Germany’s Bundestag votes for cannabis legalization

New legislation put forward by Germany’s ruling coalition will allow limited possession and cultivation of the drug. The conservative Christian Democratic Union opposed the government’s proposal

Bundestag votes in favor of legalizing cannabis consumption
German lawmakers have approved the…[Read more]

Namibia, Gaza and German hypocrisy on genocide

On January 12, Germany said it will intervene on Israel’s behalf in the genocide case brought against it by South Africa at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over its war on Gaza.

“The German government firmly and explicitly rejects the accusation of genocide that has now been made aga…[Read more]

German lawyers sue Scholz, alleging complicity in Gaza ‘genocide’

Berlin, Germany – A group of lawyers is filing a criminal complaint with the German federal prosecutor against senior German politicians, including Chancellor Olaf Scholz, accusing them of “aiding and abetting” the genocide they say is being committed by Israel in Gaza.

Th…[Read more]

Germany hopes to boost military and deterrence

German politicians and some sections of the media have reacted to Donald Trump’s latest remarks about NATO by demanding that Germany radically boost its defense spending and even consider breaking its taboo on nuclear weapons.

Speaking at a campaign rally in South Carolina on Saturday, the former US…[Read more]

Singer Isaak to represent Germany at Eurovision 2024

German singer Isaak Guderian will represent the country at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024.

The annual cultural extravaganza, watched by millions of people, will be held inMalmö, Sweden, this year, after Swedish singer Loreen won the contest last year.

Isaak beat eight others
Isaak beat out…[Read more]

Germany: Hamburg begins issuing Visa cash cards for refugees

Hamburg has become the first German state to introduce payment cards for asylum seekers. The cards will initially be issued to new arrivals in initial reception facilities, the city’s social welfare authority announced Thursday.

This is a pilot project for the nationwide introduction…[Read more]

Unusually warm weather in northern Japan puts damper on winter events

Unseasonably warm weather in northern parts of Japan have caused iconic winter sights to melt away this week, causing ice deposits on trees to no longer appear so monster-like, and snow huts to be capped with blue sheets.

While Hokkaido and the northeastern Japan regions will…[Read more]

Japan to boost child allowances to tackle falling birthrate

The Cabinet on Friday approved a bill to expand the coverage of monthly child allowances to high school-age children as Prime Minister Fumio Kishida aims to stem the sharp drop in Japan’s birthrate.

Under the plan, the existing income limit for households receiving the benefits will be…[Read more]

Japan announces successful launch of next-generation H3 rocket

Japan’s space agency announced the successful launch of its new flagship rocket on Saturday, making it third time lucky for the H3 after years of delays and two previous failed attempts.

The H3 rocket, billed as flexible and cost-effective by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency…[Read more]

Japan’s ‘Moon Sniper’ wakes up and shares new images of the lunar surface

Japan’s “Moon Sniper” robotic explorer is back in action after a power issue forced the spacecraft to shut down hours after landing on the moon 10 days ago, the country’s space agency said Monday.

The explorer executed a precise landing just after 10:20 a.m. ET on January…[Read more]

Japanese castle town invites travelers to live a day in the life of a feudal lord

The careful placement of the traditional “kabuto” helmet and the adjustment of the cord chin strap complete the transformation.

Simon Celestine arrived at Odawara castle as a tourist from France but he is now lord of one of the most impressive feudal-era for…[Read more]

German upper house approves bill easing citizenship rules

German lawmakers have passed a bill that makes the process of obtaining citizenship easier, and moved to simplify repatriations.

The naturalisation reform, approved by the upper house of parliament on Friday, allows people to become German citizens while keeping their original…[Read more]

German bank braces for wave of bad loans in ‘greatest real estate crisis since the financial crisis’

Deutsche Pfandbriefbank, or PBB, a German lender focused on real estate, has set aside more money for bad debts as it braces for what it says is the worst decline in commercial property values in 15 years.

PBB increased its provisions for los…[Read more]

Europe’s growth engine is sputtering. Can Germany’s economy be revived?

The world’s fourth-largest economy has got off to a bumpy start this year. A strike by Lufthansa ground crew on Wednesday was just the latest industrial action to cause travel chaos in recent weeks, after train drivers walked off the job in January over a wage dispute and f…[Read more]

German firm BASF to pull out of Xinjiang after Uyghur abuse claims

The German chemicals producer BASF has said it will withdraw from its two joint ventures in Xinjiang, after media reports about alleged human rights abuses relating to its partner company, which BASF’s CEO said crossed a red line.

In a statement on Friday, BASF said that while “…[Read more]

COVID patients again rising in Japan; experts warn of 10th wave

The average number of coronavirus patients among designated hospitals across Japan has been rising for 11 consecutive weeks, health ministry data showed Friday, with experts warning the country has entered its 10th COVID-19 wave.

The average among the roughly 5,000 medical…[Read more]

Japan OKs new foreign trainee program to attract more workers

The Japanese government adopted plans on Friday to scrap its current foreign trainee program, which has been criticized as a cover for importing cheap labor, and replace it with a system it says will actually teach skills and safeguard trainees’ rights as Japan desperately seeks more…[Read more]

41-year-old man arrested for assaulting 2 elementary school boys

Police in Kagoshima have arrested a 41-year-old man on suspicion of assaulting two elementary school boys by punching them in the face and pulling their arms and hair.

The incident occurred at around 5:20 p.m. on Feb 2, local media reported. Police said Kenji Ueno, whose occupation…[Read more]

Data rigging scandals threaten to undermine Toyota’s growth

Behind Toyota Motor Corp’s record earnings announced last Tuesday are its relentless efforts to make its vehicles reliable and operations leaner. A series of data fraud scandals at the auto group have put part of its success formula at risk of collapse.

Data rigging in vehicle…[Read more]

Japan joins others in halting funds for U.N. Palestinian refugee agency

Japan has decided to suspend funding for a U.N. agency that supports Palestinian refugees, joining the United States and others, amid allegations that its staff may have been involved in Hamas’ attack on Israel last year.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maki Kobayashi said in a…[Read more]