Germany news: Author Arundhati Roy quits Berlinale over Gaza
Deutsche Welle
February 14, 2026
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Author Arundhati Roy, the renowned Indian writer, has withdrawn from the Berlinale film festival in protest over comments made by jury president Wim Wenders regarding the situation in Gaza. Roy’s decision has sparked discussions about the intersection of art and politics, particularly given her strong ties to India’s cultural and political landscape. Meanwhile, Germany is grappling with several significant developments: public sector workers have secured a 5.8% pay rise after weeks of strikes, impacting over 900,000 employees across various sectors. Additionally, the German migrant rescue ship *Humanity 1* has been impounded in Italy for 60 days and fined €10,000, following allegations that its crew failed to contact Libyan authorities during a recent rescue operation.
The situation of the *Humanity 1* has drawn criticism from human rights groups, who argue that Libya’s coast guard forces are not legitimate actors due to their involvement in human rights violations. This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between Germany’s humanitarian efforts and Italy’s hardline migration policies under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. SOS Humanity, which operates the ship, has rescued over 40,000 people since 2016, but their work is increasingly hampered by legal challenges.
Meanwhile, concerns have been raised about proposed cuts to integration courses for migrants in Germany. The Association of German Cities (Deutscher Städtetag) has criticized the move, arguing that restricting access to language and integration programs sends a negative signal and undermines efforts to promote social solidarity. These courses are seen as crucial for helping migrants integrate into German society and reduce their reliance on welfare.
The broader context of these developments underscores the complex interplay between politics
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Originally published on Deutsche Welle on 2/14/2026