Latham & Watkins LLP has advised the shareholders of HIT Holzindustrie Torgau GmbH & Co Deutsche Bank and Orchard Global Asset Management HIT is the world's largest producer of EPAL wood pallets used for shipping The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions including receipt of requisite regulatory antitrust approvals and is expected to close in the third or early fourth quarter of 2022 The Latham corporate team was led by Düsseldorf partner Heiko Gotsche and Munich partner Stefan Süss with Munich associates Stephan Hufnagel and Munich associate Felicitas Mayer-Theobald Advice was also provided on IP matters by Frankfurt partner Susan Kempe-Müller with associate Daniela Jaeger; on real estate matters by counsel Sven Nickel; on antitrust matters by Hamburg counsel Jana Dammann de Chapto; on data privacy matters by Frankfurt associates Wolf-Tassilo Böhm and Jonas Kraus on regulatory matters by associate Alexander Wilhelm; on finance matters by Munich partner Christian Jahn with counsel Ludwig Zesch and associate Julia Bräuer; on employment matters by associate Kristina Hufnagel and on litigation matters by Hamburg partner Christoph Baus with associate Marco Grotenrath Nearly 30 years have passed since East Germany's homes for "difficult children" were shut down It has taken this long for the former inmates to speak out about their ordeals Renate Viehrig-Seger is standing in front of a photo of herself as a 17-year-old at an exhibition about East German children's homes It brings back profoundly painful memories she hadn't talked about her past for decades until she spoke at a hearing on the findings of an independent inquiry into the sexual abuse of children in the East German dictatorship was widespread in children's homes and juvenile reformatories "I know justice will never be done for me personally," she says pulling on a cigarette outside Potsdam's former military orphanage "Giving evidence at the inquiry is my way of ensuring that sort of abuse isn't allowed to happen ever again." East Germany's most notorious closed juvenile home It didn't take much to end up in one of the country's 150-odd homes for "difficult" children about 4,000 youths aged 14 to 18 were locked up in these facilities and subjected to a punishing program of retraining as "socialist persons." Many were unruly kids who skived school or had run away from home Some were admitted because they listened to the "beat" music reviled by East Germany's leadership or talked back to their teachers they hadn't done anything wrong at all and the state was punishing their parents — perhaps for signing a letter of protest against the oppressive regime perhaps because a neighbor had told the dreaded Stasi secret police that they were planning an escape to the West The children almost always came from troubled homes Viehrig-Seger was sexually abused by her father from an early age She initially thought that if she told the authorities child sex abuse didn't exist in East Germany "They said I was making it up," she recalls hoping to be caught and taken out of her parents' care she says she was put in solitary confinement for days on end and was raped by the facility's director the institutionalized abuse and shocking conditions that prevailed in Torgau and East Germany's other children's homes from withholding food and thrusting heads into toilets to beatings and rape have been well-documented in memoirs and media coverage Only relatively recently have they begun coming together in encounter groups And it was not until 2012 that the German government established a fund for former inmates of East Germany's children's homes when few former children's home inmates had even heard about it "To me that fund was an attempt to placate us," says Roland Herrmann who spent six months in a juvenile home in Bad Freienwalde "Some people let themselves be fobbed off with financial compensation." A series of laws have allowed people who were wronged by the East German system and officially rehabilitated to claim a "victims' pension" of about €300 ($350) a month Equally importantly for former victims of institutionalized abuse the official rehabilitation is an acknowledgment of what they endured at the hands of the state When the children's homes were shut down after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 Not only does this mean that few people have the paperwork to prove their cases: It also explains why none of the staff in these juvenile "prisons," as many former inmates describe them were ever subject to criminal investigations and put on trial "Another reason why no one was held to account was because the former inmates never spoke up because they were afraid of being stigmatized or because they felt guilt and shame," says Gabriele Beyler "Turning Torgau into a memorial site in 1997 was a first step towards making amends," she says "It was the first place where an interest in the fates of the former victims was taken and one of its aims was to raise public awareness of what they went through All many of them want is that society recognizes and understands what happened to them." "A million euros couldn't make up for what happened to me," she says She now gives tours of the former facility in Torgau and said telling visitors her story had helped her come to terms with it more than money or therapy ever could have the counselor wanted to refer me to a psychiatric clinic for a few weeks as an in-patient," she says "But there's no way anyone is ever putting me in an institution ever again." Roland Herrmann has another coping strategy He has founded an association that lobbies for the complete rehabilitation of all former inmates in the Bad Freienwalde home the association will be unveiling a memorial in the town by the artist Axel Anklam But the public reaction shows that the recognition that he Viehrig-Seger and their peers so badly want remains elusive and what happened in this facility is still often denied," says Jutta Lieske a member of Brandenburg's state legislature who has given her support to the initiative no one cared what went on behind those doors," Herrmann says "Lots of people saw the inmates as delinquents and were happy to have the 'filth' kept off the streets." Unfortunately it seems that some of those attitudes haven't changed "East Germany's history still hasn't been fully examined," Hermann says He and others who survived sojourns in its children's homes are determined to raise awareness of their part in this history the director of the Torgau facility from 1968 until 1989 died in hospital the day the Berlin Wall fell Renate Viehrig-Seger says she'll never have peace of mind The exhibition "Kindheit im Heim" (Childhood in the Home) at the Grosses Waisenhaus Potsdam runs through March 31 This article originally appeared on DW.com Its content was created separately from USA TODAY this day marked an important step toward ending World War II.  World War II had been raging for over six years several events had begun turning the tides of the war against the Axis powers it would require a coordinated effort from both American troops in the East and Soviet armies from the West The commanders directed their units not to make contact with each other Their orders were to remain on their eastern and western banks of the river while officers from each division formalized occupation of Berlin when the two armies met on April 25th south of Berlin outside Torgau on the River Elbe The first to make contact were American First Lieutenant Albert Kotzebue and Soviet Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Gardiev along with their commands photographers commemorated the event of the Eastern front meeting the Western front EAST MEETS WEST DAY HISTORYOn the 65th anniversary of this historic event and Russian presidents issued a joint statement commemorating Elbe Day Photo Credit: Alois Köppl, Gleiritsch ( = Zusatz) Sign up for our daily Newsletter and stay up to date with all the latest news You are receiving this pop-up because this is the first time you are visiting our site You are using software which is blocking our advertisements (adblocker) we are relying on revenues from our banners So please disable your adblocker and reload the page to continue using this site.Thanks the cultivated and gourmet mushroom segment has developed rapidly and with it the demand for regionally produced mushroom exotics such as king trumpet mushrooms Germany's first large-scale king trumpet mushroom farm was established in Torgau in northern Saxony Thanks to the close partnership with the established and specialized trading company Pilzzucht Mandarin from Meckenheim the company was able to build up a rapidly growing customer network in just under two years about the successful market entry and the future of German mushroom cultivation A bird's eye view of the high-tech cultivation facility in Torgau "Our peak season is clearly focused on the cold season after which wild mushrooms increasingly come to the fore In order to be able to move more volume in the summer as well it is all the more important to express the versatility and freshness that comes with the regional origin of our mushrooms The king trumpet mushroom needs to be brought closer to consumers so to speak." The highly automated Torgau site the Torgau mushroom farm also had to reckon with considerable operating costs Enrico Müller: "Spare parts for our plants are currently very difficult to obtain but price increases of up to 100% are also causing us problems in our in-house substrate production the customer also bears a large part of these cost increases." Mini king trumpet mushrooms from Torgau: A distinction is made between mini-sorting (approx 20% of the volume) and standard-sorting (80%) minimal production problems What is particularly advantageous during these difficult times is the partnership-based marketing structure with fixed contractual partners such as Pilzzucht Mandarin Ltd the associated know-how and the unbeatable quality of the Torgau king trumpet mushrooms convinced me immediately back then," says accomplished businesswoman Stefanie Wisniewski The freshly harvested goods go directly from the Torgau breeding farm to the buyer so that the transport routes are kept short we have only been selling Torgau king trumpet mushrooms The tremendous response from our customers so far in the areas of food retail wholesale markets and gastronomy has clearly confirmed my move This is also reflected in the figures: because regarding king trumpet mushrooms from German soil we were able to double our total volume," Ms The production site covers a total of a some 6,500m2 and 39 culture rooms Quality manager Müller is also more than satisfied with the cooperation: "The Pilzzucht Mandarin team has taken over sales completely which is why we can devote ourselves to mushroom cultivation this division of labor is a win-win situation for all involved." The cultivated mushrooms are still mainly distributed in 2kg multiclists they are mainly offered in 150-200 gram punnets Gradual increase in weekly yieldsAt the Torgau site up to 23 tons of fresh mushrooms are currently produced and prepared at full capacity we are in the process of further automating our operating processes the harvesting work as well as the subsequent preparation of mushrooms requires a certain flair This means that the precision of our production staff is continuously increasing with decreasing failure rates during the cultivation process I believe a weekly yield of up to 25 tons is possible in the near future," Enrico Müller concludes The preparation process: thanks to cooperation with two other contractual partners the cultivated mushrooms 'Made in Germany' are now available in the UK and the Netherlands as well For more information:Enrico MüllerMushroom Park GmbHWelsauer Weg 20D-04860 TorgauTel.: +49 (0)3421 7784211[email protected] mushroomparkgmbh.com  FreshPublishers © 2005-2025 FreshPlaza.com East Meets West Day is observed on April 25 in remembrance of the historical events in 1945 when American soldiers met with the Soviet forces at Torgau along the River Elbe in Germany This marked one of the first steps towards the formal takeover of Berlin from the Axis Forces While the Americans and Soviets were on the same side in the Second World War they had been averse to meeting directly for various political reasons their first physical contact was a display of cooperation that helped to bring the war to an end East Meets West Day marks the day when the American troops met the Soviet Armies on the River Elbe which became a historical meeting point between U.S American troops were instructed to halt military operations at the Elbe This day is of historical significance as it was the first step taken towards ending the Second World War The War lasted for more than six years and while efforts were made to end the war in Europe allied forces were needed to promote dialogue and create mutual understanding between the American troops and Soviet armies When both armies gathered at the Elbe River Lieutenant Albert Kotzebue and Colonel Alexander Gordeyev were the first to officially meet and shake hands photographers were called to take pictures The photographs became a memento of the bravery shown by the American and Soviet troops who fought together during the Second World War This meeting eventually turned out to be a stepping stone to ending the Second World War in Europe On the 75th anniversary of the East Meets West Day President Donald Trump and Russian President released a joint statement to honor the courage and joint efforts of the American and Soviet troops who fought against fascism in Europe Lieutenant Albert Kotzebue and Colonel Alexander Gordeyev meet on the River Elbe A metal plate is mounted near Torgau to honor Elbe Day Russia issues a three-ruble coin to celebrate the day and Russia issue a joint statement on observance of the day and Russian soldiers met at the River Elbe in Germany The American army was instructed to advance thus helping the Soviet troops seize Berlin Despite having tense relations during WWII the American and Soviet forces never fought against each other The Soviet and American armies met at the Elbe River located in central Germany during World War II Visit your local library or search the internet to look up information about the First and Second World Wars Post your newfound knowledge on social media and use the hashtags #EastMeetsWestDay to share it with your family and friends Plan to visit a museum that is dedicated to the First and Second World Wars then opt for a museum that offers virtual tours that make it possible to enjoy a tour without stepping out of your house If you don't enjoy reading books or visiting museums but prefer films celebrate East Meets West Day by watching a documentary on the Second World War Numerous documentaries are available on various movie streaming sites but make sure to choose a historically accurate movie One way to do this is by checking reviews and ratings online WWII started when Germany took over Poland The maximum number of war casualties was suffered by Russia WWII took the lives of more than 60 million people The troops played football to stay fit during WWII troops drank 10 billion bottles of Coke during WWII East Meets West Day makes us realize the importance of dialogue between different countries Besides the tragic loss of life and human suffering the Second World War led to the destruction of infrastructure and resulted in major economic losses played a pivotal role in the Second World War by providing military assistance to Soviet troops which would not have been possible without cooperation and understanding between the two nations Besides the adverse effect on the mental health of the family of those that were left behind war has devastating consequences on surviving soldiers These individuals who have risked their lives for their country and have had near-death experiences have to contend with post-traumatic stress and deal with feelings of guilt and anger that often require professional help East Meets West Day helps the youth get familiar with the events that took place during the Second World War there is also the opportunity to discover the social systems and ideologies of different nations as well as the reasons that led them to fight one another We keep track of fun holidays and special moments on the cultural calendar — giving you exciting activities ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " American and Russian soldiers linked up at the Elbe River and made a pledge for peace that we should heed today Chicago taxi driver Joseph Polowsky would stand on the Michigan Avenue bridge and pass out leaflets calling for a halt to the spread of nuclear weapons he would tell them about a historic meeting between American and Russian soldiers at the end of World War II He didn’t just know the details of the meeting which marked a crucial step toward the end of the war and Soviet Vets from the Linkup in World War II edited by Mark Scott and Semyon Krasilshchik and in an interview with Polowsky in Studs Terkel’s The Good War: An Oral History of World War II Polowsky was a Taft Republican who had served as a rifleman in the 273rd Infantry Polowsky was called into company headquarters and asked to form a patrol—seven Jeeps twenty-eight men—to go five miles in front of enemy lines to see if they could get some signs of the Russians was put in charge of the mission since he was of Russian heritage and considered the best platoon leader in the company When the men reached the Elbe at 11:30 a.m Russian soldiers in the town of Torgau across the river responded by waving and joyously shouting “Amerikanski!”  “If everyone intermingled—like we did when we linked up with the Russians—there could be no war.”  