Foreign Minister Steinmeier condemns terrorist attack in Jerusalem

Foreign Minister Steinmeier issued the following statement in Brussels on 18 April:

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Today in Jerusalem, there was another terrorist attack on a bus, which left more than 20 people injured, some of them seriously. We condemn this attack on innocent civilians in the strongest possible terms. It is apparent that the perpetrators acted without any respect for human life. Our thoughts and sympathy are with the victims and their families.

Both sides must finally work to bring about a de-escalation and political leaders must do everything in their power to tackle the hate in people’s minds. What is needed now are concrete steps to make a peaceful dialogue possible again as well as a clear rejection of violence as a means to achieve political ends.

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2016/160418_Jerusalem.html?nn=479796

Give refugees bank cards, not blankets and milk powder

What if, instead of handing out milk powder, blankets and disposable nappies to the millions of war refugees, we gave them prepaid bank cards with ...

from
http://www.west-info.eu/give-refugees-bank-cards-not-blankets-and-milk-powder/

Why Lesbos is Pope Francis’s first mistake

If Pope Francis's trip to Lesbos wasn't a mistake then it was, in our humble opinion, highly questionable. We say this with regret in our ...

from
http://www.west-info.eu/why-lesbos-is-pope-franciss-first-mistake/

Guidance: Mali: country information and guidance

Country information and guidance is used by UK Visas and Immigration officials to make decisions in asylum and human rights applications. The guidance also give information on asylum seekers’ countries of origin.

from
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mali-country-information-and-guidance

Coordinator of Transatlantic Cooperation commends debate on transatlantic relations

The German Bundestag held a debate on fundamentals of transatlantic relations today (15 April) on the basis of a motion put forward by the governing coalition parties – the CDU/CSU and SPD – on “Fitting transatlantic relations for the future”. The Coordinator of Transatlantic Cooperation, Jürgen Hardt, issued the following statement on the matter:

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I very much welcome the fact that the Bundestag, in spite of the many current crises, has taken the important and necessary time to hold a debate on the fundamentals underpinning one of the cornerstones of our foreign and security policy: transatlantic relations. Proposed by the governing parties and adopted with an overwhelming majority, the motion on “Fitting transatlantic relations for the future” sends a clear and unequivocal message that underscores the significance of this unique partnership.

Particularly at a time when the world is seeing ever more instability and crumbling of state structures, with rising numbers of autocratic regimes and increasing restrictions on freedom of the press and of opinion, the Euro-Atlantic partnership has the key role to play in strengthening, consolidating and, where necessary, defending our social system of openness, pluralism and freedom.

The motion also shows the route we want to take to continue developing and fit for the future our important relations both with the United States and with Canada, which constitute a pillar of our foreign, security and economic policy. In connection with this, the motion also clearly advocates bringing the forward-looking partnerships for free trade and investment – TTIP between the EU and the United States and CETA between the EU and Canada – to a swift and successful conclusion as part of a new and modern international trade regime.

from
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Meldungen/2016/160415_transatlantischeBeziehungen.html?nn=479796

Mubeen Goolam - FameLab Cambridge Final 2016

Coordinator of Transatlantic Cooperation commends debate on transatlantic relations

The German Bundestag held a debate on fundamentals of transatlantic relations today (15 April) on the basis of a motion put forward by the governing coalition parties – the CDU/CSU and SPD – on “Fitting transatlantic relations for the future”. The Coordinator of Transatlantic Cooperation, Jürgen Hardt, issued the following statement on the matter:

Zusatzinformationen

I very much welcome the fact that the Bundestag, in spite of the many current crises, has taken the important and necessary time to hold a debate on the fundamentals underpinning one of the cornerstones of our foreign and security policy: transatlantic relations. Proposed by the governing parties and adopted with an overwhelming majority, the motion on “Fitting transatlantic relations for the future” sends a clear and unequivocal message that underscores the significance of this unique partnership.

Particularly at a time when the world is seeing ever more instability and crumbling of state structures, with rising numbers of autocratic regimes and increasing restrictions on freedom of the press and of opinion, the Euro-Atlantic partnership has the key role to play in strengthening, consolidating and, where necessary, defending our social system of openness, pluralism and freedom.

The motion also shows the route we want to take to continue developing and fit for the future our important relations both with the United States and with Canada, which constitute a pillar of our foreign, security and economic policy. In connection with this, the motion also clearly advocates bringing the forward-looking partnerships for free trade and investment – TTIP between the EU and the United States and CETA between the EU and Canada – to a swift and successful conclusion as part of a new and modern international trade regime.

from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsCH3gRqHMc

Kerstin Timm - FameLab Cambridge Final 2016

from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lID18qAHAqo