Every tree is a living symbol of peace and hope. With its roots deep in the earth and its branches reaching for the sky, it lets us know that in order to aspire to reach higher and higher, we too must be firmly rooted to the ground, for, no matter how high we reach, it is always from our roots …

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier presented former Chancellor Angela Merkel with the country’s highest honour on Monday at a ceremony in Berlin. Ms Merkel, who was head of government for 16 years, was honoured with the Großkreuz des Verdienstordens (“Grand Cross of the Order of Merit”) for her contribution to German political life. The national honour has been received by only two …

A dead man was discovered in the wheel well of a KLM flight KL588 that arrived at Schiphol airport, Amsterdam, from Lagos, Nigeria, on Monday (17 April). The man is assumed to have climbed into the aircraft at the Lagos international airport. The incident which is not new has raised serious security concerns about how and when the man was …

The housing shortage among students in Berlin may be getting worse, according to a new report by the German news agency dpa. The waiting time for a place in a student hostel, for example, is at least three semesters. At the beginning of the summer semester, many students in Berlin are still desperately looking for a flat. As of 1 …

Nigerian human rights activist, lawyer and writer Chidi Anselm Odinkalu* writes on the democratic backsliding in Africa as military officers increasingly seize power and elected leaders elongate their tenure by arbitrarily changing the constitution. And he analyses the causes of the unsavoury trend and what it portends for the continent — Macky Sall, Senegal’s president since the beginning of April …

Nigerians living in the diaspora are determined to influence the government that will succeed the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, who will step down on 29 May. The Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) is currently collating ideas from its chapters worldwide to enable it formulate a paper which the group will hand over to President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu who will …

The 14th edition of Arab Film Festival Berlin (ALFILM), taking place from 26 April to 2 May 2023, offers a programme that is more diverse than ever with over 43 feature films, documentaries and short films. The festival presents films from across the Arab world, from Casablanca to Damascus, via Algiers, Tunis, Cairo, Gaza, Jaffa and Beirut. The Guest of …

An information event about the Opportunity Residence Act (Chancen-Aufenthaltsrecht), a law that provides for the grant of regular residence permit to tolerated asylum-seekers in Germany, will take place in Berlin on Tuesday 18 April. Tolerated persons are actually obliged to leave the country, but cannot be deported for personal reasons or because of the situation in their countries of origin. …

Italy declared a nationwide state of emergency on Tuesday for the next six months following the exceptional increase in migrants continuously arriving via the Mediterranean routes. On Tuesday, the Council of Ministers led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni declared a national state of emergency on immigration after the Civil Protection and Sea Policies Minister Nello Musumeci proposed it. The decision …

The German government has expelled the ambassador of Chad, Mariam Ali Moussa. According to the Foreign Office, the diplomat must leave Germany within 48 hours. The move comes three days after Chad expelled German Ambassador Jan-Christian Gordon Kricke. “In response to the unfounded expulsion of our Ambassador to Chad, we today summoned the Chadian Ambassador in Berlin, Mariam Ali Moussa, …

Berlin is awarding prizes to entrepreneurs with a migration background operating in the city, which is also a federal state. The prize, Vielfalt unternimmt – Berlin würdigt migrantische Unternehmen and awarded once in two years, gives public recognition to the achievements of minority entrepreneurs who are contributing greatly to the economic development of the city. The prize was first awarded …

A podium discussion on the situation of third-country nationals who fled the war in Ukraine took place recently in the East German city of Halle. There are currently about 38,000 refugees from Ukraine without Ukrainian citizenship in Germany. The objectives of the event, organised by AWO Akademie Mitteldeutschland, were to reflect on the racist experiences of the African refugees, spotlight …

The 23-year-old Basiru Jallow was found seriously injured with stab wounds in the Old Botanical Garden of Tübingen in the afternoon of 23 March and he died of his severe injuries a short time later in hospital/Photo: Courtesy of Yahya Sonko The mayor of Tübingen, a town in Baden-Württenberg, Boris Palmer, has again been criticised over his racist and insensitive …

Vienna-born artist Rose May Alaba is set to make waves in the African music scene with her latest single set to drop on 28 April. The talented singer, who is the younger sister of football sensation David Alaba, grew up in Austria, surrounded by different genres of music, but it was her Nigerian roots that eventually caught her attention. She …

Geneva, 3 April 2023 – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is launching “Focus Africa” to strengthen aviation’s contribution to Africa’s economic and social development and improve connectivity, safety and reliability for passengers and shippers. This initiative will align private and public stakeholders to deliver measurable progress in six areas. “Africa accounts for 18% of the global population, but just 2.1% …

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the trade association of world airlines, has warned the Nigerian government that difficulties encountered by foreign airlines in repatriating their revenue from the country could lead to a reduction of flights to Nigeria. The total amount of foreign airlines’ trapped funds in Nigeria has risen to $802m, according to the latest figure announced by …

Anthony Joshua after his victory over Jermaine Franklin/Photo: Anthony Joshua/Facebook British-Nigerian fighter Anthony Joshua has returned to the path of victory on Saturday, beating Jermaine Franklin to stage a comeback after string of losses. He however failed to secure the knockout he would have so craved on his much-anticipated comeback at London’s O2 Arena. The two-time heavyweight world champion bounced …

Producing in Africa is not only lucrative for the investors but also means reducing poverty and dependence on foreign suppliers. Yet Africa is still not seen in Europe as a favourable destination for investors. Dennis Elverir, head of the Africa office of African Investment Consultancy, explains how and where to invest in Africa and the hurdles to to watch out …

Ryyan Alshebl (pictured above on a campaign poster) has become a mayor in Germany, only eight years after arriving in the country as a refugee/Photo: Ryyan Alshebl/Facebook The inhabitants of Ostelsheim, in the district of Calw, state of Baden-Württemberg, elected Ryyan Alshebl as their new mayor on Sunday with an absolute majority of 55.41 per cent of the votes. The …

Like almost every month, April 2023 brings some important changes for people living in Germany. Most are positive changes but there are also some inconveniences for rail passengers. Among other things, the advance sale of the much-awaited 49-Euro-Ticket will commence, the few remaining COVID-19 rules will expire, more pay for temporary workers and some routes of the Deutsche Bahn will …