Seeing that all the town’s bridges had been destroyed the Yanks piled into a small sailboat to cross the river a veteran of the epic battle of Stalingrad they pledged to do everything in their power to prevent future wars Thus began the Oath of the Elbe They played American songs [and] Russian girls were dancing I was so captivated by the event that it took possession of me for the rest of my life.”  The American public got wind of the Elbe linkup through a newspaper photograph taken by Alan Jackson in which American and Russian soldiers were depicted stretching their hands towards each other on a broken bridge Lieutenant Bill Shank of the 104th (Timberwolf) Infantry Division compared the spirit of prevailing brotherhood to the famous Christmas truce in World War I when British and German soldiers left their trenches to celebrate Christmas together “Of all the experiences in my life,” Shank told an interviewer “finding and meeting the Russians was the most memorable [T]he war made people love each other so much when it was finally over If everyone intermingled—like we did when we linked up with the Russians—there could be no war.”  Russia’s famed anti-Stalinist poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko wrote in his poem But we will swim it; no ocean so great it cannot become an Elbe The optimism of the time was enhanced by the preliminary formation of the United Nations in San Francisco the same day as the Elbe linkup. George T. Peck of the U.S. Office of Strategic Services said he had been “flooded with a warm surge of hope [on the Elbe] the peace of the world was to be founded upon the friendship of our two great nations—the United States and Soviet Union.” he wrote to Joseph Stalin: “The Union of our arms in the heart of Germany has a meaning for the world which the world will not miss Nations which can plan and fight together shoulder to shoulder in the face of such obstacles of distance and of language and of communications as we have overcome can live together and can work together in the common labor of the organization of the world for peace.” Truman’s campaign ushered in the McCarthy-era by smearing him as a communist sympathizer As the specter of a new Cold War descends upon us progressives in the United States today should do everything in their power to reinvoke the Elbe spirit the story of the linkup reminds us of the common humanity and capacity for friendship between the American and Russian people and how the two great nations once cooperated to defeat the greatest evil the world has ever known Joseph Polowsky was fittingly buried in Torgau where a peace monument commemorates the U.S.-Soviet linkup “Polowsky’s gravesite,” his friend LeRoy Wolins noted Jeremy Kuzmarov is author of “The Russians are Coming the Second as Farce,” Monthly Review Press 2018 and “Obama's Unending Wars: Fronting the Foreign Policy of the Permanent Warfare State,” Clarity Press Sign-up for our free weekly e-mail newsletter publishes The Progressive magazine plus Progressive.org and Public Schools Advocate By Meg Jones of the Journal Sentinel Chaim "Charley" Thau had already lived a lifetime of adventure and anxiety he didn't know whether he would live to see the next day or the day after that He didn't know he would survive a bullet to the face the following week in brutal fighting for control of Berlin Or that someday he would immigrate to America and marry a woman named Ida raise three children and open a gas station in Milwaukee but rarely mention the war that so defined his early life He didn't know that photo would run on front pages around the world becoming a signature moment toward the end of the war And how could he have ever imagined that one of his sons would travel to the spot of that historic photo for commemoration ceremonies culminating Saturday with the 70th anniversary celebration Thau stands on the damaged bridge that spanned the Elbe River near Torgau Russian troops pushing west across Europe met American troops fighting eastward on April 25 "There was heavy fighting that morning," he told The Milwaukee Journal for a story marking the 10th anniversary in 1955 "One regiment of Germans wouldn't give up But it was all over by afternoon and we were at the river." with three American soldiers from the 69th Infantry Division extending their hands to four soldiers from the Soviet 58th Guards Division Thau commanded a Russian anti-tank battery Thau isn't the only soldier in the image with a Wisconsin connection Delbert Philpott (second from left in the photo) was born in Omro Philpott earned chemistry degrees before a distinguished career that included joining NASA and directing the lab that inspected lunar soil for signs of life went on to design experiments that flew on American and Soviet space missions but he couldn't speak English with Philpott or the other American soldiers So there was no conversation that first day — the soldiers from countries that would soon become Cold War enemies simply waved at each other and shook hands and Thau eventually conversed with two American soldiers who spoke German "He heard from the Americans he met at the Elbe River about the United States "I think he was fed up with war." By the time the 23-year-old Thau reached the Elbe River in the spring of 1945 He grew up in a Polish village that was overrun by the German army where he survived for 19 months fighting with partisans before he was conscripted into the Russian army he took part in some of the most difficult campaigns of World War II including the siege of Moscow and the defense of Stalingrad when his son Marty bought a home in Bayside Thau looked at the large backyard and commented that there was room to grow a lot of potatoes His son and daughter-in-law Sandy wondered why they would ever plant potatoes in their backyard but for a guy who spent years surviving on raw potatoes and watery soup Thau was wounded in the face by a German machine gun bullet in Berlin and by the time he got out of the hospital Then he was sent to Manchuria to fight the Japanese he traveled back to his hometown — Zablotow its prewar population of 8,000 mostly Jewish residents virtually gone "When you come home and find nobody there you have no reason to stay," Thau said in 1955 Still wearing his Russian army officer's uniform Thau walked 40 miles to the Czechoslovakian border But once the Czechs learned he was Polish and was deserting the Russian army where Russian guards questioned him but he pretended to be Greek Recalling the words of the American soldiers at the Elbe through the sponsorship of a Jewish agency He had no money and couldn't speak English But soon he learned the language and found a job He opened his first gas station at Lisbon and North avenues a one-stall garage called Thau's Phillips 66 "He complained about something in his cheek but it turned out to be a bullet in his cheek" that was removed by a Milwaukee surgeon in 1951 "How do you live from 1945 to 1951 with a bullet in your cheek they sometimes watched movies and TV shows about World War II "My father would never sit and watch with us "He didn't want to brag about what he did in the war." rarely talked about the war because he was the type of man who looked forward He had no photos of his family from Poland so his kids never got to see their grandparents or uncles The only World War II photo of Thau is that picture from the Elbe River a retired Air Force colonel who spent 30 years in the military has traveled to Torgau for ceremonies marking the historic Elbe River meeting On Saturday he'll be back in Torgau along with descendants of other soldiers in the photo and the Russian and American ambassadors to Germany Meg Jones is a general assignment reporter who specializes in military and veterans issues. Meg was part of a team that was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2003, and is the author of “World War II Milwaukee.” Germany will celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation A special exhibition will be opened this year in preparation - not in Luther's Wittenberg This article is part of the People’s World 100th Anniversary Series For the anniversary of the defeat of Hitler and the fall of fascism in Europe we present highlights from those historic days as they were covered in the pages of the Daily Worker and Soviet troops at the Elbe River in late April 1945 to the celebrations of victory after the fall of Berlin the Daily Worker provided readers in the United States all the most important news of the day from a working class point of view you will also see in these selections mourning for the lives lost and hopes for a better world to come through international cooperation But there was also concern that the unity which had beaten fascism was under threat—from anti-communism and from big business industrialists everywhere who had supported the aims of the fascists The Cold War was already approaching before the guns had even fallen silent Germany—Down the street of Torgau came a Russian youth wearing blue shorts and a gray cap with a red hammer and sickle on it He was dripping wet because he had swum the Elbe River to greet us It was my first glimpse of the Soviet Army I had just flown in a Piper Club plane into this historic town where the official juncture of the Americans and Soviets took place and then saw the young Russian running up the street an American patrol had penetrated to Torgau The Elbe River is swarming with Soviet soldiers The Germans blew up all the bridges across the Elbe but there is a small fleet of shaky boats and canoes I decided to cross the river in one of them and visit the Russians they rushed down the river bank through the tall They helped us drag the canoe up on the bank and then they all stood rigidly at attention for a moment stepped forward to make a formal speech on behalf of the Soviets German soldiers were nearly in Stalingrad,” he said Soviet soldiers are in Berlin and Soviet soldiers are here—all the way across Germany—with the American Allies.” who gambled the destiny of Italy on fascism and his body is now displayed in a Milan public square… Put to death with Mussolini on Saturday were 45 of his Fascist henchmen—big shots and small—who had been captured while trying to flee Northern Italy… one of the thousands who gathered near the Palazzo Venezia where Mussolini used to strut said that “it was about time because he was already a corpse and stinking too much.” A shopkeeper said “he deserved what he got,” and a housewife was “sure that the north would not let him escape.” MOSCOW—Premier Joseph Stalin announced in a May Day order yesterday that the main part of Berlin had been liberated and that Red Army troops hoisted the red flag over the historic Reichstag in the city’s heart Asserting that Germany now stands alone in the world “except for Japan,” and that the war is nearly ended Stalin announced that in the last four months of battles the Red Army has killed nearly one million Germans Mowing down “death battalions” of…fanatic SS elite guard remnants Soviet troops overran the Reichstag and took the Interior Ministry and main post office in Potsdamer Platz Soviet commanders have promised to hold a victory parade today to Brandenburg Gate “will destroy fascism and the German military and will severely punish the guilty…” He said “The world war set loose by the German imperialists nears an end The fall of Hitler’s Germany is a fact of the nearest future.” according to German broadcasts from Hamburg heard in London The actual fact of his death remained unconfirmed by any Allied source that Hitler died yesterday afternoon in the Chancellory in Berlin The Partisans of North Italy had the last word with Mussolini wiping out the last remnants of resistance in the heart of Berlin It is almost certain that the report from Hamburg is connected in one form or another with the negotiations for unconditional surrender said to be in progress there was orderliness everywhere in Harlem “The world has learned a new lesson through this war It is that the master race theory has been properly shattered The American people have learned the value of the Negro on the battlefield and at home Let us hope they will profit from that lesson.” executive director of the Urban League of Greater New York The United Nations conference at San Francisco takes on new significance and the people of the world will demand the perfecting of machinery to maintain peace and security for all peoples.” formerly of the 92nd Division and now of the N.Y a direct descendant of the great Negro tragedian and first Negro to play Shakespeare in the United States It is hoped that the Negro soldier will have a chance to show what he can do I hope that its provisions will be better carried out than were those of the old League of Nations we ought to have something quite worthwhile.” Millions—many millions—did not live to share this hour of triumph Their skeletons clumsily piled in shallow ditches The children once hugged fuzzy teddy bears and they might have been ourselves; we were spared their fate But we must never forget the monstrous crippling and unutterable indecency which was the system of life under German fascism Pity is not needed; we can spare the dead the last indignity of pity the fierce hatred that we must all feel for the Nazi butchers in this moment of rejoicing over the collapse of Nazi Germany is a realistic understanding of the enemy that we have beaten to its knees We need the kind of understanding that time will never erase is that there can be no compromise between humanity and fascist barbarism The Hitlerites will not now be able to cripple men’s bodies but they will not give up striving to poison men’s minds They are plotting to undo our victory at the very moment we celebrate it To the burned and tortured victims of Nazism we owe the same debt we owe to the children cheering in the streets today And that is the grim resolve to make this a permanent triumph To those who try to divide the victorious nations This is a day for rejoicing—and for consecration The military phase of the war in Europe is over and for the tempering of our joy with the thought of those who cannot share it with us: those from our own country and from other lands who fell in the first battle of this war against fascism and who lie buried under the earth and the olive trees of Spain the men and women who died in the horrible torture of concentration camps and up-to-date German factories of death and France who will never see what they have brought to pass our own men and the greatest soldier of them all the Commander-in-Chief lying amidst the roses at Hyde Park [President Franklin D It is a day for remembering the dead and for resolving that we will not fritter away the unity needed to complete their work but the magnitude of the deed already accomplished gives us strength Let us not minimize either the victory or the tasks ahead and the power of Nazi Germany was no freak of history It was built on the all too real substance of German imperialism If there were gangsters to fill the ranks of the Nazi movement there were respectable bankers and generals who willed the gangsterism Germany was the calculating inhuman heart of world reaction the malignant center of international fascism there were powerful men in industry and politics who looked to Berlin for guidance and supported Nazi Germany in the hope that it would destroy the Soviet Union Even when Hitler…started the war in the West It took two long years before the coalition of the Big Three [U.S. it was this coalition which blotted out the black expanse of Nazism on the map of Europe It was a victory of a great socialist state and two powerful capitalist nations… This is the epic lesson of the war against Nazism Victory in the war against Japan will require continued cooperation by the Big Three It will require releasing the strength of China constrained by the Kuomintang dictatorship and cooperation with the powerful armies led by the Chinese Communists… The victory over Hitlerism will be secure for many decades only if we defeat the schemes of German imperialism to divide the Allies Hitler did not fight only with military weapons Hitler’s secret weapon was fired from typewriters and microphones throughout the world it was the anti-Bolshevik bogey—which remains a menace to peace It was not only the unity of nations across vast oceans which won this war It was also the unity of the people in each country the unity of our own people despite all the intrigues of those who never supported this war and who would rob us now of the fruits of peace Unity is needed to protect the peace against those who mutter pious platitudes about international cooperation while dynamiting the economic foundations of the peace The economic “America First” crowd are the enemies of America To those who will come back on the transports and to those who will not return we owe a responsibility not easily discharged… Vietnam, beacon of peace and freedom, marks 50 years of reunification Amidst capitalist crisis and war, Russian Communists struggle against Putin and... Fascists eventually come for everyone, they don’t stop with rights activists ‘Sinners’ review: Horror, history, and Black American folklore combine for trailblazing cinema  Amidst capitalist crisis and war, Russian Communists struggle against Putin and the oligarchs U.S. imperialism’s new Cold War against China fosters anti-Asian racism at home Chickens coming home to roost: Remember what Malcolm said Big changes in the Catholic liturgy Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker © 2016 MORE: Staff photos | Reader photos MORE: Local video | National news | Sports Current information about Germany’s foreign policy and foreign relations Berlin (d.de) – The first National Ocean Conference is starting tomorrow in Berlin and representatives of businesses and associations from around the world are coming together to discuss global protection and a sustainable use of oceans overfishing and pollution of the seas are among the key challenges that are to be discussed at the conference A particular focus will be on the role of international treaties and multi-lateral agreements that are