Latest news with #FDP
DW
2 days ago
- Politics
- DW
Controversial German-Brazilian nuclear agreement turns 50 – DW – 06/27/2025
On June 27, 1975, Germany and Brazil signed a treaty on cooperation in the field of nuclear energy. Despite Germany's nuclear phase out, it still applies today. The agreement on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, which almost nobody in Germany knows about, will be half a century old at the end of June. It has defied the German anti-nuclear movement, survived the nuclear disasters of Chernobyl in 1986 and Fukushima in 2011, and even the nuclear phase-out in 2023 with the shutdown of Germany's last three nuclear power plants. The treaty aimed to construct eight nuclear power plants, a uranium enrichment plant and a nuclear reprocessing plant in Brazil by Siemens, including training for scientists. The signatories were the German coalition government of the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) and neoliberal Free Democrats (FDP) under Chancellor Helmut Schmidt on the one side, and the Brazilian military dictatorship headed by President Ernesto Geisel on the other. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "It was celebrated in 1975 as the biggest technology agreement of the century, the enthusiasm was huge on both sides," recalls 73-year-old German-Brazilian sociologist Luiz Ramalho in an interview with DW. Ramalho is chairman of the Latin America Forum in Berlin and has been a critic from the very beginning. He has made terminating the treaty, which is only possible every five years, his life's work. At the end of 2024, he thought he had almost reached his goal with the center-left government the SPD, environmentalist Greens and FDP. There were talks in the ministries at the time, and a termination was examined, especially in view of the notice period on November 18. But then the government fell apart in November 2024. The Green Party has long wanted to end the German-Brazilian nuclear agreement. After all, the Greens are the party that evolved from the anti-nuclear protests in the 1980s. In 2004, the then-Green Federal Environment Minister Jürgen Trittin tried unsuccessfully to convert the nuclear agreement into one for renewable energies. Ten years later, the Greens' urgent motion in opposition to terminate the nuclear agreements with Brazil and India failed due to resistance from the coalition government of the conservative Christian Democrats, its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU), and the SPD, under Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU). For Harald Ebner, member of the Bundestag for the Greens, the outcome of the cooperation is sobering. "Even at the drawing board, six of the eight nuclear power plants stipulated in the agreement failed. But the other two are also anything but a success: Angra-3 became a 40-year unfinished construction site, and a single block, Angra-2, was finally connected to the grid in 2000 after 24 years of construction as the world's most expensive nuclear power plant at the time," he wrote to DW. However, Angra-2 is susceptible to earthquakes, landslides and flooding, while more and more hazardous nuclear waste is accumulating on the site, for which there is no solution, says Ebner. In other words, there is nowhere to store the nuclear waste produced there. His conclusion: "Brazil and Germany were both on the wrong track with the agreement, which failed in many respects." For Ebner, nuclear power belongs in the past, but not everyone sees it that way. On the contrary: it is experiencing a renaissance worldwide. According to a study by the International Energy Agency (IEA), more than 40 countries are striving to expand nuclear power in order to meet the growing demand for electricity. In Brazil, nuclear power accounts for just 3% of electricity generation. However, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who used to be rather critical of nuclear energy, expressed great interest in Russia's experience with small nuclear power plants at a meeting in Moscow with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, a few weeks ago. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video And even in Germany, the debate on the use of nuclear energy, which was thought to be dead, has picked up speed again. Although former Chancellor Angela Merkel pushed through the German nuclear phase-out in 2011 shortly after the nuclear reactor disaster in Fukushima, Japan, during the last Bundestag election campaign, Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder, among others, called for the reactivation of three decommissioned nuclear power plants. The new Minister of Economic Affairs, Katharina Reiche from the CDU, also appears to be open to the use of nuclear power. She recently met with colleagues from the so-called European Nuclear Alliance, an association of countries such as France, Sweden and Poland that are committed to greater use of nuclear energy. What does this mean for the German-Brazilian nuclear agreement? Thomas Silberhorn, CDU member of the German Bundestag and long-time member of the German-Brazilian parliamentary group, told DW: "The agreement is an early example of technological partnership and therefore a milestone in our bilateral relations. Today, the focus of cooperation is on hydrogen and renewable energies. But openness to new technologies and energy policy independence remain relevant for Brazil and have also regained importance in Germany and throughout Europe." However, the future of the half-century-old nuclear agreement could depend on the SPD in government. Nina Scheer, energy policy spokesperson for the SPD parliamentary group in the German Bundestag, wrote to DW: "The coalition agreement provides for an intensification of the strategic partnership with Brazil. Due to the importance of the energy transition for strategic and sustainable development potential, this also involves replacing the German-Brazilian nuclear agreement with partnerships in the transition to renewable includes ending the nuclear agreement." Miriam Tornieporth will undoubtedly be happy to hear that. She works for the German anti-nuclear organization "ausgestrahlt e. V.", which was founded in 2008 and has been campaigning for the termination of the German-Brazilian nuclear agreement for years. "This cooperation is simply totally out of date and does not include, for example, any safety aspects that should be included from today's perspective," Tornieporth told DW. The controversial agreement has become particularly explosive due to the latest geopolitical developments, more specifically the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. This is because the French nuclear company Frematome produces fuel rods for nuclear power plants in Lingen, Lower Saxony, in cooperation with Rosatom. The state-owned Russian nuclear industry company has, in turn, concluded an agreement with Brazil for uranium supplies in 2022. "We assume that Russian material is processed both at the Gronau uranium enrichment plant in North Rhine-Westphalia and in Lingen and sent from there to Brazil. In contrast to other forms of energy, the Russian nuclear industry is also exempt from sanctions," says Tornieporth. "As Germany has shut down its nuclear power plants, it would be logical also to shut down the plants in Gronau and Lingen to complete the nuclear phase-out."While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter, Berlin Briefing.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Science
- The Hindu
GITAM-NIT-Warangal launch programme in AI to train educators
GITAM Deemed to be University in collaboration with the Electronics & ICT Academy, NIT Warangal, inaugurated a faculty development programme (FDP) on 'AI Innovations in Data Science and Computer Vision,' on Monday, according to a release issued on Tuesday. The FDP, held under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), aims to equip faculty, researchers, and industry professionals with a deep understanding of both foundational and advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. The programme is designed to cover emerging domains such as Generative AI, Explainable AI, and AI applications, in Computer Vision, with emphasis on real-world use-cases and interdisciplinary applications. The inaugural session featured Prof. J. Ravi Kumar from NIT Warangal, a renowned expert in Machine Learning Algorithms, Control Systems, and Digital Signal Processing, as the chief guest. In his address, Prof. Kumar emphasised the urgent need for academia to integrate AI and Machine Learning (AIML) into mainstream curricula, to promote cross-disciplinary research, and prepare students for a data-driven and AI-powered future. He also highlighted the transformative impact of AI, ML across industries, the growing demand for skilled professionals, and the responsibility of academia in shaping ethical and impactful AI innovations.
Hans India
5 days ago
- General
- Hans India
QIS Engg College hosts five-day FDP
Ongole: A five-day Faculty Development Programme (FDP) officially began on Monday at QIS Engineering College here. The programme, a collaborative effort between the National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research (NITTTR), Chennai, and QIS Engineering College, is being held in the college's Ramanujan Seminar Hall. Dr Nidamanuri Surya Kalyan Chakravarthy, Head of the Institution, and Dr Nidamanuri Sri Gayathri, Executive Vice-Chairman, announced the commencement of the FDP. The FDP aims at enhancing teaching methodologies, with sessions specifically designed to raise awareness among faculty members on Pedagogical Strategies for the 21st Century. These sessions will delve into the essential changes and strategies needed in teaching in response to current trends and developments in education. Prof KS Giridharan and Dr M Anil Kumar from NITTTR are serving as the key resource persons for the programme, sharing their expertise with the participating faculty. The event is being overseen by Dr Satya Meher, Dean of Academics at QIS Engineering College, and is presided over by the college principal, Dr YV Hanumantha Rao. Heads of Departments (HODs), Deans, and Directors were also present at the inaugural ceremony, underscoring the college's commitment to faculty development.
