Penulis: Agus S

A male driver rammed into a crowd in Passau in Germany's state of Bavaria. Police suspect the motive for the incident was personal. Follow DW for more.

This blog, covering the latest news fromGermanyon Saturday, June 7, is closed.

German Interior MinisterAlexander Dobrindthas called for police to be equipped with non-lethal electroshock weapons — better known as Tasers.

In remarks to theFunke Media Group, Germany's third largest newspaper and magazine publisher, Dobrindt said he is "convinced that the use of Tasers by our police is absolutely necessary."

The interior minister said he would ensure that the "necessary legal framework" is put in place to make sure that the country's federal police are equipped with the non-lethal weapons.

Dobrindt said the use of Tasers was an "appropriate" response to the rising "threat to police in public spaces."

There has been a spate of violent incidents involving knife attacks in the country in recent months, and the minister believes Tasers are the "right device" to use in such situations to allow officers to "more effectively neutralize" attackers and "better protect themselves."

While technically classed as non-lethal weapons, Tasers are nevertheless controversial. They deliver electric shocks from a distance, causing severe, painful muscle contractions that render the subject unable to move.

People with cardiovascular issues, as well as pregnant women and the elderly, can be particularly vulnerable to Tasers.

A survey conducted by the Moscow-based polling institute Levada showed that Germany is now considered the most hostile country toward Russia by Russians.

Germany was identified as the unfriendliest state by 55% of survey respondents, marking a 40-percentage-point rise since May 2020.

In contrast, only 40% of respondents named the United States, which held the top position for two decades, as the unfriendliest state, compared to 76% last year.

The United Kingdom ranked second among countries perceived as hostile to Russia, with 49% of respondents naming it as such. Ukraine, of whichRussia launched a full-scale invasionin February 2022, followed with 43%.

The institute attributes this shift to the revival of Russian-American relations under US PresidentDonald Trump. Meanwhile, Germany has been criticized in Moscow for supporting Ukraine militarily.

The survey also asked Russians to name the five countries friendliest to Russia.

Belarus topped the listwith 80% of respondents, followed by China with 64%. Kazakhstan ranked third with 36% of the vote, followed by India with 32% and North Korea with 30%.

The German police shot and killed a 30-year-old woman who attacked passersby with a knife inMunich.

Bildnewspaper initially reported the incident, but the police later confirmed that they had shot the woman.

The incident occurred near Theresienwiese, a major park in theBavariancapital where theOktoberfestfestival takes place every autumn.

According to the police, the attacker first attacked a 56-year-old man. Shortly afterward, she injured a 25-year-old woman.

The condition of the two was not immediately known. It was also unclear whether the woman had any connection to them.

Police then shot an attacker, and she was taken to the hospital where she underwent emergency surgery but died shortly thereafter.

A 22-year-old man crashed a sports car into the sales area of a gas station in Nuremberg, which is in the German state ofBavaria.

According to the police, he also tore a gas pump from its anchorage. The car lurched forward and became lodged in the gas station window. The station was reportedly unoccupied at the time of the early Saturday morning accident.

A police spokesperson said the 22-year-old may have been under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Police took a blood sample from the man and his 16-year-old passenger.

Police found around 70 grams of marijuana in the car. A later search of his flat revealed more narcotics.

Initial findings indicate that the driver and passenger were not injured but were taken to hospital for treatment.

It also emerged that the two men had already caused an accident that same night. The man reportedly crashed his car into a parked car in a supermarket parking lot and then fled.

Police have said that the criminal investigation so far has revealed evidence suggesting that a possible custody dispute may have triggered the ramming incident inPassau.

The Passau criminal investigation department, together with the Passau public prosecutor's office, is now leading the investigation. A decision on detention of the suspect will be made on Sunday, police said.

The 48-year-old man, reportedly an Iraqi national, has been detained.

His wife and daughter, along with three other injured people, are receiving treatment in hospital. A police spokesman said that the severity of the injuries is not yet entirely clear, but that no one is in a life-threatening condition.

The police report also revised the age of the man's wife from 38 to 40.

The tabloidBild, citing police, reported that initial witness interviews in the Passau ramming incident pointed to a custody case.

"The group of five also included the man's 38-year-old wife and his five-year-old daughter… Initial witness interviews in the group indicate a custody dispute," a police spokesman toldBild.

The German DPA news agency also cited a police spokesman as saying that police suspect the incident may be linked to his relationship.

The spokesman also toldBildthat there is currently one person with moderate injuries and four with slight injuries.

A man drove a car into a group of people inPassau, a city in southern Germany's state of Bavaria, police said on Saturday.

Police added they do not yet know if the act was intentional. "At present, it cannot be ruled out that the man deliberately drove the vehicle into the group of people," it said.

According to initial findings, a 48-year-old Mercedes driver is said to have driven into a group of people standing on the pavement, including the driver's wife, aged 38, and daughter, aged 5.

The circumstances of the incident are still unclear, as is the number of people injured and the severity of their injuries.

ThePassauer Neue Pressenewspaper reported that three people were seriously injured in an incident.

The Passau criminal investigation department is conducting the on-site investigation, police said.

The driver has been detained, police said.

According to a new poll, German ChancellorFriedrich Merz's popularity has increased significantly in his first weeks in office.

The survey, conducted by the INSA research institute for the tabloidBildand published on Saturday, found that 36% of the 1,202 respondents were satisfied with the performance of the 69-year-old conservative thus far.

This rating is 13 percentage points higher than it was four weeks ago. Meanwhile, 45% of respondents said they were dissatisfied with Merz, a 4-percentage-point decrease from the last survey. Another 19% did not know how to answer.

The popularity of Germany's coalition government under Merz seems to have also increased.

The survey found that 37% of respondents expressed satisfaction with the partnership between theChristian Democrats (CDU)and their Bavarian sister party, theChristian Social Union (CSU), and theSocial Democrats (SPD).

This represents an increase from the previous survey's 29%. Meanwhile, 45% expressed dissatisfaction, and 18% did not know how to answer.

The gap between the CDU/CSU and the far-rightAlternative for Germany (AfD)is also growing. The conservative bloc gained one percentage point from the previous week, reaching 27% support.

The far-right AfD followed with 23% support, down one percentage point from the previous week.

The German armed forces have three years to acquire the equipment necessary to counter a potential Russian attack on NATO territory, according to the head of military procurement.

"Everything necessary to be fully prepared to defend the country must be acquired by 2028," Annette Lehnigk-Emden, head of the Federal Office for Military Procurement, toldTagesspiegelnewspaper.

Lehnigk-Emden stressed that ChancellorFriedrich Merz's new government is enabling the upgrade byallocating hundreds of billions of euros for defense. Heavy equipment such as Skyranger anti-aircraft tanks would be the priority, she added.

Recently, Germany's Chief of Defense General Carsten Breuer warned that Russia could be in a position to "launch a large-scale attack against NATO territory" as early as 2029.

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TheEuropean Union'sexecutive arm has been accused of paying environmental groups to launch lawsuits and negative campaigns againstGermancompanies to reaffirm the policies to tackleclimate change, a German newspaper reported.

Welt am Sonntagsaid it had seen secret contracts between theEuropean Commissionand several green groups worth millions of euros dating back to 2022.

The newspaper alleged that the Berlin-based NGO ClientEarth was paid €350,000 ($399,000) to entangle German coal-fired power plants in legal cases that would increase the operators' "financial and legal risk."

The report alleged that Friends of the Earth was paid to campaign against theMercosurfree trade agreement between the EU and South America.

