Vance refers to Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla as ‘José’ while defending Trump’s use of National Guard in LA

Vice President JD Vance referred to Sen. Alex Padilla as “José Padilla” during a Friday visit to Los Angeles where he criticized California’s Democratic leaders and defended the Trump administration’s controversial use of the state’s Nationa…[Read more]

Japan, US, Philippines simulate crisis in joint coast guard drills amid China tensions

Helicopters buzzed in the shadow of a smouldering volcano and boats rescued dummies from the sea this week in a show of maritime unity by Japan, the United States and the Philippines.

The joint coast guard exercises held off Japan’s southwest shore follow a…[Read more]

US May Target Samsung, Hynix, TSMC Operations in China, Sources Say

The U.S. Department of Commerce is considering revoking authorizations granted in recent years to global chipmakers Samsung 005930.KS, SK Hynix 000660.KS and TSMC 2330.TW, making it more difficult for them to receive U.S. goods and technology at their plants in China, according…[Read more]

German military deems Russia ‘existential risk’ to nation and Europe, Spiegel reports

The German military deems Russia an “existential risk” to the country and Europe, according to a Spiegel news magazine report that cites a new Bundeswehr strategy paper.
The confidential document warns that the Kremlin is aligning both its industrial and…[Read more]

Germany, England and France in talks with Iran

Foreign ministers meet in Geneva to discuss Tehran’s nuclear programme

As the war between Israel and Iran enters its second week, three European foreign ministers are meeting today with their Iranian counterpart in Geneva, Switzerland, in an effort to de-escalate the situation. One of the aims of J…[Read more]

Germany updates: Population growth on the decline

As of the end of 2024, Germany’s population stood at just under 83.6 million, an increase of 121,000 compared to the previous year. This marks a slowdown from 2023, when the numbers grew by 338,000.

Germany says US tariffs costing millions daily amid trade talks

German Economy Minister Katherina…[Read more]

US Fed keeps interest rates unchanged, cuts growth forecast

The U.S. Federal Reserve held interest rates steady for a fourth consecutive meeting Wednesday, forecasting higher inflation and cooler growth this year while President Donald Trump’s tariffs begin to take hold and geopolitical uncertainty looms.

The Fed kept the benchmark lending rate…[Read more]

Khamenei declares Iran won’t bow down to Trump call for surrender

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declared Wednesday, via a televised statement, that Tehran will reject U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand for unconditional surrender.

His calls came as intensified Israeli airstrikes forced many Iranians to flee the capital, jam…[Read more]

Germany sees limited financial leeway on next EU budget, policy paper shows

Germany wants the European Union’s next seven-year budget to keep a lid on spending, according to a policy paper seen by Reuters on Saturday, with Berlin arguing members do not have room to boost the scope of their contributions.
The German economy, Europe’s largest, has…[Read more]

New German–Ukrainian defence partnership

Germany and Ukraine plan to jointly produce long-range weapons systems. Following talks in Kyiv, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy listed cruise missiles, drones and rockets as key elements of the new cooperation.

Germany will provide funding, while Ukraine w…[Read more]

Germany tackles explosive wartime legacy at sea

Unexploded WWII bombs are still regularly found across Germany. But hundreds of thousands of tons of wartime munitions also lurk off its shores. Now Berlin is stepping up moves to clean up this perilous toxic waste.

An estimated 1.6 million metric tons of conventional munitions lie in Germany’s…[Read more]

Conservative Josh Hawley introduces bill to raise federal minimum wage to $15 an hour

Ultraconservative Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley introduced a bill on June 10 with Democratic Vermont Sen. Peter Welch to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, making him one of the few Republicans to support the cause.

The bill, dubbed the “Higher Wages f…[Read more]

Trump’s pick to lead FAA grilled by senators over air traffic control system, safety at Reagan National Airport

President Trump’s nominee to lead the Federal Aviation Administration was grilled by senators Wednesday on critical safety-related issues, including the required hours needed for pilots, the outdated air traffic control system and the…[Read more]

Curfew in LA as protests against Trump’s immigration crackdown continue

Los Angeles enforced a nighttime curfew during protests as Trump sent troops, drawing criticism from officials.

A nighttime curfew was in force in Los Angeles as local officials sought to get a handle on protests that United States President Donald Trump claimed were an i…[Read more]

US, China agree on ‘framework’ on trade after talks in London

Negotiators say agreement will be presented to US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping for approval.

The United States and China have agreed on a “framework” on trade after two days of talks in London aimed at deescalating tensions between the sides.

While the spe…[Read more]

Elon Musk says he ‘regrets’ social media attacks on Trump

Tech billionaire says some of his social media posts about US president ‘went too far.’

Tech billionaire Elon Musk has expressed regret over his broadsides against United States President Donald Trump following their spectacular public falling out.

“I regret some of my posts about Pre…[Read more]

Eurostar vows to run direct trains from UK to Germany and Switzerland

Cross-Channel rail operator, which is trying to fend off rivals for its London depot space, regards early 2030s as feasible

Eurostar has vowed to run direct trains from the UK to Germany and Switzerland, as it attempts to fend off potential competitors eyeing its London depot…[Read more]

Germany granted citizenship to a record number of people in 2024, led by Syrians

Germany granted citizenship to a record 291,955 people last year, a 46% increase from 2023, with Syrians making up the largest group, according to data released by the Federal Statistics Office on Tuesday.
Reforms in the citizenship law contributed to the jump, the…[Read more]

Germany: Court to rule on press freedom for banned magazine

The right-wing extremist magazine Compact was outlawed in 2024, but it’s available on newsstands again after winning an appeal. Now, Germany’s Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig will have the final word.

In 2024, then Interior Minister Nancy Faeser banned Compact magazine. She…[Read more]

Hegseth warns of China threat as Beijing’s top brass skip Singapore summit

Comments by US defence chief come as China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun was noticeably absent from the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

Of the many military officials darting across the lobby of Singapore’s Shangri-La Hotel this weekend, there has been one signi…[Read more]