany has asked the Ghanaian government to cut down on its budget.

    Ghana has in the last two weeks been appealing to Germany to not only grant the country debt relief, but intercede on its behalf to get China to do same.

    Ghana owes China $1.7 billion.

    On Friday, in a rare move, the German Ambassador to Ghana, Daniel Krull, went public with his concerns about the huge size of Ghana’s government.

    Speaking at a press conference, Mr. Krull questioned why Ghana continues to have a size of government that is far bigger than Germany’s.

    “I only can compare and with other countries like my own and I can just come to the conclusion that the number is much higher than in my country.

    “So that might bring me to the conclusion that maybe there’s room for improvement,” he said.

    He added that “Ghana has a very dense layer of institutions and responsibilities all over the country.”

    According to him, Ghana cannot go out to the international community crying for help and still refuse to cut its expenditure.

    “Well, of course, it depends very much on what kind of expenditures you’re looking at … I’m convinced this is true for if I look at the budget of the German Foreign Ministry of the German government, I’m convinced there are important tasks that can be cut without hurting the economic development.

    “And I’m convinced without going into details this also is true for Ghana. There are certain expenditures that can be lowered substantially and make an important impact and it has to be part of the package.

    “I mean, I cannot go out to the international community and say I need help, but I’m not willing to cut my own budget expenditures. I have to be careful not to cut the social expenditures that are destroying lives and families. I have to be very careful not to take measures that might negatively impact economic growth.

    “But I’m convinced there are many expenditures that could be looked at very carefully and can be lowered substantially,” he said.

    In a related development, German Ambassador to Ghana says Ghana’s talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout is in danger.

    This, Daniel Krull attributes to China’s unwillingness to engage in possible debt relief.

    “The biggest elephant in the room is China. China is the largest creditor to Ghana and so far, it’s not fully supporting the setting up of the creditor’s committee where all the creditors will sit down and agree on a package for Ghana,” he said in a yet-to-be-aired interview on Foreign Affairs on the Joy News Channel.

    “Time is of the essence, time is running out. Without this agreement with the bilateral creditors, the IMF package is in severe danger,” he added.

  • Russia wants to destabilize entire African regions – German Minister 

    Russia wants to destabilize entire African regions – German Minister 

    Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has had an impact on Africa as well, where, according to German Minister for Development Svenja Schulze, Moscow is “trying to destabilise entire regions.”

    The minister who is currently on a 5-day tour in West Africa said, the impact of the war was not only to be suffered by Ukraine but also by the ‘world’s poorest’.

    In an interview with dpa in Abidjan, he mentioned that “this wasn’t only an attack on Ukraine but also an attack on the world’s poorest.”

    “The shock waves of the war and the high prices for food, fertiliser, and energy have also reached West Africa and many other countries in the Global South,” the minister said ahead of the anniversary of the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Friday. 

    “Germany needed friends and allies everywhere,” Schulze said, adding that “Russia is also active in Africa and attempting to destabilise entire regions.” 

    Berlin, minister Svenja Schulze said they hadn’t forgotten the poorest nations, even though Ukraine has the most of their attention now, but they are doing all they can to expand their aid to Africa.

    “The rest of the world, we have not dialled down our support for the poorest nations but expanded it,” the development minister said. 

    “We seek to strengthen and stabilise societies with our development programmes,” she added. 

    During their five-day trip to West Africa, Schulze and Hubertus Heil, the German Labor Minister, hope to promote more favourable working conditions and less environmental harm.

    They will be in Ivory Coast, where they intend to visit a cocoa plantation, until Friday after spending two days in Ghana, where they among other things visited one of the biggest markets for secondhand clothing in the world.

  • IMF deal in danger should China oppose Ghana’s debt relief offer – German Ambassador to Ghana

    IMF deal in danger should China oppose Ghana’s debt relief offer – German Ambassador to Ghana

    The $3 billion bailout requested by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) may not be authorized, the German ambassador to Ghana, Daniel Krull, has warned, if China refuses to agree to a debt reduction plan.

    Addressing the media, Mr Krull said China has so far rejected attempts by officials from Ghana to engage them to commit to the setting up of a creditors’ committee for an agreement on a debt package.

