Penulis: Agus S

Chancellor Friedrich Merz's visit to Washington was met with favorable coverage back home, with many hailing a new political style that contrasts with that of his predecessors, Olaf Scholz and Angela Merkel.

The consensus was that he handled it quite well: The new German ChancellorFriedrich Merzgot through hisfirst visit to US President Donald Trumpwithout any heated exchanges or diplomatic faux pas. Although he hardly had a chance to speak during the nearly 50-minute press conference in the Oval Office, Merz was able to say that Germany will continue to supportUkraine in its defense against Russia.

For his part, Trump treated the conservative politician with more respect than he did former ChancellorOlaf Scholz, who was not invited to the White House, or Angela Merkel, whom Trump once famously refused to shake hands with in the Oval Office.

Things have been pretty busy in German politics since May 6, when Merz, of the center-rightChristian Democratic Union(CDU), took office. Since then, Germany's new head of government has made surprising statements and bold announcements nearly every week.

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This is in contrast to his predecessor Scholz, of the center-leftSocial Democratic Party(SPD), who became known for his tendency to keep the public in the dark about his plans. Scholz consistently urged his staff to adhere to the motto: "We will not be upset, we will not become hysterical." In other words, he was at pains to convey a sense of calm.

Merz, on the other hand, never hid his impatience at having to wait so long in the wings before finally securing the office he so coveted. In 2002, he lost a power struggle with Merkel for the leadership of the CDU. Frustrated, Merz moved into the private sector and only returned to politics when it became clear that Merkel intended to step down in 2021.

Four years later, at the age of 69, he finally reached the pinnacle of power in Germany. The chancellorship is the first public office Merz has held in his life.

Scholz and Merz couldn't have more different personalities. The former is a sober, soft-spoken northern German who had plenty of government experience before he became chancellor. Scholz was the mayor of Hamburg and then the federal finance minister under Merkel.

By contrast, Merz, by nature very conservative and easily irritated, rose quickly through his party ranks even without administrative political experience. Nor are the two politicians particularly fond of each other.

DW Chief Political Editor Michaela Küfner knows both men well, having accompanied the two leaders on several foreign trips.

Reflecting on the different styles of the two politicians and their predecessor, she noted: "While Merkel always thought with the outcome in mind and Scholz was reluctant to even describe a political goal before he had paved the way for it, Merz clearly defines his goals."

According to Küfner's analysis, this represents a significant political shift in itself.

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It tookScholz until the summer of 2022 to visit Ukraine, which had been invaded by Russia in the spring of that year. For a long time, Scholz remained secretive about whether he would supply weapons to the embattled country — though in the end he did.

Merz, on the other hand, visited Ukraine within days of taking office, together with French PresidentEmmanuel Macron, British Prime MinisterKeir Starmerand Polish Prime MinisterDonald Tusk, when they announced that there would soon be a ceasefire and peace talks.

But this still hasn't come to pass, with PresidentDonald Trumpappearing to have backed out of his earlier commitment to forge a lasting peace. Given the US president's unpredictability, this was not really a surprise, something Scholz would certainly have taken into account.

"Following the strong performance with Macron, Tusk, and Starmer came this diplomatic embarrassment," said Küfner. "Merz still has to prove that this defeat can translate into strong leadership."

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The change in style in Germany's policy toward Israel has been even more noticeable. After theIslamist militia Hamas attacked Israelin October 2023, Scholz's response was essentially to insist on Israel's right to defend itself. This remained his stance even as the Israeli army took increasingly brutal action against the civilian population in Gaza. The European Union, as well as the United States, Germany and several other countries classify Hamas as a terrorist organization.

As an opposition politician at the time, Merz also showed strong support for Israel and even announced that, unlike Scholz, he would demonstrate that support by inviting Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahuto the Chancellery. That stance did not waver even after theInternational Criminal Courtin The Hague issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November for crimes against humanity.

But soon after taking office, Merz made something of a U-turn. A few days ago, he said he no longer understood Israel's actions in the Gaza war, before adding that they could no longer be justified as a legitimate fight against Hamas terrorism. Never before has a German chancellor spoken so bluntly about the actions of the Israeli government.

"Merz's criticism of Israel's actions in Gazais a historic step," said Küfner. "He is not afraid to directly criticize the Israeli prime minister about alleged violations of international law. This is a new tone from Germany." With this tone, Merz raised a question that Scholz had successfully avoided: How far does the German reason of state,the commitment to Israel's security, actually extend?