essential components of global ocean protection Germany's contributions to the UN Ocean Conference that is taking place in Nice in June 2025 are also part of the agenda As an active member of a number of international partnerships Germany promotes the development of global ocean protection solutions Berlin/Washington (d.de) – The Federal Foreign Office in Berlin has announced that the governments of the USA and the Federal Republic of Germany have set further milestones in their Holocaust dialogue The two governments established the dialogue at the ministerial level in 2021 aiming to combat Holocaust denial and misinformation as forms of anti-Semitism that undermine societal cohesion The goal of the dialogue is to find innovative ways to promote awareness raising concerning the Holocaust Planning provides for knowledge about the Holocaust to be made more readily available in future and for such information to be based on historic facts courses about the Holocaust are now a fixed annual component of the Program on Applied Security Studies Marshall European Center for Security Studies the German Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe Foundation and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum are all taking part in the dialogue Kalkar (dpa) - Executive Defence Minister Boris Pistorius wants to ramp up defence against cyber attacks to weaken and thus of course to destabilise our democracy” said Pistorius during a visit to the international “Locked Shields” Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Kalkar The German army’s cyber defence team is participating in the exercise with 36 other nations, including countries from the Indo-Pacific. The current exercise is described as the world’s largest and most complex multinational exercise conducted by NATO Real-time attacks are simulated and have to be thwarted Police and security agencies from Germany are also involved The experience gained from Locked Shields could in future also bolster the German National Cyber Defence Centre Berlin (d.de) – Tamar Kinzurashvili from Georgia received the 2025 Freedom of Speech Award of Deutsche Welle (DW) the Federal Republic of Germany's foreign broadcasting service The human rights activist had been resolutely fighting disinformation despite rising pressure When Georgia announced its independence in 1991 it was clear for Tamar Kinzurashvili that she would get actively involved in promoting democracy Kinzurashvili used to work as a journalist She is now the managing director of a non-governmental foundation for media development in the capital city of Tbilisi which advocates for human rights and freedoms she holds workshops on fact checking and to counteract hate speech She reports that her work is getting increasingly difficult as the situation in Georgia is becoming more and more repressive The DW honours the 55-year-old's dedication by presenting this year's Freedom of Speech Award to her Aiming to raise awareness of the reduced press freedom and precarious human rights situation in many parts of the world the DW has been awarding the prize to journalists and human rights activists since 2015 Berlin (dpa) – Acting Defence Minister Boris Pistorius believes that US President Donald Trump's proposal for Ukraine to give up large portions of land to Russia is going to far “Ukraine could have got a year ago what was included in that proposal it is akin to a capitulation,” Pistorius said in a TV interview Pistorius assured Ukraine that Germany would be providing further miliary aid also in the event of such aids being suspended by the USA if Putin wins this war by occupying Ukraine or even just large shares thereof it will pose a maximum threat to NATO territory as well as to countries such as Moldova or Georgia,” Pistorius stated He added that everybody had to realise that “it's not just about solidarity with Ukraine but also about our security and peace in Europe” Torgau (dpa) – The town of Torgau in northern Saxony will mark the historic meeting of American and Soviet troops at the end of the Second World War this Friday Saxony’s state premier Michael Kretschmer will be among those speaking at the commemorative event Torgau commemorates the so-called Elbe Day when US and Soviet soldiers met on the destroyed Elbe bridge The photograph of the “Torgau handshake” became a global symbol of the end of the Second World War and the liberation from Nazi tyranny Russian Ambassador Sergey Nechayev has also announced his intention to attend the ceremony In the light of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine his presence has met with little enthusiasm Torgau’s Lord Mayor Henrik Simon stated that Nechayev would not be given a speaking slot France and the United Kingdom have “strongly urged” Israel to “immediately resume the rapid and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.” In a joint statement the three countries said: “For more than fifty days now Israel has been completely blocking access for humanitarian aid to Gaza (…) The Palestinian civilian population – including one million children – is directly threatened by hunger This must stop.” They also condemned the Israeli attacks: “We once again express our outrage at the recent attacks by Israeli forces on humanitarian personnel facilities and healthcare services.” At the same time they called on Hamas to release all hostages without delay are meeting today for talks at advisory level in London An originally planned meeting of foreign ministers has been postponed British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said ahead of the meeting that the UK was working with the US Ukraine and Europe to achieve peace and put an end to Russian President Vladimir Putin's illegal invasion Germany will be represented in London by Jens Plötner Foreign and Security Policy Advisor to the Federal Chancellor Political Director at the Federal Foreign Office the president of the Federation of German Industries (BDI) has warned against a tariff conflict with the USA and appealed for dialogue on an equal footing He said that the US was dependent on Europe in certain economic sectors for example: “Around 70 percent of the precision components produced in America are manufactured using German or European machines,” Leibinger said in an interview “There are essentially no American tool machine manufacturers any longer,” he added He said that the USA was also dependent on Europe for process sensors “that are needed for every refinery every pharmaceuticals company - this is done by just a handful of firms from Germany” Leibinger said that Europe needs on the one hand to make offers while the EU must at the same time understand and if necessary utilise its “negotiating tools” “America is dependent on Europe in many areas and will remain so,” said the BDI president We use YouTube to embed content that may collect data about your activity Please review the details and accept the service to see this content Nörvenich (dpa) - For the first time since 2012, the German Luftwaffe - the country’s air force - is taking part in an exercise involving fighter jets in the United Arab Emirates Tornado jets took off from Nörvenich air base to join the Desert Flag 2025 manoeuvre in the Arabian Peninsula Germany’s aim is to strengthen its relations with the nations of the Arabian Peninsula The Luftwaffe initially dispatched eight Tornado jets to take part in the exercise Together with the air forces of other nations low-altitude flights and cooperation with Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC) will be practised JTACs are soldiers who are stationed on the ground and direct combat aircraft to their targets India and Turkey are also taking part in Desert Flag 2025 Berlin/London (dpa) – Two years after the start of the bloody civil war in Sudan the Federal Government has pledged further aid for the African country where millions of people are on the run and suffering from hunger Germany is providing an additional 125 million euros in humanitarian aid to enable international and local organisations to deliver urgently needed food and medicine to those in need acting Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said in Berlin.  Baerbock is attending a Sudan conference in London today is to work with African partners to identify ways to ensure full humanitarian access Berlin/Arandis (d.de) - In future, climate-friendly green iron will be made in Namibia using renewably produced hydrogen Thanks to the Oshivela project (also known by the name HyIron) the first industrial carbon-free production plant on the African continent has gone into operation The German Economics Ministry provided around 13 million euros in funding to support the project The technology used at Oshivela can produce direct reduced iron - this means that iron ore is turned into iron without the need for carbon-intensive melting in a blast furnace The plant will produce around 15,000 tonnes of green iron per year and is therefore expected to save more than 20,000 tonnes of carbon emissions There are already plans to expand the plant Berlin (dpa) – Defence Minister Boris Pistorius is speeding up the introduction of a new military service model in Germany not least in connection with the expansion of European defence capabilities “We’ve been working on the relevant foundations on an ongoing basis in recent months so the next steps can follow immediately after the next government is formed,” said the minister in Berlin The first step will involve the resumption of conscription registration and monitoring “As soon as the legislative process is finalised we will be able to take on and train the first conscripts,” said Pistorius The CDU/CSU and SPD are looking to introduce a new military service model, initially based on voluntary service. “It is our assumption that with an attractive model of military service we will be able to attract a sufficient number of volunteers a decision will have to be made to call up young men on a compulsory basis," said Pistorius Compulsory military service was suspended in Germany in July 2011 after 55 years Berlin (dpa) - Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has said that the threat to peace in Europe is more dramatic than it has been for decades “The challenges we are all facing in Germany and Europe are unprecedented,” Pistorius said ahead of a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing at NATO’s headquarters in Brussels wants to use today’s meeting to push forward its plans to support Ukraine who looks set to remain in his post as defence minister in Germany’s new government had commissioned the Bundeswehr’s Joint Forces Operations Command (OFK) in Berlin he said that Germany needed to do more for security in Europe and that it would tackle this together with its European partners and NATO allies Cairo (d.de) - The German state of Saxony is expanding its cooperation with Egypt in the field of education: the Saxony Egypt University will be officially inaugurated today in Cairo who will be in Cairo with a Saxon delegation said that relations between Saxony and Egypt were of great importance for the economic development of Saxony and for scientific exchange teaching at the new university will be based on German curricula and provided by German experts which will initially be offered in vehicle technology Berlin/Cairo (d.de) – Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office Katja Keul is travelling to Cairo today for a ministerial meeting under the Khartoum Process a migration dialogue forum between the EU and the African Union (AU) It will involve 39 member states discussing migration routes in eastern and northern Africa Egypt is endeavouring to adopt a final document (“Cairo Declaration”) with an associated action plan The focus is on strengthening safe and regular migration safeguarding human rights and protecting refugees Keul will visit a UNHCR registration centre for refugees as well as the Goethe Institute and the German Archaeological Institute – both flagships of German foreign cultural and educational policy Bilateral talks are also planned with Sudan and Egypt Berlin (dpa) - To mark World Health Day on 7 April the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that the global maternal mortality ratio has plunged by 40 percent within less than 25 years it warned of the impact that cuts to humanitarian aid would have on poorer countries German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach had previously announced that his country would be providing WHO with an additional two million euros Germany is one of the biggest donors among the member states in terms of both its assessed and voluntary contributions to WHO This additional funding for WHO on top of the contributions already made by Germany amounts to 317 million US dollars for 2024/2025 “The World Health Organization is indispensable - for worldwide health monitoring disease control and equitable access to health care,” said Lauterbach Brussels (dpa) - Against the backdrop of the USA’s insistence on significantly higher defence spending Germany has emphasised Europe’s increased efforts for the transatlantic alliance there has not been such European solidarity in this form for Ukraine in recent years,” said Germany’s acting Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during talks between NATO foreign ministers and her US counterpart Marco Rubio in Brussels Baerbock said that further pledges on the part of Germany and many other countries meant that defence spending was on a trajectory to exceed three percent of the gross domestic product of all Europeans She described the increased investments by Europeans as “also investments in joint transatlantic security” .  Berlin (d.de) – “A safe future starts here”: this is the motto of this year’s International Mine Awareness Day, which is being marked today. “Together with the states concerned, we must ensure that mines and unexploded ordnance are cleared as quickly as possible and that survivors receive immediate support Coordinated cooperation between all stakeholders is essential for this,” says Luise Amtsberg Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid more than 100 million people worldwide are live under threat of land mines explosive remnants of war such as unexploded ordnance and booby traps block vital humanitarian aid and have long-term social and economic consequences Germany has supported humanitarian mine and ordnance clearance worldwide by providing 70 million euros per year in recent years Berlin (dpa) – The acting Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck fears the tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump will have devastating consequences “The US tariff mania can set off a spiral that has the potential to drag countries into recession and cause massive damage worldwide,” said the minister not confrontation.” Habeck said he welcomed the fact that the EU Commission would continue to aim for a negotiated solution with the USA If the USA did not want a negotiated solution Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel also believes that global economic stability is at risk saying that tariffs would put the global economy “on the wrong track” Trump’s criticism of allegedly “unfair” trade relations is mainly based on bilateral trade deficits According to economists such as Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman this is misleading: the deficits do not pose an economic problem demonstrating above all that foreign capital is keen to invest in the USA Baku (dpa) - German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is concluding his trip to the South Caucasus with a one-day visit to Azerbaijan He is meeting with President Ilham Aliyev in the capital Baku The most important point of discussion is likely to be the peace process that has been initiated between the ex-Soviet republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia which have been locked in conflict for decades Both countries recently agreed to the draft version of a peace treaty Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan had assured the German president that his country was working hard to get the treaty signed He said that any remaining difficulties could be overcome Steinmeier wants to learn in Baku whether the Azerbaijani side takes the same view Baku has said that it will only sign the treaty if Yerevan first amends its constitution there is a reference to the conflict region of Nagorno-Karabakh which Azerbaijan took control of in 2023.  Kyiv (dpa) - Germany’s acting Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (photo left) has warned the USA not to fall for Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin’s tactics in the negotiations with Russia on a ceasefire in Ukraine does not want peace and is continuing his illegal war of aggression,” the minister said at the start of her farewell visit to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv Germany is making another 130 million euros available to Ukraine for humanitarian aid and stabilisation measures in view of the continuing Russian attacks Ukraine is ready for an immediate ceasefire she said: “He feigns a willingness to negotiate but is not deviating an inch from his goals We must not allow ourselves to be blinded by Putin and his cronies a suggestion of peace does not yet constitute peace.” She said that it would be made clear to the US side at the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels on Thursday “that we are not willing to engage with Putin’s stalling tactics.” Yerevan (dpa) - German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has begun a two-day visit to Armenia he was welcomed by President Vahagn Khachaturyan with military honours to the capital Yerevan (photo) Steinmeier is the first German president ever to pay an official visit to this South Caucasian country Khachaturyan therefore spoke of a “historic day” A meeting is also planned with Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.  