Other groups received funding to influence EU lawmakers before votes on pesticides and chemicals, the paper alleged.

The report accused officials in Brussels of coordinating with activists down to the last detail.

Former MEP Markus Pieper, of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, said the payments were a violation of the principle of separation of powers in government.

Monika Hohlmeier, an MEP for the Christian Social Union (CSU) party, hit out at what she said were "radical actions, covert political lobbying," as well as the "exertion of pressure on decision-makers."

"I was particularly shocked by the subversive plans to force everything from farms to coal-fired power plants to abandon their economic activities through lawsuits and the massive tightening of documentation requirements," she told the paper.

Germany's economic downturnhas cost more than 100,000 jobs over the past year, research by EY has found.

The auditing and consulting giant found that by the end of the first quarter of 2025, German industry employed 5.46 million people — 1.8% or 101,000 fewer than a year earlier.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, a record high of around 5.7 million people were employed in the industrial sector.

EV used data from the Federal Statistical Office in its research.

The firm found thatGermany'sauto sectorhad cut 45,400 jobs on a net basis as the transition to electric vehicles is lesslabor-intensive.

Jan Brorhilker, managing partner at EY, told dpa news agency that German firms remain under intense pressure.

"Aggressive competitors, particularly from China, are driving down prices, key sales markets are weakening, demand in Europe is stagnating at a low level and there is significant uncertainty surrounding the entire US market. At the same time, companies are struggling with high costs for energy and personnel, for example," Brorhilker said.

He added that EV expects at least 70,000 more industrial jobs to be lost by the end of the year, due to cost-cutting in the mechanical andautomotive engineeringsectors.

A center-right German politician has accused asylum activists of "staging" an incident where three Somali asylum seekers were turned away at the border.

The decision led a court in Berlin on Monday to declare Germany's newmigrationpushback policy illegal, as it was not handled under the EU's Dublin Regulation.

Alexander Hoffmann, the new head of theChristian Social Union's(CSU) parliamentary group in the Bundestag,Germany'slower house of parliament, singled out the group Pro Asyl, accusing them of helping the trio to circumvent immigration rules.

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The CSU is the Bavarian sister party of ChancellorFriedrich Merz'sconservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party.

Hoffmann told theAugsburger Allgemeinethat the incident on May 9 bore "almost absurd traits."

He alleged that the Somalis had received support from Pro Asyl even before they tried to enter the country, which the group strongly rejected.

"Pro Asyl has been traveling along the refugee routes for years, including at the border crossings. Refugees are advised to throw away their ID cards because this makes deportation from Germany much more difficult," Hoffmann said

He added that one of the Somalis was "of legal age" during their first two attempts to enter Germany, but then identified as a minor on the third attempt, and had carried forged identity documents.

All three had new cell phones that could not be used to trace their route of travel to Germany.

"For me, this has clear traits of a staging by asylum activists," Hoffmann told the newspaper.

Although the trio were returned to Poland, they were later allowed to enter Germany following the court ruling.

Pro Asyl Managing Director Karl Kopp denied Hoffmann's allegations and criticized the turnbacks under Merz's government as violating European law.

A major fire that devastated part of the former home of the state operetta inGermany'seastern city ofDresdenhas been extinguished, authorities said.

The blaze erupted on Friday evening, prompting an emergency response by up to 150 firefighters.

The theater, located in the east of the city, was once home to one of Germany's oldest operetta ensembles, dating back over 240 years. The building has lain empty for years.

Firefighters said the rear section of the building, which housed the audience area, was destroyed.

Due to the risk of collapse, both the main structure of the theater and the former auditorium can no longer be entered.

There were no immediate reports of casualties. One firefighter was treated on-site for circulatory problems.

Two nearby residential buildings were evacuated as a precaution.

Smouldering pockets in the roof and rear of the building were still being extinguished on Saturday morning.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Germany'sleading industry organization has welcomed ChancellorFriedrich Merz'smeeting with US PresidentDonald Trumpthis week, saying it is hopeful of an easing in the trade dispute between theEuropean Unionand theUnited States.

"The personal meeting between Chancellor Merz and US President Trump was a positive signal for trans-Atlantic relations," Wolfgang Niedermark, an executive board member of the Federation of German Industries' (BDI), told theRheinische Post.

"We also see this as a positive boost for the ongoingtariffnegotiations between the EU and the US," he added.

Niedermark noted how Germany is the third-largest foreign investor in the US, but that investment had slowed due to Trump's "trade policy turbulence."

He said German firms were particularly active in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, digital hardware and networking, and in mechanical engineering, where he said "the US relies on our expertise."

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Merz met Trumpin the White House on Thursday in what has generally been seen as a positive debut on the foreign policy front for the new chancellor.

While Trump hastemporarily pausedsome of the tariffs threatened against the EU in April, Brussels and Washington are struggling to find a solution to the dispute.

Germany'sInterior MinisterAlexander Dobrindtsaid the German government would seek a ruling from theEuropean Court of Justice(ECJ) on the legality of migrant turnbacks at the border.

Dobrindt's comments to the Funke media group follow aruling by a court in Berlinon Monday that the refusal to allow three Somali nationals to enter last month was unlawful.

The court ruled that on May 9, border guards failed to initiate proper asylum procedures and returned the trio to Poland.

According to the court, Germany should have applied theEuropean Union'sso-called Dublin Regulation, establishing which country is responsible for the asylum claim of the migrants, before they were sent back.

The Dublin rule specifies which EU state should process an asylum application, partly to prevent arrivals from making claims in wealthier countries rather than the first EU nation that they entered.

Dobrindt said the government would provide its rationale for invoking Article 72 — a special clause under EU law that permits exceptions to the Dublin rule in emergencies.

"We will submit sufficient justification, but the European Court of Justice should decide on the matter," Dobrindt said, adding: "I am convinced that our actions are in line with European law."

Dobrindt insisted that Germany had to crack down on illegal migration, which he said would prevent the far-rightAlternative for Germany(AfD) party from pushing more radical solutions.

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Germany introduced tougher border checks on May 7, including new rules allowing asylum seekers to be turned away at the border for the first time.

In thefirst days of the new rule, 19 people who sought asylum in Germany were denied entry, along with nearly 300 other migrants, local media reported. Following this week's court ruling, the cabinet approved evenstricter measures.

Almost six decades since humans first walked on the moon, space agencies and commercial companies want to use it as a gateway to Mars. But that's not all.

The Artemis program is a North American, NASA-ledhuman spaceflight program, involving 55 international collaborators, including the European Space Agency (ESA).

NASA aims to establish a permanent base at the moon's south pole and call it Artemis Base Camp. It also aims to launch a new space station, called Gateway, into the moon's orbit.

Meanwhile,a joint China-Russia projectinvolving 13 international partners aims to build a moon base called the International Lunar Research Station by 2035.

Both the Artemis Base Camp and the International Lunar Research Station are proposed as scientific in nature. They will, if successful, host astronauts for short stays and house permanent robotic equipment, which could be operated from Earth.

But the moon has also always been of strategic value. During theCold War, the US and Soviet-era Russia fought out their ideological differences in space as well as on Earth.

And so it is today, except there are more players. The US, for one, has stated publicly that it considers itself to be ina new space race, which it wants to win.

Part of the moon's appeal lies in its abundant resources. These include:

While the costs of extraction and transportation are high, some of these resources could be brought back to Earth, where resources are dwindling in supply.

Mining operations on the moon could pave the way for extracting an immensemineral wealthheld in asteroids, and the moon will be the first place this will be tested.

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Most material extracted from the moon will be used to replace materials that would otherwise be needed to be brought from Earth, essentially making lunar bases self-sufficient.

