Browsing Tag

German

Somali PM, German minister discuss drought crisis, security, and political reforms in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU — Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre met Monday with a senior German delegation for talks on Somalia’s deepening humanitarian crisis, security cooperation and political reforms, as drought-driven displacement and hunger surge across the country. The delegation, led by Germany’s Minister of State for Economic Cooperation and Development, Niels Annen, and including Ambassador Sebastian Groth, discussed emergency assistance, stabilization and development priorities, according to Somali officials. The talks also…

Pair of shipyard workers detained over alleged sabotage of German Navy vessels

HAMBURG, Germany — Two shipyard workers have been arrested on suspicion of sabotaging several German warships in Hamburg harbor, authorities said, in a case that investigators warn could have caused significant damage had it gone unnoticed. The men — a 37-year-old Romanian and a 54-year-old Greek — allegedly tampered with multiple vessels by pouring more than 20 kilograms of steel pellets into an engine block, puncturing freshwater lines, removing fuel tank caps and disabling fuses in onboard electronics, according to the…

French, British and German leaders denounce killings of protesters in Iran

France, UK, Germany condemn ‘killing of protesters’ in Iran as internet blackout deepens unrest France, the United Kingdom and Germany condemned what they called the “killing of protesters” in Iran and urged authorities to exercise restraint, as sweeping anti-government demonstrations and a nationwide internet blackout disrupted communications and stoked uncertainty across the country. “We are deeply concerned about reports of violence by Iranian security forces, and strongly condemn the killing of protestors,” French…

Ocean’s Eleven-style thieves loot €30m in cash and gold from German bank

Thieves drilled through a parking garage wall into a bank vault in western Germany over the Christmas holiday, smashing open more than 3,000 safe-deposit boxes and fleeing with an estimated 30 million euros in cash, gold and jewelry, authorities and the bank said. The heist at a Sparkasse branch in Gelsenkirchen, in North Rhine-Westphalia state, unfolded while most businesses were shut for the Christmas break. Investigators suspect the burglars may have used the extended closure to spend days inside the underground vault…

German mayor found stabbed in apartment; police investigate

Newly elected German mayor found with life‑threatening stab wounds; investigators probe possible family link The newly elected mayor of Herdecke, a small town in Germany’s industrial Ruhr region, was discovered with life‑threatening stab wounds at her home on Tuesday, authorities said, touching off a wave of shock and unanswered questions about whether the attack was personal or political. What happened Iris Stalzer, 57, who won a run‑off election on Sept. 28 to lead the town of roughly 23,000 residents between Hagen and…

Mayor of German town stabbed; Merz denounces the ‘atrocious’ attack

Mayor-elect of German town badly wounded in stabbing; motive unclear The newly elected mayor of Herdecke, a small town outside Dortmund in western Germany, was seriously wounded in a stabbing attack that left national leaders demanding answers and local residents reeling. What happened Iris Stalzer, 57, was attacked shortly after noon near her home on Monday, public broadcaster WDR reported. Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the assault a "heinous act" and said on X that "we fear for her life," urging that "the crime and…

Somalia’s Prime Minister, German Ambassador Discuss Fresh Investment Opportunities

Somalia Courts German Investment as Mogadishu Seeks to Turn Stability Gains into Jobs On a sweltering Monday in Mogadishu, Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre sat down with Germany’s ambassador, Sebastian Groth, for a conversation that was part pitch, part signal. Somalia, he said, has “vast investment potential” in fisheries, industry and livestock. Germany, Groth responded, is preparing to send senior officials to explore those opportunities on the ground. It wasn’t a flashy announcement—no ribbon cuttings, no signed…

German man declines interview concerning Madeleine McCann disappearance

British police say German suspect in Madeleine McCann case has refused interview as his prison release nears British detectives investigating the disappearance of three‑year‑old Madeleine McCann said Friday that a German man long linked to the case remains a suspect but has declined to be interviewed, even as he is due to be released from prison this month. "We have requested an interview with this German suspect but ... it was subsequently refused by the suspect," Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell, the Metropolitan…

German Deal on Returning Individuals to Somalia Faces Scrutiny

Somalia's President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, gathered with Germany's Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, in Berlin from November 5-6, 2024. The photo credits: Hannes P. Albert / picture alliance. Recently, Germany and Somalia unveiled a new agreement, sparking varied reactions and opinions. Historically, similar attempts to repatriate migrants have often faced challenges and shown limited success, as noted by several experts. On November 6, after their meeting in Berlin, Scholz and Mohamud declared their intention to return more…

Somalia’s Leader Calls on German Companies to Fuel a Revolutionary Economic Resurgence

In the bustling city of Frankfurt, an intriguing meeting took place between Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Christoph Kannengiesser, CEO of Afrika-Verein. The venue? The renowned German-African Investment Conference. Their purpose was clear: forging stronger economic ties and boosting investment between Somalia and Germany. The event was covered extensively by SONNA, Somalia's National News Agency. FRANKFURT, Germany (AX) — In a spirited rallying cry, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud spoke with great enthusiasm to…