
The Kipsigis' unending fight against empire – DW – 06/18/2025
06/18/2025
June 18, 2025
In Kenya's tea paradise, the Kipsigis community yearn for land stolen from them during British colonial rule. But despite efforts to acquire the land under modern laws, their ancestral land is still controlled by multinational tea companies.

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Local Germany
2 days ago
- Local Germany
Germany and the UK take next step towards direct train connection
Germany and Great Britain took the next step toward creating a direct rail connection between London and Berlin this week. German Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) and his British counterpart Heidi Alexander (Labour Party) signed a declaration in Hamburg this week, which will see a task force created to move the project forward. "We are committed to ensuring that the first trains under the English Channel can roll directly from Germany to Great Britain in the coming years," said Schnieder. Alexander emphasised that the project should "open up new opportunities for tourism, business and cultural exchange". "A direct rail connection would contribute to the creation of new jobs and strengthen the important trade links that are the basis of our economic relations with Germany." The two transport ministers also emphasised the project's importance for boosting train travel in Europe. "A continuous connection would simplify travel enormously and significantly increase the attractiveness of train travel," said Schnieder. The travel ministers did not announce a timeline for when services would begin on the direct connection. Currently, rail transport between Germany and Great Britain is only possible with a stopover to change trains, for example in Brussels or Paris. Plans for a direct Germany-Great Britain connection have been in the works for some time. In June, the railway company Eurostar announced that it wanted to offer a direct connection between Germany and Great Britain for the first time in the coming years. Eurostar is cooperating with Deutsche Bahn on connections with transfers between Germany and Great Britain. At the beginning of the year, plans for a direct connection between London and Cologne or Frankfurt were also reported. READ ALSO: Where can you go by direct night train from Stuttgart? Advertisement Among the top issues to be clarified is how border controls would be managed on the rail connection. The German-UK joint task force is set to examine how how security controls could be implemented, along with infrastructure operators and railway companies. Germany has recently announced that it plans to extend stepped-up border controls at all of its land borders beyond the prior September 15th deadline.


Local Germany
08-08-2025
- Local Germany
Which UK phone companies offer free roaming in Germany?
EU agreements mean that phone companies are banned from charging EU residents extra 'roaming' fees for data use in any country within the bloc. Additionally, all mobile phone operators in Germany continue to treat the UK as part of the EU as far as roaming is concerned – although none have ruled out introducing roaming charges at some point in the future. But for travellers from the UK to Germany, the situation is rather different. In the aftermath of the UK's exit from the EU, many British telecommunications companies have begun charging additional 'roaming' fees for people visiting the EU. Here's the latest list of companies that continue to offer free roaming, as well as those that don't (and details of what they offer instead). Free roaming in Germany O2 – O2 includes free roaming as part of their standard monthly SIM plans – Classic, Plus and Ultimate, ranging from £16 to £34. O2 customers can make calls and send texts within the Europe Zone to any other country in the Europe Zone, including the UK. Users can also benefit from their monthly data allowance – but there is a roaming limit of 25GB. COMPARE: What's the 'best' mobile phone network in Germany? When approaching the roaming limit, you will receive a text message warning that if you keep using data, you will be charged extra. BT – Although BT and EE are merging, the company still allows customers to opt for BT mobile plans, including the 50GB SIM , which starts at £13 a month. As for roaming, customers benefit from Roam like Home free roaming in Germany and the rest of the EU. The plan includes 50GB of data usage as part of their fair use policy allowance. You can make calls and send texts from the EU, including Germany, to UK landlines and mobiles at no extra charge. You should also receive a notification if you are at 80 percent of your data usage allowance. BT warns that Roam like Home is only available for people "usually based in the UK". You may face a surcharge if you have been using the Roam like Home plan for over four months in the EU. Smarty – Smarty's SIM-only plans include roaming within the EU, with free unlimited calls and texts. Customers have a 'fair use' data limit of 12GB per month for a maximum of 60 days. Advertisement To go above that, you'll have to buy a data add-on. Giffgaff – Giffgaff allows people to use their usual allowance of calls and texts in the EU "at no extra cost". As for data, the cutoff is set at 5GB. If you go over the limit, you'll have to pay 10p/MB or purchase a travel add-on. Lebara – Lebara allows free data roaming in EU countries including Germany, subject to fair use policies. Customers who remain in the EU for longer than four months will receive an sms informing them that a surcharge of €0.02618 per minute will be levied on outgoing calls, €0.00238 per minute on incoming calls, €0.00476 per text message and €1.85 per GB. Additional roaming fees Vodafone – Some of Vodafone's mobile plans include roaming in Germany, which falls into their 'B destination list'. For instance, you can opt for the 5GB Xtra Euro Roam , which costs £27 a month. Otherwise, you can purchase a plan that does not include roaming and pay an extra daily charge of £2.57 a day when roaming, or purchase an eight-day European Roaming Extra pass . EE Mobile – EE Mobile has been changing its approach to roaming following Brexit, with some of the contracts it offered before July 2021 no longer available. Roaming: Where can I use my German mobile abroad without being charged? The company, however, still has several plans that do include EU roaming (the Max Plan, Full Works, Essentials Plus, and All Rounder). For customers whose plans do not include roaming, they can purchase temporary passes, with fees of £2.59 per day, £15 per week, and £21.50 per 12 days. Advertisement Calls, texts and data would be available at your normal UK allowance. You can decide which pass to purchase upon arrival, as you will receive a link listing the available options. Tesco Mobile – Customers who joined Tesco Mobile before June 16th, 2022 will continue to be able to use their UK plan allowance in the EU, including Germany. However, those who have changed contracts or joined after June 16th, 2022 will "be subject to roaming charges from 2026," the company warns on its website. Customers should receive 30 days' notice before the changes are implemented. For the time being, people on monthly Tesco Mobile SIM plans will still be able to have roaming in Germany included in their standard bill. Three – Similarly to EE Mobile and Vodafone, Three offers some plans (like Value and Complete) which include roaming in the EU. Customers whose plans do not include roaming can pay a daily charge of £2 for the 'Go Roam in Europe' pass. Data is capped at 12GB in any Go Roam destination. Sky – Sky doesn't offer plans including free roaming in the EU. However, customers can opt for the 'Roaming Passport Plus', which grants access to their UK data, calls and texts allowance for a £2 daily charge. With reporting by Tom Pugh. Advertisement