Steinmeier hopes that his visit will encourage Armenia’s political leadership to continue along its path towards rapprochement with Europe The parliament recently adopted a law to initiate the country’s accession process to the European Union This is a controversial issue domestically Another topic to be discussed is the peace treaty negotiated between Armenia and Azerbaijan it has not been signed because certain prerequisites set by Azerbaijan have not been met Steinmeier will visit Azerbaijan on Wednesday He intends to appeal to the two ex-Soviet republics in the southern Caucasus which have been locked in conflict for years Berlin (dpa) - Germany’s acting Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is opposed to the lifting of sanctions against Russia until a peaceful regulation has been agreed for Ukraine “Those who pressure Ukraine to surrender are not negotiating peace but paving the way for the next escalation,” the minister said at a meeting with her Estonian counterpart Margus Tsahkna in Berlin (photo) peace through European unity and determination.” She described the EU Commission’s proposals for a European defence industry as an important signal in this context “A European defence union is not a question of if but of when,” according to Baerbock Tsahkna warned that no deals or agreements could be made without Kyiv during the talks between the USA and Russia on a peaceful solution in Ukraine Estonia’s foreign minister awarded Baerbock the Estonian Order of Merit for her role in helping to preserve European values support Ukraine and strengthen regional security Paris (dpa) - French President Emmanuel Macron already met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday evening, ahead of the “Coalition of the Willing” summit. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will also be at Thursday’s summit meeting of countries supporting Ukraine hosted by Macron Representatives of around 30 countries are expected to attend Ukraine’s supporters have already been working some time on a concept for security guarantees in the event of a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia The concept is to be finalised in Paris on Thursday.  Berlin (dpa) – The acting Federal Minister of the Interior has travelled to Jordan to talk to government representatives about refugees She is accompanied by her Austrian counterpart Gerhard Karner (photo) Meetings with Interior Minister Masen al-Faraja and Foreign Minister Aiman Safadi are scheduled for the afternoon in the capital Amman During the civil war in Syria from 2011 onwards, Jordan took in around 1.3 million refugees from its neighbouring country according to government estimates At a donor conference in Brussels last week Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Development Minister Svenja Schulze promised 300 million euros in additional funding not least to support Syrian refugees and host communities in Jordan The European Patent Office has presented the latest figures for patent filings in 2024 researchers from Germany filed a good 25,000 patent applications last year - 0.4 percent up on the previous year With just shy of 48,000 patent applications the United States remained firmly in first place 20,000) followed in third and fourth place respectively Computer technology was the world’s leading technical field Germany filed nearly 4,500 patent applications in 2024 a marked 6.6 percent increase on the previous year When the figures are broken down according to individual companies Most patents were filed by Samsung from South Korea Siemens and BASF from Germany came in sixth and seventh place respectively Berlin (dpa) – The Federal Foreign Office is calling for a fair trial under the rule of law for Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu after he was remanded in custody A spokesman for the ministry spoke of a serious setback for democracy in Turkey “We expect the allegations to be clarified transparently as quickly as possible and proceedings to be based on the principles of the rule of law,” said the spokesperson.  The mayor of Istanbul was arrested on Wednesday The CHP politician is seen as a promising rival to the ruling President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a future election 1.6 million of the 1.7 million CHP members voted in favour of Imamoglu as presidential candidate in an internal party vote tens of thousands of people have been taking to the streets in Turkey to mark the arrest – despite bans on protests Hundreds of people were arrested during the demonstrations Berlin (d.de) – The State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Climate Action have signed a joint declaration of intent on a bilateral German-Thai energy dialogue in Berlin The aim is to “create a platform for even closer cooperation in the area of energy and climate policy between our countries German and Thai companies in the renewable energy sector in particular will benefit from this close collaboration,” said Philipp adding that the focus was on the decarbonisation of energy systems and industry improved business opportunities for companies in the two countries There are plans to organise joint projects Bilateral climate and energy dialogue is a key instrument of Germany's foreign energy policy Implementation is being supported by Germany’s development agency Damascus (dpa) – A good three months after long-term Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad was ousted Germany once again has an embassy in Syria Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock opened the diplomatic mission which had been closed in 2012 following the start of the civil war German diplomats can now contribute to stabilising and rebuilding the severely damaged country on the ground Because not all safety measures are yet in place work is also being conducted from elsewhere Berlin (dpa) – Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is set to assume the presidency of the UN General Assembly for one year during the 2025/26 session in New York this September The Federal Government intends to nominate the current minister as a candidate Baerbock plans to present her work programme in New York in May Election by the UN General Assembly in early June is considered a formality It was stated that Baerbock would resign from her Bundestag mandate on taking up the new position The role of the president is primarily ceremonial.  Berlin (d.de) – Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is travelling to Lebanon for talks she stated: “Two months after the agreement on the release of hostages and a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas the resumption of heavy Israeli fighting in Gaza is shattering the tangible hope of so many Israelis and Palestinians – the hope that suffering on all sides may finally come to an end.” This is Baerbock’s fifth visit to Lebanon.  Brussels (dpa/d.de) - The international community has pledged another 5.8 billion euros to alleviate the consequences of the civil war in Syria The billions’ worth of aid is the outcome of a conference on Syria held in Brussels a substantial share of the total sum was pledged by Germany Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (photo) and Development Minister Svenja Schulze announced that 300 million euros would be made available to support people in Syria and Syrian refugees in neighbouring states “Syria now has a historic opportunity to set the course for peaceful and stable development it would be wrong not to do everything we can to support Syria in embarking on such a development path,” Schulze said The Brussels conference on Syria is the fourth high-level political conference to support Syria following the ousting of the Assad regime and also the ninth annual European Union donor conference on the Syrian crisis the initiative Bring Kids Back UA has so far been able to bring home 1,236 Ukrainian children who had been deported to Russia the names are known of at least 20,000 children and young people who have been abducted by Russia from Russian occupied territories since the war of aggression against Ukraine began Aid organisations estimate that the actual figure is at least ten times as high Germany is one of the supporters of the Ukrainian initiative To mark the 2nd anniversary of the issuing by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague of international warrants for the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin and of the Russian Commissioner for Children’s Right Maria Lvova-Belova for the deportation of the children Bring Kids Back UA is reminding the public of these ongoing violations of international law The children that have been returned to Ukraine are at home with their relatives while orphans are living with foster families Charlevoix (dpa) - Despite the conflict with the US over its stance on Russia Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is pinning her hopes on a united West the G7 group of economically strong democracies was “a central discussion group that adapts time and again to the geopolitical challenges and geopolitical times,” she said at the meeting of G7 foreign ministers in the Canadian town of Charlevoix. Ever since the Russian President Vladimir Putin attacked Ukraine three years ago the G7 group has also been a central forum for ensuring European peace “This is more important than ever in these days.” In addition to Germany Charlevoix (dpa/d.de) – The foreign ministers of the G7 countries are meeting in Canada for the first time since Donald Trump took office eastern Canada – in the 50th year of the G7’s existence – the meeting is centred on the question of whether US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is the group’s friend or rival There is some doubt as to whether a joint final memorandum will be issued Germany will be represented by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock “This close dialogue is not only important the G7 have been our working engine in managing the crisis – strong and reliable,” said the Minister ahead of the meeting The fact that Putin had not achieved his war aims in Ukraine was not least due to the united support of the G7 this will probably be Baerbock’s last official trip to an international meeting as Foreign Minister the parliamentary state secretary at Germany’s Development Ministry has travelled to Syria and Lebanon to hold political talks The focus of his trip is on Syria’s transition process and recovery and on the reform agenda of and challenges faced by crisis-torn Lebanon the Syrian Foreign Minister al-Shaibani and the chair of the newly established investigation committee al-Dubais al-Anzi to address the recent acts of violence Massacres in Syrian coastal cities have claimed many civilian lives “The Syrian people want peace and stability I discussed how Germany can support Syria on this path,” Annen said who won a confidence vote in parliament on 26 February “Lebanon now needs a government that will tackle long-postponed reforms,” stated Annen the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women began yesterday and will continue until 21 March Delegations from the 45 member states and representatives of other UN states and NGOs are expected to attend the parliamentary state secretary at Germany’s Federal Ministry for Family Affairs is representing German Women’s Minister Lisa Paus anyone who fights for gender equality is facing tough headwind This makes it all the more important for us to reflect on our shared moral compass and keep on track,” said Deligöz To mark the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action a review is being conducted of progress achieved so far and new goals are being set the international community demanded equal power for women Berlin (dpa) – The Federal Foreign Office has condemned the outbreak of violence in Syria between supporters of the ousted long-term ruler Bashar al-Assad and the new rulers “Reports of the murder of civilians and prisoners are shocking,” it said in statement in Berlin “The transitional government has a responsibility to prevent further attacks investigate the incidents and bring those responsible to justice We urge all sides to put an end to the violence.”The ministry said that the future of the country had be in the hands of all Syrians The EU also declared its condemnation of any violence against civilians more than 1,000 people have so far fallen victim to the outbreak of violence Security forces of the Islamist transitional government are said to have carried out outright “massacres” of members of the Alawite religious minority to which former President al-Assad also belongs Kourou (dpa) – Europe’s new Ariane 6 launcher has been successfully blasted into space on its debut commercial flight The rocket lifted off from the European space centre in Kourou in French Guiana the boosters perfectly fulfilled their mission and the transported satellite was placed precisely at the intended site Ariane 6 was carrying a satellite of the French Air Force on board.  A good dozen countries were involved in the construction of Ariane 6 while the upper stage tanks and parts of the engine were made in Augsburg and Ottobrunn respectively The Vinci engine was tested in Lampoldshausen in Baden-Württemberg Germany is the most important financial backer among the ESA countries having covered some 20 percent of the approximately four billion euros which the rocket cost Brussels/Paris (dpa) – EU heads of state and government are to gather for a special summit in Brussels today to discuss their response to the rift between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy The EU special summit will focus on increasing defence spending in order to further support Ukraine and significantly improve European defence.  Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz is travelling to the summit to represent Germany The likely future chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Brussels on Wednesday evening where he met with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas Merz and Scholz previously agreed on joint positions at a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday Berlin (dpa) – Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has denounced the massive restrictions imposed on women’s rights by the Islamist Taliban in Afghanistan “The Taliban are literally building a social prison for 50 per cent of the Afghan population just because they are women,” said Baerbock in Berlin at a conference on violations of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in Afghanistan said the Foreign Minister: “Your actions are not without consequences and will not remain without consequences.” The Taliban took power again in Afghanistan in 2021 and have massively restricted the rights of women and girls ever since Germany continues to support the Afghan population with humanitarian aid through international bodies and non-governmental organisations “The principle we adhere to here is that women and girls must benefit from this humanitarian aid," said Baerbock The Federal Foreign Office invited representatives of Afghan civil society and international organisations to the conference Asunción (dpa) - Paraguay wants to cooperate more closely with Germany - especially in the economic sector At a joint press conference with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Asunción (photo) President Santiago Peña said that his country was ready for investments “It is our great wish that Germany should rediscover Paraguay.”  saying that it was an important partner for Germany in South America and that the two countries shared the same values and interests and engaged in considerable trade together “I am happy about the stable connections we have together at a time of considerable global upheavals.”  Steinmeier also believes that Paraguay guarantees good fundamental conditions that could arouse the interest of German companies The German president is continuing his tour of South America today with a visit to Chile Talks with Chilean President Gabriel Boric are scheduled for Wednesday Montevideo (dpa/d.de) - Germany and Uruguay are jointly campaigning for the rapid ratification of the free trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur states indeed we need this Mercosur free trade agreement,” German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said at a press conference with new Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi in Montevideo (photo).  the EU Commission and the South American Mercosur bloc (Brazil Uruguay and Paraguay) had brought negotiations on a huge free trade zone to a successful conclusion in Montevideo after more than 20 years Orsi also voiced support for the agreement to be implemented quickly there is opposition in countries such as France Steinmeier is continuing his tour of South America on Monday with a visit to Paraguay Chile will be the German president’s third port of call Berlin/Rome (d.de) – The countries participating in the UN Biodiversity Conference COP16 have agreed on how to fund plans to protect global biodiversity The 150 countries had met in Rome as an “extension” of the COP16 that took place in Cali last year German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke said: “I am delighted that we were able to bring the world nature conference to a successful conclusion that’s a big win for nature and thus for us all We have achieved a lot in Rome for the protection of global biodiversity.” In principle the states had already agreed to place at least 30 percent of the world’s land and marine areas under protection by 2023 The participating industrialised countries are to make 20 billion dollars available each year to protect biodiversity This figure is to rise to 30 billion in 2030 The process for achieving this has now been agreed.  