What this means in practical terms for German-Israeli relations remains to be seen. Even under Scholz, arms deliveries to Israel had been relatively limited, and Merz has not announced an end to these deliveries. Nor has he repeated his earlier invitation to Netanyahu.

In practical terms, not much has really changed, but the tone is definitely different. This is likely to continue over the coming weeks. Meanwhile, Scholz is now observing all this from his position as an ordinary member of the Bundestag. And he has not yet made any comments on his successor's policies.

This article was originally written in German.

While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter, Berlin Briefing.

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.

A referendum to ease Italian citizenship requirements failed on Monday due to low voter turnout. The result is a victory for Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who encouraged the public not to vote.

Italian citizenship and labor reform referendums look likely to fail due to low voter turnout.

As two-day voting wound down in Europe's fourth-largest economy only about 30% of Italy's 51 million eligible voters had turned out tocast ballots in five referendumschampioned by center-left opposition groups as well as the country's labor unions.

Referendums require 50% plus one voter participation to be legally binding inItaly.

The result is seen as a major victory for Prime MinisterGiorgia Meloni, who vehemently opposed the measures.

Meloni arrived at a Rome polling station on Sunday — when turnout was 22% — to declare that she would not cast a vote.

Meloni then once-again encouraged her supporters to likewise boycott the ballot.

Four of the referendums centered on workplace protections including better protections against firing, increased severance pay, unemployment benefits, the end of fixed-term contracts and better workplace accident compensation.

A fifth referendum addressed whether voters wanted to ease citizenship laws in the country, allowingnon-EU immigrantsto apply for Italian passports after five rather than the current 10 years.

At the moment, the rule would apply to roughly 2.5 million non-EU immigrants.

Arguments for easing citizenship requirements were driven by the demographic fact of Italy's dwindling birth rates and calls for better integrating foreign workers in an effort to boost the country's economy.

Data compiled by the polling organization YouTrend said voter turnout was higher in the country's industrialized north than the agricultural south, as well in cities and in areas where left-leaning parties preformed best in Italy's most recent general and EU elections.

"The opposition wanted to turn this into a referendum on the Meloni government," said Cabinet undersecretary and Meloni ally Giovanbattista Fazzolari. "The response is very clear: The government emerges from this stronger and the opposition weaker."

Speaking of the vote's failure, YouTrend's Lorenzo Pregliasco said, "Whether just above 30% or just below, this is a low figure… below the expectations and targets set by the promoters."

The British thriller author wrote more than 25 books and sold 75 million copies around the world.

Frederick Forsyth, theBritishauthor ofThe Day of the Jackaland other bestselling thrillers, has died after a brief illness, his literary agent said Monday. He was 86.

Jonathan Lloyd, his agent, said Forsyth died at home early Monday surrounded by his family.

"We mourn the passing of one of the world's greatest thriller writers," Lloyd said.

Forsyth published more than 25 books, also includingThe Odessa FileandThe Dogs of War, and sold 75 million copies around the world, he said.

Forsyth's most famous work was about a fictional assassination attempt on formerFrenchPresident Charles de Gaulle by right-wing extremists 35 days after falling on hard times.

The Jackalwent on to be made into a hit film starring Edward Fox as the assassin. ANetflixremake, with Eddie Redmayne in the lead role, was released last year.

Forsyth attributed much of this success to "luck," recalling how a bullet narrowly missed him while he was covering the bloody Nigerian civil war between 1967 and 1970.

"I have had the most spectacular luck all through my life," he told British newspaperThe Timeslast November in an interview.

"Right place, right time, right person, right contact, right promotion — and even just turning my head away when that bullet went past," he said.

Forsyth was a former journalist and pilot and saw many of his novels were also turned into films.

"After serving as one of the youngest ever RAF pilots, he turned to journalism, using his gift for languages in German, French and Russian to become a foreign correspondent inBiafra(inNigeria)," Lloyd explained in announcing Forsyth's death.

"Appalled at what he saw and using his experience during a stint as a secret service agent, he wrote his first and perhaps most famous novel,The Day Of The Jackal," he added.

A sequel toThe Odessa File, entitledRevenge Of Odessa, which he co-wrote with Tony Kent, is due to be published in August, his publisher Bill Scott-Kerr said.