Regolith (lunar soil), for example, could be used as radiation protection and construction material for lunar bases.

Water, which was first discovered on the moon in 2008 by the Indian mission Chandrayaan-1, will be important for drinking, growing food and cooling equipment.

Missions since Chandrayaan-1 have shown there are high concentrations of ice at the poles, which is partly why the first lunar colonies are likely to be built there — and probably at the south pole, even though it is difficult to land there.

These bases could also be used as "transit lounges" for astronauts on their way to Mars.

For energy, solar radiation is already used to power some spacecraft and satellites, but regolith and water ice could also be used to make rocket propellant.

The moon also contains significant amounts of helium-3, a potential fuel fornuclear fusion power.

So, that's another reason future Mars missions are landing for a stopover on the moon as well as to refuel.

Scientific research is at the core of ESA's Moon Exploration Program, as it is for all space agencies, said Sara Pastor, ESA's lunar and gateway program manager, in an email to DW.

Humans have had a continued presence in space for the past 20 years aboard the International Space Station. But the ISS is only 250 miles (about 400 kilometers) away in low Earth orbit, which is as little as four hours after launching from Earth. The moon is 250,000 miles away — about three days' spaceflight — anda far riskier journey for astronauts. The first research on the moon aims to make that journey safer and easier.

Then there's environmental science: "[Scientists] will investigate the nature of lunar environments, how their unique conditions affect human health and performance, and robotic exploration systems, and how human activity affects these environments," said Pastor.

Researchers will want to determine how water, metals and other lunar resources can be used to sustain lunar bases for the long term, and how best to extract them.

"ESA is developing instruments for radiation environment measurements, drilling and in-situ sample analysis, geophysics and lunar space weather," said Pastor.

It's often claimed that we owe mobile phones to the Apollo missions of the 1960s and '70s. While our mobile phones are not direct descendants from space tech, the Apollo missions did help miniaturize electronic and telecommunication devices.

Dozens of modern technologies originally developed in the R&D labs of space agencies bring benefits to people on Earth — including home insulation, memory foam (used in mattresses), freeze-dried foods, robotic sensors and limbs and telemedicine.

Scientists are developing medical equipment and health tracking methods to protect astronauts' health when they spendlong periods in the extreme conditions of space, especiallythe human immune system. For example: portable, lightweight diagnostic equipment needed for spaceflight crews without medical training to monitor their health.

These technologies could be used on Earth, too.

The long-term goal of building surface and orbital moon bases is so they can serve as a staging post for more distant space travel.

"A colony on the moon will be extremely useful and a key training ground for Mars surface human exploration," said Pastor.

NASA plans to send astronauts to Mars in the 2030s.

How do you keep calm in times of crisis? What do people need to be happy? Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius is often quoted online for answers. This once-powerful man would have preferred to be a philosopher.

"Look within. Within is the fountain of good, and it will ever bubble up, if thou wilt ever dig."

Wise statements like this can be found in the "Meditations" ofRoman EmperorMarcus Aurelius (121-180 C.E.). He had never intended these reflections for publication, having written them purely for himself, but they have become some of the most widely read writings after the Bible and the Quran. A bestseller, so to speak, which has been translated into numerous languages worldwide.

Known today as a philosopher-king, Marcus Aurelius ruled at a time marked by crises and catastrophes. He ascended to the throne in 161 C.E., just a few years before the Marcomannic Wars (166-180 C.E.) — the Marcomanni were Germanic tribes — which would shake the Roman Empire to its foundations. In addition, he faced economic problems, social tensions and the spread of the Antonine Plague, a form of smallpox, throughout his territory.

Equanimity — that was one of the basic principles of Marcus Aurelius, who was a great fan of the Stoics, an ancient school of philosophy founded by the Greek Zeno of Citium in 300 B.C.E.

Marcus Aurelius wanted to be a good ruler, but what is good governance?

That question, which remains relevant to this day, was of great concern to him, as reflected in his "Meditations."

But his contemporaries would never have read his writings, according toarchaeologistMarcus Reuter, director of the Rheinisches Landesmuseum in Trier. "The Romans also never saw him as a philosopher-king. His writings were never made public during his lifetime. He wrote for himself, in the quiet of his room in the evening."

Aurelius only acquired the image of the philosopher-king after the publication of his "Meditations" in the 15th or 16th century.

Reuter and historian Viola Skiba, director of the Stadtmuseum Simeonstift in Trier, have co-curateda joint exhibition, in each of their institutions, on Marcus Aurelius, set to run from June 15 to November 23, 2025. Skiba said the themes of the exhibition are more current than they had anticipated.

The question of what good leadership looks like has taken on a new urgency, especially in these crisis-ridden and polarized times. At the same time, the question is as old as human history itself, and was clearly a focus in the ancient world.

What, according to Marcus Aurelius, distinguishes good governance? "Basically, it is guided by the cardinal virtues of antiquity," said Skiba. Those desirable virtues include wisdom, justice, prudence and moderation.

A key concept is the "orientation toward the common good," acting in a way that truly benefits the community as a whole. "This is, so to speak, also what separates a good ruler from a bad one according to [the Greek philospher] Aristotle."

Reuter added that Marcus Aurelius would most likely have consideredDonald Trump"not a good leader, and certainly not a role model."

But of course, Marcus Aurelius was a product of his time, who grew up within the social structures of antiquity. "There wasslavery, and not even Marcus Aurelius wanted to abolish it," said Reuter. The emperor also did not question "that there were people with and without Roman civil rights, or thatwomendid not have the same rights as men."

From today's perspective, it may also seem odd to consider as virtuous an emperor who waged brutal wars. "According to ancient standards, the emperor was expected to ensure the security of the empire and protect its inhabitants — even by very brutal means if necessary," said Reuter.

"He was extensively involved in court cases. He endeavored to pass just judgments, and always put the interests of the state first," added Reuter.

The construction of thePorta Nigrain Trier — today the city's famous landmark — can also be traced back to Marcus Aurelius. It was part of the city wall that Aurelius had built to protect its citizens.

Aphorisms like the above can seem like mockery coming from a wealthy emperor, but they were meant sincerely. Indeed, Marcus Aurelius cultivated a rather modest lifestyle and even had imperial household items — his private assets — auctioned off when the state was in financial crisis.

"As far as I know, no Roman emperor before or after him did that," said Reuter.

Marcus Aurelius also apparently spent a lot of time pondering the meaning of life, which is presumably the reason so many young people nowadays are interested in him and his writings. In Reuter's estimation, "his 'Meditations' are a little treasure trove containing something to address nearly every situation in life."

Reuter pointed out that Marcus Aurelius' writings don't lend themselves to being read from front to back, but are well-suited to dipping into to find inspiration. They are, after all, the private musings of someone who spent time thinking about what was truly important in life. So it's small wonder that quotes by the Roman emperor can be found all over social media.

The exhibition in Trier builds on this contemporary interest in Marcus Aurelius and the topics that occupied him. It's designed to inspire visitors from all over the world to reflect on themselves, society and what a long-ago Roman emperor still has to say to us today.

Or, as Skiba put it, "Every society is based on individuals, and if each and every individual asks themselves these philosophical and political questions, then it also works as a whole."

This article was originally written in German.

Germany suffered a 2-0 defeat to France in the Nations League third-placed playoff, but the loss would likely be much worse without goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen. But ter Stegen faces trouble at club level.

