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☆ Germany leaps to the defense of Israel at the International Court of Justice, rejects South Africa's accusation of Gaza genocide
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-13 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The German government rejected South Africa's genocide allegations against Israel at the ICJ. Germany is set to intervene on Israel's behalf at the international court. "The German government decisively and expressly rejects the accusation of genocide brought against Israel before the International Court of Justice," Hebestreit said. Germany will be allowed to present its own case disputing South Africa's allegation of genocide against Israel, according to reports. The Israeli defense called South Africa's accusations of genocide "baseless, arguing that the stated aim of Israel was the destruction of the Hamas terrorist organization and liberating the hostages that remained imprisoned in Gaza.

Persons: Israel, Israel's, Netanyahu, Olaf Scholz, —, Steffen Hebestreit, Adolf Hitler's Nazi, Hebestreit, Benjamin Netanyahu, Scholz, Adila, Al Jazeera Organizations: ICJ, Service, Hague, International Court of Justice, Federal Government, Genocide, Israel, Getty, Israel's, Minister's Locations: South, Germany, South Africa, Hague's, Israel, Hamas, Be'eri, Gaza

☆ Israel denies genocide accusations at top UN court, says war in Gaza is self-defense
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-12 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

South Africa and Israel are signatories to the 1948 Genocide Convention, meaning they are obliged not to commit genocide and to prevent and punish it. South Africa has asked the court to order Israel to suspend its military campaign in Gaza. In January 2020, the court granted The Gambia’s request for provisional measures to protect the Rohingya people remaining in Myanmar from genocide. A 2022 report by Human Rights Watch found continued abuses against the Rohingya remaining in Myanmar, despite the provisional measures. South Africa cited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Israeli forces on October 28, ahead of the imminent launch of its ground offensive in Gaza.

Persons: Israel, ” Israel, Germany “, Steffen Hebestreit, ”, “, Tal Becker, Becker, Galit Raguan, Omri Sender, Hollandse, Israel ’ Israel, Malcolm Shaw, Michel Porro, Ghazi Hamad, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, ” Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Ronald Lamola, Madonsela, Remko de, Gilad Noam, Christopher Staker, Staker, Nadine Schmidt, Catherine Nicholls Organizations: CNN, Israel, United Nations ’, International Court of Justice, Hamas, ICJ, UN, Holocaust, Human Rights Watch, ”, The Hague, South African, Getty, Criminal Court, ICC Locations: South Africa, Gaza, ”, The Hague, Netherlands, Germany, Africa, Israel, Myanmar, Russia, Ukraine, Lebanese, Remko de Waal, AFP

The court ruling has called into question Germany's traditionally strict fiscal policy and sparked warnings that German companies could be starved of support to keep them globally competitive. HANDS TIEDThe crisis has sparked calls for reforming the debt brake. "With the debt brake as it is, we have voluntarily tied our hands behind our backs and are going into a boxing match," he said. A poll by broadcaster ZDF suggested only a minority of Germans supported suspending the debt brake. Some 57% wanted the budget shortfall from the court ruling to be covered by spending cuts, 11% favoured tax increases and 23% wanted the state to take on additional debt.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Robert Habeck, Christian Lindner, Scholz, Lindner, Habeck, Steffen Hebestreit, Holger Hansen, Christian Kraemer, Miranda Murray, Rene Wagner, Matthias Williams, Toby Chopra, Gareth Jones, Deepa Babington Organizations: Climate, Finance, BERLIN, Greens, Social Democrats, Free Democrats, FDP, ZDF, Thomson Locations: Germany, Europe's, East Germany, China

The court ruling has called into question Germany's traditionally strict fiscal policy and sparked warnings that German companies could be starved of support to keep them globally competitive. The debt brake, introduced after the global financial crisis of 2008/09, was first suspended in 2020 to help the government support firms and health systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. HANDS TIEDThe crisis has sparked calls for reforming the debt brake. "With the debt brake as it is, we have voluntarily tied our hands behind our backs and are going into a boxing match," he said. A poll by broadcaster ZDF suggested only a minority of Germans supported suspending the debt brake.

Persons: Christian Lindner, Fabrizio Bensch, Scholz, Olaf Scholz, Lindner, Robert Habeck, Habeck, Steffen Hebestreit, Holger Hansen, Christian Kraemer, Miranda Murray, Rene Wagner, Matthias Williams, Toby Chopra, Gareth Jones Organizations: REUTERS, BERLIN, Finance, Greens, ZDF, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, Europe's, East Germany, China

BERLIN (AP) — Chancellor Olaf Scholz says Germany needs to start deporting “on a large scale” migrants who don't have the right to stay in the country, adding to increasingly tough talk on migration since his coalition performed badly in two state elections earlier this month. Mainstream conservatives won both votes and the far-right Alternative for Germany made significant gains. Last week, Scholz announced legislation to ease deportations of unsuccessful asylum-seekers. On Monday, the government notified the European Commission of temporary border controls at the Polish, Czech and Swiss frontiers. He argued that there needs to be a “fundamental turnaround in migration policy.”Asked what the chancellor thought of that idea, Scholz spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit replied: “Nothing.”

