Germany

Germany needs 75,000 more troops as NATO eyes Russia threat

Germany's defence ministry believes it will need at least 75,000 additional troops to fulfil its NATO commitments as the alliance adapts to face what it sees as an increasingly hostile…

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EU vote humiliates Scholz’s German coalition

Germany’s ruling coalition suffered a crushing blow in the European Parliament election on Sunday, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats recording their worst result in a national vote in more…

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Scholz vows to toughen up German deportation rules after attacks

Germany will tighten its deportation rules so that the glorification of terrorist offences is grounds for deportation, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Thursday after a series of attacks prompted calls…

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Germany must be ready for war by 2029, defense minister warns

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has said his country must prepare for war because of increasing Russian threats. “We must be ready for war by 2029,” news magazine Der Spiegel…

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UPDATED: AfD politician injured in second attack in less than a week in Mannheim

A suspect was arrested after a local council candidate for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) was attacked with a knife, police and prosecutors said on Wednesday. The attack on Tuesday…

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German army to boost Rheinmetall artillery shell order by 200,000

The German army intends to order 200,000 more artillery shells from armsmaker Rheinmetall than it had planned, a letter seen by Reuters on Tuesday from the Defence Ministry to parliament's…

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Germany’s CDU hit by major cyberattack

Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) was targeted by a large-scale cyberattack on Saturday that forced the opposition party to temporarily take parts of its IT infrastructure off line. Law enforcement…

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UPDATED: Several thousand evacuated in southern Germany floods; Search for 3rd victim of Friuli floods in Italy

A firefighter died while trying to rescue trapped residents and several thousand people were forced to leave their homes as heavy rain caused flooding in southern Germany. The 42-year-old man…

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Multiple stabbings at far-right rally in Mannheim

A far-right activist and several others were hurt in stabbing in Mannheim. German police report that several individuals, including a far-right anti-Islam activist, were injured in the incident. On Friday,…

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German mood turned against EU, survey shows before European vote

Public opinion in Germany has shifted against the European Union in the last year, a survey by insurer Allianz showed on Wednesday, just over a week before elections to the…

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Influx of Syrians pushes German naturalisations to record level

Germany granted citizenship to a record number of people last year, due largely to a jump in the number of Syrians who qualified for a passport after fleeing their country…

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President Macron’s Germany Visit: EU Policy Implications and Defense Concerns

The upcoming state visit by President Macron to Berlin, Dresden, and Muenster marks the first French presidential visit to Germany in 24 years. This visit holds great significance as it…

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Germany’s far-right party AfD faces backlash over SS remarks, lost allies.

The leading candidate for Germany's far-right party in the European election stepped back from campaigning on Wednesday to try to quell the backlash after declaring that the SS, the Nazis'…

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German court to hear prince’s alleged plot to overthrow Germany’s government

A would-be prince, a former judge and parliamentarian and retired military officers are among nine alleged conspirators who stand trial on Tuesday for a suspected "Reichsbuerger" plot to overthrow Germany's…

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Summer 2023 was the hottest in 2,000 years

The intense northern hemisphere summer heat that drove wildfires across the Mediterranean, buckled roads in Texas and strained power grids in China last year made it not just the warmest…

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Scholz says Germany needs strong military recruitment

Germany must find ways to convince people to sign up for a career in the military, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said, as the country looks at conscription as a possible way…

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Angela Merkel memoirs to be published in November

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel's memoirs will be published on November 26, the publisher, Kiepenheuer & Witsch, announced. It comes nearly three years after the end of Merkel's 16-year tenure and her thoughts…

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Ice cream sellers in Germany probed over Mafia money

Authorities in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia said they had charged three men with money laundering. The three are alleged to have used an ice cream parlor in the…

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Another German politician attacked

A senior figure in Chancellor Olaf Scholz's party became the latest target in a string of attacks on German politicians when a man struck her from behind with a bag…

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Scholz pledges Germany’s steadfast backing for the Baltic states

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says Berlin is firm in its resolve to defend the Baltic states against Russian aggression. His comments came on a visit to Lithuania, where German troops…

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Condemnation and concern in Germany after a series of assaults on politicians