"His journalistic background brought a rigour and a metronomic efficiency to his working practice and his nose for and understanding of a great story kept his novels both thrillingly contemporary and fresh," Scott-Kerr added.

Forsyth had two sons by his first wife. His second wife, Sandy, died last year.

The Federal Police Commissioner of Germany has expressed disapproval of police officers' membership in the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

Germany plans to increase its use of AI to combat hybrid threats, the interior minister says

This blog, is covering the latest news fromGermanyon Tuesday, June 10, has now closed.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said the government may need to reconsider its plans for apurely voluntary military serviceamida growing personnel shortfall in the Bundeswehr.

"I share the assessment of the defence minister that we are already short of a high five-digit number of soldiers in the Bundeswehr," Merz told reporters after meeting Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof in Berlin.

The chancellor said the government would "have to take a close look" at whether current recruitment programs and voluntary service are sufficient to meet NATO targets. "If voluntary service is not enough, then we will have to discuss additional steps very soon," he said.

Merz added that such steps would not violate the coalition agreement with the centre-left Social Democrats. That deal commits the government to creating "a new, attractive military service that will initially be based on voluntary participation."

He underscored the term "initially," suggesting that compulsory measures could be considered if shortfalls persist.

The editor-in-chief ofCompact, Jürgen Elsässer, has described himself as the sole decision-maker at the far-right magazine during a court hearing on its ban.

"In the publishing house, I am the dictator. I decided everything," the 68-year-old told judges at the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig. He argued this meantCompactGmbH could not legally be considered an association.

TheCompact-Magazin GmbH group wasoutlawed nearly a year ago by the Federal Interior Ministry, which cited the magazine's anti-constitutional aims. The court is now reviewing whether the prohibition is legally justified.

In an earlier interim ruling in August 2024, the court allowed the publication to continue operating while legal proceedings unfolded. At the time, it said it could not definitively assess whetherCompactopposed the constitutional order, although it noted signs of potential violations of human dignity in some articles.

Compactargues that the ban is disproportionate and that the legal grounds for it are lacking. It also claims that a press and media company cannot be banned under association law, which is the legal basis for the action.

The court has scheduled two more possible days of hearings on Wednesday and Thursday. It is not yet known when a verdict will be announced.

Germany's interior minister and the head of its federal police unionon Tuesdaycriticized unofficial border checks by Dutch citizens near Ter Apel, calling for firm action from the Netherlands to halt the practice.

Local media reported that a group of citizens stopped vehicles on Saturday evening to search for asylum seekers. That came just days afterDutch far-right leader Geert Wildersbrought down the ruling coalition over a migration policy dispute.

German Interior MinisterAlexander Dobrindtsaid there was "no legal basis" for such actions and urged authorities tostep in if the behavior persists. "I also assume that the authorities will end such measures," he told the Reuters news agency.

Andreas Rosskopf, head of Germany's Federal Police Union, warned of escalation if Dutch officials fail to act decisively.

"Citizens without legal authority have no right to intervene or take on thetasks of police," he said.

Dutch police reportedly found no criminal offense at the scene. Caretaker Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel acknowledged citizens' frustrations but urged them not to "take the law into their own hands."

According toEurostat,the Netherlands' asylum rate in 2024 was slightly below the EU average.

Starting June 15, Germany's state-owned national rail operator,Deutsche Bahn, is raising the prices for seat reservations.

The company announced that a reserved seat in second class on long-distance trains will cost €5.50 ($6.30) instead of the previous price of €5.20.

In first-class, a reserved seat will cost €6.90 instead of €6.50. Seat reservations will still be included with Flexpreis tickets in first class.

In addition, the family reservation, which allowed families to reserve seats for all family members for a fixed price of €10.40, will be abolished.

This means that a family with two children will pay €22 for a family reservation instead of €10.40.

The German Ecological Transport Club (VCD) sharply criticized the move. "Families with children rely on reserved seats in particular," explained VCD head Kerstin Haarmann. "They are now effectively facing another price increase."

However, Deutsche Bahn emphasized that children and young people up to and including 14 years of age will continue to travel for free onDB long-distance serviceswhen accompanied by an adult.

Young people in Germany tend to move out of their parents' homes at an earlier age than in most otherEUcountries, although men take longer to leave the nest.

