Germany

Britain explores legal options to prosecute suspect in McCann disappearance

British police are seeking to bring a German suspect to trial in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, as investigators step up efforts ahead of the 20th anniversary of her case…

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Merz plays down US military withdrawal plans

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has insisted he will maintain close ties with Washington despite plans by Donald Trump to withdraw thousands of US troops. Speaking on German television, Merz said…

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Trump says the US is reviewing a potential reduction of its troops in Germany

President Donald Trump, who has criticized Germany and other NATO allies for not sending their navies to help open the Strait of Hormuz, said his administration is looking at reducing…

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Europe’s response to the Iran war energy crunch

The European Commission will publish a package of measures on Wednesday seeking to offset surging energy prices, as countries grapple with the biggest shock to energy markets in history from…

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Number of immigrants in EU reaches record high of 64.2 million in 2025

The number of immigrants residing in the European Union climbed to a record high of 64.2 million in ‌2025, up about 2.1 million from a year earlier, according to a…

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Far-right AfD overtakes German conservatives in new poll

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has edged ahead of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) for a second time this week. The survey published by broadcaster ZDF on Friday showed…

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Airlines cancel flights, ground planes as jet fuel shock hits Europe

The jet fuel crisis caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is forcing major European airlines to cut flights and ground planes amid a looming supply crunch. International…

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UPDATED: Germany works to clarify new rules on fighting-age men leaving country

Germany's armed ‌forces are working on clarifying a provision in a recently updated military service law that requires fighting-age men to gain permission to leave the country for more than…

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CDU/CSU calls for cannabis rethink 2 years in

Government ministers from Germany's conservative CDU and CSU parties on Wednesday called for changes to the 2024 partial legalization of cannabis introduced by the previous more left-leaning coalition government. They…

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Friedrich Merz: Most Syrians to Leave Germany Within Three Years

Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that he and the Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa hope that 80% of the Syrians in Germany will return home in the next three years. During…

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UK Weighs Naval Protection as France Bolsters Cyprus Defences

Britain has yet to decide whether it will deploy a warship to protect its Royal Air Force base at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, following a drone strike that hit the…

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German government pushes Syrians to return to their homeland

Last year, 5,976 Syrians applied for voluntary repatriation to Syria, which was funded by the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), submitting all the necessary documents. Of these,…

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UPDATED: Six EU countries hold call in push for ‘two‑speed’ Europe

Ministers from six leading European economies, including Germany and France, will discuss on Wednesday plans to push ahead with joint projects without the rest of the EU, to facilitate agile…

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Europe Pushes for Diplomacy as Greenland Dispute Threatens Trade Fallout

European leaders moved to cool tensions on Monday as a dispute involving Greenland and U.S. tariff threats risked escalating into a broader transatlantic trade conflict, with multiple EU institutions stressing…

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Berlin Blackout: Deliberate Sabotage Exposes Fragile Critical Infrastructure

Berlin experienced a major power outage in early January 2026 after an arson attack on high-voltage power cables in the city’s southwest. German authorities have said the fire was deliberately…

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34 arrests in Spain during action against the ‘Black Axe’ criminal organisation

The Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional), in close cooperation with the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office (Bayerisches Landeskriminalamt) and with the support of Europol, has conducted an operation against the…

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German president says US is destroying world order

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has strongly criticised the U.S. foreign policy under President Donald Trump and urged the world not to let the world order disintegrate into a "den of…

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Germany’s Merz tells Europe to assert itself to safeguard peace, prosperity

Europe must assert its interests more strongly to ensure peace and prosperity in 2026 amid challenges from Russian aggression, global protectionism and changing ties with the U.S., German Chancellor Friedrich…

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Germany registers over 1,000 suspicious drone flights

Germany has registered over 1,000 suspicious drone flights so far in 2025, the head of Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) told German newspaper Bild in comments published on Sunday.…

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Ageing Germany set to get smaller and older, says stats office

Ageing Germany's population could shrink by almost 10 million people, to around 75 million, by 2070 as the baby boomer generation gives way to much smaller cohorts, the statistics office…

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Germany votes to bring back voluntary military service programme for 18-year-olds

Germany's parliament, the Bundestag, has voted to introduce voluntary military service, in a move aimed at boosting national defences after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It marks a significant shift…

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Bundestag approves big tax relief for restaurants

Germany has passed a wide-ranging tax relief package that includes a slashing of the sales tax rate for restaurants. The tax reform bill, was approved Thursday by the Bundestag, Germany's…

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Berlin deploys fighter jets to Poland after Russian drone incursions

Germany has deployed five Eurofighter jets and some 150 military personnel to the Polish town of Malbork to help secure the country's airspace, the German air force said on Thursday,…

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German lawmakers consider slashing restaurant taxes

The German parliament is discussing a plan to permanently lower sales tax on restaurant food to the same level that it was at during the coronavirus pandemic. The move is…

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Germany’s Christmas markets grapple with soaring security costs

Germany's Christmas markets, a major tourist draw for local economies, are grappling with unprecedented security costs following a series of attacks. A nationwide survey by the Federal Association of City…

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Berlin Draws Up Secret War Plan as Russia Fears Mount

Germany is developing and implementing a secret plan in case of war with Russia, which involves sending up to 800,000 NATO troops to the front line, according to The Wall…

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Germany to introduce voluntary military service

Germany's coalition partners announced a compromise on Thursday over new rules on military service, a key element in a wider drive to rebuild the country's shrunken armed forces. The model…

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Wild form of polio found in German sewage sample

The wild form of the virus behind polio has been detected in wastewater sampling in Germany, the nation's main public health body told Reuters, in a setback for efforts to…

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Germany arrests 18 in international crackdown on online fraud