A late goal from aBayern Munichstar to seal a comfortable win. It's a familiar script for Germany. Only this time the player, Michael Olise, was French. Olise tapped in to an empty net amid a mixup involving a man soon to join him in Munich,Jonathan Tah,and set the final score afterKylian Mbappescored France's opener shortly before half time.

It was a deflating end to a Nations League campaign that has shown the good and bad sides of a Julian Nagelsmann's developing team. While big wins over Bosnia and Herzogovina and Hungary and a entertaining quarterfinal win over Italy capitalized on the positive feeling that emerged at the home European Championships in 2024, this loss —and that to Portugal on Wednesday— are evidence that Germany are not quite back at the top table of international football.

"We should have been 3-0 up after six minutes. Then we somehow lost the structure. Then, of course, it's a perfect game for the French with their many counterattacks," said captain Joshua Kimmich to German broadcaster RTL. While it's true that Germany started strongly, they also failed to take opportunities early on, again highlighting the longstanding lack of a clinical striker.

"We must score against such top teams. But the approach was good," saidNagelsmann. “We showed that we can create against top teams despite missing several players."

At the other end of the pitch, one of the few Germany players to emerge from Sunday's defeat with some credit was goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who repelled several of France's counterattacks with some excellent saves.

The 33-year-old hashad to be patient in waiting for his chance with the national team. But the recent retirement of veteran Manuel Neuer has finally made the Barcelona man first choice, according to Nagelsmann.

"We’ve often emphasized that Marc is our number one. He’s in top shape in training – [Barcelona coach]Hansi Flickhas confirmed that to me as well," Nagelsmann explained onrecalling the goalkeeper after injury."He’s in great form, and we need him in the group."

"He hasn't played that many games yet, but of course he's still at an age where he doesn't need that mega rhythm right now. If he was 22 or 23 now, we'd have to worry about that. But he has a lot of experience."

While ter Stegen's form did appear to be strong, the lack of games at club level looks like a growing concern. Having returned from a serious knee injury in early May, ter Stegen has largely been ignored by former Germany boss Flick at Barcelona in favor of Polish veteran, Wojciech Szczesny, originally signed as an emergency replacement for ter Stegen. With Barcelona on the verge of signing Espanyol keeper Joan Garcia to be their new first choice, ter Stegen looks set to be third choice for his club with the World Cup a year away.

Reports carried by Spanish publication SPORT suggest ter Stegen is furious about the situation and willing to "go to war" to ensure he isn't forced out of the club. His relationship with his compatriot Flick, who preferred Neuer during his time in charge of Germany's national team, has also reportedly deteriorated of late.

Oliver Baumann and Alexander Nübel, the two keepers who deputized for ter Stegen in Germany games during his absence, are both inexperienced at the top level. This makes it likely that Nagelsmann will give time to ter Stegen, especially given his performance against France.

Climate change, plastic pollution and overfishing are putting a toll on oceans, biodiversity and livelihoods. Can the UN's ocean conference underway in France find solutions to help protect them?

Earth's oceans are home to more than 250,000 species, among them tiny plankton, colorful coral reefs and the gigantic blue whale. Over a billion people rely on food from the sea as a significant source of nutrition.

The international community is now meeting in Nice, France, to hash out solutions to better protect the planet's vulnerable and plundered ocean waters. But what are the areas of concern at theUN Ocean Conference?

As the planet heats up, huge swaths of underwater life are at stake.

Withrising temperatures, corals lose their color as a stress response and these crucial habitats can then die.Coral bleachingaffects about 84% of allreefs.

If ocean temperatures were to rise by 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) compared with pre-industrial times, most reefs would die.

"With anything higher than 2 degrees Celsius, destruction would be inevitable," said Katja Matthes, director of the GEOMAR Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research Kiel in northern Germany.

Warm water also absorbs less oxygen and that puts many more underwater creatures at risk. New research shows that oceans are already warming to a depth of 2,000 meters (about 6,600 feet).

"That means plankton, fish and marine mammals run out of oxygen. We see death zones here in Germany's Baltic Sea where life is virtually unable to exist anymore," said Matthes.

Excessive and unregulated fishing also puts a strain on marine ecosystems.Environmental organization WWFestimates the number of overfished stocks globally has tripled in the past 50 years. Fish populations have no chance to replenish if they're overly exploited.

The problem is especially dire in the Mediterranean Sea, where over half of fish populations, such as herring, sardines and anchovies, are considered overexploited.

"That has an impact on the food chain of bigger marine mammals and in turn affects an entire ecosystem," said Matthes.

Fish are the most important source of protein for over a billion people. Over 600 million people depend on oceans for their livelihoods—especially in China, Indonesia and India.

By 2050 the weight of all fish combined could be exceeded by something else:plastic waste. Every year, about 8 to 10 million tons of plastic ends up in the water. That's according toestimates by the World Resources Institute, a nonprofit organization based in Washington D.C.

It can take hundreds of years for plastic to break down. The persistent waste andmicroplastic particlesare causing increasing problems for marine life.

Global ocean currents have a major influence on monsoon periods in South America and Asia and Europe's relatively mild climate.

TheGulf Stream, for example, as part of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), brings warm water from the tropics to the North Atlantic Ocean. This helps regulate Europe's mild air temperatures and, thus, is central to the continent's high agricultural yields.

According to researchers, rising temperatures could alter the AMOC. There are signs that the Gulf Stream is already slowing down. Without it, northern Europe would be 5 to 15 degrees Celsius colder, according to Germany's environment agency UBA.

Sea surface temperatures set new records in 2023 and 2024, according to thelatest reportfrom Copernicus, the European Union's Earth observation program. Water expands as it warms. This isone of the main reasons for sea level rise,alongsidemelting land ice.

The sea is getting warmer, because it absorbs CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions. It's sucked up about a third of human-made emissions.

"Without this storage function, the temperature in the atmosphere would already be unbearable," said marine scientist Carlos Duarte, who's based at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia.

"The ocean is our ally in the fight against climate change," said Matthes, "but only as long as we maintain its function." As water temperatures rise, oceans absorb less CO2.

And higher CO2 levels turn the sea acidic, killing off mussels and corals, Matthes added.

Adjusting to more acidic conditions is hard on many creatures, and means they can lack the energy needed to grow and reproduce.

To counteract these threats, countries have established marine protected areas. The largest of these is located off the coast of Hawaii in the US.

The kind of protection provided in such zones varies from country to country. Wind farm construction and fishing are often prohibited. Currently, there are protected areas in less than 9% of the world's oceans — but fishing is prohibited in just 3% of these.

"We can't solve all the problems with marine protected areas. These zones don't matter to climate change or the plastic floating in the ocean," said Duarte.

The UN has pushed for aninternational treatyfor years to cut down on plastic pollution. Recent negotiations stalled thanks to oil and gas producing nations such as Saudi Arabia and Russia. The next round of talks is scheduled for August in Switzerland.

Research into alternatives toconventional plasticis another avenue scientists are pursuing. Japanese researchers have developed a substance that is supposed to dissolve in ocean saltwater within hours.

However, such new alternatives offer no solution to the already huge amounts of plastic waste in oceans.

About 40% of the oceans are governed by national law. These are the areas within a radius of approximately 370 kilometers (about 230 miles) around a state. Beyond this line are the high seas, which don't belong to any nation and are often referred to as the "common heritage of mankind."

For the longest time, this area wasn't regulated at all.

"As a result, many of the ocean's resources were plundered without anyone being held accountable," said Duarte.

So far, only 1% of the high seas is protected because the international community could not agree on any other region besides Antarctica.

The International Convention on the High Seas, signed by 134 nations in 2023 after 15 years of negotiations, aims to close this gap.

