Militant groups smuggled some of their members into Europe in the wave of migrants who have fled from Syria, German chancellor Angela said on Monday (July&nbsp;11).

&quot;In part, the refugee flow was even used to smuggle terrorists,&quot; Merkel told a rally of her Christian Democrats in the eastern German Baltic Sea resort town of Zingst.

Merkel also warned that if young people in poor parts of the world did not get &quot;a perspective,&quot; &quot;they will all try to get somewhere else and that&#39;s not good for the countries and it&#39;s of course also not good for us.&quot;

&quot;Imagine a country like Togo, a small African country where 75 per cent of the population -- so three out of four people -- are younger than 25.&quot;

&quot;All these young people might not have electricity but if they just have a little bit of money they all have a smartphone. They can all watch what the world is like elsewhere,&quot; said Merkel.

More than 1 million migrants arrived in Germany last year, many of them Syrians.

The German chancellor also commented again on British voters&#39; recent decision to leave the European Union.

&quot;We will have difficult negotiations with Britain, it will not be easy,&quot; Merkel said.

&quot;But that is why we as 27 member states must ask &#39;how should our Europe look?,&quot; she added. 
 
(Reuters)

More than 1 million migrants arrived in Germany last year, many of them Syrians

Militant groups smuggled some of their members into Europe in the wave of migrants who have fled from Syria, German chancellor Angela said on Monday (July 11). "In part, the refugee flow was even used to smuggle terrorists," Merkel told a rally of her Christian Democrats in the eastern German Baltic Sea resort town of Zingst. Merkel also warned that if young people in poor parts of the world did not get "a perspective," "they will all try to get somewhere else and that's not good for the countries and it's of course also not good for us." "Imagine a country like Togo, a small African country where 75 per cent of the population -- so three out of four people -- are younger than 25." "All these young people might not have electricity but if they just have a little bit of money they all have a smartphone. They can all watch what the world is like elsewhere," said Merkel. More than 1 million migrants arrived in Germany last year, many of them Syrians. The German chancellor also commented again on British voters' recent decision to leave the European Union. "We will have difficult negotiations with Britain, it will not be easy," Merkel said. "But that is why we as 27 member states must ask 'how should our Europe look?," she added. (Reuters)

Terrorists smuggled into Europe with migrants: Angela Merkel

The German parliament passed a landmark &quot;no means no&quot; rape law on Thursday, broadening the definition of sex crimes and making it easier to deport migrants and refugees who commit them. 
 
After years of anguished discussion on the need for tougher treatment of rape by the German criminal justice system, the new legislation finally came together, following a spate of sexual assaults in crowds on New Year&#39;s Eve in the western city of Cologne. 
 
Deputies gave a standing ovation as the law passed the Bundestag lower house with an overwhelming majority, following an emotional debate. 
 
Dubbed the &quot;no means no&quot; law, it explicitly covers cases in which a victim withheld consent but did not physically fight back. It brings what critics call woefully lax legislation into line with that of many other developed countries. 
 
The law, entitled &quot;improving the protection of sexual self-determination&quot;, also lowers the bar for deporting sex offenders, classifies groping as a sex crime and targets assaults committed by large groups. 
 
Justice Minister Heiko Maas acknowledged that there were &quot;unacceptable gaps in protection&quot; against sexual coercion and assault in Germany. 
 
Chancellor Angela Merkel&#39;s cabinet signed off on the measures in March after the attacks in Cologne, where more than 1,000 women reported sexual assaults and robberies on New Year&#39;s Eve. These were blamed largely on Arab and North African men. 
 
The draft law was toughened again by the ruling left-right coalition last month. 
 
Cologne&#39;s police chief conceded earlier this year that most culprits may never be caught over the spate of assaults, which ranged from groping to rape, and inflamed public debate about a record influx of refugees and migrants.&nbsp; 
 
A first attempt at prosecution in May was thrown out by a court when the alleged victim said she could not identify the defendant as her attacker. 
 
A second trial stemming from the Cologne violence on Thursday saw a 21-year-old Iraqi man given a one-year suspended sentence for kissing and licking the face of a woman against her will. 
 
A 26-year-old Tunisian defendant received the same sentence for accessory to sexual assault and attempted sexual assault for another attack in the crowd.Currently, victims reporting a rape to police must demonstrate not only that they verbally declined sex but also that they resisted their assailant. 
 
The new law, which is set to come into effect in September after passage by the upper house, is intended to cover &quot;the actual situations in which most attacks occur&quot;, Maas said. 
 
These include cases in which the victim is taken by surprise, intimidated or threatened with other violence -- for example in an abusive relationship -- or is unconscious. 
 
&quot;Other countries implemented this principle of &#39;no means no&#39; long ago and it is high time that we have this paradigm shift in our own criminal law,&quot; lawmaker Carola Reimann of the Social Democrats told the Bundestag. 
 
