By Jack Turner
74. Internationaler Tag des Gedenkens an die Opfer des Holocaust
This Sunday saw Germany and hundreds of other countries around the world pay their respects on International Holocaust Remembrance Day. This year marked the 74th anniversary of the release of survivors from Auschwitz on 27th January 1945 by Soviet forces. Speaking in her weekly video podcast, Chancellor Angela Merkel said: "This day reminds us what racialism, hatred and misanthropy can do".
Merkels Aufruf
Merkel called on every individual in society to take “responsibility for showing zero tolerance for anti-Semitism, misanthropy, hatred and racial delusion”.
Bald keine Braunkohle mehr in Deutschland?
In other news, an agreement has been made for Germany to phase out all coal-fired power plants by the end of 2038 following a government-appointed commission. Though it still requires formal approval from the German government, this would spark an immediate phaseout, with plant operators being asked to shut down around 12 gigawatts of capacity (equivalent to 24 large power station units) over the first 4 years. The proposal has been met with much acclaim following years of campaigning for an end to coal, as recently witnessed with the huge anti-coal protest in Hambach Forest. According to activists, the forest could now be saved if the proposal is approved by the government. However, critics argue the government would have to spend huge sums of money to the shut the coal sector down.
Zahlen der Bundeswehr
Elsewhere, internal papers from the Ministry of Defence indicate that only half of school leavers will fit be for military service in the Bundeswehr. Of the 760,000 school leavers in 2020, many will not possess a German passport or meet the physical requirements to enlist.
Die Intergration von Flüchtlingen zeigt Fortschritte
A joint study by the Federal Employment Agency, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees and the German Institute for Economic Research has shown that more refugees are managing to integrate into the German labour market and the German education system.
Recommendations | What we've been reading 🔥
Comments