Category: Germany

2 Killed in Knife Attack on Train in Northern Germany

BROKSTEDT, Germany—Two people were killed and several others injured when a man attacked them with a knife on Wednesday on a regional train travelling between Kiel and Hamburg in northern Germany, authorities said. Police in the state of Schlewsig-Holstein on the Danish border said the man, who was himself lightly injured, was being treated in…


Ford to Cut up to 3,200 European Jobs, Union Says, Vowing to Fight

BERLIN—Ford Motor Co. plans to cut up to 3,200 jobs across Europe and move some product development work to the United States, Germany’s IG Metall union said on Monday, vowing action that would disrupt the carmaker across the continent if the cuts go ahead. Rising costs for electric vehicle battery materials and projected slowdowns in…


German Business Morale Brightens Further in January: Ifo

BERLIN—German business morale brightened in January as Europe’s largest economy started the new year with easing inflation and an improved outlook, a survey said on Wednesday. The Ifo institute said its business climate index rose to 90.2, in line with consensus according to a Reuters poll of analysts and up from a reading of 88.6…


Germany Approves Sending Advanced Battle Tanks to Ukraine

Germany has agreed to send advanced battle tanks to Ukraine ending weeks of speculation whether the country would overcome its reluctance to send weapons into the conflict, with the Kremlin saying the move undermines Russian–German relations and that the equipment will “go up in flames.” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a statement on Jan….


Germany Starts Deploying Patriot Air Defense Units to Poland

GNOIEN, Germany—Germany on Monday dispatched the first two out of three Patriot air defense units that will be sent to the Polish town of Zamosc close to the Ukrainian border where they will be deployed to prevent stray missile strikes. Two men were killed by a stray Ukrainian missile that struck the Polish village of…


Germany Charges 5 With Plot to Kidnap Minister, Overthrow Government

BERLIN—Prosecutors brought high treason charges against five people who allegedly planned to kidnap the health minister and were prepared to kill in order to topple the German government, the attorney general said on Monday. The group, formed in mid-January 2022, had set itself the goal “of triggering civil war-like conditions in Germany by means of…


German Defense Minister Resigns Amidst Criticism

The German defense minister resigned on Monday over public skepticism regarding her efficiency at a time when the German military is undergoing changes. Christine Lambrecht, a member of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD), submitted her resignation request to Scholz: “Today I asked the chancellor to dismiss me from the office of federal minister…


More Than Half of German Companies Report Labor Shortages

BERLIN—More than half Germany’s companies are struggling to fill vacancies due to a lack of skilled workers, the German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) said on Thursday, in the latest sign of growth headwinds belaboring Europe’s largest economy. The proportion of companies facing difficulties hiring was at its highest ever level, the DIHK found…


Taiwan Seeks to Boost Ties With Germany to Counter ‘Authoritarian Expansionism’

Taiwan’s president told German lawmakers on Tuesday that her nation seeks to boost ties with Germany to counter “authoritarian expansionism,” alluding to the security threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Tsai Ing-wen called on democratic countries to jointly uphold regional stability in the face of authoritarian expansion, citing the CCP’s large-scale military drills…


German, Lithuania Delegations Visit Taiwan to Discuss Defense as Beijing Threat Builds

German and Lithuanian parliamentary delegates traveled to Taiwan this week to meet with Taiwanese defense officials as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continued to exert military pressure on the self-ruled island. Lithuania’s nine-member delegation arrived in Taiwan on Sunday for a six-day visit “to demonstrate the solidarity and cooperation of frontline democratic countries,” according to…