The mean age at which Germans departed from their familial abodes in 2024 was 23.9, according to the German statistical agency Destatis, which cited computations conducted by the EU's statistical office, Eurostat.

This was significantly below the EU-wide average of 26.2 years. According to the figures, young people in the EU move out earliest in Finland, at an average age of 21.4 years, followed by Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, and France.

People tend to live at home the longest in Croatia, where they leave at an average age of 31.3.

On average, German men take longer to leave their parents' home than women do. On average, they were 24.6 years old when they moved out, while women were 23.1 years old.

In 2025, 33.8% of 25-year-old men in Germany still lived with their parents, compared to 22.4% of 25-year-old women.

Germany's National Prize has been awarded to the co-founders of BioNTech, a German drugmaker that was among the first to develop an effectivevaccine against the coronavirus.

In his laudatory speech, ChancellorFriedrich Merzpraised Özlem Türeci and Ugur Sahin for their "extraordinary courage."

"You both embody the future strength of a liberal society. As scientists who seek solutions. But also as entrepreneurs for whom responsibility is at the center of their work," Merz said during the award ceremony in Berlin.

In 2020, the two scientistsdeveloped a coronavirus vaccine in less than a year.

The chancellor also praised Türeci and Sahin, who have Turkish roots, as examples of the importance of "skilled labor immigration as a driver of progress."

"I want to live in a Germany in which talent is promoted to the best of our ability, regardless of social or ethnic background," Merz said.

Since 1997, the German National Foundation has awarded the German National Prize to individuals or organizations for their efforts to promote a democratic society. The award is endowed with a total of €50,000 (approximately $57,000).

Germany's federal intelligence chief said that Russia is determined to test the resolve of theNATOalliance by extending its confrontation with the West beyond Ukraine's borders.

According to Bruno Kahl, head of the Federal Intelligence Service, his agency has clear intelligence indicating that Russian officials believed that the collective defense obligations enshrined in the NATO treaty were no longer enforceable.

"We are quite certain, and we have intelligence showing it, thatUkraine is only a stepon the journey westward," Kahl told Table Media in a podcast interview.

"That doesn't mean we expect tank armies to roll westwards," he added. "But we see that NATO's collective defence promise is to be tested."

Kahl's remarks, which did not specify the intelligence sources he was referring to, suggested that Russian officials were envisaging confrontations that fell short of a full military engagement.

These confrontations, as Kahl implied, were intended to test whether the US would truly uphold its mutual aid obligations as outlined inArticle 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.

"They don't need to dispatch armies of tanks for that," he said. "It's enough to send little green men toEstoniato protect supposedly oppressed Russian minorities."

Russia's 2014 annexation ofCrimeainvolved the occupation of buildings and offices by Russian soldiers wearing unmarked uniforms or civilian clothes. These soldiers came to be known as the "little green men" because Moscow initially denied their identity.

In its annual report for 2024, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) revealed that it had monitored significantly more extremists last year than in previous years.

The fact that the number of right-wing extremists increased by around 23% to 50,250 within a year is partly due to the growth in membership of the far-rightAlternative for Germany (AfD) party.

According to the report, 20,000 members of the party were classified as potentially right-wing extremists last year. In November, the AfD stated that it had 50,000 members.

Last month, the agencyclassified the party as a whole as "extremist"on the basis of a 1,100-page expert report, which enabled it to increase its monitoring of the AfD. However, the party has legallychallenged this decision.

Meanwhile, the number of right-wing extremists classified as violent rose again last year, by 800 people, reaching a total of 15,300.

The agency also observed an increase in the number of so-calledReichsbürger("Reich Citizens") movement. According to the report, these groups' potential number increased by 1,000 to around 26,000 people.

Reichsbürger do not recognise the Federal Republic of Germany as a state. They also reject democratic and constitutional structures, such as parliament, laws and courts. They refuse to pay taxes, social security contributions or fines.

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Following a slight decline in previous years, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has seen a slight increase of almost 4% in the number of individuals belonging to Islamist groups, bringing the total to 28,280.

The report reveals the security authorities' estimate of the number of violent Islamists for the first time: 9,540 people.

The number of left-wing extremists also increased from 37,000 to around 38,000 in 2024. However, the number of violent left-wing extremists remained at the previous year's level of 11,200.

An increasing number of people in theGerman labor markethave permanent positions.