Paris (dpa) - German election winner Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron have met for talks at the Elysée Palace in Paris both expressed their desire to begin a new chapter in Franco-German relations according to a CDU/CSU alliance statement in the evening It was the first trip abroad for the CDU chairman following the party’s victory in the Bundestag election last Sunday No further details of the meeting were initially disclosed The statement merely confirmed that the talks took place in an extremely cordial atmosphere and that there was very considerable agreement on the topics discussed and numerous opportunities for joint initiatives Merz wrote in both German and French on X: “Thank you very much for your friendship and your trust in Franco-German relations Together our countries can achieve great things for Europe.” Rome (dpa/d.de) - The world’s biggest nature conservation conference is going into extra time in Rome from today: four months after the talks failed in Colombia representatives of nearly 200 countries are reconvening at a summit that will continue until Thursday evening the 16th UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16) had failed to reach any agreement There was disagreement over the funding and implementation of previous agreements in particular.  The USA is one of the few UN member states not to be represented at the meeting Germany is one of the main donors to international biodiversity funding and could assume a mediatory role The German delegation in Rome is headed by Jan-Niclas Gesenhues parliamentary state secretary at the Federal Environment Ministry He does not see any need for a new fund: “We have enough international funds and instruments I believe that always just engaging in new structural debates won’t get us any further,” Gesenhues said adding that it was more important to ensure that the funds that have been pledged were actually made available.  Johannesburg (dpa) – At the G20 meeting in Johannesburg in South Africa Minister of State in Germany's Foreign Ministry called for international dialogue to be enhanced "In this extremely tense international situation we must continue to cooperate with our partners to find solutions," Keul said South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa had lamented the lack of consensus in the group of major economies (G20) in view of geopolitical tensions During the opening event of the G20 meeting of foreign ministers he said that there was a lack of unity concerning the response to globally relevant issues Ramaphosa continued by saying that the "already fragile global coexistence" was threatened by growing intolerance Johannesburg (dpa) – The foreign ministers of the group of 20 leading economies (G20) are meeting in Johannesburg in South Africa Alongside the Middle East conflict and Ukraine war topics such as the reform of global institutions and climate change adaptation will be discussed at the two-day meeting minister of state at the Federal Foreign Office The European Union and the African Union are also members - the latter since 2023 The group thus represents roughly 80 percent of the world’s population and more than 85 percent of the world’s economic power Minister of State Keul said that Germany supported the South African presidency and its ambitious agenda - especially at a time when wars and conflicts in the world were causing great suffering and destruction Brussels (dpa/d.de) - The EU states have agreed to impose further sanctions on Russia in response to the continuing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine announced the Polish EU Council Presidency 24 February marks the third anniversary of the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.  the sanctions include stripping eight Russian media companies of their licences to broadcast in the EU and a far-reaching ban on imports of Russian aluminium the sanctions will be tightened against Russia’s “shadow fleet” which is used among other things for Russian oil exports German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock had already announced in January that sanctions on the “shadow fleet” would be tightened further: “With his contemptible use of a fleet of rusty tankers Putin is (…) avoiding sanctions.” Around 150 ships are now blacklisted; their captains and owners are no longer permitted to enter the EU and any assets they have in the EU will be frozen Brussels (dpa) - If the German government has its way Spain and Belgium will for the foreseeable future not be able to take advantage of possible exemptions to EU debt rules in order to spend more on defence German Finance Minister Jörg Kukies (photo) and Chancellor Olaf Scholz stressed that in Germany’s view only states that spend at least two percent of their economic output on defence should have the right to such exemptions Belgium and Luxembourg have been nowhere near achieving this At a meeting of finance ministers in Brussels Kukies argued that Germany and other EU countries have defence expenditure rates of two percent and more even without special exemptions He said that this was why changes to the rules on debt could only be accepted if they applied to new commitments.  EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had announced that she intended to make higher defence spending possible by activating the escape clause of the European debt rules Munich (d.d) - Germany’s Development Minister Svenja Schulze has commenced an international initiative to reinforce the UN development system Schulze invited partners from around the world to a meeting which was designed to send a clear message of support for the United Nations development system In the face of ongoing crises and global challenges more international collaboration was needed along with a common set of rules which all would abide by France and Colombia all affirmed their agreement the Development Ministry has coordinated the “Joint Declaration of Intent by the coalition for an impactful United Nations Development System to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals” international solidarity and the Agenda 2030 goals Munich (dpa) - Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has reacted to US President Donald Trump’s announcement of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the Ukraine war “A sham peace - over the heads of Ukrainians and Europeans - would gain nothing” “A sham peace would not bring lasting security neither for the people in Ukraine nor for us in Europe or the United States,” she added.  The minister called for negotiations to result in “a lasting peace solution that protects the sovereignty of Ukraine and ensures that Putin’s Russia will never again endanger Europe’s peace” “sent his tanks off to Kyiv and shook our security to the core we again find ourselves now at an existential crossroads for our security in Europe.” This requires tough and long-term security guarantees for Ukraine a strong NATO and progress on Ukraine’s accession negotiations with the EU.  European Foreign Ministers have stressed their readiness to boost support for Ukraine “We share the goal to keep supporting Ukraine until a just comprehensive and lasting peace is reached,” the foreign ministers of Germany Spain and the UK said in a statement following a meeting with the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas and the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha The ministers pledged to seek peace which guarantees European and Ukrainian interests Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said she welcomed in principle the phone call between US President Trump and Russian President Putin “There can only be peace if it is shared among us all: that means with Ukraine and with Europeans,” Baerbock said Germany plans to set up over 20 German-Syrian hospital partnerships A conference in Berlin is taking place to discuss how to support the Syrian healthcare system hospital representatives and aid organisations After almost 14 years of civil war in Syria over one-third of the country’s hospitals are no longer functional and over half of medical staff have fled Around 6,000 Syrian doctors live in Germany and many have contacted the Development Ministry (BMZ) because they want to help as have other individuals and organisations Development Minister Svenja Schulze stressed the need for these partnerships: “There can be no safe homeland for all Syrians until the healthcare system is restored Berlin (dpa) - Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced EU retaliatory measures against US tariffs the European Union will respond resolutely.”As the world’s largest market with 450 million citizens “I hope we can avoid the folly of tariffs and counter-tariffs In the end trade wars harm everyone’s prosperity.” President Donald Trump has initiated tariffs worth 25% on steel and aluminium imports to the USA signed two executive orders in the White House and said that the tariffs would apply to all countries without exception The European Union had previously warned the US President against imposing the tariffs Paris (dpa) - A two-day international action summit on artificial intelligence (AI) is getting underway in Paris that is expected to be attended by numerous heads of state and government as well as by industry representatives and experts from around 100 countries The summit will discuss possible AI applications in the areas of healthcare as well as how to regulate and use the technology responsibly France’s President Emmanuel Macron will welcome EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen Vance and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi German industry association Bitkom warned against focusing too much on regulatory issues in Germany and Europe saying that this would create uncertainty for business and put the brakes on innovation.  Secretary of State in the Ministry of Economic Affairs is visiting Kyiv for talks at the invitation of the country’s Minister of Economic Affairs Yulia Svyrydenko They were joined by the French Minister for Foreign Trade The meeting aims to strengthen economic relations between Ukraine and the European Union Philipp also met members of the office of the President and Ukrainian businesspeople.  “Joining with our Ukrainian and European partners we need to look to the future and start work now on rebuilding the Ukrainian economy Private investment will be of central importance if this is to succeed The German Government is supporting this with various tools and measures,” Philipp said.  The Secretary of State said he welcomed the fact that in 2024 Ukraine had established itself as Germany’s key trading partner in the former Soviet states Berlin (dpa) - Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has rejected plans put forward by US President Donald Trump to resettle the Palestinian population “Everyone agrees that Gaza must be rebuilt as soon as possible,” the Minister said “As Europeans we stand ready to do our part along with the US and partners in the region,” Baerbock said along with the West Bank and East Jerusalem These areas will form the basis for a future state of Palestine.” During a visit by the Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu President Trump said that the USA planned to take possession of the Gaza Strip the 2 million Palestinians would in future live in other Arab states in the region.  the Latin America Conference of German Business explored opportunities for business and cooperation between Mexico and Argentina At the invitation of the Latin America Initiative of German Business (LAI) which is coordinated by the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) trade potential and strategic partnerships were discussed by expert panels “Latin America and the Caribbean are not only a sales market for German business but also a central source of critical raw materials renewable energies and innovative technologies Cooperation with the region is essential to successfully drive forward Germany’s economic transformation - be it through access to lithium and other raw materials or by funding green hydrogen projects,” said LAI Chair Ingo Kramer (photo).  Riyadh (dpa/d.de) – Frank-Walter Steinmeier has become the first Federal President of Germany to visit Saudi Arabia where he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Following the ceasefire in the Gaza conflict Steinmeier called for the release of all Israeli hostages from Hamas captivity and negotiations towards a two-state solution Steinmeier stressed the need for a political process which would result in two outcomes: “Firstly an agreement that guarantees security for Israel self-determination for the Palestinians,” he said adding that he and Mohammed bin Salman were of one mind on this point The German President believes Saudi Arabia bears greater responsibility for resolving conflicts in the Middle East “Saudi Arabia is a key actor in the region,” he said Steinmeier will continue his Middle East tour with a visit to Jordan where he will meet King Abdullah II in Amman for talks on recent developments in the region.  Berlin (d.de) - The EU has provided 645 million euros in funding for the German-Danish cooperation project Bornholm Energy Island The project is a joint initiative of the transmission system operators Energinet and 50Hertz that will connect three gigawatts of offshore wind power to the European electricity grid in the 2030s The electricity is to be routed via new network connections to Germany (2 GW) and to the Danish mainland (1.2 GW) combining power lines between Denmark and Germany with offshore wind power.  Gaza/Berlin (dpa) – The release of several hostages taken by Islamist militants in Gaza has sparked joy in Germany We are relieved and share the joy of all the hostages who returned today,” wrote Chancellor Scholz in a post on social media He also repeated his call for all hostages to be released Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote wept and hoped with the families of Gadi and Arbel in Israel Their strength has moved me deeply.”There were chaotic and dangerous scenes during the release of the two German-Israeli hostages and several Thai hostages “Tormented by Hamas until the last moment,” Baerbock said in her statement Berlin (d.de) – Following recent violence in Eastern Congo the German Federal Government has called on the Rwandan-backed M23 militia to withdraw from the areas it has seized the Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid stated: “The majority of people in the region already live under challenging humanitarian conditions.”Amtsberg described how people in the region were now facing “immeasurable” suffering Rwanda must immediately end its backing for M23 and all those involved in combat operations and return to the negotiating table,” Amtsberg said As current chair of the International Contact Group for the Great Lakes Germany was seeking to bring stability to the region Berlin (d.de) – Germany and its partners in the EU are stepping up their fight against hybrid threats This was announced by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels The ministers had discussed “enhancing Europe’s own security [since] Russia's hybrid actions are increasing in frequency and intensity,” said Kallas It was about “raising the costs for those behind these attacks.” So-called hybrid threats include cyberattacks GPS disruption and attacks on infrastructure such as the damage to cables in the Baltic Sea.  Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock had previously announced that Germany would be making concrete proposals in this context “Hybrid threats are like thousands of individual but taken as a whole they constitute a brutal attack on our democracy and our infrastructure in Europe,” warned Baerbock Brussels (dpa) – The German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has held her first telephone call with her US counterpart Marco Rubio The Federal Foreign Office quoted the minister as saying “We plan to work closely with the new US government.” According to the statement she also stressed that “Europe will take greater responsibility for its own security.”  Germany and the USA were linked by close economic ties and common interests The two countries would also collaborate in responding to common challenges and opportunities The Foreign Office said that Baerbock and Rubio had also discussed the importance of a strong NATO and Russia’s war against Ukraine Gaza and the Middle East and attitudes to China were also covered.  According to a statement from the US State Department Rubio “reaffirmed the strength and importance of the U.S.-German relationship for transatlantic peace and prosperity.”  