German carmakers, trade union jointly urge EU to drop combustion engine ban

Germany’s VDA car industry association and IG Metall metalworkers’ union on Thursday urged the European Union to drop plans to ban the production of CO2-emitting vehicles from 2035, joining a chorus of sector voices warning against the move.
VDA and the union said in a…[Read more]

Merz wants proactive spy agency to match German economic might

Germany needs its BND foreign intelligence service to operate at a level that reflects the country’s size and economic weight to deal with hybrid attacks from increasingly aggressive rivals, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday.
In a speech marking the inauguration of a new head…[Read more]

Merz: “We are and will remain ready to defend ourselves”

At a joint press conference with António Costa, president of the European Council, Germany’s Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz issued a statement about the violation of Polish NATO airspace by Russian drones. Merz said that he shared the assessment of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk “…[Read more]

Was the German pension system built to bust?

Germany is growing older and the pressure on the German pension system is increasing. The younger generation won’t be able to make up the difference, and economists think the elderly should foot the bill.

“People will always have children.” This is supposedly what Chancellor Konrad Adenauer said — h…[Read more]

Why the legacy of East Germany’s prefab housing blocks is more relevant than ever

Once considered progressive, then later derided, a new exhibition is exploring the developments’ place as part of a collective experience

Communist East Germany’s high-rise prefab residential blocks and their political and cultural impact in what was one of the b…[Read more]

Germany inaugurates Europe’s fastest computer

Europe’s fastest computer, the world’s fourth-fastest computer and the most energy-efficient computer ever -superlatives abound as Jupiter is inaugurated.

Germany’s Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Hendrik Wüst, the state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, have inaugurated Europe’s fastest co…[Read more]

Trump’s threats loom over Chicago’s Mexican Independence Day celebrations

President Donald Trump’s plan to dispatch National Guard troops and immigration agents into Chicago has put many Latino residents on edge, prompting some to carry their U.S. passports while giving others pause about openly celebrating the upcoming Mexican Independence D…[Read more]

Trump quietly preparing to travel next month to South Korea, where he could sit down with China’s leader

President Donald Trump and his top advisers are quietly preparing to travel to South Korea in October for the gathering of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation trade ministers, three Trump administration officials told CNN.

The summit, set to b…[Read more]

Trump threatens ‘WAR’ in Chicago; Pritzker hits back at potential National Guard deployment

Trump’s threat to send National Guard troops to Chicago comes amid DC protests and a continuing lawsuit against the deployment in Los Angeles.

Protests against the National Guard roiled DC on Sept. 6 as Chicagoans waited to see where President Donald…[Read more]

Exclusive: Fed should be independent but has made mistakes, Treasury Secretary Bessent says

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday the Federal Reserve is and should be independent but said it had “made a lot of mistakes” and defended President Donald Trump’s right to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook over allegations of mortgage…[Read more]

Trump readies crushing autumn power plays as Democrats search for direction

A bitter fall looms in American politics, as President Donald Trump flexes unchecked power that often tests the Constitution while Democrats grapple for traction with their voters demanding a fight back.

Trump seems like a president in a hurry, as he threatens to send…[Read more]

Rudy Giuliani to receive Presidential Medal of Freedom, Trump says

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani will receive a Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honour, Donald Trump has announced on Truth Social.

Giuliani became known as “America’s Mayor” after leading New York through 9/11. While he previously worked as Trump’s…[Read more]

Maduro ready to declare ‘republic in arms’ if US forces attack Venezuela

The US has deployed military forces to the Caribbean in an operation said to target Latin American drug cartels.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has said that a United States military build-up in the Caribbean is aimed at overthrowing his government, and he was rea…[Read more]

Trump ends security protection for former Vice President Harris, senior White House official says

U.S. President Donald Trump has canceled Secret Service protection for former vice president and 2024 Democratic rival Kamala Harris, a senior White House official said on Friday.
Former vice presidents typically receive six months of Secret Service…[Read more]

How Trump’s newfound love for Chinese students is drawing MAGA backlash

Trump said he would allow Chinese students to attend US universities, months after his administration announced visa revocations.

United States President Donald Trump has announced that he will allow 600,000 Chinese students into US universities.

His announcement on M…[Read more]

Trump moves to permanently cancel funding in rare move around Congress

President Donald Trump has moved to unilaterally cancel $4.9 billion in federal funding authorized by Congress, escalating the fight over who controls the nation’s spending.
In a letter posted online late Thursday, Trump told House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson that…[Read more]

Germany tells nationals to leave Iran, fearing retaliation over sanctions

Germany has told its nationals to leave Iran and refrain from travelling there to avoid getting caught in retaliatory acts by Tehran over Germany’s role in triggering U.N. sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme.
Britain, France and Germany on Thursday launched a…[Read more]

Meeting between Merz and Macron: united for a strong Europe

Large parts of the German and French governments are meeting for a Franco-German Ministerial Council on economic and security policy issues today. Prior to this session, Friedrich Merz and Emmanuel Macron had met at the French president’s summer home in Brégançon for initial talks. At t…[Read more]

UK, France and Germany move to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran

The UK, France and Germany have begun the process of restoring major UN sanctions on Iran – lifted under a 2015 deal – as tensions once again escalate over Tehran’s nuclear programme.

The move will trigger a so-called snapback mechanism, which could result in the return of sanctions in…[Read more]

Germany’s Merz says Putin, Zelenskiy to meet within next two weeks

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz credited U.S. President Donald Trump with persuading Russia’s President to agree to a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart.
This meeting, to which Vladimir Putin agreed during a phone call with Trump, would take place at a yet-to-be-determined…[Read more]