Persons: —, Olaf Scholz, Der Spiegel, Scholz, Friedrich Merz, ”, Markus Soeder, Steffen Hebestreit Organizations: BERLIN, Der, European Commission, environmentalist Greens, Free Democrats —, Union bloc Locations: Germany, Czech, Swiss, Bavarian

☆ German Chancellor Scholz sports eye patch after jogging accident
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

German Chancellor wears an eye patch following his jogging injury in this handout image released in Berlin by the Bundespresseamt in Berlin, Germany, September 4, 2023. BPA/Steffen Kugler/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsBERLIN, Sept 4 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz joked that he was eagerly awaiting social media reaction after an official photograph released on Monday showed him wearing an eye patch following a weekend jogging accident. Thanks for the get-well wishes, looks worse than it is," the chancellor posted on his account on X, formerly known as Twitter. Scholz, whose face is also visibly scratched in the photo, will have to wear the eye patch for the next few days and weeks, government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit told a regular news conference on Monday. The chancellor, who is set to take part in a Catholic Church event in Berlin later Monday, is doing well considering the circumstances, Hebestreit said.

Persons: Steffen Kugler, Handout, Olaf Scholz, Scholz, Steffen Hebestreit, Hebestreit, Friederike Heine, Miranda Murray, Mike Harrison Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Twitter, Catholic, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany

CNN —A candidate from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party won a local leadership post for the first time on Sunday in a resounding victory for a group whose anti-migrant, Euroskeptic and anti-Muslim agenda is under surveillance by German authorities. The AfD’s Robert Sesselmann triumphed over incumbent Jürgen Köpper of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party to become district administrator of Sonneberg, in Thuringia, central Germany, at the weekend. “Unfortunately, it has not been a personal election as state elections have always been, it has become a pure party election,” he said. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party’s chairwoman Saskia Esken called the AfD victory in Sonneberg a “political dam-break” on Monday. Even though the move doesn’t apply to parent party AfD, it revealed a growing segment of young Germans united by extreme views on migration and anti-feminism.

Persons: Robert Sesselmann, Jürgen Köpper, Sesselmann, Köpper, ”, Olaf Scholz’s, Saskia Esken, Ricarda Lang, ” Lang, Mario Czaja, Steffen Hebestreit, ” Hebestreit, ‘, BfV, Martin Schutt, Hans Vorländer, ” Vorländer, Alice Weidel Organizations: CNN, Christian Democratic Union, CDU, Office, Statistics, Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic, Green Party, Getty Locations: Germany, Thuringia, Thuringian, Sonneberg, Ukraine, Dresden, Berlin “, Saxony

☆ Reaction and remarks from Biden's visit to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

KYIV, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Following are comments and reaction from U.S. President Joe Biden's surprise visit to Ukraine on Monday. "Later this week, we will announce additional sanctions against elites and companies that are trying to evade or backfill Russia's war machine. "This visit of the U.S. president to Ukraine, the first for 15 years, is the most important visit in the entire history of Ukraine-U.S. relations. UKRAINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER DMYTRO KULEBA"This visit is the victory of the Ukrainian people and President Zelenskiy. It has been conducted in spite of everything for the sake of Ukraine's victory and all the free world.

☆ Factbox: Russia decries German tanks decision, Ukraine 'sincerely grateful'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the German decision confirmed what she said was a "pre-planned war" against Moscow. UKRAINEUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he was "sincerely grateful" to Germany and Chancellor Olaf Scholz for Berlin's "important and timely" decision to provide Kyiv with battle tanks. "The right decision by NATO Allies and friends to send main battle tanks to Ukraine. FRANCEThe French presidency welcomed Berlin's decision to send tanks to Ukraine and allow other states to do the same. NETHERLANDSThe Netherlands is prepared to deliver battle tanks to Ukraine if needed, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said.

☆ Poland pushes for tanks for Ukraine, will seek German OK
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

He said that Poland is building a coalition of nations ready to send Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine. Poland needs the consent of Germany, which builds the tanks, to send them to a non-NATO country. But even if there is no permission from Germany, Warsaw will make its own decisions, Morawiecki said. Poland has become a leading advocate in the European Union for giving Ukraine the military aid that could help it prevail over the Kremlin’s invading forces 11 months after the war started. Germany’s hesitation has drawn criticism, particularly from Poland and the Baltic states, countries on NATO’s eastern flank that feel especially threatened by Russia’s renewed aggression.

But it still refuses to use Western mRNA vaccines to innoculate the population more quickly. China's hesitancy to use Western vaccine technology is contributing to the mass protests against its COVID-19 restrictions. Despite that, China is still refusing to approve and distribute Western vaccines to innoculate its citizens. In lieu of the Western vaccines, which are based on mRNA, China has been relying on its own brand of jabs, which rely on inactivated, or killed, virus. Germany this week suggested China should use Western vaccines to speed up the process and protect the country from the virus, Politico reported.

☆ Germany angrily denies claim by Boris Johnson that it wanted Ukraine to quickly lose to Russia when it invaded
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Germany slammed comments from Boris Johnson about its attitude to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Johnson said on Monday that Germany initially wanted Ukraine to "fold" to get it over quickly. Hebestreit pointed to Germany's military support to Ukraine as evidence that it did not want it to lose. Despite being politically embattled domestically throughout the Ukraine conflict, Johnson developed close ties with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy before he stepped down and was widely celebrated in Ukraine. Ultimately, Johnson told CNN, the EU has "done brilliantly" despite his initial "anxiety" about member states' reactions to Putin's aggression.

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