Parliament had already in January made it easier to expel migrants and refugees convicted of crimes.&nbsp; 
 
But along with sexual offences, it required proof of additional &quot;violence, threats or physical endangerment&quot; and generally a prison sentence of at least one year before an attacker could be deported.&nbsp; 
 
The reform means any sex crime conviction can be used against an applicant in an immigration or asylum hearing. 
 
It also specifically upgrades groping to a sex crime with sentences of up to two years` jail or a fine. 
 
Merkel&#39;s conservative parliamentary group included a stipulation making it illegal to be part of a group committing assaults in a crowd. 
 
The leftist opposition withheld its support for that plank of the legislation on constitutional grounds, saying it opened the door to prosecution of innocent bystanders. 
 
Its abstentions meant that while the &quot;no means no&quot; plank passed with a unanimous 601 votes, the other two planks carried only with large majorities. 
 
News agency DPA cited figures that 8,000 rapes are reported in Germany each year but that only one in 10 victims files charges. Moreover, only one in 10 rape complaints leads to a conviction. 
 
The latest reform drive began in 2011 with the passage of a Council of Europe convention on preventing and combating violence against women, requiring signatories to penalise all non-consensual sexual acts. 
 
&quot;Rape cannot be limited to just physical assault,&quot; Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland said, adding that Germany`s law should encourage more countries to sign the convention. 
 
(AFP)

The new law will make it easier for the country to deport migrants and refugees who commit the crime

The German parliament passed a landmark "no means no" rape law on Thursday, broadening the definition of sex crimes and making it easier to deport migrants and refugees who commit them. After years of anguished discussion on the need for tougher treatment of rape by the German criminal justice system, the new legislation finally came together, following a spate of sexual assaults in crowds on New Year's Eve in the western city of Cologne. Deputies gave a standing ovation as the law passed the Bundestag lower house with an overwhelming majority, following an emotional debate. Dubbed the "no means no" law, it explicitly covers cases in which a victim withheld consent but did not physically fight back. It brings what critics call woefully lax legislation into line with that of many other developed countries. The law, entitled "improving the protection of sexual self-determination", also lowers the bar for deporting sex offenders, classifies groping as a sex crime and targets assaults committed by large groups. Justice Minister Heiko Maas acknowledged that there were "unacceptable gaps in protection" against sexual coercion and assault in Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet signed off on the measures in March after the attacks in Cologne, where more than 1,000 women reported sexual assaults and robberies on New Year's Eve. These were blamed largely on Arab and North African men. The draft law was toughened again by the ruling left-right coalition last month. Cologne's police chief conceded earlier this year that most culprits may never be caught over the spate of assaults, which ranged from groping to rape, and inflamed public debate about a record influx of refugees and migrants. A first attempt at prosecution in May was thrown out by a court when the alleged victim said she could not identify the defendant as her attacker. A second trial stemming from the Cologne violence on Thursday saw a 21-year-old Iraqi man given a one-year suspended sentence for kissing and licking the face of a woman against her will. A 26-year-old Tunisian defendant received the same sentence for accessory to sexual assault and attempted sexual assault for another attack in the crowd.Currently, victims reporting a rape to police must demonstrate not only that they verbally declined sex but also that they resisted their assailant. The new law, which is set to come into effect in September after passage by the upper house, is intended to cover "the actual situations in which most attacks occur", Maas said. These include cases in which the victim is taken by surprise, intimidated or threatened with other violence -- for example in an abusive relationship -- or is unconscious. "Other countries implemented this principle of 'no means no' long ago and it is high time that we have this paradigm shift in our own criminal law," lawmaker Carola Reimann of the Social Democrats told the Bundestag. Parliament had already in January made it easier to expel migrants and refugees convicted of crimes. But along with sexual offences, it required proof of additional "violence, threats or physical endangerment" and generally a prison sentence of at least one year before an attacker could be deported. The reform means any sex crime conviction can be used against an applicant in an immigration or asylum hearing. It also specifically upgrades groping to a sex crime with sentences of up to two years` jail or a fine. Merkel's conservative parliamentary group included a stipulation making it illegal to be part of a group committing assaults in a crowd. The leftist opposition withheld its support for that plank of the legislation on constitutional grounds, saying it opened the door to prosecution of innocent bystanders. Its abstentions meant that while the "no means no" plank passed with a unanimous 601 votes, the other two planks carried only with large majorities. News agency DPA cited figures that 8,000 rapes are reported in Germany each year but that only one in 10 victims files charges. Moreover, only one in 10 rape complaints leads to a conviction. The latest reform drive began in 2011 with the passage of a Council of Europe convention on preventing and combating violence against women, requiring signatories to penalise all non-consensual sexual acts. "Rape cannot be limited to just physical assault," Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland said, adding that Germany`s law should encourage more countries to sign the convention. (AFP)

Germany toughens rape law after Cologne mob assaults

German Chancellor Angela Merkel rebuffed on Wednesday suggestions from Italy that EU deficit and banking aid rules be adjusted to take account of its fiscal and financial troubles following the Brexit referendum in Britain. 
 
