Latest news with #TAZ
CTV News
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Justin Trudeau's son XAV performing in Ottawa
Justin Trudeau's son XAV performing in Ottawa XAV & his friend TAZ are set to perform at the 27 Club this Friday.
Local Germany
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Local Germany
Germany 'concerned' for far-left activist held in Hungary
The activist, a German citizen known as Maja T., went on trial in February over four counts of attempted assault against far-right activists during a rally in Budapest in 2023. Maja T., who identifies as non-binary, was handed over to Hungary by Germany last summer -- a decision that was severely criticised by the German constitutional court. The judges said the extradition order had failed to take account of potentially dangerous prison conditions in Hungary, especially for LGBTQ people. Maja T.'s Hungarian lawyer, Tamas Bajaky, told AFP his client was transferred to a hospital on July 1. The activist has lost 14 kilograms and is threatened with "permanent organ damage", the TAZ newspaper reported on Thursday, citing Maja T.'s family. "Of course there is great concern," foreign ministry spokeswoman Kathrin Deschauer said. The German government is in "close contact" with Maja T.'s family, and the German embassy in Budapest was able to visit the activist in hospital, Deschauer added. Advertisement The attacks in February 2023 happened in the days preceding the so-called annual "Day of Honour" commemoration in Budapest, where European far-right groups gather to mark a failed attempt by Nazi forces in 1945 to break out of the city during the Soviet army's siege. Several activists have since been prosecuted in Hungary and could face prison sentences for the attacks as nationalist premier Viktor Orban vows to clamp down on "far-left violence".
DW
21-06-2025
- Politics
- DW
East German cities offer free stays to fight depopulation – DW – 06/21/2025
Towns and cities in eastern German states are inviting people to come and stay in the hope of encouraging more people to move there long-term. "There's no problem finding affordable accommodation, there are no traffic jams, there's no rush hour, and I've never had trouble finding a parking space," beams Anika Franze from behind her desk in the center of the small city of Guben. The 38-year-old was born in East Berlin in the former German Democratic Republic and lived most of her life before and after the fall of the Wall in the same district of the capital. But she says the hustle and bustle, a sense of helplessness about growing inequality, not to mention the dire housing situation, long made her want to leave. Driving through Brandenburg with only local radio for company, she heard about a "trial living" ("Probewohnen") scheme offering people the chance to stay for up to four weeks free of charge in Guben on Germany's far eastern border with Poland. The idea was to encourage more people to come and settle in the city to help fight depopulation. Franze has lived here for eight months and now manages the project that first brought her to the city. Here she can afford to rent a 100-square-meter, split-level apartment with a walk-in wardrobe for less than she would pay for a room in one of Berlin's less desirable flat shares. "It's always quiet here, there's no noise pollution, there's less litter on the streets, and you always run into people you know, which I find quite nice," she explains on a whistlestop tour of the city that includes a quick trip across the river to eat fancy cake in a Polish café. Thirty people took part in the scheme in Guben last year and six of those moved here for the long-term. Franze says more followed as a result of the press coverage. Similar projects have also been launched in nearby towns in the Lusatia region, including Frankfurt (Oder), and most recently in Eisenhüttenstadt, originally called Stalinstadt, the first planned socialist model city built in the GDR. Guben is just one of hundreds of industrial towns and cities in the former East that underwent major demographic changes after German reunification in 1990. Declining birth rates, the emigration of predominately young people to western federal states and rising life expectancy have accelerated demographic aging here. There are currently 16,600 people living in the Guben, down by almost half from 29,100 in 1995. That number is expected to decline by a further 16% in the decade up to 2030, with an estimated 27% decrease in the working-age population. The median age is currently 58 and rising. "We're missing an entire generation," the city's mayor, Fred Mahro, told Berlin's TAZ newspaper when the scheme first launched. Last fall, the Bertelsmann Stiftung, an independent civil society foundation, published a study that found Germany would continue to be reliant on migration to cover its forecast labor market demand. Furthermore, due to the comparable demographic situation in other European states, migration would have to come from countries outside of the EU. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "From an economic perspective, we need to ensure that locations remain attractive, that incentives are created for businesses to settle there, but it's about much more than that, for example, a welcoming culture and social interaction," says Susanne Schultz, an expert on migration policy at the Bertelsmann Stiftung. Schultz points to research published by the Institute for Employment at the Federal Employment Agency last week showing that just over a quarter of people born abroad and who immigrated to Germany between the ages of 18 and 65 considered leaving the country last year. Two-thirds of those surveyed cited discrimination as a reason to leave; one third said they do not feel welcome or only slightly welcome. The rhetoric and policies on the issue of migration, for example the recent move to stop the families of certain groups of immigrants from moving to Germany, are sending out the wrong signals, according to Schultz. "Dissatisfaction with politics was one of the main reasons, and I think a lot of that has to do with developments over the last one and half years — the mood has really changed in Germany," she told DW, adding that a multi-pronged approach was needed to help people to integrate both socially and economically. In the struggle to attract new residents, Germany's eastern states also have an image problem as hotbeds for right-wing extremism to contend with. Guben made headlines in 1999 when an Algerian asylum seeker, Farid Guendoul, bled to death after being hounded by neo-Nazis. Just under 42% of local residents voted for the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) in the February 2025 federal elections. The AfD is known for its harsh anti-immigrant rhetoric. It has been classified as "right-wing extremist" by Germany's domestic intelligence agency, though the agency will refrain from using the term until a court ruling has been issued. Franze says the numbers do not reflect day-to-day life in the city and is frustrated by the focus on the AfD when almost 60% of people here voted for moderate or liberal parties. "People have their prejudices and clichés, but in my experience, you can still connect with people, they just maybe need a bit of time because they're not used to much diversity," the German woman explains. "I wouldn't imagine it being any different in any other small European town." Now in its second year, the scheme in Guben has received 40 applications from all over Germany, as well as Belgium, Algeria, Egypt and Brazil. Successful applicants will be housed in newly renovated apartments for a contribution of just €100 ($115). There is also the opportunity to take part in weekly social gatherings with the residents, make an artistic contribution to the city in cooperation with a local museum and do an internship at a local company. Guben was once famous for its textile industry and millinery: the first weatherproof wool felt hats were manufactured here, and a synthetic fiber factory, opened in 1960, was the largest employer in the district for a long time. Investment from the European Union and the German government is now being pumped into the Lusatia region as lignite, also known as brown coal, mining is phased out as part of the switch to a carbon-neutral economy. Franze says there are currently around 300 job vacancies waiting to be filled. The US-owned salami manufacturer BiFi opened a factory here in 2024, bakery chain Dreissig has a production site here, and Canadian lithium battery producer Rock Tech is opening a plant the size of 17 soccer pitches. Right now, Franze is enjoying a life that is somehow just a bit more manageable than in the sprawling German capital, and has fulfilled a childhood dream of learning to ride horses. "I don't know if I want to get old here, but I don't know if I'd want to do that in Berlin either," she 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.