According to the country's statistical agency, Destatis, last year, 74.8% of the workforce was employed in a "standard employment relationship." This proportion was significantly higher than in 2010, when it was 65.8%.

Statisticians define a standard employment relationship as a permanent position subject to social insurance contributions of at least 21 hours per week; however, temporary work is excluded.

Destatis explained that one reason for this development is that more people are working part-time for more than 20 hours per week: their share almost doubled between 2010 and 2024, from 7.3% to 14.1%.

Meanwhile, so-called atypical employment, such as temporary and agency work, as well as mini-jobs, has declined in Germany. Their share fell from 22.6% in 2010 to 17.2% last year.

The share of self-employed individuals has also slowly but steadily decreased since 2010, dropping from 11.1% to 7.9% last year.

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Thousands of owners of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), collectively known as the Mittelstand, may have to close their businesses ifthey cannot find a successor.

According to a survey conducted by the state-run development bank KfW, approximately 231,000 small and medium-sized business owners are planning to close their companies by the end of this year. This figure is 67,500 more than the number recorded a year ago.

Age is a major factor; demographic data shows that more than half of Mittelstand owners are over 55 years old, up from 20% ten years ago.

They are also aging faster than the population as a whole — 39% of them are 60 or older, compared with 30% of Germans overall.

Last year, a record 291,955 foreign nationals received German citizenship, according to the country's statistical agency, Destatis.

The agency said this was the highest number of naturalizations since records began in 2000, up 46% year-on-year.

Syrians continued to make up the largest share of new citizens (28%). They were followed by people from Turkey (8%), Iraq (5%), Russia (4%), and Afghanistan (3%).

The agency cited changes to immigration law initiated by the previous center-left government, whichtook effect in June 2024.

These changes allow individuals opting to apply for German citizenship to retain their nationality. The required period of residence in Germany was lowered from eight to five years.

Those who can demonstrate significant academic or professional achievements can apply for citizenship after three years. According to the statistical agency, some 7% of naturalizations in 2024 were granted based on special achievements.

However, the new conservative-led government, which took office on May 6, has vowed to crack down on irregular migration andreverse some of the previous government's changes, including the special achievements path.

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Amid rising concerns over sabotage and espionage, German Interior MinisterAlexander Dobrindthas called for increased use of artificial intelligence in national security.

"We must enhance our technical, legal and organizational capabilities in Germany," he told the Funke Media Group.

"Artificial intelligence must be used more extensively than before in the intelligence services to defend against hybrid threats," Dobrindt said.

According to the minister,hybrid threatsinvolving sabotage and espionage are constantly increasing.

Dobrindt said the government strongly feels the impact of the growing number of attacks on infrastructure, including civilian facilities such as energy grids and rail networks, as well as military sites such as barracks.

The minister added that the government would allocate "substantial financial resources" to strengthen the defense mechanisms of Germany's security agencies.

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The Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig is set to hear a case regarding the ban on the right-wing extremist magazineCompact.

In August, the Federal Administrative Courttemporarily lifted the banon the magazine, which was issued by Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD).

The court expressed particular doubts about the ban's proportionality. This allowed the magazine, which was based in Brandenburg at the time, to resume publication under certain conditions.

The Interior Ministryfirst bannedCompactin mid-July, describing the publication as a "central mouthpiece of the right-wing extremist scene."

In response,Compactfiled a lawsuit and an urgent motion against the immediate enforcement of the ban.

The final decision is now pending in the main proceedings.

Germany's Federal Police Commissioner Uli Grötsch has voiced disapproval regarding police officers' membership in the far-rightAlternative for Germany (AfD)party. Grötsch called it "incompatible" with serving in law enforcement.

"AfD membership and working as a police officer are incompatible," Grötsch told theRheinische Postnewspaper.

Grötsch also said that officers who demonstrate clear commitment to the AfD should be dismissed.

"For me, commitment means openly supporting the party, running for local or city council or even for the Bundestag," he added.

In early May, Germany's domestic intelligence agency classified the AfD as a"confirmed right-wing extremist" organization.

Grötsch pointed to this decision, saying there was concrete evidence that the party threatened Germany's free democratic order.

However, the agencysuspended the classificationwhile the AfD pursues legal action. The agency will continue to treat the party as a "suspected" extremist case pending a ruling from the Cologne administrative court.

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Guten Tag!DW is bringing you updates from across Germany, where the top police official has spoken out against law enforcement officers' affiliation with the far-rightAlternative for Germany (AfD) party.