An internationally coordinated action against alleged online fraud and money laundering networks that included German payment service providers resulted in 18 arrests, German authorities said on Wednesday. Germany's Federal Criminal…

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Germany’s top general says all young men should be considered for the Bundeswehr

Germany's armed forces chief has rejected the idea of a draft lottery in the ongoing debate over reintroducing military service, saying all young men should undergo assessment to determine eligibility.…

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Germany to lift hourly minimum wage to 14.60 euros from 2027

The hourly minimum wage for workers in Germany, Europe's biggest economy, will rise in two stages to 14.60 euros ($17) by 2027 from 12.82 euros, the cabinet agreed on Wednesday.…

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German Civil Protection Office Warns: War Can No Longer Be Considered Unlikely

For the first time in 35 years, the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) is warning of war. The agency emphasises that Germany is one of the…

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German cabinet agrees on law to incentivise post-retirement work

Germany's cabinet agreed a draft law on Wednesday to encourage work after retirement by allowing those who do so to earn up to 2,000 euros a month tax-free in an…

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Germany to order over 600 short-range air defence systems

The German government plans to order more than 600 Skyranger 30 short-range air defence systems from Rheinmetall before the end of the year, the Handelsblatt newspaper reported on Friday, citing…

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German parliament votes to get rid of fast-track citizenship

The Bundestag voted to get rid of a fast-track citizenship law put in place under the previous government led by center-left Social Democrat (SPD) Olaf Scholz. The vote passed with…

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Germany to allow police to shoot down drones

Germany will grant police the power to shoot down rogue drones like those that have disrupted airports across Europe and that some European leaders have attributed to a hybrid war…

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Berlin Faces Calls to Let Police Shoot Down Rogue Drones

Drone sightings overnight at Germany's Munich airport led to the cancellation and diversion of dozens of flights on the eve of a national holiday, leaving nearly 3,000 passengers stranded and…

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Germany plans for 1,000 wounded troops per day in case of conflict with Russia

Germany's armed forces are planning how to treat a potential 1,000 wounded troops per day should a large-scale conflict between NATO and Russia break out, and amid long-standing warnings by…

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Lead Figure in Madeleine McCann Investigation Set for Release From Prison

The main suspect in the 2007 disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann is due to be released on Wednesday from the German prison where he has been serving a seven-year…

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Germany’s army needs to more than double in size, commander says

Germany's army needs to add 100,000 active troops to its existing 62,000 to meet new NATO targets intended to boost preparedness for the growing threat of Russian aggression, its commander…

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EU Commission chief von der Leyen says she’s ‘not available’ for German presidency

Ursula von der Leyen is not available to be the next German president, a spokesperson for the European Commission chief has told Euronews, in response to German media reports connecting…

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UPDATED: German cabinet passes bill for voluntary military service

Germany's cabinet passed a draft bill on Wednesday that would introduce a voluntary military service as the country seeks to bolster national defences over Russian security concerns. The text also…

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Berlin courts tourists as Paris and Barcelona tire of the crowds

As many southern European cities grow tired of tourists, Berlin is pitching itself as an antidote to the crowds, blistering heatwaves and anti-tourism protests causing problems elsewhere. The German capital…

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Germany Stresses Importance of Security Pledges to Ukraine, Rules Out Troop Presence

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said that his country can play an important role in providing security guarantees for Ukraine, but that Berlin likely doesn't have the capacity to send…

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Air conditioner sales up as heat wave hits Germany

A heat wave that has gripped Europe for weeks has now arrived in Germany, with temperatures reaching 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) on Monday and national weather service DWD…

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Germany not planning to recognise Palestinian state in short term

Germany is not planning to recognise a Palestinian state in the short term and said its priority now is to make "long-overdue progress" towards a two-state solution, a German government…

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Women’s share on German company boards slips slightly: study

The proportion of women who sit on supervisory boards at German-listed companies has edged down slightly, according to a new study by the group Women in Supervisory Boards (Fidar). Women…

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People in Germany are driving more again

In a reversal of a trend, people in Germany are driving more again. According to data from the the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA), personal cars registered in Germany covered 594…

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Libyan ICC war crimes suspect arrested in Germany

German authorities have arrested a Libyan war crimes suspect accused of being a senior official for a notorious prison where inmates were routinely tortured and sometimes sexually abused, the International…

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Flights ever more expensive from German airports — analysis

Prices for air passengers traveling from airports in Germany within Europe are continuing to rise, even those for budget airlines, according to an analysis by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR). The average…

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Germany outlines emergency draft plans

A bill to be put forward by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius would allow the Cabinet, with parliamentary agreement, to call up conscripts if a situation arises that requires a rapid…

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Syrian juvenile charged with Taylor Swift concert plot

Germany has charged a Syrian juvenile with supporting a foreign terrorist organization for helping to plan a foiled attack on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna last year, the prosecutor…

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Germany to stop funding migrant rescue ships in Mediterranean

Germany is cutting financial support for charities that rescue migrants at risk of drowning in the Mediterranean, saying it will redirect resources to addressing conditions in source countries that spur…

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Germany to hire 11,000 more military personnel this year

The German government will provide funds for an extra 11,000 military personnel by the end of the year, an increase of around 4%, tabloid Bild reported, citing government sources. The…

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Poland may introduce partial controls on German border in summer

Poland is likely to introduce partial controls on its border with Germany in the summer if the number of migrant crossings continues to grow, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told…

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Germany will need thousands more troops under new NATO targets, says defence minister

Germany's military, the Bundeswehr, will require an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 additional troops to meet NATO's updated defense requirements amid the growing threat from Russia, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said…

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Germany to Make It Easier to Declare Countries Safe in Curbs on Asylum

The German government plans to make it easier to declare certain countries of origin safe under a push to reduce the number of asylum seekers, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said…

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