&quot;I think the stability and growth pact has enough flexibility to work with. Even under the current circumstances. And we just came up with a whole new bunch of regulations regarding the banking union, regarding their bankruptcy and their recapitalisation. It does not make sense to change things every two years. It cost us a lot of energy. These are the first cases where the new rules are executed. 
 
&quot;There is enough leeway in these regulations to serve the specific needs of the member states,&quot; Merkel told reporters at the end of a two-day summit of European Union leaders in Brussels, referring to the bloc&#39;s rulebook on deficit and debt levels. 
 
Rome wants to prop up Italian banks in response to financial turmoil unleashed by the British referendum. EU rules allow member states to provide financial help to banks only in exceptional cases. Italian officials have also said they plan to seek more flexibility on EU fiscal rules. 
 
(Reuters)

Germany refuses to alter rules which would give Italy EU funds to prop up banks after Brexit vote

German Chancellor Angela Merkel rebuffed on Wednesday suggestions from Italy that EU deficit and banking aid rules be adjusted to take account of its fiscal and financial troubles following the Brexit referendum in Britain. "I think the stability and growth pact has enough flexibility to work with. Even under the current circumstances. And we just came up with a whole new bunch of regulations regarding the banking union, regarding their bankruptcy and their recapitalisation. It does not make sense to change things every two years. It cost us a lot of energy. These are the first cases where the new rules are executed. "There is enough leeway in these regulations to serve the specific needs of the member states," Merkel told reporters at the end of a two-day summit of European Union leaders in Brussels, referring to the bloc's rulebook on deficit and debt levels. Rome wants to prop up Italian banks in response to financial turmoil unleashed by the British referendum. EU rules allow member states to provide financial help to banks only in exceptional cases. Italian officials have also said they plan to seek more flexibility on EU fiscal rules. (Reuters)

EU must implement existing rules: Angela Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Saturday for clear-headed negotiations with &quot;close partner&quot; Britain over its departure from the European Union. 
 
Foreign ministers of the European Union&#39;s (EU) six founding members had earlier said Britain should leave the bloc as soon as possible after Britons voted on Thursday to quit the 28-member bloc. However, Merkel struck a more conciliatory tone. 
 
&quot;The negotiations must take place in a businesslike, good climate,&quot; Merkel said after a meeting of her conservative party in Hermannswerder, outside Potsdam, to the west of Berlin. 
 
&quot;Britain will remain a close partner, with which we are linked economically,&quot; she said, adding that there was no hurry for Britain to invoke Article 50 of the EU treaty, the first step it must take to set in motion the exit process. 
 
&quot;It should not take ages, that is true, but I would not fight now for a short time frame,&quot; Merkel said, in contrast with the more urgent call by the foreign ministers of Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, who were meeting to the north of the German capital. 
 
They pressed for Britain to trigger the process for exiting the bloc after Britons voted by 52-48 percent to exit the EU, which it joined more than 40 years ago. 
 
&quot;We now expect the UK government to provide clarity and give effect to this decision as soon as possible,&quot; they said in a joint statement. 
 
Schulz piles pressure on Britain&nbsp; 
 
The president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, also piled pressure on Britain, calling for it to trigger the Leave process at a summit of EU leaders next Tuesday. 
 
&quot;We expect the British government to deliver now,&quot; Schulz told Germany`s Bild am Sonntag newspaper. &quot;The summit on Tuesday is the appropriate moment to do so.&quot; 
 
EU officials said there was no real problem if it took a few months to begin the process for Britain to leave, though waiting until the end of the year could get in the way of the next round of EU budget talks and European election campaigning. 
 
The officials said they were worried that British Prime Minister David Cameron, who resigned on Friday, could hand over to someone with a strategy to drag out the country`s departure. 
 
Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the Vote Leave campaign, said Britain should begin informal negotiations on a full settlement governing its post-Brexit relationship with the EU before invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. 
 
&#39;Period of uncertainity could result in economic, political consequences&#39;&nbsp; 
 
France also pressed for a swift start to the exit process, with Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault saying negotiations must move quickly and that the remaining EU member states also needed to give fresh impetus to the European project. 
 
&quot;We have to give a new sense to Europe, otherwise populism will fill the gap,&quot; he said, adding that the EU could not wait for Cameron to depart in October before the exit process begins. 
 