Meanwhile, the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig is set to hear a case regarding 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.

At least two people have been killed and 13 others wounded after more than 300 Russian drones hit Kyiv and Odesa.

This blog, on the main developments inRussia's war in Ukraineon Tuesday, June 10, 2025, has now closed:

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has condemned what he described as Russia's "terror against the civilian population" in Ukraine, following intensified bombardments by Moscow.

At a joint press conference in Berlin with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof on Tuesday, Merz said the recent Russian attacks represented "the most serious war crimes" and emphasized that the Kremlin was deliberately targeting civilians rather than military infrastructure.

He stressed the importance of sanctions in undermining Russia's capacity to continue its onslaught.

"The question of how long Russia will be able to sustain this war also depends on how effective the sanctions."

Russialaunched 315 drones and seven missilesat Ukraine overnight, in one of the largest air assaults since the start of the war, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday.

Ukraine's Air Force reported that 284 drones and all seven missiles were intercepted. "The main direction of the attack – the capital of Ukraine, the city ofKyiv!" it said on Telegram.

Kyiv and the port city of Odesa were targeted by the Russian strikes.

Zelenskyy postedon X that drone attack included "250 Shaheds, and 7 missiles, 2 of which were North Korean-made ballistic missiles."

"Russian missile and Shahed strikes drown out the efforts of the United States and others around the world to force Russia into peace," he said.

Two people were killed and at least nine wounded aftera "massive" Russian drone attackstruckUkraine'ssouthern port city of Odesa overnight on Tuesday, Ukrainian authorities said.

The strikes hit a maternity hospital and an emergency medical facility, as well as residential buildings, said regional governor Oleh Kiper.

"A 59-year-old man was killed," Kiper posted on Telegram, adding that medics were treating four people wounded in the attacks.

The governor also said that residential buildings in the center of Odesa were destroyed and damaged.

The hospital patients and staff were evacuated before theRussian strikes. Photos shared by Kiper showed shattered windows and damaged building facades.

Kyiv came under a large-scale drone assaultfor the second consecutive dayovernight on Tuesday, with explosions and gunfire echoing across the city as air defenses engaged incoming drones, Ukrainian authorities have said.

"Stay in shelters! Themassive attack on the capitalcontinues," Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko posted on Telegram.

Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, said on Telegram that Russian "drones are simultaneously attacking several districts of the city."

Emergency services responded to at least four districts after midnight.

Witnesses, including journalists from the French AFP and Reuters news agencies, reported hearing dozens of blasts and gunfire.

Several residential buildings and cars were damaged, and debris fell near a school. Four people were injured and taken to the hospital.

The strikes come just a day afterRussia launchedits largest drone barrage of the war, in what Moscow claims is in retaliation for recent Ukrainian attacks inside Russia.

The Ukrainian military urged people to seek bomb shelters.

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The Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and the port city of Odesa came under"massive" drone attacksfrom Russia early Tuesday, Ukrainian officials said.

The attacks come a day after Russia launched what Ukrainian officials described as thelargest drone assault since the start of the war, firing a record 479 drones overnight. Poland scrambled warplanes to secure its airspace amid the Russian drone strike.

Stay with DW for real-time news, analysis, and insights from our correspondents on the ground as we continue to cover Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.

Greenpeace Romania faces legal action from the state gas firm Romgaz, which wants the environmental group shut down. Critics warn this is the latest in a string of attacks on civil society groups.

The Romanian government is on the offensive against critical voices from civil society. In an unprecedented move, the state-owned energy company Romgaz has filed a lawsuit against Greenpeace Romania, arguing that the nongovernmental organization be disbanded. Romgaz is 70% owned by the Romanian state and the lawsuit is supported by the Energy Ministry.

The lawsuit is part of a growing trend, said Romanian political scientist Cristian Pirvulescu. "Several environmental and human‑rights NGOs have faced increased scrutiny — whether through sudden inspections, burdensome reporting requirements or public rhetoric that questions their legitimacy. While each case has its own specifics, taken together they reveal a pattern of pressure that can discourage robust civic engagement," he said.

This escalation is the latest chapter in a debate that has been going on for some time. Observers say it has its roots in the huge natural gas deposits in theBlack Seaoff the coast ofRomania.