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Friday, February 3, urged Germany to “encourage” China, an ad hoc member of the Paris Club, to support Ghana’s debt restructuring efforts.

    The President made the call when the visiting German Finance Minister, Christian Lindner called on him at the Jubilee House, Accra.

    The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, on Thursday, disclosed that the government’s planned high-level meeting with Chinese creditors over Ghana’s debt restructuring has been postponed to late March 2023.

    According to him, this is due to the upcoming National People’s Congress of China which is scheduled for early March.

    But Mr Krull has disclosed that other creditors will only play their part and help if China – the biggest creditor to Ghana – agrees to the debt relief package.

    “We are prepared to live up to our responsibility as one of the major bilateral creditors to Ghana, but we are only ready to implement our solidarity only if certain criteria are met. In this first place, it has to be done in an internationally coordinated fashion, and therefore we have the G20 common framework. The G20 has agreed on how to deal with these kinds of crises, and we feel that it is important that this framework is respected.

    “The second condition is that we are ready to take our part when others are ready to do that so all major creditors must be ready to help Ghana. The Big elephant in the room is China. China is the largest creditor to Ghana and so far [China] is not supportive of setting up of a creditors’ committee, where the creditors will sit down and agree on an aid package for Ghana.”

    Mr Krull further appealed to MPs and politicians who have business relations with China to encourage their Chinese counterparts to agree to the aid package to help rescue Ghana’s economy.

    “The President and the Finance Ministers have appealed to Germany to support Ghana in convincing China to come to the table, and we are ready to do that but at the same time, I want to appeal to all Ghanaians who have strong ties to China, who are doing nice business with China to also engage them and convince them that it is time to sit down with all the creditors and agree on a package. Time is of the essence. Without this agreement, the IMF package is in severe danger.”

  • You must meet certain conditions before we interact with China – German Ambassador to govt

    You must meet certain conditions before we interact with China – German Ambassador to govt

    The German ambassador to Ghana, Daniel Krull, has stated that his government is eager to help Ghana communicate to its creditors outside of Germany, particularly China, but only if certain requirements are met.

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Friday, February 3, urged Germany to “encourage” China, an ad hoc member of the Paris Club, to support Ghana’s debt restructuring efforts.

    The President made the call when the visiting German Finance Minister, Christian Lindner called on him at the Jubilee House, Accra.

    In an interview with Joy News, Mr Krull said it is important that Ghana gets certain important measures in place before any help is extended from his government.

    “First of all, we insist that those measures that can be taken here in this country have to be taken. The second condition is that, yes, we are willing to take our share of responsibility as one of the major bilateral donors to Ghana.

    “Let me point to three elements. The biggest loss maker in Ghana is the energy sector. In this sector alone, each year, $1.5 billion in new debt is piled up. So if that is not solved, and you ask the IMF for $10 billion, you still will not solve the problem in the medium term.

    “So there has to be an answer in Ghana to the 50% technical and non-technical losses in the energy sector. If that is not resolved, I don’t see how we can help find a sustainable solution for the financial problems of the country.”

    Mr Krull added “the second part is on the other side of the budget and that is the revenues. Ghana has the lowest one of the lowest tax to GDP ratios, not even 13%. So we have been cooperating with the local authorities and setting up a very smart system of property tax collection. So I think that is an important way forward and this has to be done and processes and decision-making have to be faster to meet the goals, to be able to meet the targets that have been agreed with the IMF”.

    The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, on Thursday, disclosed that the government’s planned high-level meeting with Chinese creditors over Ghana’s debt restructuring has been postponed to late March 2023.

    According to him, this is due to the upcoming National People’s Congress of China which is scheduled for early March.

    However, bilateral talks will continue ahead of this important mission, Citi News sources have gathered.

    China and its agencies hold about $1.7 billion of Ghana’s $5.5 billion bilateral debt and the specialised nature of their lending windows means that Ghana cannot add them to the model used to negotiate with the G20 and the Paris Club members.

  • Ablakwa commends president for saving Ghana GHC6.5m

    Ablakwa commends president for saving Ghana GHC6.5m

    The representative for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has lauded President Akufo-Addo for traveling to Germany and Ethiopia in Ghana’s presidential jet.