Brussels (dpa) - EU Foreign Ministers have approved a plan to relax sanctions against Syria The scheme creates incentives for the new regime to support democracy Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stressed that “sanctions against the murderous Assad clan and his henchmen” would remain in force According to a statement from the Federal Government Germany will provide an additional €3m for the work of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Syria Baerbock used the example of a Siemens power station to illustrate the businesses which could benefit from the relaxation of sanctions punitive sanctions have made it impossible to maintain the power station with support from Germany Berlin (d.de) – 300 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa are to get access to electricity in the next five years How to make this a reality is on the agenda for the first Africa Energy Summit in Dar-es-Salaam Almost all African countries will be represented at the summit in some cases by heads of state and government the World Bank and the African Development Bank Germany’s representative at the summit is Jochen Flasbarth Secretary of State at the Development Ministry (BMZ) Flasbarth said that renewables were the best and most affordable way to give people in Africa access to reliable electricity supplies Almost 600 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa – over half the population – have no access to electricity at home The BMZ is among the most important partners helping many African states to transition to new sources of energy The BMZ only provides funding for renewables Berlin (d.de) - To mark International Day of Education Development Minister Svenja Schulze has underlined how important schools are to peace and stability She stressed that this is particularly true of countries in crisis like Syria “The choice will be made in Syria’s schools whether or not the next generation will be able to create country in which different groups If the transitional government is prepared to create a school system like this one which is free from discrimination and exclusion then Germany will support that,” Schulze said The Development Ministry is working through UN aid agencies such as UNICEF and NGOs to help restore schools and support children in Syria Berlin (d.de) – Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius is visiting key allies in Poland and France In Warsaw he will hold talks with his counterpart Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz He will then fly to Paris to meet the French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu Pistorius has already visited Lithuania where the agenda included the stationing of German troops under plans for a long-term deployment of a brigade of up to 5,000 personnel Pistorius also acknowledged Germany’s crimes during the Second World War On a visit to the Paneriai Memorial near Vilnius he commemorated the victims of the German occupation and the Holocaust Davos (dpa) – At a meeting with the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Switzerland Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked Germany for providing arms to help in Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression Ukraine valued Germany’s leadership in strengthening Ukraine’s air defences and the significant contribution it had made to protecting thousands of human lives For almost three years Ukraine has been defending itself against Russian aggression Germany is the leading supporter for Ukraine both in terms of military and humanitarian aid Berlin (d.de) - German Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir agriculture commissioner of the African Union (AU) It will strategically realign the Ministry of Agriculture’s cooperation with African countries and regions The guiding principle is that a sustainable agriculture and functioning food systems are pillars for peace and political stability “Our Africa concept is a renewed avowal that our neighbouring continent remains a focus of our attention we are providing specific measures to flesh out the Federal Government’s Policy Guidelines for Africa in the area of agriculture We aim to use our know-how to the best of our ability in order to create a sustainable and climate-adapted agriculture,” Özdemir said The concept originated in a participatory approach involving the AU business and young people from African countries and Germany Berlin (dpa) – Under a ceasefire agreement Hamas has released three hostages held for over 15 months The German Chancellor and Foreign Minister expressed their relief but also called for more more Hamas hostages have been released and reunited with their families,” Chancellor Scholz wrote on social media He stressed that there must be more progress after this first step “All hostages must be freed and more humanitarian aid must swiftly get into the Gaza Strip.” Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote that relief and sadness are side-by-side: pure relief that the hostages are back in the arms of their loved ones after 471 days But also sadness at the certainty that not all will have survived.” Baerbock said the remaining hostages and their families were particularly in her thoughts If all involved keep to the terms of the agreements the ceasefire can be more than just a moment to draw breath She stressed that the German government was doing all it could to get urgently needed help to people in Gaza Berlin/Port Sudan (d.de) - Germany’s Parliamentary Secretary of State to the Development Ministry Niels Annen is visiting Sudan The agenda focuses on issues of displacement and refugees “Millions of people are starving in Sudan and have no protection against disease international audiences pay far too little attention to the drama which is unfolding in Sudan For that reason it is vital that we draw attention to the catastrophic situation in Sudan and explore how to put the conditions in place for people to provide for themselves and look forward to a peaceful future in spite of the war,” Annen said before his visit A vicious war has been ongoing in Sudan since April 2023 between the Sudanese military and the militia of the Rapid Support Forces With more than 12 million displaced persons the conflict is the world’s greatest humanitarian crisis Annen will use his visit to Port Sudan to understand the humanitarian situation German support and international cooperation aimed at helping suffering people there He also plans to reaffirm Germany’s demands for an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian access in particular Berlin (dpa) - Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has expressed relief about the agreement on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and on the release of hostages Relief that the suffering on all sides can now end,” Baerbock said.  She explained that the agreement between Israel and Hamas would save lives and give people in Gaza “And it shows how important it is to never lose faith in diplomacy - even in the darkest hours,” added the minister Baerbock also urged compliance with the agreement “I call on all sides to respect the provisions of the agreement The hostages must be released quickly and in accordance with its terms Humanitarian assistance must be provided on a massive scale to those suffering in Gaza the military withdrawal and the return of Palestinians to their homes must be implemented.” Helsinki (dpa/d.de) - Germany and other NATO members on the Baltic have agreed a closely coordinated approach to prevent acts of sabotage against critical infrastructure A joint statement issued by the participants after the summit in Helsinki to discuss security in the Baltic said detect and counter any attempts at sabotage Any attack against our infrastructure will be met with a robust and determined response.” The statement also welcomed NATO’s creation of the “Baltic Sentry” vigilance activity to deter hostile activities in the Baltic Commander Task Force-Baltic in Rostock has also been activated and coordinates Allied ships in the Baltic Sea “We held a wide range of meetings and proposed to continue the discussions within the European Union and NATO,” said Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz after the summit.The spotlight is on cargo vessels belonging to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” which are used as a means of circumventing sanctions Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) Robert Petit The IIIM was set up by the United Nations in 2016 as a mechanism to collect evidence of brutal crimes in Syria in order to document it and make it available for court proceedings the German criminal justice system has been able to punish serious human rights abuses by the Assad regime in Germany under the principle of universal justice The Foreign Office is providing 1 million euros of its funds as a short-term boost to the work of the IIIM Kyiv (dpa) - German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has arrived in Kyiv for talks with the Ukrainian government to discuss further military support for the country’s defensive struggle against Russia He also described his trip as a “signal that Germany Together with its four European partners Poland Germany intends to undertake greater efforts to strengthen the Ukrainian arms industry Pistorius had met with the defence ministers of the Group of Five in a suburb of the Polish capital Warsaw The five countries want to jointly strengthen European security and defence readiness.  Riyadh (dpa) - Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has raised the prospect of relaxing EU sanctions on Syria from its long period under the rule of recently deposed dictator Bashar el-Assad Speaking on a visit to an international conference in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh we cannot let slip the chance of a future for Syria As Germany and Europe we are therefore taking the first concrete steps towards this goal.” Baerbock also pledged additional aid to improve the humanitarian situation in Syria Germany would provide an additional €50m to the World Food Programme and various NGOs for food emergency accommodation and medical supplies “The sanctions imposed on the Assad clan and his henchmen during the terrible civil war in Syria in response to their dreadful crimes must remain in place,” Baerbock went on Germany’s Federal Government was urging the European Union to take a “smart approach” to provide rapid support to the Syrian people Berlin (d.de) – Germany’s Federal Government has published the guidelines for its Africa policy “Working together with Africa is essential if we are to master the challenges of a multipolar world,” the guidelines say (Image: Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during a trip to Africa in 2024) close collaboration with Africa is indispensable to overcoming major global challenges such as climate change Germany was extending offers of a partnership on the terms described in the guidelines.  The Africa policy guidance sets out four priorities:  You can read the guidance (in German) here Berlin (dpa) - Without mentioning the incoming US President Donal Trump by name Federal Chancellor Scholz has stressed the principle of the inviolability of international borders Scholz’s comments came after Trump raised the prospect of about expanding US territory to include Greenland (which belongs to Denmark) “Borders must not be moved by force,” Scholz said and stressed that the principle of inviolability applied to all countries regardless of whether they were in the East or the West Scholz said his conversations with European partners had expressed a “degree of uncertainty” about certain comments from the USA.  At a press conference in Florida on Tuesday Trump refused to rule out the use of military force with regard to Greenland Scholz spoke by telephone to President of the European Council António Costa Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk He has also spoken to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and French President Emmanuel Macron.  Las Vegas (dpa) - In light of the announcement by the Meta social media group to cease working with fact checkers in the USA Germany’s Minister for Digital Volker Wissing has called for clear rules in the EU against hate speech and incitement online Speaking during his visit to the CES technology show in Las Vegas Wissing said he expected the European Commission to “take a very close look” at Meta’s proposal and that the Commission should “scrutinise it carefully and take appropriate measures as necessary.” He said he had already discussed the issue with the EU’s new commissioner Henna Virkkunen “I know she is taking these questions very seriously She has my full confidence and support,” he said The Facebook group Meta plans to lift restrictions on spreading false claims on its platforms and to cease using fact checkers in the USA Berlin (dpa) - Ten years after the Islamist terror attack on the French satirical magazine “Charlie Hebdo” Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz commemorated the victims The hashtag #JesuisCharlie went around the world in the aftermath of the “barbaric attack” “Now as then we share the pain of our French friends The attack took aim at our shared values of freedom and democracy something we will never accept.” The attacks on 7 January 2015 and following days also targeted a female police officer and a kosher supermarket The attackers were shot dead by security forces In the attacks on the “Charlie Hebdo” offices alone Berlin/Damascus (dpa/d.de) – According to German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock the European Union will take a close look at the direction in which Syria is developing before deciding whether to support the country the Minister said that if after years of absolute oppression there was now a chance of a peaceful and free future for all “But of course the EU is not prepared to provide financial support for the Islamisation of Syria,” she added.  “We now need a political dialogue involving all ethnic and religious groups especially including the women of this country,” said the Minister Baerbock travelled to Syria together with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on behalf of the EU just over four weeks after the fall of long-term ruler Bashar al-Assad They were received by the de facto ruler Ahmed al-Sharaa.  Larnaca/Damascus (dpa) – Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and her French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot are representing the EU on a visit to Syria just under four weeks after the previous regime was overthrown The two ministers will hold talks with representatives of the transitional government which has replaced the government under the dictator Bashar el-Assad Baerbock outlined the conditions for the resumption of relations with Germany and the EU all Syrians should have a place in the political process with guarantees for their rights and protection against harm Following almost 14 years of civil war large areas of Syria have been destroyed and over 16 million people depend on humanitarian aid Almost one million refugees from Syria are currently living in Germany training or family reunification – applications for German national visas can now be submitted to any visa centre worldwide via the so-called Consular Services Portal In addition to saving long mail delivery times The Federal Foreign Office has linked all 167 visa offices to the Consular Services Portal and digitised the relevant visa application processes for employment “The digital visa procedure is a real administrative revolution that boosts Germany as a business hub,” said Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock As one of the largest economies and a modern immigration country Germany now had a national visa procedure that was fully up to date Further development of the digitalised visa process will continue even after the global roll-out: the aim is to enable families groups and proxies to submit joint digital applications Berlin (dpa) – Following the fall of ruler Bashar al-Assad Germany has commissioned a number of aid projects totalling 60 million euros in Syria “The humanitarian situation of the people in Syria is catastrophic,” said Development Minister Svenja Schulze in an interview adding that large parts of the country had been destroyed after almost 14 years of civil war Schulze said that 90 per cent of the population were living in poverty and were dependent on aid It was still unclear how events would unfold in the country said the Minister: “But there is now a window of opportunity to support positive development so we should do everything we can to make the most of it,” said Schulze She stressed that the planned projects would be implemented exclusively via UN aid organisations and non-governmental organisations with 25 million euros going to the UN children’s aid organisation UNICEF Berlin (dpa) – Due to the Georgian government’s anti-European stance and the violence against pro-European demonstrators Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is proposing talks on formal suspension of the EU membership process The ruling Georgian Dream party had “deliberately put the membership process on hold with its anti-European shift” and thereby “effectively suspended it” she said according to a statement issued by the Federal Foreign Office we should now discuss formal suspension of the Georgian membership process due to the increasingly authoritarian policy being pursued by Georgian Dream,” the statement continues Baerbock emphasised that the award of EU candidate status in December 2023 was linked to “clear promises of reform” “But instead of progress we’re seeing alarming regression.” As a consequence the Federal Foreign Office has scaled back its cooperation with the authorities in the country suspending support projects worth more than 200 million euros Germany is also discussing further measures with its EU partners – according to Baerbock these range from “the withdrawal of visa-free travel for Georgian officials to targeted sanctions” Berlin (dpa) – Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has warned against a war between Turkey and the Kurds in Syria “This is exactly what has to be avoided,” she said in an interview adding that there would be no benefit to anyone if the terrorists of Islamic State (IS) were the ones to profit from a confrontation with the Kurds This would pose a security threat to Syria Turkey has repeatedly launched military operations against the Kurdish militia YPG in northern Syria in the past the Kurdish militia is an important partner to the USA in the fight against the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS) in Syria Baerbock noted that it was the Kurds in particular who had pushed back the IS adding that Turkey “naturally” had legitimate security interests Brussels (dpa) – Following his telephone conversation with future US President Donald Trump Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz has expressed confidence that Europe and the US will continue to pull together in their support for Ukraine “But of course with the clear expectation that there will be a fair peace for Ukraine enabling it to defend its sovereignty and putting an end to the killing,” added Scholz “It is very clear to me that we must do everything we can to make this possible,” said the Federal Chancellor noting that even with Trump as US President it would be necessary to coordinate Ukraine policy with the USA “My impression is that this will be perfectly possible.” Scholz once again expressed his opposition to the idea of a peacekeeping force in Ukraine in the event of a possible ceasefire He said that the concrete design of a security architecture “cannot really be reasonably discussed at present” “But from our standpoint it is has to be structured along transatlantic lines adding that there had been “no discussion of ground troops or anything like that Berlin (dpa) – Following the fall of the Assad regime Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called on all sections of the population to participate in the renewal process in Syria the rights of all ethnic and religious communities must be taken into account She also warned against undermining the Syrian dialogue process from the outside: “If we want peace in the region the territorial integrity of Syria must not be called into question,” said the Minister “Permanent occupation of the Golan violates international law." Following the uprising in the neighbouring country Israel’s army invaded the buffer zone to Syria on the Golan Heights and is apparently considering long-term control of the area Baerbock also announced that this week she would be travelling to Turkey The Minister paid tribute to the role of the Kurds in the fight against the Assad regime while again emphasising the need to involve all sections of the population very clear again during my visit to Turkey on Friday.” Berlin (dpa) - German diplomats have initiated direct contacts with the leader of the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group “The talks focused on the political transition process and our expectations with regard to protecting minorities and women’s rights in order to be able to support peaceful development in Syria,” the German Federal Foreign Office said The German delegation is led by Tobias Tunkel the Middle East Representative of the Federal Foreign Office the talks in the Syrian capital also involved the HTS representative responsible for international contacts and the education minister of the transitional government There had also been meetings with representatives of civil society and religious communities The visit also included an “initial inspection of the German embassy building in Damascus” the Federal Foreign Office had stressed that there would be close scrutiny of the actions of HTS and the transitional government the group has installed “Any cooperation requires that ethnic and religious minorities be protected and that women’s rights be upheld.”  