Tag Archives: Germany

Big news out of Switzerland tonight. The United States, France, Germany, China, Russia, Great Britain, and the European Union have brokered a deal with Iran on its nuclear program. Via New York Times: The United States and five other world powers announced a landmark accord Sunday morning that would temporarily freeze Iran’s nuclear program and lay the foundation for a …

I told you about this guy two weeks ago. Now he’s been expelled by Pope Francis. The Vatican stressed that Francis took the decision based on “objective” information, suggesting that the Vatican wasn’t being swayed by the popular outcry. Francis has also made it clear he expects his bishops to live simply, setting as an example his own humble lifestyle. …

A Catholic bishop in Germany is facing demands to resign after it was revealed that his under-construction private residence will cost $37M. Via Reuters: Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, bishop of Limburg, was investigated by a Vatican envoy last month after protests in his diocese against lavish spending at odds with Pope Francis’s shift of the Church’s focus towards simplicity and poverty. …

German athletes will wear the above rainbow-hued uniforms at the Sochi Olympics, but officials insist the design is not intended as a commentary on Russia’s anti-gay laws. Der Spiegel reports: The uniforms were created by German designer Willy Bogner, in cooperation with Adidas and the shoe company Sioux. Bogner claims they were an homage to the aesthetics of the 1972 …

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been reelected to a third term. Her conservative bloc took about 41.5% of the vote – but her liberal partners failed to make it into parliament. It is thought she is likely to seek a grand coalition with the Social Democrats (SPD) who won 26%. The results showed that the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) won …

Ross Antony is a British reality show star and pop singer who has rather inexplicably (even to him) become one of Germany’s most popular gay artists.  His latest hit is so gloriously cheesy, all I can do is wonder why he didn’t compete with this at Eurovision.  The full title translates as A New Love Is Like A New Life. …

Fugitive NSA leaker Edward Snowden yesterday accused Germany of working with the United States government in spying on private citizens. America’s National Security Agency works closely with Germany and other Western states on a ‘no questions asked’-basis, former NSA employee Edward Snowden said in comments that undermine Chancellor Angela Merkel’s indignant talk of “Cold War” tactics. “They are in bed …

“When we stand up for our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters and treat their love and their rights equally under the law, we defend our own liberty as well. We are more free when all people can pursue their own happiness. And as long as walls exist in our hearts to separate us from those who don’t look like …

Details. I’d have blamed the cat.

In what is being characterized as a setback to the administration of Chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany’s highest court has ruled that same-sex couples are entitled to the same tax benefits granted to married straight couples. The verdict requires a change in the law and is a red rag to some in Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) and its traditionally Catholic Bavarian …

Yesterday German feminists picketed outside the newly-opened Barbie Dreamhouse attraction: “This dream world suggests that women can’t be anything less than beautiful and slim,” said Franziska Sedlak from protest group Occupy Barbie Dreamhouse. “And life is not about being beautiful all the time.” The movement began in March when members of a youth group affiliated to Germany’s far-left party, die …

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled against a German home-schooling family who applied for asylum on the grounds of religious persecution. Home-schooling is illegal in Germany and some families have lost custody of their children over the issue. The U.S. grants safe haven to people who have a well-founded fear of persecution, but not necessarily to those under …

Yesterday the Munich Evening News broke a story which claims that a local gay man has fathered 22 children via sperm donations to women in several countries. Gay Star News reports: He has never had sex with a woman but Markus K from Munich, Germany may be the gay dad with the most kids in the world – 22 so …

Holding rainbow placards above their heads, this weekend thousands of German soccer fans participated in a stadium protest against homophobia in sports. Via Pink News: Fans of the St Pauli football squad demonstrated during a game against Paderborn, and were coordinated by Alerta Network, which describes itself as an “antifascist movement”. The Alerta Action Day saw fans holding rainbow signs …

Topless protesters from the Ukrainian group FEMEN accosted Russian President Vladimir Putin today at a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Three members of the women’s rights group Femen, which has protested against Russia’s detention of the feminist punk band Pussy Riot around Europe, disrupted his visit to a trade fair in the German city of Hanover. They stripped to …

In the comments of the Eurovision post from earlier today, reader Nobbi tips us that the second place finisher in Germany’s contest was this rousing anthem to queer liberation.  Wow! You can close your eyes if you want to Lock your doors and hide if we haunt you Get your guns tonight if we scare you But we ain’t goin’ …

Popular dance act Cascada will represent Germany at the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest. Their 2009 release Evacuate The Dancefloor was a global hit and went platinum in the United States.  UPDATE: A reader notes that the German press is looking into whether Cascada has copied last year’s winning entry from Sweden’s Loreen, who herself was accused of copying her song …

Germany’s Constitutional Court today ordered the government to draft new laws allowing same-sex couples improved adoption rights. Via Der Spiegel: The Constitutional Court ruled as expected that one member of a civil partnership must be given the right to adopt their partner’s stepchild or adopted child. Until now, unlike heterosexual married couples, they were only able to adopt a partner’s …

The Germany-based supermarket chain Aldi yesterday confirmed that some “beef” products recently pulled from shelves in Britain actually contained as much as 100% horsemeat. Horsemeat has also been found in beef-labeled products in several other British chains. The Guardian reports: The Metropolitan police said in a statement it was not carrying out a criminal investigation. “Although we have met with …