DW
21-06-2025
- DW
German cities offer free stays to fight depopulation – DW – 06/21/2025
Towns and cities in eastern German states are inviting people to come and stay in the hope of encouraging more people to move there long-term. "There's no problem finding affordable accommodation, there are no traffic jams, there's no rush hour, and I've never had trouble finding a parking space," beams Anika Franze from behind her desk in the center of of the small city of Guben. The 38-year-old was born in East Berlin in the former German Democratic Republic and lived most of her life before and after the fall of the Wall in the same district of the capital. But she says the hustle and bustle, a sense of helplessness about growing inequality, not to mention the dire housing situation, long made her want to leave. Driving through Brandenburg with only local radio for company, she heard about a "trial living" ("Probewohnen") scheme offering people the chance to stay for up to four weeks free of charge in Guben on Germany's far eastern border with Poland. The idea was to encourage more people to come and settle in the city to help fight depopulation. Franze has lived here for eight months and now manages the project that first brought her to the city. Here she can afford to rent a 100-square-meter, split-level apartment with a walk-in wardrobe for less than she would pay for a room in one of Berlin's less desirable flat shares. "It's always quiet here, there's no noise pollution, there's less litter on the streets, and you always run into people you know, which I find quite nice," she explains on a whistlestop tour of the city that includes a quick trip across the river to eat fancy cake in a Polish café. Thirty people took part in the scheme in Guben last year and six of those moved here for the long-term. Franze says more followed as a result of the press coverage. Similar projects have also been launched in nearby towns in the Lusatia region, including Frankfurt (Oder), and most recently in Eisenhüttenstadt, originally called Stalinstadt, the first planned socialist model city built in the GDR. Guben is just one of hundreds of industrial towns and cities in the former East that underwent major demographic changes after German reunification in 1990. Declining birth rates, the emigration of predominately young people to western federal states and rising life expectancy have accelerated demographic aging here. There are currently 16,600 people living in the Guben, down by almost half from 29,100 in 1995. That number is expected to decline by a further 16% in the decade up to 2030, with an estimated 27% decrease in the working-age population. The median age is currently 58 and rising. "We're missing an entire generation," the city's mayor, Fred Mahro, told Berlin's TAZ newspaper when the scheme first launched. Last fall, the Bertelsmann Stiftung, an independent civil society foundation, published a study that found Germany would continue to be reliant on migration to cover its forecast labor market demand. Furthermore, due to the comparable demographic situation in other European states, migration would have to come from countries outside of the EU. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "From an economic perspective, we need to ensure that locations remain attractive, that incentives are created for businesses to settle there, but it's about much more than that, for example, a welcoming culture and social interaction," says Susanne Schultz, an expert on migration policy at the Bertelsmann Stiftung. Schultz points to research published by the Institute for Employment at the Federal Employment Agency last week showing that just over a quarter of people born abroad and who immigrated to Germany between the ages of 18 and 65 considered leaving the country last year. Two-thirds of those surveyed cited discrimination as a reason to leave; one third said they do not feel welcome or only slightly welcome. The rhetoric and policies on the issue of migration, for example the recent move to stop the families of certain groups of immigrants from moving to Germany, are sending out the wrong signals, according to Schultz. "Dissatisfaction with politics was one of the main reasons, and I think a lot of that has to do with developments over the last one and half years — the mood has really changed in Germany," she told DW, adding that a multi-pronged approach was needed to help people to integrate both socially and economically. In the struggle to attract new residents, Germany's eastern states also have an image problem as hotbeds for right-wing extremism to contend with. Guben made headlines in 1999 when an Algerian asylum seeker, Farid Guendoul, bled to death after being hounded by neo-Nazis. Just under 42% of local residents voted for the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) in the February 2025 federal elections. The AfD is known for its harsh anti-immigrant rhetoric. It has been classified as "right-wing extremist" by Germany's domestic intelligence agency, though the agency will refrain from using the term until a court ruling has been issued. Franze says the numbers do not reflect day-to-day life in the city and is frustrated by the focus on the AfD when almost 60% of people here voted for moderate or liberal parties. "People have their prejudices and clichés, but in my experience, you can still connect with people, they just maybe need a bit of time because they're not used to much diversity," the German woman explains. "I wouldn't imagine it being any different in any other small European town." Now in its second year, the scheme in Guben has received 40 applications from all over Germany, as well as Belgium, Algeria, Egypt and Brazil. Successful applicants will be housed in newly renovated apartments for a contribution of just €100 ($115). There is also the opportunity to take part in weekly social gatherings with the residents, make an artistic contribution to the city in cooperation with a local museum and do an internship at a local company. Guben was once famous for its textile industry and millinery: the first weatherproof wool felt hats were manufactured here, and a synthetic fiber factory, opened in 1960, was the largest employer in the district for a long time. Investment from the European Union and the German government is now being pumped into the Lusatia region as lignite, also known as brown coal, mining is phased out as part of the switch to a carbon-neutral economy. Franze says there are currently around 300 job vacancies waiting to be filled. The US-owned salami manufacturer BiFi opened a factory here in 2024, bakery chain Dreissig has a production site here, and Canadian lithium battery producer Rock Tech is opening a plant the size of 17 soccer pitches. Right now, Franze is enjoying a life that is somehow just a bit more manageable than in the sprawling German capital, and has fulfilled a childhood dream of learning to ride horses. "I don't know if I want to get old here, but I don't know if I'd want to do that in Berlin either," she 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.