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and European Union leaders denounced on Saturday a recent spate of attacks on politicians in Germany, including one that sent a member of the European Parliament…

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17-year-old admits attack on German EP

A 17-year-old has turned himself in to police in the German state of Saxony, after an attack left a center-left member of the European Parliament in need of surgery, according…

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German EP ‘seriously injured’ in Dresden assault

POLITICO reports that a leading Socialist member of the European Parliament was left ‘seriously injured’ and in need of surgery after being attacked by a group of four young men…

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Germany: Births, marriages hit lowest level since 2013

The number of births and weddings in Germany last year fell to its lowest level in years, according to preliminary figures released by the Federal Statistics Office, known as Destatis.…

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Russian man arrested after two Ukrainians stabbed to death in Germany

A Russian man has been arrested after two Ukrainian men were stabbed to death in southern Germany. The two Ukrainians were killed at a shopping centre in the village of…

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“We need hope” – German chancellor launches EP election campaign

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz ’s centre-left Social Democrats, or SPD, launched their official campaign for the 9 June EU election with a rally in Hamburg, under the mantra "we need…

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Germany arrests suspected members of Nigerian dating mafia

German police on Wednesday announced that eleven suspected members of a criminal syndicate from Nigeria, the Black Axe, were arrested during nationwide raids The gang is internationally famous for different criminal activities such…

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Germany to resume cooperation with Palestinian UNRWA agency

The German government plans to resume cooperation with the UN agency for Palestinians (UNRWA) in Gaza, the foreign and development ministries said in a joint statement on Wednesday. The decision…

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German police shoot machete-wielding man at the University of Mannheim

Police in Germany shot a man who was allegedly wielding a machete at the University of Mannheim on Tuesday afternoon. The suspect, a 31-year-old German national, later died in hospital. The…

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Germany arrests aide to far-right MEP on suspicion of China espionage

German police have arrested an assistant to a European Parliament member on suspicion of “an especially severe case” of espionage for China, prosecutors said on Tuesday, appearing to refer to…

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Germany detains three individuals accused of spying for China

The German Federal Prosecutor's office on Monday said three German nationals were arrested under the strong suspicion of having worked for Chinese secret service. Prosecutors believe the three may have been involved in research projects…

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Germany arrests two for alleged military sabotage plot on behalf of Russia

Two German-Russian nationals have been arrested in Germany on suspicion of plotting sabotage attacks, including on U.S. military facilities, in an effort to undermine military support for Ukraine, prosecutors said…

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Bavaria bans smoking cannabis at Oktoberfest beer festival

Authorities in Germany's southeastern state of Bavaria announced that they will ban smoking cannabis at the popular Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich. It comes after Germany's federal government partially legalized marijuana for…

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Germany’s transport minister threatens weekend driving ban over climate law delay

Germany’s transport minister is threatening to ban driving on weekends to meet climate goals if the ruling coalition does not pass the Climate Protection Act by July. “The fact that…

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Lufthansa suspends Tehran flights, Middle East on alert for potential Iran attacks

German airline Lufthansa announced it had suspended flights to Tehran due to the situation in the Middle East, which is on alert for possible Iranian retaliation for a suspected Israeli…

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Germany population growth to remain flat

A study released by the Bertelsmann Foundation on Tuesday showed that Germany is expected to see a slight 0.6% increase in population by 2040.The forecast is based on births, deaths and migration provided by the…

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Suspect charged with planning ‘coup’ attempt in Germany

Prosecutors in the northern German city of Hamburg filed charges against a 66-year-old man accused of supporting a terrorist organization and aiding and abetting the preparation of a treasonable enterprise…

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Germany’s Lindner plays down coalition breakup fears

German Finance Minister Christian Lindner on Sunday evaded questions on whether his Free Democratic Party (FDP) was prepared to leave the country's ruling coalition over tough budget talks, saying the…

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Germany announces military overhaul

Germany's defence minister announced a restructuring of the military on Thursday, including a new central command and a dedicated branch for cyber space, furthering a Bundeswehr overhaul launched in response…

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German man claims he tipped off Madeleine McCann’s parents about main suspect in 2008

