Sea-Watch rescue ship’s captain, Carola Rackete, has expressed the hope that the new EU commission would work to let boat-rescued migrants enter Europe. Rackete, who is under investigation in Italy for docking her boat in the Italian port of Lampedusa without permission in early July, said: “I sincerely hope that the European Commission now, after the new election of the …

Many organisations and individuals working on African issues presented their work to the public at the Fair for Bridge Builders (Messe der Brückenbauer), part of the activities celebrating the Kenako Afrika-Festival in Berlin (3-14 July). The fair is a platform for committed people from Germany and the African diaspora to exhibit their projects for the development of Africa and present …

Germany’s defence minister, Dr Ursula von der Leyen, secured a narrow majority win in the European Parliament on Tuesday to replace incumbent Jean-Claude Juncker as president of the European Commission. She received 383 out of 747 possible votes, just nine more than the minimum for her election. Ms von der Leyen will be the first German to lead the EU …