    In a tweet shared on Monday, February 20, 2023, the MP said that the president’s decision not to use a luxury private jet for his recent trip has saved the country almost GHC6.5 million.

    He added that if Akufo-Addo had been consistent in using the presidential jet for his travels, he will have saved Ghana a lot of money and possibly averted the current economic crisis in the country.

    “I can confirm from our unimpeachable tracking that for President Akufo-Addo’s latest travel to the Munich Security Conference and AU meetings in Addis Ababa, he used Ghana’s Presidential Jet (Dassault Falcon 900 EX) for the entire 17hr:53min flight time. He returned to Accra at 11:40 pm last night.

    “By this commendable conduct, and having regard for the current luxury VIP private jet market rate, the President has saved the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer some €480,000 (GHC6.5 million) by avoiding his favourite profligate luxury chartered jet.

    “This is the prudent presidential conduct Ghanaians have been demanding for years- a sensitive and frugal leadership which could have saved Ghana over GHC100million and perhaps averted the current economic crisis,” parts of the MPs tweet read.

    Ablakwa added that it is his hope that President Akufo-Addo will continue to use the presidential jet till he leaves office for the sake of the country.

    View the MPs’ tweet below:

    Our unimpeachable tracking of Prez Akufo-Addo’s latest foreign travels to Germany & Ethiopia reveal that he used Ghana’s Presidential Jet for the entire duration.

    His commendable conduct saves the suffering taxpayer some GHS6.5million.

    This is what Ghanaians have been demanding pic.twitter.com/4QgfCrxo18— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) February 20, 2023

  • Germany pledges to support Ghana’s debt restructuring efforts

    Germany pledges to support Ghana’s debt restructuring efforts

    Germany has declared its commitment to support Ghana’s debt restructuring programme.

    Ghana started a Domestic Debt Exchange (DDE) programme last year to restructure about 80 per cent of GHS137 billion in domestic bonds to ensure debt sustainability.  

    It has also extended a call to its external creditors for support through the G20 common framework. 

    The debt restructuring forms part of efforts to secure an Executive and Management Board approval of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)  for a US$3 billion loan-support programme by March 2023 to calm the current economic crisis.  

    Germany, the second largest bilateral creditor to Ghana (only after China), says it is ready to support Ghana in its ongoing debt restructuring process.  

    In an engagement with some economics and finance students of the University of Ghana in Accra on Friday, Christian Lindner, Finance Minister of Germany called on external creditors to help Ghana with its debt restructuring.  

    His engagement with the University community formed part of a two-day visit to Ghana to deepen bilateral relations and explore economic areas for mutual benefits.  

    “I’m completely aware that you’re suffering from severe economic situation and Germany is supportive. We’re expecting a Creditors Committee to negotiate and consider what can be done to relief the burden and return to economic growth in Ghana,” Mr Lindner.  

    He added that: Germany has a strong interest in West Africa. In all, our security depends on your [economic] stability and we see some economic opportunities in bilateral trade by German investments in Ghana for example and this is why I’m here.”   

    The German Finance Minister noted that while there was the need for short-term international assistance, Ghana’s long-term economic stability and development, rested in its hands.  

    He, therefore, urged the Government to ensure the optimisation of the country’s rich resources and human capital by instituting measures that would boost private sector investment and growth and their participation in the economy’s stability.  

    He also asked the Government to provide favourable conditions for Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in the clothing and textiles and digital payment systems sectors to thrive.  

    Mr Lindner encouraged the students to make the most of the opportunities that higher education brought to them and said: “The decisions you make, efforts you make and the risks you are willing to take, will determine your place in life.”  

    He said he was ready to support Ghanaian students to explore educational opportunities in Germany and enter into the country’s labour force.  

    Professor Daniel Frimpong Ofori, Acting Pro Vice-Chancellor, Academic and Student Affairs, University of Ghana, described the visit of the Finance Minister as a chance for the students to know and tap into various opportunities in Germany.  

    He said there were enormous opportunities for those who have some knowledge of finance, economics and international relations, and urged the students to tap into them.  

    Source: GNA