Romgaz, along with the Austrian company OMV, want to extract thisnatural gas, which amounts to around 100 billion cubic meters (3.5 trillion cubic feet), enough to make Romania the largest natural gas producer in the EU. The government is hoping for energy independence and earnings in the billions.

Production is due to start in 2027 and while investors have rejoiced, environmentalists are horrified. Critics, in particular Greenpeace, have said the venture will torpedo theEuropean Union's climate targets. The Romanian branch of the NGO is organizing protests and taking legal action against the project. Several lawsuits have been filed in court.

In January, Greenpeace lost a case and was ordered to pay court costs of around €30,000 ($34,200) each to OMV and Romgaz. In May, Greenpeace lost another case and now has to pay around €16,000 in court costs to the companies.

However, the NGO never received a demand for payment from the energy firms, said Greenpeace. Instead, Romgaz commissioned a bailiff, who stated that Greenpeace was insolvent.

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"It's absurd. Of course we can pay the costs," said Mihnea Matache, spokesperson for Greenpeace Romania. The accusation is closely linked to a discovery that Romgaz claims to have made, namely that there are two different organizations with the name Greenpeace, with two different tax numbers. Romgaz has accused Greenpeace of using these different organizations as a cover to sidestep fines.

In the light of this complaint, Romgaz is seeking to have Greenpeace dissolved.

Greenpeace has called the accusations laughable. Yes, Greenpeace has two tax numbers, said Matache, one for national and one for international affairs. "That's quite normal," he added.

He doesn't believe the lawsuit will be successful. "They just want to unsettle our supporters, exhaust our resources, tire us out and intimidate us."

Political scientist Pirvulescu agrees. "The lawsuit appears to be a form of retaliation against their activism and public communication, rather than a legitimate legal claim," he told DW. In his view, it's a classic intimidation lawsuit.

This type of lawsuit is known by the abbreviation SLAPP, which stands for "strategic lawsuit against public participation." The goal is to dissuade civil organizations from seeking legal recourse or operating in the public sphere altogether, by using steep compensation claims and lengthy court proceedings to place them under immense financial and emotional strain.

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The natural gas extraction project off the coast of Romania goes by the name Neptun Deep, and is considered one of the country's most important projects by Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja.

When asked by DW, the Energy Ministry said it had nothing to do with Romgaz's lawsuit against Greenpeace, but emphasized how crucial Neptun Deep is for the Romanian economy. On Facebook, Burduja has congratulated Romgaz on the lawsuit and accused Greenpeace of "fraudulent business practices."

Burduja recently piled pressure on environmental NGOs. Back in March, he called on company CEOs to sue environmental NGOs that filed lawsuits, and stated this constituted an act of "energy patriotism." In response, over 100 environmental organizations wrote an open letter demanding Burduja's resignation.

The ministry, for its part, has said it is defending the country's economic interests, rejecting accusations of trying to silence civil society.

"We believe that they play and should play an important part in the social and public life of a country," it stated. "If the NGO in question has not acted in abuse of right or in breach of the law, it should have no fear in this regard."

In 2021, three environmental NGOs were summoned to a parliamentary inquiry. A commission was tasked with investigating whether energy prices had risen so sharply because the environmental organizations had prevented the construction of lignite and hydroelectric power plants. The NGOs criticized this move, saying it soured their public reputation and turned them into scapegoats.

The UN's special rapporteur on environmental defenders, Michel Forst, intervened in 2024 and expressed serious concern to the Romanian state about a "campaign of harassment and intimidation."

"They want to intimidate us — and they are succeeding. We are now thinking twice about suing Romgaz," said Vlad Catuna, Greenpeace's campaign manager for the Neptun Deep issue. In part, they are worried about the hefty legal costs facing NGOs if they lose. In the previous lawsuit, Romgaz and OMV had originally demanded a total compensation of €250,000, making the five-figure final settlement appear paltry by comparison.

And it's not just in court that the Energy Ministry is challenging environmental NGOs. The minister and state-affiliated media have repeatedly suggested that Greenpeace and other environmental organizations have links to Russia. They claim the Russian state wants to prevent Romania from extracting gas in a bid to make the nationmore dependent on Russian gas.

Matache and Catuna reject these accusations. Greenpeace has been banned in Russia as an "undesirable organization" since 2023. But accusations such as these still leave a bitter aftertaste and dent the organization's standing with the public.

This article was originally written in German.