Int'l Business Times
05-08-2025
- Int'l Business Times
Guinness Owner Diageo Ups Savings As US Tariffs Hit
Diageo, the maker of Guinness stout and Smirnoff Vodka, reported Tuesday a sharp drop in annual net profit and raised its cost-savings targets as US tariffs hit. Net profit tumbled 39 percent to $2.4 billion in its financial year to the end of June, compared with one year earlier, the British group said in an earnings statement just weeks after the sudden departure of chief executive Debra Crew. Diageo's revenue dipped slightly to $20.2 billion. "Macroeconomic uncertainty and the resulting pressure on consumers" has weighed on the spirits sector, interim CEO Nik Jhangiani said of a "challenging year" for the group. Diageo last month announced the abrupt departure of Crew after two years at the helm. The company had already experienced a tough trading environment ahead of announcing in May that it faced a financial hit from US President Donald Trump's tariffs onslaught. Diageo, which also makes Don Julio tequila, ramped up its cost-saving programme on Tuesday to around $625 million over three years, from a previous target of $500 million. Its annual profit was hit also by restructuring costs and impairment charges. Shares in the company, however, jumped more than six percent in morning deals on London's FTSE 100 index as investors cheered the new cost-saving targets and better-than-expected sales. Diageo reiterated that it expects operating profit to take a $200-million hit from Trump's tariffs, though around half the amount would be offset by cuts to costs. Its forecasts assume that spirits imported from Mexico and Canada will remain exempt from tariffs, while a 10-percent tariff on imports from the UK and a 15-percent levy on imports from the European Union will apply. Diageo added that sales of key brands Don Julio and Guinness stout grew 37 percent and 12 percent respectively, offsetting weakness elsewhere. Investors "need to determine if the downturn in alcohol consumption is a short-term effect of squeezed disposable income or the start of a broader trend away from drinking altogether for health and lifestyle reasons", said AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould. "Sales of some brands may be on the agenda for any incoming new boss given a need to get the balance sheet in better shape -- although the company will not want to lose any of its crown jewels."