Hans India
6 days ago
- Science
- Hans India
FDP on ‘AI innovations in data science' held
Visakhapatnam: Focusing on 'AI innovations in data science and computer vision', a faculty development programme (FDP) was organised here on Monday. The programme was designed to cover emerging domains such as generative AI, explainable AI, and AI applications in computer vision, with an emphasis on real-world use-cases and interdisciplinary applications. In his address at the inaugural session, expert in machine learning algorithms, control systems, and digital signal processing, Prof J Ravi Kumar from NIT Warangal stressed on the urgent need for academia to integrate AI and Machine Learning (AIML) into mainstream curriculum, foster cross-disciplinary research and prepare students for a data-driven and AI-powered future. Organised by GITAM in collaboration with the Electronics and ICT Academy and NIT Warangal, the FDP, the event, was aimed at equipping faculty, researchers and industry professionals with a deep understanding of both foundational and advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. It was held under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Key contributions to the FDP came from G Lakshmeeswari, head of the department of computer science engineering, and K Naveen Kumar, head of AI and data science. Both highlighted the importance of faculty engagement in understanding and exploring new frontiers in AI. FDP coordinator M Rajamani shared that the programme focused on technical training, encouraging collaborative discussions on the current landscape and future directions of AI in sectors like healthcare, education and manufacturing.
Local Germany
6 days ago
- Business
- Local Germany
How long do you need to keep receipts and invoices for in Germany?
To Germany's credit, the tax authorities in the country are generally given the powers and resources they need to tackle financial fraud, at least in comparison to some other countries. The German love of probity and paperwork can take its toll on law-abiding citizens, however, many of whom breathed a sign of relief when former Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) reduced the retention period for accounting documents and invoices in Germany from ten to eight years. Now, Lindner's bid to cut bureaucracy looks like being reversed by his successor, Lars Klingbeil of the centre-left SPD. What does this mean for companies, the self-employed, and landlords? If Klingbeil gets his way companies, the self-employed, and landlords will all be required to keep documents, invoices, and receipts for a period of ten years, starting from the end of the calendar year in which the document was created, or the last entry was made. READ ALSO: Five hard truths about starting out as a freelancer in Germany Ideally, this means the originals of the documents, not copies, although the rules do allow for digital storage provided strict requirements for authenticity, completeness, and traceability are met. The same individuals or organisations are also required by law to store annual financial statements, inventories, and tax returns for the same period of time. Advertisement Under German law, some business documents including commercial letters and contracts only need to be kept for six years. The tax office can legally request all these documents within the specified periods in order to audit companies and individuals and check tax returns. If you're unable to provide the documents when asked to do so, the tax office can disallow the entire expense deduction, leading to higher taxable profits and a higher tax bill. READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: The best apps to help you track your German taxes In cases of gross negligence or intent (such as the systematic destruction or falsification of documents), there's a risk of fines or criminal tax proceedings. What does this mean for private individuals? While there is no general legal obligation for private individuals to keep hold of their receipts and invoices, there's often a good reason to file them away somewhere anyway. As a general rule of thumb, warranties or guarantees tend to last for two years in Germany, so it's a good idea to keep receipts for at least this length of time as proof of purchase. Providing you have the appropriate invoices, you can also deduct 20 percent of the labour costs for household-related services from your tax bill (up to €4,000 for services including cleaning, gardening, and maintenance), and 20 percent for handyman services – such as repairs, renovations, or modernisation work in your home – up to a value of €1,200. Advertisement If you own and live in your home, you can also deduct 20 percent of the costs for energy-efficient renovations from your taxes (like insulation, new windows, new heating systems, or digital energy management), up to a value of €40,000 over three years. If you do claim, remember to keep all invoices and proof of payment for at least two years in case the tax office asks to see them. Private individuals should also hang on to the tax assessment notices they receive from the tax office for at least then years, in the event of subsequent inquiries or subsidy applications.