Berlin (d.de) - As a founder member and major funder of the CGIAR agricultural research network Germany has been contributing to the development of innovative solutions to global challenges such as hunger poverty and climate change since the 1970s Germany has been a steadfast provider of funding for international agricultural research and the CGIAR network since its creation 50 years ago in 1974 According to information provided by the Development Ministry new varieties adapted to the climate have been developed The latest maize varieties are contributing $1 billion annually to the economies of the countries in Africa where they are cultivated Some 36 million farmers are applying methods that preserve resources to maintain soil fertility and reduce carbon emissions increased yields from sustainable farming practices and new crop varieties are expected to generate value equivalent to 47 billion US dollars annually this would improve food security and living conditions around the world Maseru (dpa.d/de) – During his four-day visit to Nigeria and South Africa Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited Lesotho at the invitation of King Letsie III (photo) This was the first time a German head of state has visited the kingdom Steinmeier pointed to the high levels of poverty in the country adding that “Anyone who looks around here can see how vital it is for us to look after this country.” He referred to examples such as giving young people opportunities to enter vocational education Germany is also contributing to a water management project Lesotho was closer to Germany on some issues than South Africa Lesotho has condemned Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine,” he said Lesotho depends heavily on its major neighbour South Africa The kingdom is around the same size as the German state of Brandenburg It has a population of 2.3 million and an unemployment rate of over 30% Lesotho’s economy is based on agriculture and the exports of textiles Berlin (dpa) – Germany and other European countries are insisting on security guarantees should there be negotiations on a ceasefire in Ukraine after US President-elect Donald Trump takes office “Ukraine needs rigorous security guarantees we need robust security guarantees without any gaps,” said Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock “This includes long-term military and financial support for Ukraine,” added the Minister.  Ahead of deliberations by a group of representatives from France Baerbock said: “We must not only think big for our common security but also act big and make the various instruments available that will be required for this purpose With regard to the situation in Syria after the fall of ruler Bashar al-Assad Baerbock spoke of a lengthy process towards normalisation – “there are still a lot of obstacles along this path” Berlin (dpa) – Following the ousting of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad the German government wants to step up its engagement in Syria German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has appointed Minister of State Tobias Lindner as special coordinator for Syria She has announced additional humanitarian assistance worth eight million euros The minister has also offered Germany’s help with eliminating chemical weapons “We now have the chance to keep the world safe from Assad’s chemical weapons once and for all,” she said.  Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said that Europe and Germany could and should “not allow themselves to be just spectators” He urged for the new leaders in Syria to be given a chance He raised the prospect of Germany stepping up its engagement in the region To mark International Human Rights Day yesterday Germany and France announced the fourteen winners of this year’s Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law The prizewinners come from different countries and regions including Israel and the Palestinian Territories They head non-governmental organisations and are lawyers journalists or activists working to defend the inalienable rights of each and every human being “The prizewinners stand up for those whose voices would often not be heard without them Under the most difficult conditions they often risk their own freedom to defend human rights in conflicts and strengthen women and the rights of LSBTIQ+ people,” reads a statement from Germany’s Federal Foreign Office France and Germany have used International Human Rights Day as an opportunity to jointly pay tribute to individuals around the world who have shown outstanding commitment to promoting human rights.  Berlin (dpa) – Following the end of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s rule Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has warned against jumping to conclusions about the security situation in the country After this initial sigh of relief for the people in Syria everything had to be done to ensure that the people on the ground were protected and that the peace process could progress After all: “Nobody can foresee now or in the next few days how things will continue in Syria and what recent developments mean in terms of security policy,” said Baerbock also noting that it was not clear “whether more people will flee the region because other extremists are now causing trouble or whether people will be able to return to Syria.”  Seoul (d.de) - After a year of intense negotiations the 21st replenishment cycle of the World Bank’s IDA fund has come to an end in the South Korean capital Seoul: thanks to donor contributions totalling 23.7 billion US dollars the IDA - the world’s most important provider of finance for the poorest countries - will be able to invest the record sum of 100 billion US dollars in sustainable development over the coming three years Germany ranks fourth in the list of 59 donor countries.  “Germany’s contribution is an expression of our solidarity with the poorest countries and of our reliability in the international group of donors The record result shows the power of multilateral cooperation even in tense geopolitical times,” said German Development Minister Svenja Schulze.  the 137 IDA member states have agreed to new political targets They intend to invest more in protecting the environment and the climate in peace and security and in mobilising the private sector Frankfurt am Main (d.de/BMVg) – The Federal Cabinet has given the green light to the ongoing deployment of German armed forces in international missions to the Mediterranean and South Sudan The Bundestag is expected to approve the extensions before the upcoming general elections The deployments are to be extended until 31 October 2025 Through its contribution to the EU-led EUNAVFOR ASPIDES operation in the Red Sea the Bundeswehr is protecting shipping on key trade routes against Houthi militia attacks The maximum number of personnel which can be deployed is expected to remain unchanged at 700 As a partner in the UN UNMISS mission in South Sudan the Bundeswehr is helping to stabilise the region Up to 50 military personnel carry out various functions such as staff roles in the UN headquarters in Juba and as military observers and also by contributing their expertise on tasks involving communication Valletta (d.de/AA/dpa) – The German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is travelling to Malta on 5 and 6 December for the Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) The meeting will focus on the situation in Ukraine Russia’s war against Ukraine has shaken security and order in Europe and plunged millions of people into dire need This is why support for Ukraine is at the top of the agenda for this year’s OSCE meeting of foreign ministers Representatives of 57 states from North America to Central Asia will meet in the Maltese capital Valetta to discuss ways of restoring security in Europe The organisation has been in a state of crisis since the war began Russia has vetoed many key decisions which require consensus The other member states accuse Moscow of constantly undermining and blocking the work of the OSCE At the meeting Germany is committed to ensuring that the Russian blockade does not further undermine the effectiveness of the OSCE.  the OSCE has achieved major successes in 2024 such as by intensifying project work in Central Asia and Eastern Europe and the ongoing monitoring of human rights violations in Russia and Belarus Germany has provided voluntary contributions worth over 17 million euros to ensure that vital projects related to human rights security and fighting corruption can be continued.  Find out more about Germany’s work to promote peace and security. Foreign police - commitment to peace and security | Facts about Germany Nairobi (dpa) - Germany’s Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck has offered closer cooperation with African countries and called on them to create the right conditions to do so “German investors need a safe and stable environment for their investments,” said the Minster at the opening of the 5th German-African Business Summit in the Kenyan capital Nairobi and to the lives of people in African countries Habeck noted that only 1% of German foreign investment went to Africa and that there was the potential for more the Economic Affairs Minister encouraged young skilled workers from Africa to come to Germany under the more relaxed opportunities for migration the German-African Business Summit is Germany’s key business conference in Africa This year the event was attended by 800 delegates from 35 African countries and Germany Berlin (d.de) - Two hundred countries have sent delegations to the 16th conference on land and drought in Riyadh The German delegation to the conference of signatories to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is led by Niels Annen Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Germany’s key goals for the conference include improving protections for land rights and boosting participation for women and young people with regard to access to land protection activities and land restoration Germany is also seeking to ensure women and young people have a voice in decisions concerning land use from the national level down to individual communities.  “Keeping the soil in good condition makes food production policy and regulatory conditions in place to allow local people to invest in their own land and farm it sustainably.” Desertification and droughts are rapidly growing challenges around the world as degradation already affects up to 40% of the world’s land areas The UN climate secretariat is based in Bonn in Germany.  Berlin (d.de) - Economic Affairs Minister Robert Habeck is representing Germany at the 5th German-African Business Summit In addition to talks with high-ranking representatives of the Kenyan government the itinerary for Habeck’s four-day visit includes meetings to promote German-Kenyan economic ties Habeck is accompanied by a delegation of business leaders and members of the Bundestag The German-African Business Summit is Germany’s key business occasion in Africa an initiative of the Federation of German Industries (BDI) to promote business with sub-Saharan Africa Every two years the summit brings together leading representatives of government and industry from Germany and Africa.  Geneva (dpa) - Against the background of the recent growth in tensions France and the United Kingdom held talks with Iran in Geneva on Friday According to Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani reappraising bilateral relations and the Middle East conflict were the focus of the talks She added that Iran’s controversial nuclear programme and the possible resumption of nuclear negotiations would also be on the agenda. Germany is being represented by Günter Sautter Iranian Deputy Foreign Minster Majid Takht-Ravanchi is also travelling to Geneva for the talks One of the priorities for Western diplomats in Geneva is to set out their positions and avoid escalation Four weeks ago the German ambassador to Iran Markus Potzel (photo) was recalled to return to Berlin following the execution of Jamshid Sharmahd Potzel has now returned to Tehran “to emphasise our concerns at a high level there,” as a spokesperson from the Federal Foreign Office said Berlin (dpa) - Berlin and Turkey plan to expand their collaboration on renewable energy “The time to act has come,” said Federal Economic Affairs Minister Robert Habeck at the 6th German-Turkish Energy Forum in Berlin “We have made huge progress in recent years and Turkey has great plans to decarbonise its industrial sector,” said Turkey’s Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar.He added that the energy sector was a key pillar of the collaboration between the two countries He also proposed a minerals partnership.  Numerous businesses agreed collaborations at the forum the German wind power firm Enercon joined with the Turkish project development specialists İş Enerji and Polat Enerji to announce their plans to supply and install wind turbines to generate up to 2500MW in Turkey and neighbouring countries.  Berlin (dpa) - Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has described the ceasefire agreed between Israel and Hezbollah as a “ray of hope for the whole region” children and families in Lebanon draw fresh hope as could tens of thousands of people in Northern Israel “The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah shows what can be achieved by diplomatic means,” she added “We also urgently need a ceasefire in Gaza so that the German and other hostages can at last be released and to put an end at last to the starvation and suffering of hundreds of thousands of women Baerbock said that the full implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1701 was essential to the long-term resolution of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah the resolution is designed to create a buffer zone in south Lebanon.  