However, it only becomes binding when at least 60 countries have ratified the treaty. So far, 49 have done so, among them many smaller countries, as well as Bangladesh and France. Germany and the US have not yet ratified the treaty.

The international community has also agreed to protectbiodiversity. The goal is to place 30% of the oceans under protection by 2030, so within the next five years.

That's ambitious, said Duarte, adding: "It will take time for our current actions to have a noticeable impact in the future."

Nevertheless, he said he's optimistic. "If we agree on this protection now, we will be able to leave our children and grandchildren an ocean in 2050 that looks roughly like the one our grandparents knew."

This article was originally published in German and was adapted by Sarah Steffen.

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 July 2024, thenInterior Minister Nancy Faeser bannedCompactmagazine. She justified the move, saying: "It's a central mouthpiece for the right-wing extremist scene. This magazine incites against Jews, people with ethnic migrant backgrounds and against our parliamentary democracy in the most abhorrent way."

A 2023 report from theFederal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), Germany's domestic intelligence agency, features an entire page dedicated toCompact— a magazine and multimedia company headquartered in Falkensee, on the outskirts of Berlin.

According to the BfV, the magazine's publisher says it sells 40,000 print copies a month. The number of subscribers to theCompactYouTube channel is significantly higher, at 513,000 as of June 10, 2025.

"Compactsees itself as part of what it calls the resistance movement, and it is seen by other actors among the so-called new right as part of the scene," the BfV wrote. "The main feature of many of its published articles is agitation against the federal government and against the current political system."

Examples cited by the BfV include abstruse conspiracy theories used to agitate against state institutions and pluralist society. "Historic revisionist content and antisemitic narratives round out the agenda," it added.

Moreover, the report said, the outfit maintains ties with right-wing extremist groups like theGerman Identitarian movement (IBD)and the eastern German regional party the "Freie Sachsen," or Free Saxons.

Faeser said the message was clear— we will not allow anyone to define who does and does not belong in Germany by their ethnicity. "Our constitutional state protects all those who have been attacked because of their religion, their origins, their skin color or their desire to live in a democracy," she said last July.

Faeserleaned heavily on the constitution, Germany's Basic Law, in calling for the right-wing extremist publication to be banned. Article 9 of the Basic Law, which regulates freedom of assembly, reads: "Associations whose aims or activities contravene the criminal laws or that are directed against the constitutional order or the concept of international understanding shall be prohibited."

Compact's editor-in-chief, Jürgen Elsässer, is a suspectedright-wing extremistwho belonged to the far left as a young man. Now in his 60s, Elsässer was once a member of the Communist Youth Wing and wrote for the newspaper,Arbeiterkampf(The Workers' Fight). He later worked as a reporter for other left-wing media, includingNeue Deutschland(New Germany), which was a key news organ for the socialist East German government when the country was still partitioned.

Elsässer and other plaintiffs fought the ban on his media operations before the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig. He waspartially successful in August 2024when it was determined that he could continue publishingCompactuntil a final verdict had been handed down. In granting its stay, the court said the outcome of the case remained unclear as it had yet to be determined whetherCompacthad acted against the constitutional order.

The court did, however, immediately find evidence of violations of human dignity in which citizens with migrant backgrounds were demeaned. Notwithstanding, it also voiced doubt as to whether that was enough to justify a ban. For that would represent the most serious intervention possible regardingspeechandpress freedomsguaranteed in Article 5 of the Basic Law.

Still, Article 5 does put some limits on speech, saying, "These rights shall find their limits in the provisions of general laws, in provisions for the protection of young persons and in the right to personal honor."

The trial to define where press freedoms inGermanybegin and end will start on June 10. It's unclear when a decision will be handed down.

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This text was originally written in German.

Violence against LGBTQ+ people and well as war and displacement in Gaza inspire two adaptations of one of Johann Sebastian Bach's works on the story of Christ.

"QueerPassion," by author, director and dramaturge Thomas Höft, opens with a reference to theJune 2016 Orlando nightclub shootingtargeting theLGBTQ+community, in which 49 people died and 53 were injured. It is one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in US history.

Played by the Art House 17 orchestra on period instruments, Höft's work uses as its musical basisJohann Sebastian Bach's famous St. John Passion, based on the Gospel story of the suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross.

In his libretto, however, Höft describes the stories of queer people who are discriminated against or murdered. "I asked myself, where do I, as a queer man, appear in classical music?" Höft told DW. And he quickly realized that the answer was: "Actually, not at all." And that is precisely what he wants to change.

Bach's St. John Passion also served as a model for the Bulgarian musician and musicologist Vladimir Ivanoff in his "Arabian Passion." The composer is concerned with the people living in theMiddle East, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, whose suffering through war, displacement and oppression has a long history.

The impetus for his "Arabian Passion" was the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, which had devastating consequences for the civilian population. "And I feel the same way about Gaza now. I had several music students from the Middle East in my workshops, of whom I'm only sporadically informed if they're still alive," Ivanoff told DW.

Ivanoff left the text and music by Johann Sebastian Bach in their original form, but some of the instruments come from the Arabian Mediterranean region. Lebanese singer Fadia El-Hage sings all of Bach's arias in Arabic.

Both the Arabian and the queer versions of the St. John Passion are now on tour. They will be performed, among other works, as part of theBachfestin Leipzig, held from June 12-22. The revisited versions of the work appropriately fit into this year's theme for the Bach festival, "Transformation."

It was in Leipzig that Johann Sebastian, while serving as Cantor of St. Thomas Church, composed his famous St. John Passion in 1723.

Bach often rewrote his cantatas himself, using the so-called parody technique. He also had them performed by other ensembles.

For example, he later added a sacred text to secular cantatas, thus placing them in a different context. Thomas Höft and Vladimir Ivanoff build on this approach with their version of the St. John Passion.

For his "Arabian Passion," Vladimir Ivanoff has recombined pieces from the St. John Passion and Bach's St. Matthew Passion.

Instead of sticking to the traditional combination of orchestra and choir, his ensemble Sarband also features the jazzy Modern String Quartet. The ensemble also includes instruments from the Mediterranean region, such as the long-necked lute ud, the flute ney and the Arabic violin.

Sarband means "connection." Ivanoff sees himself as a bridge-builder and wants to connect the West and the East through music.

The mere fact that Christian texts from the St. John Passion are sung in Arabic, and by a woman at that, can be seen as a provocation for conservative Muslims. This makes it all the more surprising that Vladimir Ivanoff and his Sarband ensemble have been welcome guests at various Arab music festivals.

Since 2003, Sarband has been touring the Middle East with the "Arabian Passion." The ensemble has performed in the cathedral of Beirut and in Aleppo, Syria. "We also performed the Passion in Damascus at the Alhambra Cinema, a very famous jazz concert hall," says Ivanoff.

They were also invited to Abu Dhabi to perform during the Sheikh Zayed Book Award ceremony. The Emir liked their music. However, shortly before the event, organizers noticed that a female singer was planned. That couldn't be allowed; the ensemble had to play an entirely instrumental version of the work.

Ivanoff also travels with his ensemble to Hezbollah-held areas. Sometimes, lyrics or titles of Christian and Jewish songs are changed, he says, but he accepts that. "That's our principle: we want to get into the structures at all costs," says Ivanoff. "I see myself a bit as a musical guerrilla. What we do is effective, and this gentle seduction works incredibly well."

Like Vladimir Ivanoff, Thomas Höft adheres strictly to Bach's original musical style in his "QueerPassion," including the structure of the arias, recitatives and choruses. "In the end, every note is a one-to-one copy of Bach's, only the text is new," says Höft. His libretto alludes not only to the current discrimination against the LGBTQ community, but also to centuries-old cases Höft encountered during his research.