A witness against the main suspect in the Madeleine McCann case claimed he tipped off her parents about him - a year after she vanished in 2007. Helge Busching, a…

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Several dead in coach crash on eastern German motorway

Several people were killed and more injured in a coach crash on a motorway near the eastern German city of Leipzig on Wednesday, police said."Several people were fatally injured in…

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German Bundesbank president warns against extremism, euro exit – FUNKE

FRANKFURT, March 23 (Reuters) - Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel said right-wing extremists threaten Germany's prosperity, and an exit from the euro would be "an economic catastrophe for all of us",…

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Far-right AfD peppers Germany’s top court with complaints, accused of blocking tactics

AfD files more legal challenges, questions than other parties Party's frequent cases burden German courts, ministries AfD says it's challenging violations of its political rights Accused of trying to snarl…

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Germany arrests two over suspected Islamist plot on Swedish parliament

Germany has arrested two suspected Islamic State (IS) members for allegedly planning an attack on the Swedish parliament in retaliation for Koran burnings in the Scandinavian country, the federal prosecutor's…

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Germany’s Scholz say Rafah assault would make regional peace ‘very difficult’

By Sarah Marsh AQABA, Jordan, March 17 (Reuters) - The large number of civilian casualties that would result from an Israeli assault on the Gaza city of Rafah would make…

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No recovery in sight for Germany economy, ministry says

BERLIN, March 15 (Reuters) - A tangible recovery in Europe's biggest economy is not yet in sight despite positive trends in industrial production, construction and foreign trade at the start…

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Germany on track to reach 2030 targets, environment agency says

BERLIN, March 15 (Reuters) - Germany's Federal Environment Agency (UBA) confirmed preliminary projections that Europe's biggest economy's greenhouse emissions fell by around 10% year-on-year in 2023, putting the country on…

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German government needs tighter conflict-of-interest guidelines, activists say

By Christian Kraemer BERLIN, March 14 (Reuters) - The German coalition government needs tighter guidelines for tackling conflicts of interest, though it has been transparent about the influence of lobbying…

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German train drivers announce 6th strike in pay dispute

FRANKFURT, (Reuters) - Train drivers from German rail company Deutsche Bahn announced a sixth round of strikes from Monday until Wednesday in a long-running dispute over pay. Germany has faced…

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German local councils demand reopening of bunkers and building of modern shelters

German local councils on Saturday called for the government to refurbish out of use bunkers. The comments were made by André Berghegger, the head of the Association of Towns and…

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Strike wave hits German rail and airports as disputes mount

BERLIN, March 7 (Reuters) - Germany faced strikes on three fronts on Thursday, as train drivers, airport security workers and Lufthansa ground staff walked off the job, spelling further headaches…

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Frankfurt airport closed for departures on Thursday due to strike

BERLIN, March 6 (Reuters) - Frankfurt airport, Germany's busiest, will be closed to passengers with planned departures on Thursday due to a security staff strike organised by Germany's Verdi union,…

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Germany to face travel chaos with rail, airport strikes to resume

By Rachel More BERLIN, (Reuters) - The German train drivers' union said on Monday it would commence a fresh round of nationwide strikes as a dispute with national train operator…

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Germany’s Scholz rules out Taurus missile deliveries if German soldiers involved

BERLIN, March 4 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday ruled out arming Ukraine with long-range Taurus missiles if German soldiers needed to be involved to help operate them.…

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Kremlin says German recording shows intent to strike Russia, asks whether Scholz in charge

MOSCOW, March 4 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Monday a purported recording of German military discussions showed Germany's armed forces were discussing plans to launch strikes on Russian territory,…

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Germany accuses Russia of “information war” after military recording

FRANKFURT, (Reuters) - Germany's defence minister said Russia was conducting an "information war" aimed at creating divisions within Germany, his first reaction to the publication in Russia of an audio…

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Police in Berlin arrest individuals in decades-old Red Army Faction case

BERLIN, March 3 (Reuters) - Police have made two arrests in Berlin during their search for individuals wanted for their suspected involvement in Germany's notorious Red Army Faction militant group,…

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