king trumpet mushrooms are still a novelty but more and more people are now interested in exotic edible mushrooms For the South Korean-Chinese company Mushroom Park the increasing demand in Europe for the king oyster mushroom - as it is also known - was a reason to take go into Germany where Mushroom Park LLC Germany was founded in April 2015 The company's goal is to establish itself on the German market and to supply its own products to other European countries in the future The king trumpet mushroom is the main protagonist in Torgau at this time "For us it is now important to establish the king trumpet as an edible mushroom here for the first time If the demand is high enough and things are going well we would like to add more mushrooms to our range Which ones will be depends entirely on what Europeans like to eat," says Kim with a smile The structural preconditions for this have long been in place as the company currently uses just a quarter of the area that would be possible on the site a production volume of around 30 tons per week would be feasible Everything under one roofThe king trumpets from Torgau are produced in a factory hall Mushroom Park is extremely self-sufficient grist and wood for the substrate are delivered water and a special recipe are combined in their own mixers from which the substrate is finally bottled The large mixing plants have capacities for about 10,000 growing bottles the herb seedlings are allowed to grow into large the mass of mushrooms is regularly thinned out "We want to produce mushrooms of sufficient quality That succeeds however only with sufficient place and nutrient offer The finished king trumpets are harvested in one go "At times we had tried to do a second wave so we finally decided against a second wave," says Sanghun Kim 63 employees are at work at the Torgau site many of whom have been with the company since production started in October 2019 Since the steps leading up to harvesting and the harvest itself are not entirely devoid of surprises for the king trumpet either This is done by an employee who has gained experience over four years in a plant in Korea and has mastered every step of production "But we have foremen in every department who can now instruct their own employees," says Kim Corona effectsSince all employees were already hired at the start of production and thus before the pandemic began the availability of sufficient manpower this year was not a problem for Mushroom Park "Since all our employees live around Torgau we didn't have to worry about entry," says the sales manager the Corona crisis was a hard test for the young company the entire production had to be shut down entirely it takes a certain amount of time to stabilize production and we were in business for just under four months when Corona hit." Into the future with organicIn the near future Mushroom Park plans to achieve organic certification according to European standards The first pre-audit has already been conducted much depends on the raw materials that the company purchases for substrate production Not all of them are available in Europe in organic quality "We are therefore trying to change our mixture and are always trying out new things If we are thus able to grow goods of the same quality we can also have ourselves certified organic Perhaps one day we will not only be certified according to EU organic standards but also according to German organic guidelines," Sanghun Kim explains For more information: www.mushroomparkgmbh.com/    You can read this article in 4 minutesAgnieszka Kulikowska - Wielgus The Federal Office of Goods Transport (BAG) carried out another cabotage control campaign The results of the officers’ actions are quite worrying.  Despite appeals from German carriers for the complete abolition of cabotage for six months due to the difficult situation caused by the pandemic the German Federal Government has not made any changes to the regulations it announced a more effective enforcement of existing cabotage regulations The effects of these promises can already be seen – BAG officers in cooperation with the Leipzig traffic police carried out a several-day inspection in the first days of July the office published a report which shows that Polish transport companies have committed infringements of regulations governing cabotage operations Between 1 and 3 July BAG checked a total of 51 vehicle combinations (11 German and 40 foreign including 32 from Poland) and found irregularities in 21 cases 27 of the trucks checked carried out cabotage operations 41%) were reported to have violated cabotage regulations most of these infringements (10) concerned Polish trucks which transported logs from Harz Mountains to Torgau.  all vehicle combinations travelled from Poland to Germany unladen and then performed cabotage operations between the forests in the Harz Mountains and the wood factory in Torgau After the inspection and finding infringements BAG officers collected deposits from the drivers on account of future fines in the amount of approx BAG announced that it would take into account the results of the July operations in Saxony in its plans for further inspections so as to combat the infringements more effectively after two years of loosening cabotage for timber transport the German government has not decided to use this special measure it was possible to carry out timber transport in cabotage without a limit (due to the large number of damaged trees) the limits of cabotage operations for timber transport have been re-established to the delight of national carriers specialising in this type of operations The July operation of BAG agents was not the first of its kind. We would like to remind you of the first intensified actions carried out in April this year. a total of 104 vehicles were checked at three locations (Duisburg 50 from EU countries and 3 registered in third countries.  During a check for compliance with the German Road Freight Transport Law (GüKG) officers detected 1 infringement in 20 German trucks and 3 in 33 checked trucks from other EU countries.  Agnieszka Kulikowska - Wielgus Journalist Trans.info | 6.05.2025 Pölös Zsófia Journalist Trans.info | 5.05.2025 Fragrance on the Fly: Why Pocket Perfumes Are Perfect for Airplane TravelSponsored Article 6.05.2025 2018 6:05 AM EDTIt was almost midnight when Omar Abdel Jabar heard a knock on the gate of his home in the Iraqi city of Mosul His family froze at the sound of the rap on the gate It was late summer 2014 and ISIS had taken over the city three months earlier Late night visitors were rare and the family feared it was militants Jabar had lived a relatively normal existence in Iraq’s second largest city He worked as a carpenter and shared a simple but comfortable two-story home in a middle class neighborhood of Mosul with his wife His wife had just become pregnant with their second child the Sunni jihadist group ISIS had taken his city along with swaths of northern Iraq Thousands of Iraqi troops fled their posts as the militants advanced a deep-seated distrust of the army and widespread resentment of the Shi’ite-led government in Baghdad meant the city fell relatively easily to ISIS Jabar says his family never supported ISIS “but we didn’t have anywhere to go.” Jabar and his father slowly opened the gate to find a small figure outside “They are raping me.” Jabar pulled her inside She said her name was Nadia and that she was from Kocho a Yazidi town on the southern edge of Sinjar Mountain that had been overrun by ISIS She told them she had been captured by the militants brought to Mosul and sold in a slave market along with most of the women and girls from her village beaten and sold numerous times over weeks before escaping the house where she was held captive ISIS has killed thousands of Yazidis and kidnapped thousands more forcing many women and children into slavery is one known by thousands of people around the world She has become an internationally recognized survivor of ISIS brutality Goodwill Ambassador who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 Nadia Murad lays out in unsettling detail how she was raped sold and abused by the extremists and the precariousness of her escape (Murad declined to be interviewed for this article.) “I don’t know why he was good,” Murad wrote “and so many others in Mosul were so terrible.” But Jabar’s decision would come at a heavy price shines a light on the cruel randomness of refugee policies—that lives brought together can be set in haphazard International human rights lawyer Amal Clooney sits with Murad as she waits to address a "Bringing Da'esh to Justice" event at the United Nations headquarters in New York on March 9 2017.Lucas Jackson—ReutersNadia’s EscapeMurad had walked for hours in the streets of Mosul before choosing to knock on the Jabars’ gate she describes how the streets got poorer and the houses more simple The Jabars’ heavy orange gate looks no different than the others lining the street the neighborhood was full of families sympathetic to the jihadist group ISIS hadn’t yet imposed its strict version of Islamic law or begun the public executions that came to characterize its authoritative rule the militants took advantage of sectarian animosity and won favor with Sunni residents by removing the unpopular army checkpoints that had been erected by the Shi’ite-led government in Baghdad the name ISIS gave to the thousands of women and girls it enslaved carried a heavy price—possibly death and posters outside offered a $5,000 reward to citizens who returned an escaped sabiyya Murad woke up early the next morning terrified “My first thought was that I had to get out of there,” she wrote Most of the Yazidi women who escaped their captors in Mosul were returned by the families they went to for help and for many of their Jabars’ neighbors who had cheered the militants’ arrival “We never considered it,” Jabar says The family told Murad to stay in the house and not even to venture to the courtyard but getting her out of Mosul would prove far more dangerous They contacted Murad’s brother 80 miles away in a refugee camp and made a plan to smuggle her out Jabar’s cousin made the woman an ID card with a Sunni Arab name still in the hands of western-friendly Kurdish forces ISIS now controlled all the roads in and out of Mosul They planned to tell the militants that she was Jabar’s wife and they were going to visit her parents in Kirkuk Murad recalls how she spent the night memorizing her new identity—her Sunni Arab name the ISIS fighters pulled their taxi over and began searching the vehicle Jabar’s heart beat hard and fast in his chest Murad would be returned to slavery and punished for trying to escape The militants took the IDs and began the questioning: Where were they going beside the photos of two other Yazidi women in the guard post “Seeing my photo confirmed that they were actively looking for me,” she wrote Perhaps it was ISIS’s ultra conservative rules that allowed them to pass They didn’t ask Murad to lift the niqab and show her face something that would have surely given them away but asked her only a few questions directly Most Iraqis could spot the difference between the accent of an Arab from Kirkuk and Yazidi from Kocho “I had no idea how someone from Kirkuk was supposed to sound,” Murad wrote They passed several more checkpoints manned by ISIS before the taxi driver stopped the car and told them to get out They walked around a barrier and down the empty stretch of road between the last ISIS checkpoint and the one controlled by the Kurdish forces They said goodbye the next day in a hotel in Erbil the capital of the Kurds’ semi-autonomous territory It would be the last time they saw each other just a few hundred miles apart.Mustafah Abdulaziz for TIMEThe ConsequencesMore than three years later his father walks up the narrow staircase to the rooftop where his son made a dramatic escape “He jumped to there,” his father tells TIME his family was questioned by ISIS but managed to convince the militants that Jabar had acted alone saying that they didn’t want pictures of them or their home to be published They hid Murad here before moving her to Jabar’s sister’s house on the other side of the city That house was hit by an airstrike as Iraqi forces killing Jabar’s sister and her entire family while ISIS no longer controls the city and the iconic black flag has come down many Iraqis say that sympathizers and sleeper cells linger Jabar borrowed almost $7,000 from an uncle and a friend arranged to have him his pregnant wife and son smuggled out of Mosul in a gas tanker But the trip would prove too hard for Jabar’s small son and pregnant wife and she returned to Mosul in November 2014 Randa sat quietly on the couch with their two children at her side as Jabar’s father pulled out a report from Kurdish officials confirming Jabar’s role in Murad’s rescue he was arrested along with other Iraqi and Syrian asylum seekers For Bulgarian police his act of heroism—and the very real threat he faced if he returned to Iraq—meant nothing “This is where everything fell apart,” Jabar says While Jabar sat for three months in a Bulgarian jail cell Murad began to tell her story to journalists in a refugee camp where she stayed with the surviving members of her family Thousand of Yazidis had been killed and tens of thousands displaced from their homes by ISIS “I cried everyday…When I dreamed it was always about being returned to ISIS and having to escape again,” Murad recalls in her book “We learned how to make the most of what the aid agencies offered.” Murad was one of 1,000 women selected to go to Germany through a program run by the regional government of Baden-Württemberg It aimed to help some of those who had suffered the greatest at the hands of ISIS Thousands of other Yazidi survivors of ISIS were left behind she told her story to the United Nations in Switzerland in an effort to raise awareness about the crimes of ISIS “Their aim was to eliminate all Yazidis under the pretext Jabar's bed in his one-room apartment in Torgau.Mustafah Abdulaziz for TIMEFamilies DividedIn her book happy life she lived before ISIS came to Sinjar She went to school and dreamed of one day being a teacher or working in beauty salon She spent her time with her niece Kathrine applying makeup and admiring women at family weddings “Then I would ask the bride for a photograph which I added to a collection I kept in a thick green photo album,” Murad wrote her life looks nothing like the one she dreamed of I begged [my brother] Hezni all the time to let me come back but he told me to give Germany a chance,” Murad wrote Murad has met foreign dignitaries and heads of state and campaigned alongside human rights lawyer Amal Clooney for ISIS to be tried for war crimes; the details of her suffering are known by millions of people “I want to be the last girl in the world with a story like mine,” she wrote said that talking about the past is too difficult and has negative effects on her health and she prefers to focus on the work she is doing to help mend the shattered Yazidi community He arrived in Germany and applied for asylum in March 2015 More than three years later he still hasn’t been granted refugee status He does have a form of temporary protection that gave him a visa to stay in Germany until May 2018 He’s now applied for a renewal but German authorities requested his Iraqi passport In the one-room apartment where he now lives in Torgau ‘hi baba,’” she prompts him His wife was still pregnant when he escaped He takes the phone to show Yahya a stuffed bear on the shelf Jabar bought it for him for his second birthday but hasn’t found a way to get to Mosul yet Yahya smiles with a little giggle at the sight of the stuffed toy he asked me ‘are you my father?’” Jabar recalls the risks that he took to save her are recognized.Mustafah Abdulaziz for TIMERefugee RealpolitikGermany received almost 1 million asylum seekers in 2015 and has since struggled to process the massive number of applications “It’s some kind of lottery..like a game of roulette,” says Volker Maria Hügel “The asylum procedure isn’t fair it isn’t good and people are rejected when they should have got protection.” anti-immigration Alternative for Germany party a dispute over asylum policies is threatening to bring down Merkel’s coalition government Some of her governing partners want her to take a harder line against migrants particularly ones who have not yet received refugee status Jabar is aware that it is making his situation even more precarious “Iraqi refugees are facing more rejections,” Jabar says “Merkel is backing away from her policies.” In April, German Development Minister Gerd Müller traveled to Iraq in an effort to secure the Iraqi government’s cooperation in returning and re-integration Iraqi refugees “You can’t win elections when you say ‘we want refugee protections,’” Hügel says Some fear with the Iraqi government declaring Iraq ISIS-free Iraqis like Jabar may begin to be sent back He says he received calls and threats online from ISIS supporters until he changed his phone number and all his social media accounts His family says until recently they would also receive calls in Mosul “My friend told me don’t even come to Turkey,” says Jabar he says got an anonymous message saying they knew he was in Germany and they were coming for him “I don’t leave the house a lot,” Jabar says The walls of his small apartment are covered with photos of his sons and family ISIS may no longer control Mosul but it still controls his life “We all know ISIS aren’t really gone,” says Jabar’s friend Hassan Salim Jabar still doesn’t know who told ISIS about what he had done As he and Murad tried to reach her family in Erbil that day in 2014 Kurdish intelligence at the checkpoint filmed them telling the story of her escape he says he would be recognizable to those who knew him and his family in Mosul is to bring his family to join him in Germany “I just want to have them next to me,” he says He can’t even apply for family reunification without refugee status but near the river swastikas are spray painted on buildings next to “PEGIDA” the acronym for Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West “I just want to have them next to me,” he says of his wife and children.Mustafah Abdulaziz for TIMEJabar pulls out a binder filled with asylum documents The letter states that its contents are “strictly confidential” but it recognizes the risks Jabar took save her identifying Jabar and his family put them at risk of retribution “When I look back to my own escape—the unlocked door Nasser and his family in the neighborhood full of Islamic State sympathizers—I shiver at how easily it could have gone wrong,” Murad wrote He says he often thinks about ending his own life His friend Salim says he’s had to stop him twice The chances of him being granted asylum or having his family join him in Germany anytime soon He says he hasn’t talked to Murad in months They now live just a few hundred miles apart in Germany not so much further than the distance between her village of Kocho and his home in Mosul in Iraq They spoke a few times in recent years but Jabar says the phone number he had for her seems to have been disconnected he doesn’t regret what he and his family did “You should have seen the happiness on her family’s face,” Jabar says Contact us at letters@time.com