One of the historical events his work refers to goes back to 1674, when the cathedral in the Dutch city of Utrecht collapsed. The ruins later became a secret meeting point for gay men. But they were betrayed, Höft says: under torture, one of the participants revealed the names of the others. Among them were prominent members of the community. "The whole thing culminated in a pogrom, because the Protestant pastors said the collapse of the cathedral was God's punishment for the sodomites." Mass executions of gay men followed. "That's shocking and one of the main stories featured in 'QueerPassion.'"

Thomas Höft incorporates regional references related to each city where his work is performed.

For example, in the eastern German city of Halberstadt, a woman who was living with another woman while disguised as a man was executed. "For me, that was the right kind of trial story, like the one between Jesus and Pilate in the St. John Passion; I was able to use the dialogues in the courtroom in Halberstadt for these passages," says Thomas Höft.

The Passion chorales are sung by LGBTQ choirs from each region. In Leipzig, it's the "Tollkirschen," who usually sing pop songs with choreography, and the women's choir "Fräulein A Capella," whose repertoire otherwise includes songs from Eastern Europe. Both choirs rehearse under the direction of Cornelia Schäfer. Bach's Baroque music is new to them.

The "Tollkirschen" claim to be the only openly gay men's choir in Germany's eastern states. "We don't want to hide ourselves. Terms like 'gay' appear in many of the lyrics in our program," says choir member Dirk Bockelmann.

The stories of the persecution of queer people deeply touched the choir members. "Thomas Höft told us the background information during the rehearsal; at times, we were brought to tears; we immediately sang the chorales in a completely different way."

"QueerPassion," which is funded by the European Union, will be performed in Vienna on June 7, in Leipzig on June 13 and in Antwerp on August 22.

This article was originally written in German.

A year out from a football World Cup across three countries, tensions between the US, Canada and Mexico hang over preparations. From travel bans and trade wars to presidential grandstanding, politics could play a part.

A year out from the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, host city Los Angeles isengulfed in protestsrelated to the deportation of Mexicans and other minorities. Meanwhile, an ever-shifting trade war threatens relations between the three hosts and a travel ban will likely prevent some fans from attending.

While the whims ofUS President Donald Trumpmake predictions perilous, fans, players and national teams must already start to make plans for one of sport's biggest events, one secured in Trump's first term when relations between the three countries were much more harmonious.

The ongoing protests are an immediate safety concern for theClub World Cupin the US, withEuropean champions Paris Saint-Germainset to meet Atletico Madrid in LA on the tournament's opening day on June 15. LA will also host the first US game of the 2026 World Cup on June 12, a day after the tournament opens in Mexico.

Trump's travel ban, which came in to effect on Monday, bars citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen from entering the US. An exception was made for "any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the secretary of state" but not for fans.

Iran have already qualified for the World Cup, but currently fans would not be able to travel to support them in the US.

The same is not yet true for citizens ofMexicoandCanada. And for Andrew Zimbalist, professor emeritus in economics at Smith College in the US state of Massachusetts and author of "Circus Maximus: The Economic Gamble Behind Hosting the Olympics and the World Cup," putting on a good show to burnish his own reputation is likely to be at the forefront of Trump's mind.

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"Mr. Trump has shown a willingness to make exceptions when there's pressure. And I think further that Trump cares. He's a sports fan. He cares about his international image. He cares about the attention that that will come to him when both the Club World Cup in 2025 and the realWorld Cup in 2026happen. These are photo opportunities for Trump to bask in in the game's glory," he told DW, speaking ahead of the LA protests.

Zimbalist added that with Trump, things can always change quickly.

"There's a tremendous amount of tension and a tremendous amount of uncertainty about how Mr. Trump will behave, and we never know."

World Cup cohosts Canada and Mexico were, along with China, the first countries targeted in the evolving tariff war that began soon after Trump took office. Zimbalist doesn't predict the uneasiness at the government level will have a significant impact on the tournament, arguing that there will be enough fans prepared to travel for games that any discouraged from doing so will not be noticeable. He also believes that the relatively new leaders in Mexico —Claudia Sheinbaum, elected in October 2024 — and Canada — Mark Carney, elected in March — will not allow their countries to become marginalized.

"I think both with Carney in Canada and Sheinbaum in Mexico, that he has met his real enemy. These leaders are not bowing down to him, and they're both very, very smart, very well prepared, and at the moment, are popular in their countries. And so they have the latitude to take on Trump," said Zimbalist.

Nevertheless, for Mexican fans in particular, traveling across the border to World Cup, or indeed Club World Cup games this month, in the US is a fraught business.

"I don't feel afraid to go to the United States but it feels little bit like going to someone else's house where you are not welcome," said Alan, a Pachuca fan talking to DW ahead of his team's participation in the Club World Cup.

Other Pachuca fans complained that significant visa processing delays, some up to two years, meant they would have been unable to travel to support their team even without the current safety concerns.

"Appointments were delayed and then the president said that some Mexicans shouldn't go there, I think that has a big influence on why they're taking so long with the visas," said Axel.

"I would feel a little unsafe around the police and everything government-related and that side of the United States."

While demand for, and interest in, the World Cup will be on a different level to the revamped Club World Cup, which has proved controversial in some quarters, and stands may see some foreign nationals from Canada and Mexico, it does seem like political relations will have some impact on fans — even if the stands will be full.

While Canadians are not quite as central to the current events in LA, the US' northerly neighbors have been at loggerheads with the Trump administration. The US national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner," has been booed at ice hockey games in Canada in recent months, and Carney's surprise election was partly ascribed to his willingness to take on Trump and his plan to make Canada the 51st state.

"Having met with the owners of Canada over the course of the campaign in the last several months, it's not for sale. Won't be for sale, ever,"Carney told Trumpwhen the pair met in May in a meeting that was otherwise relatively cordial, despite clear tensions.

For those hoping to plan a visit to, or participation in, the World Cup, judging the political mood — and the implications of changes in it — have become as important as waiting for results from qualifying.

"I could see it happening along the way that if Sheinbaum becomes a little bit more aggressive than Trump wants her to be, or challenges some of Trump's immigration moves, that he would say: "You know what? I might not let Mexico participate in the World Cup, or I might not let this happen or that happen.' So I can see threats like that, but I'd have to believe that they wouldn't be carried out," said Zimbalist, musing on what might play out in the next year.

The Club World Cup, which starts Saturday and is hosted solely by the US, is perceived by some as a test of elements of the country's readiness to host the 026 World Cup. But any development or deterioration of relations between the three cohosts will be critical to the success of next year's tournament.

Correction, June 11, 2025: An earlier version of this article misspelled the name of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. DW apologizes for the error.

Günther Uecker was a prominent figure in postwar German art and a key member of the contemporary ZERO art movement.

Nails. Thousands of completely normal nails, each one driven into a wooden board covered with linen. Some straight, some slanted, but none hammered in all the way. Sewing machines, chairs, record players and grand pianos have also borne the brunt of those little shafts of steel.

Artist Günther Uecker, who has died on June 10 at the age of 95, became famous in Germany and beyond through his nail reliefs.

Hardly any other artist has equally dedicated his work to the craft of simple physical labor. Even during the last years of his life, he was still hammering nails into backdrops and objects with force and precision.

Günther Uecker created reliefs that he termed "nail fields." The works achieve their full effect in the play of light and shadow.

