International
Nine people every day were targeted in 2023 by far-right attacks in Germany
An average of nine people each day were subjected in 2023 to extreme right-wing, racist or anti-Semitic violence in 11 of the 16 federal states of Germany, according to the annual report presented on Tuesday by the association of counseling centers for victims of this type of aggression, which spoke of an “alarming balance.”
Thus, 3,384 people were directly affected by the 2,589 far-right, racist or anti-Semitic aggressions (an average of seven per day) in East Germany (Mecklenburg-Antepomerania, Brandenburg, Berlin, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia) and Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Hamburg, North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein.
The increase of more than 20% of aggressions compared to last year constitutes “a very serious development, which illustrates how much the threat situation has become acute, especially for vulnerable groups.”
This was expressed at a press conference by Judith Porath, of the board of directors of the Association of Counseling Centers for Victims of Far-right, Racist and Anti-Semitic Violence (VBRG) and director of the Association Perspective of the Victims of Brandenburg.
The total number of assaults also includes two crimes of homicide and 18 attempted murder.
“The normalization of anti-Semitism, racism and conspiracy narratives is also reflected in the increase in more than a third of the threats and coercions recorded, up to 1,022 cases,” he said.
He drew attention to the “alarming number of 585 children and adolescents assaulted” and stressed that in this group, very in need of protection due to their age, violence and experiences related to marginalization can have very serious consequences for their further development.
He also referred to the worrying typology of crimes: thus, with 1,402 cases, the crimes of physical assault predominate, which increased by 12.4%, compared to 1,247 in 2022, and accounted for more than half of all the attacks recorded.
Racist-motivated attacks grew by 33% and were the most common reason for crimes, with 1,446 cases recorded compared to 1,088 in 2022.
The report also highlights the worrying increase of a third of anti-Semitic attacks, from 201 in 2022 to 318 in 2023.
Physical assaults for anti-Semitic reasons more than tripled, from 21 in 2022 to 71 in 2023, and threats and coercions for this reason almost doubled, from 121 to 211.
The number of far-right attacks against political adversaries remained at a consistently high level, with 315 cases in 2023 compared to 387 a year ago.
“The alarming dimension of far-right, racist and anti-Semitic violence shows how threatened democracy is,” said the director of the memorial centers of the former Nazi concentration camps of Buchenwald and Mittelbau-Dora, Jens-Christian Wagner.
He referred to “years of far-right agitation and historical revisionism” practiced by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
International
Mexico City Mayor Invites U2 to Perform at Iconic Zócalo Plaza
Irish rock band U2, which spent Tuesday and Wednesday filming a new music video for its song Street of Dreams in the Historic Center of Mexico City, received an invitation to perform at the capital’s iconic Zócalo square from Mayor Clara Brugada.
Brugada shared the invitation through social media posts accompanied by photos and a video showing her meeting with the band members.
“This is an invitation for you to perform in our wonderful public square, the Zócalo. You are welcome here, and we would love to have you,” Brugada said in the video while handing a document to Bono, the band’s lead singer.
Bono responded by saying that the group would like “to begin its new tour in Mexico City.”
Referencing one of the band’s most famous songs, In the Name of Love, Brugada said she was greeting Bono along with The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr..
“Welcoming U2 to our capital means celebrating music, connection and the emotion that can be felt in every corner of this city,” Brugada wrote in one of her messages. “We are a city open to the world, vibrant and full of stories shared from the stage to the streets.”
She also described the Zócalo as “the country’s most important public square” and a cultural landmark for Latin America.
Over the years, the Zócalo has hosted massive concerts by internationally renowned artists and bands including Roger Waters, Paul McCartney, Manu Chao, Café Tacvba, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Los Tigres del Norte, La Maldita Vecindad, Silvio Rodríguez, Joan Manuel Serrat, Rosalía and Shakira, drawing hundreds of thousands of fans.
International
Marco Rubio Urges China to Help Restrain Iran Amid Gulf Tensions
Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Washington hopes to persuade China to take a more active role in stopping Iran from escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf, arguing that the crisis directly threatens Asian commercial interests.
“It is in China’s interest to resolve this situation. We hope to convince them to play a more active role in getting Iran to stop what it is doing now and trying to do in the Persian Gulf,” Rubio said during an interview with journalist Sean Hannity on Fox News while traveling aboard Air Force One.
The top U.S. diplomat said the conflict and concerns over the possible disruption of the Strait of Hormuz have already affected China’s interests.
Rubio noted that “a Chinese cargo ship was struck over the weekend,” referring to the exchange of attacks reported last Friday between Iran and the United States.
The remarks come amid growing international concern over rising tensions in the region and the potential impact on global trade routes and energy supplies.
International
Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubiocould potentially form a Republican presidential ticket for the 2028 elections.
Speaking during a dinner with law enforcement officials as part of National Police Week, Trump publicly praised both officials and said they could make “an ideal team” for the next presidential race.
“Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Trump asked attendees before adding that the pair “sound like a good combination.”
The president highlighted his vice president’s performance in office, stating that their current partnership has been highly effective. “JD is perfect, that has been a perfect formula,” Trump told reporters later.
He further suggested that a Vance-Rubio pairing could represent a strong presidential and vice-presidential ticket, although he stopped short of offering any formal endorsement.
“I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and a vice-presidential candidate,” he said, while clarifying that his remarks should not be interpreted as an official backing of any future campaign.
So far, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly confirmed any intention to run in the 2028 presidential election.
Rubio previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016 but withdrew after losing the primary race to Trump. Later, in a December 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, he said he would be among the first to support Vance if he decided to run for the White House.
Vance, meanwhile, has recently dismissed speculation of any political rivalry with Rubio amid growing discussion about potential future GOP leadership.
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