Phil Collins

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Germany just did something huge for Syrian refugees — and for the future of Europe By Amanda Taub

German Chancellor Angela Merkel did something really good this week: Her country will now allow Syrian refugees, who normally would be deported back to wherever they first entered the European Union, to stay and apply for asylum. Thousands of Syrians who would have otherwise faced uncertainty in Europe can now begin the process of rebuilding their lives in Germany. Germany, with the stroke of a pen, has just given an awful lot of Syrian families the chance to start a new life. But this is even more important than that: In addition to being a blessing for these Syrians, it is also a gift to Europe. Migration has become a crisis so great for Europe that, earlier this month, Merkel called it an even bigger challenge for the EU than the Greek debt crisis. She is now leading by example, showing Europe what it must do to overcome that crisis.

Migration has become a crisis for migrants and for Europe

The policy change couldn’t be more necessary. The EU is facing its largest refugee crisis since World War II, and the human cost has already been devastating. But rather than address that human devastation directly, EU countries have for the most part sought to avoid taking any responsibility for it at all. When refugees arrive, EU rules leave them and other migrants trapped in their first countries of arrival until their asylum claims have been processed. For many, that means being marooned in Italy or Greece, which are facing full-scale humanitarian crises as refugee numbers overwhelm the available housing and supplies. Under EU rules, if any of these migrants make their way into Germany, then Germany is supposed to deport them back to their EU country of first arrival. But now, with this change, Syrians can stay in Germany to apply for asylum there. That's a big deal, and could help thousands of the world’s most vulnerable people stay safe from persecution, and from squalid camps in Greece or Italy. Merkel and her government deserve credit for making this important change, particularly at a time when asylum policy is an increasingly volatile political issue in Germany. Perhaps just as important, this is also a step toward addressing one of the most serious political problems facing the EU: how to fairly share responsibility for the migrant crisis.

The rest of Europe needs to follow Germany's lead

What we should hope for is that Germany's reprieve for migrants will set an example, and become one of many steps in Europe toward a fairer system for refugees. Vox Photo

Hüttenabend

Uriger Hüttenabend auf der Wannenkopfhütte Live Musik und ein fantastisches Kässpatzen-Menü aus der Riesenpfanne erwartet unsere Gäste auf der Wannenkopfhütte in Obermaiselstein bei Oberstdorf im Allgäu. Photo

Olivia Newton John and John Travolta - Grease

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The British Monarchy

The Duke of Cambridge has written the following preface to Elizabeth II: The Steadfast, a biography by former Home and Foreign Secretary Lord Hurd, which recounts the reign, character and family life of The Queen..."Over the last ninety years, the world has changed more rapidly than at any time in history. When my grandmother The Queen was born in 1926, the wounds of the Great War were still healing, but few would imagine how soon they would be reopened. The confidence of the previous century had morphed into uncertainty and many worried – as they still do – about the challenge presented to our communities by rapid technological and social change. After almost ninety years, we find ourselves in a world that has changed dramatically, almost beyond recognition to the world that The Queen was born into, but where the role of charity, family, duty and compassion perseveres. I think I speak for my generation when I say that the example and continuity provided by The Queen is not only very rare among leaders but a great source of pride and reassurance. Time and again, quietly and modestly, The Queen has shown us all that we can confidently embrace the future without compromising the things that are important. From a personal point of view, I am privileged to witness the private side of The Queen, as a grandmother and great-grandmother. The Queen’s kindness and sense of humour, her innate sense of calm and perspective, and her love of family and home are all attributes I experience first-hand. I should add that no mention of The Queen is complete without paying tribute to my grandfather Prince Philip, who has devoted his life to supporting her. All of us who will inherit the legacy of my grandmother’s reign and generation need to do all we can to celebrate and learn from her story. Speaking for myself, I am privileged to have The Queen as a model for a life of service to the public."

HRH Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, 2015 The British Monarchy

Eros Ramazzotti ROMA 2004

Un' Emozione Per Sempre Photo Wikipedia

Eros Luciano Walter Ramazzotti (born 28 October 1963), known simply as Eros Ramazzotti, is an Italian musician and singer-songwriter. Ramazzotti is popular in Italy and most European countries, and throughout the Spanish-speaking world, as he has released most of his albums in both Italian and Spanish.

Die Toten Hosen

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