Ayrault said other EU leaders would put &quot;a lot of pressure&quot; on Cameron at Tuesday`s summit to act quickly. 
 
French President Francois Hollande said the separation &quot;will be painful for Britain but ... as in all divorces, it will be painful for those who stay behind, too&quot;. 
 
Pertinently, France and Germany have drafted a 10-page paper mapping out three areas of immediate concern for the remaining EU members: security, migration and refugees, and jobs and growth which diplomatic sources say they want to use as a basis to shore up the EU, while building a more flexible union. 
 
Notably, global stock markets plunged on Friday, and sterling saw its biggest one-day drop in more than 30 years, while ratings agency Moody`s downgraded Britain`s credit outlook. 
 
The six foreign ministers said the EU was losing &quot;not just a member state but history, tradition and experience&quot;. 
 
Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn told Reuters: &quot;I believe you can destroy the European Union with referenda. We have to communicate better what the EU has done, and we have to work harder on issues such as migration where we have failed.&quot; 
 
Both Ayrault and Asselborn warned Britain not to play games by drawing out the exit process. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s in Britain`s interest and in the interest of Europeans not to have a period of uncertainty that would have financial consequences, and that could have economic and political consequences,&quot; he told a news conference after the meeting.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

The president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, also piled pressure on Britain, calling for it to trigger the Leave process?

German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Saturday for clear-headed negotiations with "close partner" Britain over its departure from the European Union. Foreign ministers of the European Union's (EU) six founding members had earlier said Britain should leave the bloc as soon as possible after Britons voted on Thursday to quit the 28-member bloc. However, Merkel struck a more conciliatory tone. "The negotiations must take place in a businesslike, good climate," Merkel said after a meeting of her conservative party in Hermannswerder, outside Potsdam, to the west of Berlin. "Britain will remain a close partner, with which we are linked economically," she said, adding that there was no hurry for Britain to invoke Article 50 of the EU treaty, the first step it must take to set in motion the exit process. "It should not take ages, that is true, but I would not fight now for a short time frame," Merkel said, in contrast with the more urgent call by the foreign ministers of Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, who were meeting to the north of the German capital. They pressed for Britain to trigger the process for exiting the bloc after Britons voted by 52-48 percent to exit the EU, which it joined more than 40 years ago. "We now expect the UK government to provide clarity and give effect to this decision as soon as possible," they said in a joint statement. Schulz piles pressure on Britain The president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, also piled pressure on Britain, calling for it to trigger the Leave process at a summit of EU leaders next Tuesday. "We expect the British government to deliver now," Schulz told Germany`s Bild am Sonntag newspaper. "The summit on Tuesday is the appropriate moment to do so." EU officials said there was no real problem if it took a few months to begin the process for Britain to leave, though waiting until the end of the year could get in the way of the next round of EU budget talks and European election campaigning. The officials said they were worried that British Prime Minister David Cameron, who resigned on Friday, could hand over to someone with a strategy to drag out the country`s departure. Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the Vote Leave campaign, said Britain should begin informal negotiations on a full settlement governing its post-Brexit relationship with the EU before invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. 'Period of uncertainity could result in economic, political consequences' France also pressed for a swift start to the exit process, with Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault saying negotiations must move quickly and that the remaining EU member states also needed to give fresh impetus to the European project. "We have to give a new sense to Europe, otherwise populism will fill the gap," he said, adding that the EU could not wait for Cameron to depart in October before the exit process begins. Ayrault said other EU leaders would put "a lot of pressure" on Cameron at Tuesday`s summit to act quickly. French President Francois Hollande said the separation "will be painful for Britain but ... as in all divorces, it will be painful for those who stay behind, too". Pertinently, France and Germany have drafted a 10-page paper mapping out three areas of immediate concern for the remaining EU members: security, migration and refugees, and jobs and growth which diplomatic sources say they want to use as a basis to shore up the EU, while building a more flexible union. Notably, global stock markets plunged on Friday, and sterling saw its biggest one-day drop in more than 30 years, while ratings agency Moody`s downgraded Britain`s credit outlook. The six foreign ministers said the EU was losing "not just a member state but history, tradition and experience". Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn told Reuters: "I believe you can destroy the European Union with referenda. We have to communicate better what the EU has done, and we have to work harder on issues such as migration where we have failed." Both Ayrault and Asselborn warned Britain not to play games by drawing out the exit process. "It's in Britain`s interest and in the interest of Europeans not to have a period of uncertainty that would have financial consequences, and that could have economic and political consequences," he told a news conference after the meeting. (Reuters)

Merkel in 'no hurry' as EU members await clarity after Brexit

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Terrorists smuggled into Europe with migrants: Angela Merkel

Germany toughens rape law after Cologne mob assaults

EU must implement existing rules: Angela Merkel

Merkel in 'no hurry' as EU members await clarity after Brexit