NEWS FROM BERLIN
Judges pulverise pre-emption right
The right of first refusal in milieu protection areas “may not be exercised by the municipality on the basis of the assumption that the buyer will in future pursue intentions of use contrary to conservation”. This is from the press release sent out by the Leipzig Federal Administrative Court late Tuesday. It is a final nail in the coffin for Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg’s attempt to protect the tenants of the 20 flats Heimstraße 17 near Bergmannstraße. It also could lead to the end of pre-emptive being exercised rights in milieu protection areas. The impact will be national, not only in Berlin. Source: nd
Climate activists visit “Rot-rot-grün”
Activists from the “Berlin Energy Table” and the “Nature friends Berlin” visited the regional offices of the SPD, the Greens and the Left Party on Wednesday under the motto “Make energy transition instead of administering it”. Judith Dellheim from the Berlin Energy Table said that news about the coalition talks of the three parties so far did not show “that the necessary speed is being taken up with regard to a solidarity-based solar energy transition”. To ensure that the demands will not be forgotten, the activists gave the parties the signs with the messages as a farewell gift – or put them in the SPD’s letterbox. Source: nd
Extensive 2G rule in Berlin from Monday
The Berlin Senate has decided on further restrictions for people without corona vaccination protection. The so-called “2G-rule” is to be significantly extended. In view of the increased number of cases, only vaccinated and recovered people (2G) are to have access to restaurants, cinemas, theatres, museums or galleries, for example, from Monday onwards. This also affects recreational facilities such as saunas and thermal baths as well as places of amusement such as amusement arcades, closed rooms in amusement parks and the Berliner Zoo and Tierpark. Those younger than 18 are exempt from the new regulation. In such case, a proven negative coronary test is still sufficient. Source: jW
NEWS FROM GERMANY
Expert: Oury Jalloh probably doused with petrol and set on fire
Almost 17 years after the death of asylum seeker Oury Jalloh in a police cell in Dessau, an initiative wants to prove Jalloh was set on fire and murdered. For this purpose, the situation in the police cell on 7 January 2005 was re-enacted. Fire safety expert Iain Peck said that in his opinion the results showed that it was most likely that Jalloh had been doused with a liquid such as petrol and set on fire. The fire expert said that the artificial body was in a very similar condition to the body of Jalloh and the mattress in the original cell. Source: Berliner Zeitung
Railway break-up “red line” for rail union
In the renewed debate about a restructuring of Deutsche Bahn, the Railway and Transport Union (EVG) has again spoken out against a break-up of the company. Such a step “would mean a standstill in the transport turnaround”, said deputy union leader Martin Burkert. In the extreme variant, the infrastructure division would be spun off into a public company oriented towards the common good. This would leave the three transport divisions of regional, long-distance and freight transport at the corporate headquarters. The union fears anyway a “standstill in the transport turnaround”. An independent advisory body, on the other hand, sees advantages in restructuring. Source: tagesspiegel
Corona incidence skyrockets
In Germany, the seven-day incidence has climbed above the 200 mark – to 201.1, as announced on Monday morning. Seven days before, the figure was 154.8, and a month ago it was 63.8. The government plans a daily test obligation for employees and visitors of nursing homes – even if they are vaccinated or have recovered. Representatives of the FDP and the Greens (die Grünen) also pleaded for so-called citizen tests to be offered again free of charge in the winter half-year. In Saxony, the federal state with the highest incidence at present (491.3), “2G” rules already apply since last Monday. Source: dw
