“Kai will pay”

Red marks the spot.

Berlin bans red triangle symbol used by Hamas to mark targets – Berlin has banned the inverted red triangle symbol due to its use by Hamas and their supporters to mark enemy targets in videos and graffiti.

The motion passed in the state senate said the scarlet arrow icon represents an immediate threat to Jews and to people committed to the freedom and security of Israel and should be banned at protests and in the context of the Middle East conflict.

The symbol has been used to target pro-Israel academics and politicians, including Kai Wegner, the Berlin mayor who ordered the eviction of pro-Palestine protesters from the city’s Free University by police.

“Kai will pay” was graffitied on the wall of a university under a red triangle.

Peace bunkers are out

Now “war bunkers” are in. Again.

Germany plans new war bunkers – German cities are calling for new bunkers to be built, to protect the population in the event of war. But critics argue there’s no point.

There might be no better way to gauge a country’s anxieties than by checking in on the companies building panic rooms and private bunkers.

Business has been going worryingly well for BSSD Defence, the Berlin-based company that builds “protection room systems” for private, business and military applications. As well as a range of home security equipment, the company offers everything from “pop-up panic rooms” for around €20,000 ($21,400) to full-scale bunkers for close to €200,000.

Ukraine Recovery Conference?

Does this take place before or after the Germany Recovery Conference?

Zelenskyy arrives in Berlin for Ukraine Recovery Conference – President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Berlin for an event that aims to shore up support for Ukraine’s war-torn economy. He is also slated to meet with Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

More than 2,000 representatives from 60 countries have arrived in Berlin for the Ukraine Recovery Conference

The conference, established in 2022, aims to facilitate international initiatives like business development to support Ukrainian society long-term.

April Fools’ Day jokes in June?

And not particularly funny, either.

Berlin’s BER wins award for best airport in Europe – Berlin’s infamous BER airport has won the title of the best airport in Europe, according to a ranking by the UK-based travel portal Eurochange…

The airport scored particularly high in three considered categories; punctuality of departing and arriving flights, attractions for children and the cost of beer.

German of the day: Entschlossenheit

That means determination.

Unfortunately, it’s not a word you hear very often anymore. In either language.

Sunday in front of Tempelhof Airport: Airlift festival for ALL!

The Berlin Airlift ended 75 years ago. To mark the anniversary on May 12, there will be a ceremony at the Airlift Memorial on Sunday. This will be followed by a public festival for all Berliners in the courtyard of honor in front of Tempelhof Airport.

These antisemitic protestors are getting out of control

Now they’re attacking Tesla. Itself.

Protesters attempt to storm Germany’s Tesla factory – Hundreds of climate protesters have clashed with police in Germany after attempting to storm the Tesla factory near Berlin.

Several people were injured, including three police officers, during Friday’s demonstration against the proposed expansion of the electric car giant’s only European plant.

German of the day: Da ist nichts zu lachen

That means that’s nothing to laugh about.

Although, actually…

Car sharing driver overturns – laughing gas in the car!

Serious accident at night in Berlin-Wilmersdorf! A car-sharing car crashed into several parked cars and left a field of debris in its wake.

“Expressing understanding”

He was the author of a January essay that expressed understanding for the Hamas militants who carried out the deadly October 7 raid in Israel that sparked the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

Then understand this.

German police shut down pro-Palestinian conference – Police in the German capital, Berlin, have stopped an event expressing solidarity with Palestinians amid the Gaza war. Authorities said they were concerned over potential antisemitic remarks and glorified violence.

But why would you leave Helsinki in the first place?

To come to Berlin, I mean.

Finns are the happiest people on Earth, I’m told. Germans, well, aren’t. And Berliners erst recht nicht (certainly not).

Traveling from Berlin to Helsinki — without using a plane. Flying is a major CO2 emitter when traveling. But how feasible are alternative modes of transportation?

Intangible

Intangible sense. Or the intangible lack of sense, I should say.

Let’s approach this differently: What isn’t on the UNESCO cultural heritage list? It would certainly make for a shorter list that would be much easier to handle.

Berlin techno added to UNESCO cultural heritage list – UNESCO has just added six new entries to the list of intangible cultural heritage in Germany, including Berlin’s techno scene. The intangible cultural heritage designation is meant to preserve cultural traditions.