Born in the of town of Wendorf near Schwerin in northeastern Germany on March 13, 1930, Günther Uecker found himself boarding up doors and windows of his family house at age 15 in an effort to protect his mother and sister from the Russian army at war's end. It was the beginning of a life-long preoccupation with hammers and nails.

Post-World War II, he studied pictorial arts from 1949 until 1953 in Wismar, then inEast Germany. In 1955 he fled to West Berlin and eventually found himself at the Art Academy in Düsseldorf, studying under Professor Otto Pankok from 1955-57.

During his studies he encountered the artistsHeinz Mackand Otto Piene and joined their artists' conglomerate named ZERO in 1961. Together they represented a "zero hour" of art untouched by the horrors of the Second World War, marking a new beginning in art history.

The avant-garde artists' group made waves far beyond Germany and their time. ZERO's ideas have undergone a renaissance in the new millennium, with ZERO retrospectives staged regularly worldwide since 2004.

Back in 1966, no one could have anticipated the group's future popularity. It dissolved soon afterwards, and the artists went their separate ways.

Meanwhile, Günther Uecker's abstract art has been shown in over 60 countries and frequently been considered pioneering. In 2012 he became the first Western artist to be exhibited in the Iranian capital Tehran since the 1979 revolution. In 2007 came an exhibition in Beijing originally scheduled for 1994. On invitation from the Chinese government, Uecker had prepared the conceptual artwork "Letter to Beijing."

In this work, theUN Declaration of Human Rightswas reproduced on 19 large, freely-arranged screens, but the words were partially rendered unrecognizable by black paint.

However, on short notice, the Chinese culture ministry cancelled the show in 1994, explaining that the people were not yet ready for his art. Uecker was permitted to exhibit in China 18 years later.

"Letter to Beijing" isn't the only work in which Uecker addressed human rights violations. In "Verletzungsworte" (Words That Hurt), on display in various cities of the world since 1993, 60 words like "hitting," "despising" and "gassing" that describe physical and psychological abuse are translated into local languages and painstakingly added by Uecker to the artwork.

Günther Uecker's art is understood — and esteemed — worldwide and in the most diverse cultures. Asked what makes it so universal, Uecker once volunteered his own explanation: "I'm often told that the humane character recognizable in my work stirs peoples' feelings."

This article was originally written in German and is an updated version of a profile of the artist for his 90th birthday.

Germany's trade with Russia has lost significance since the war in Ukraine began, with imports from Russia decreasing by 95%. Meanwhile, renowned German "nail artist" Günther Uecker passed away aged 95.

This blog is now closed. Thank you for reading.

Below you can read a roundup of the news stories fromGermanyfrom Wednesday, June 11, 2025:

In a setback for the Italian state and a Venetian gallery, a German court ruled that the toy company Ravensburger can use Leonardo da Vinci's drawing "Vitruvian Man" for its puzzles.

The Stuttgart Higher Regional Court dismissed a claim filed byItaly's Ministry of Culture and the Gallerie dell'Accademia in Venice, upholding an earlier ruling that favored Ravensburger.

Despite the fact that da Vinci died more than 500 years ago, placing his works in the public domain under international copyright law, the Italian plaintiffs had demanded a licensing agreement for the commercial use of one of the Renaissance master's most famous drawings.

The plaintiffs argued that a domestic law aimed at protecting Italy's cultural heritage gave them the authority to demand agreements from those who profit from culturally significant artworks, even if those individuals are based abroad.

After failed negotiations, the Italians obtained a preliminary injunction from a Venice court that barred Ravensburger from selling the puzzle worldwide. However, Ravensburger successfully challenged the injunction in Germany.

The judgment is not yet final. The Italian plaintiffs may request permission from the German Federal Court of Justice to appeal the ruling.

The Federal Prosecutor's Office in Karlsruhe has indicted six suspected members and one suspected supporter of aleft-wing extremistgroup, including the alleged leader of the group, Johann G.

They are accused of membership in a criminal organization or supporting such a group. The extremists are also facing charges of grievous bodily harm or aiding and abetting such harm. The group is alleged to have attacked actual or suspected neo-Nazis.

According to prosecutors, Johann G. held a "prominent position" within the group alongsideLina E., who has already been sentenced to prison.

Four of the accused are currently in custody. They were arrested between October and January. The other three, two men and a woman, are still at large.

The Dresden Higher Regional Court must now decide if and when a trial will take place.

In addition to several attacks in Thuringia and Saxony, Johann G. and another defendant are accused of attacking people in Budapest, Hungary's capital, in February 2023. The alleged perpetrators believed their victims were on the right-wing of the political spectrum.

The results of an online survey by the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) showed that a quarter of immigrants living in Germany are considering leaving the country again.

Of the 50,000 immigrants aged 18 to 65 who were questioned for the survey, 26% are considering emigrating again, and 3% have concrete plans to do so.

The survey found that social factors, including partners, relatives, and friends back home, played a particularly important role in a potential return.

Those considering moving to another country also cited professional goals and the destination country's economic situation as motivators. Among refugees, discrimination experienced in Germany also played a role.

According to the study, respondents who came to Germany for work or professional training, have a high level of education, and possess better German language skills and greater economic success are more likely to consider leaving the country.

In other words, Germany aims to attract individuals to address itsskilled labor shortage, but these individuals are most likely to leave, according to the IAB, which is affiliated with the federal employment agency.

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According to a survey conducted on behalf of the technical inspection authority TÜV, approximately 15% of German companies with at least 10 employees has beenaffected by a cyberattackin the past 12 months.

However, most affected companies reported no damage resulting from the cyberattacks. Some reported minor damage, and only a few reported serious, existential damage.

"The German economy is in the crosshairs of state and criminal hackers who want to steal sensitive data, extort money, or sabotage important supply structures," said TÜV president Michael Fübi. One criminal tactic, he said, is to encrypt or steal company data and then blackmail the company.

The survey found that most common method used byhackers targeting German companiesis phishing. This tactic involves sending emails to employees to trick them into clicking on a link, which allows the attackers to infect the company network with malware.

84% percent of affected companies report having experienced phishing attacks, which is a 12-percentage-point increase from two years ago.

In second place are "other malware attacks" at 26%. This refers to malware, which is used to steal sensitive data, for example. It is not always clear how the malware gets into a company's IT system.

Meanwhile, ransomware attacks (12%) and other methods, such as password attacks (12%), are declining, according to the survey.

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The German car manufacturerVolkswagenis relying primarily on partial retirement to reduce its workforce.

According to a work council document seen by the Reuters news agency, around 14,000 employees will leave the company through this program by 2030.

Additionally, nearly 5,000 employees are expected to retire by then. Another 1,300 employees have accepted severance offers.

Volkswagen plans to eliminate 35,000 jobs in Germany by 2030. Thirty thousand of these jobs are to be eliminated at its western German locations, excluding Osnabrück. Volkswagen currently employs around 130,000 people in Germany.

Due to job security measures in place until the end of 2030,there will be no compulsory layoffs.

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A radical Islamist preacherAbu Walaa, who is considered the de facto leader of the so-called"Islamic State" group(IS) in Germany and was sentenced to ten and a half years in prison, has lost his case against his deportation from Germany.

The Düsseldorf Administrative Court dismissed the 41-year-old's lawsuit, as the judge ruled that the interest in deportation outweighed compelling reasons of national security.

The judge said that credible renunciation of his former stance as an IS terrorist and deradicalization was not evident, and there was a risk of reoffending.

Separate proceedings must decide his deportation. Currently, the decision would likely fail due toIraq'srefusal to provide diplomatic assurances that Abu Walaa will not be executed.