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Germany: Dozens injured at Berlin pro-Palestinian protest
People attend a pro-Palestinians demonstration to commemorate the Nakba Day in Berlin, Germany (AP) Several protesters and police officers sustained injuries during violent confrontations at a pro-Palestinian demonstration marking Nakba Day in Berlin on Thursday. According to police, who made over 50 arrests, approximately 1,100 people took part in the demonstration in the Berlin district of Kreuzberg in remembrance of the Nakba and protesting against Israel's continuing military operations in the Gaza Strip. Nakba means "catastrophe" in Arabic and refers to the forced displacement or fleeing of Palestinians during the Arab-Israeli War of 1948 after Israel's founding. About 700,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled from their homes in the years before and after the proclamation of the State of Israel. Some 1,200 Israelis, around 800 civilians, were killed and another 250 abducted in the attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on October 7, 2023. Israel's military response has seen over 53,000 Palestinians mainly women and children, killed, according to health authorities in Hamas-led Gaza Strip, whose casualty counts do not differentiate between militants and civilians but are regarded as reliable by international organizations, and much of the territory laid to waste. How did the Nakba Day protest unfold? In Berlin on Thursday, demonstrators originally wanted to march from the Südstern square in the south of the capital to the neighboring district of Neukölln, but a local administrative court ruled that the protest must remain stationary. "The Nakba is a continuing campaign of ethnic cleansing which has never stopped," claimed one speaker at the demonstration. Other protesters reportedly shouted phrases accusing the Israeli government and military of being "child murderers, women murderers, baby murderers" as well as "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free." The latter phrase is illegal in Germany as it is considered an approval of a crime under paragraph 140 of the German Criminal Code in that it can be interpreted as a demand for the region between the Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea to be free of the Jewish state of Israel, an interpretation disputed by some Palestinian groups. Police officer 'trampled on' According to the TAZ daily newspaper, the use of this phrase prompted attempts by police to make arrests. Police said they were also responding to "significant acts of violence" against officers "from within the crowd," out of which bottles and stones were reportedly thrown. According to the police, one officer was dragged into the crowd, forced to the ground and trampled on. The 36-year-old reportedly suffered severe injuries to his upper body, including a broken arm, and remains in the hospital. "The attack on a police officer at the demonstration in Kreuzberg is nothing but a cowardly, brutal act of violence," said Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner of the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU). "Attacks against officers are attacks on law and order and therefore against all of us." According to the police, 11 officers were injured in total as well as an unspecified number of protesters. The injured demonstrators were treated by the Berlin fire department, which said the scale of its deployment wasn't particularly large. Berlin politicians condemn 'brutal violence' Berlin's senator for the interior, Iris Spranger of the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), promised tough action against those arrested. "Yesterday's demonstration in Berlin escalated in a horrific manner," she said." This brutal violence against officers has nothing to do with political protest." The German-Israeli Society (DIG) spoke of a "strong radicalization in this area and an associated increase in violence," and called for the authorization of such demonstrations to be reconsidered. "Often, these events are not demonstrations for the rights and the legitimate concerns of Palestinians but merely express outright hatred of Israel," it claimed.
