. | . |
Germany recalls platoon from Lithuania amid racism row by AFP Staff Writers Berlin (AFP) June 16, 2021 Germany will withdraw an entire platoon stationed in Lithuania after its members were accused of racist and anti-Semitic behaviour, the country's defence minister said on Wednesday. The allegations dating back to a party at a hotel in April were first reported by the Spiegel Online news site on Monday. Soldiers sang racist and anti-Semitic songs and one also sought to sexually assault another while he was asleep, a scene that was caught on film, the report said. Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said the entire platoon of 30 soldiers will be withdrawn "with immediate effect". "The misconduct of some soldiers in Lithuania is a slap in the face of all those who serve the security of our country day after day in the #Bundeswehr," she wrote on Twitter. The platoon will return to Germany on Thursday where investigations into the allegations have been ongoing since last week, a government spokeswoman said. Kramp-Karrenbauer said any soldiers found guilty would be "punished with the utmost severity". Three soldiers had initially been removed from the contingent stationed in the Baltic country, according to the Spiegel report. The German armed forces have been repeatedly rocked by allegations of right-wing extremism within their ranks. Kramp-Karrenbauer last year ordered the partial dissolution of the KSK commando force after revelations that some of its members harboured neo-Nazi sympathies.
U.S.-Japan conduct security operations in South China Sea Washington DC (UPI) Jun 15, 2021 The United States has deployed an aircraft carrier to the South China Sea to conduct maritime security operations with allies, the U.S. Navy announced. The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group was deployed Monday to the U.S. 7th Fleet area to support free movement and operation in Indo-Pacific region. The Navy said in a press release that the activities were in cooperation with "like-minded allies and partners to preserve international order in the South China Sea." The Reagan CSG i ... read more
|
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us. |