A decision must also be made regarding his subsequent asylum application. He must serve his sentence until May 2027.

In 2021, acourt in the northern German city of Celle convicted Abu Walaaand three co-defendants for recruiting and radicalizing young people in Germany for the "Islamic State" terrorist group.

A new study has found that many young people in Germany trust videos and posts onsocial mediamore than content from traditional news sites.

According to the Social Media Atlas 2025, 57% of 20- to 29-year-olds trust social media more than traditional news sources.

This is 20 percentage points higher than the average and a 14-percentage-point increase in this age group compared to the previous year.

Among the 30- to 39-year-old population, 51% prefer social media, which is a 6% increase compared to the previous year.

Among 16- to 19-year-olds, 44% prefer social media, which is a 10% increase compared to the previous year.

For the representative study, polling institute Toluna surveyed over 3,500 internet users aged 16 and older in December 2024 and January 2025. The Social Media Atlas has recorded social media usage in Germany annually since 2011.

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A 13-year-old patient escaped from a clinic in Ansbach, in the southern German state ofBavaria.

According to police, the boy left the hospital without permission and took a taxi. The hospital staff contacted the police, as the boy's mother was also unaware of her child's whereabouts.

A few hours later, the boy solved the mystery himself when he called his mother from a pizzeria. He had eaten a pizza and drunk a Coke there. He had paid for both the pizza and the taxi ride with his own pocket money.

A police patrol took the 13-year-old back to the hospital, where he had an "educational conversation" with his mother.

The German artist Günther Uecker, a preeminent figure in post-war German art and the master of large-format nail reliefs, has passed away at the age of 95.

Often dubbed "the nail artist," Uecker created art by hammering nails into chairs, pianos, sewing machines, and canvases. Museums and collections across the globe exhibit his works.

For Uecker, his nail paintings were diary-like soul landscapes that he called "emotional values from the time." His reliefs, with their closely hewn nails, resemble swaying grasses or ears of corn. Uecker also considered them "an expression of the poetic power of man."

The artist was born on March 13, 1930, in the village of Wendorf on the Baltic Sea. He moved to Düsseldorf in the mid-1950s, where he studied and later taught at the city's prestigious art academy.

Uecker trained as an advertising designer in East Germany, where he was once forced to paint a 20-meter-high portrait of Stalin. "I was brainwashed in dialectical materialism," he said.

However, Uecker wanted to study under his artistic idol, Otto Pankok. In 1953, he fled East Germany and transferred to the University of Düsseldorf.

In 1957, Uecker picked up a nail for the first time. From then on, nailing became a way for him to draw attention to human violence.

Read more about Günther Uecker here:Avant-garde nail art creator, Günther Uecker, dies aged 95

According to the German Solar Association (BSW), the number of "balcony power plants" in Germany has doubled over the past year to nearly one million.

The term refers to smallsolar panelsthat are often, though not always, mounted on a balcony and limited to an output of 800 watts. Thesemini-power stationsfeed power into their owners' networks, reducing their need for power from the grid. If they generate more electricity than the owner uses, the surplus enters the grid without compensating the owner.

"We are working on the assumption that the millionth plug-in solar plant is in operation, as late registrations are still coming in to the Federal Network Agency," BSW chief executive Carsten König said.

On Tuesday, the Federal Network Agency's market data register showed 975,583 balcony power plants in operation. However, the figures are usually slightly out of date because a one-month deadline applies to officially registering the solar panels.

The number of balcony power plants across Germany surpassed 500,000 at the beginning of June last year.

According to an analysis by the Verivox comparison website, "the acquisition of a balcony power plant could pay for itself in between two and a half and five years."

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Several prominent Social Democratic Party (SPD) politicians are speaking out against the security and defense policy of the current government, which is made up of the center-left SPD and conservativeCDU/CSUbloc, as well as their own party leadership.

In a "manifesto" made available to the dpa news agency and reported on by several media outlets, the politicians call for direct diplomatic talks with Russia, among other things.

More than 100 people signed the policy paper, including former parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich, former party leader Norbert Walter-Borjans, foreign policy expert Ralf Stegner, and several members of the Bundestag and state parliaments.

In their "manifesto," the SPD politicians criticize the "compulsion to increase armaments and prepare for an allegedly imminent war."

They warn: "Military alarm rhetoric and huge armament programs do not create more security for Germany and Europe. Rather, they lead to destabilization and a strengthening of the mutual threat perception between NATO and Russia."

The signatories call for "a return to talks with Russia after the silence of the weapons," including discussions about a peace and security order for Europe that is supported and respected by all.

They also oppose the deployment of new American medium-range missiles in Germany and an increase in the defense budget to 3.5% or 5% of gross domestic product.

Meanwhile, Adis Ahmetovic, the foreign policy spokesman for the SPD parliamentary group in the Bundestag, distanced himself from the "manifesto." In an interview with the AFP news agency, Ahmetovic described the manifesto as "questionable in terms of content" and emphasized that it was "not a decision of the parliamentary group or party."

The document was released ahead of the party conference at the end of the month. At the conference, the SPD will elect a new leader and start developing a new party program.

Germany is already the second-largest provider of armaments and financial support to Ukraine as it fends off afull-scale Russian invasion. Under the new government led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz,Germany has pledged to increase its support.

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From today, German Air Force General Ingo Gerhartz will oversee the operational protection ofNATO's eastern flank. The 59-year-old will assume command of the relevant NATO headquarters, the "Allied Joint Force Command," in Brunssum, the Netherlands, from Italian General Guglielmo Luigi Miglietta at noon.

FollowingRussia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, deterring and defending the eastern part of the alliance area has once again become a core task for NATO states.

Recently, warnings that Russia could test NATO's commitment to mutual defense have become more forceful.

One of the three operational NATO headquarters is located in Brunssum. The other two are in Naples and Norfolk, Virginia, and are led by Americans.  Gerhartz was promoted to four-star general before assuming his new position.

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Last year,Germanyimported nearly 94.6% fewer goods fromRussiathan beforethe war in Ukrainebegan. On Wednesday, the Federal Statistical Office, Destatis, reported that goods worth €1.8 billion (around $2 billion) were imported from Russia in 2024. In 2021, before the EU's 17sanctions packages against Russia, imports amounted to €33.1 billion.

Exports to Russia also fell significantly, by 71.6%. In 2024, Germany supplied Russia with goods worth €7.6 billion, compared to €26.6 billion in 2021. Russia's share of total imports to Germany fell to just over 0.1% in 2024, compared to 2.8% before the Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.

Last year, Germany achieved its largest export surplus with Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Exports exceeded imports by €5.8 billion — the fourth time since 1993 that there was an export surplus, after 2023, 2020, and 1993.

In 2022, the year the war began, Germany's foreign trade deficit with Russia reached a record high of €21.8 billion. Since 2021, exports had nearly halved, partly due to sanctions packages, while the value of remaining imports increased, primarily due to sharp energy price hikes.

Until the second half of 2022, Russia was an important energy supplier for Germany. Last year, Germany primarily imported metals, chemicals, food, and animal feed from Russia. Conversely, Germany primarily supplied pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and machinery.

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Guten Tag!DW brings you up-to-date information from across Germany, where the latest statistical data shows that the country's trade with Russia has become insignificant.

Last year, Germany imported nearly 95% fewer goods from Russia than before the war in Ukraine began. Exports to Russia also fell significantly, by 71.6%.

Meanwhile, the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig continues to hear the case concerning the ban on the right-wing extremist magazineCompact.

We'll have the latest headlines, analyses, multimedia content, and DW's on-the-ground reporting on all things Germany.