Semua Kabar

An AI trained on radiocarbon dating suggests some Dead Sea Scrolls might be older than previously thought. The findings could reshape our understanding of Judaism and early Christianity.

AnAI programtrained to study the handwriting styles of ancient manuscripts suggests many of the Dead Sea Scrolls might be older than previously thought, as reported ina study published in the journal Plos One on Wednesday.

The study is the latest entry in a new era of antiquity studies that has researchers use AI to reveal the secrets written onfrayed and crumbling scrolls.

The new method combines AI, radiocarbon dating, and handwriting analysis to more accurately estimate an ancient text's age.

The now proposed redating could reshape our understanding of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and of Judaism and early Christianity, the authors of the study say.

"It is very exciting to set a significant step into solving the dating problem of the Dead Sea Scrolls and also creating a new tool that could be used to study other partially dated manuscript collections from history," said study author Mladen Popovic from the University of Groningen, The Netherlands.

The Dead Sea Scrolls, the first of which were discovered in a cave in Israel in 1947, are the most momentous manuscript discovery of the past hundred years.

There are around 1,000 manuscripts in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Among them are some of the oldest known copies of texts from the Hebrew Bible. Studies of these manuscripts have profoundly changed understanding of the origins ofChristianityand the formation of post-biblicalJudaism

Dating these manuscripts with paleography — the study of ancient handwriting — reveals them to have been written over several hundred years between 250 B.C.E. and 100 C.E.

However, scholars have struggled toanalyze ancient texts, particularly with distinguishing one writer's style from another, meaning dating isn't very reliable.

The researchers aimed to improve analytical methods by using AI to study handwriting and cross-reference this data with radiocarbon dating. Radiocarbon dating estimates the age of materials by measuring carbon-14 isotopes that slowly disappear over time.

"The advantage of the [AI] model is that it provides quantified objectivity to palaeography, reducing the method's subjectivity," the authors write.

An AI model was first trained on 24 manuscripts with reliable radiocarbon dating. The authors then used this AI model to analyze the handwriting style of 135 scrolls with unknown dates spanning three centuries from around 200 B.C.E. to 100 C.E.

This created a better way of dating written manuscripts with 79% accuracy, according to the analysis.

"This novel approach allowed [the researchers] to combine historical expertise with technical precision," said Thea Sommerschield and Yannis Assael, who previously developed AI tools for the study of ancient texts at the University of Oxford, UK, in a joint email to DW. Sommerschield and Assael were not involved in the study.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser thatsupports HTML5 video

The authors of the study believe their analysis could lead to a new chronology of the scrolls. If verified, it would change understanding of the history of ancient Judea and the people who wrote the texts.

The AI analysis found the manuscripts are older than previous estimates overall, suggesting dates in the early second century B.C.E., and sometimes slightly earlier.

Scholars often assume that the rise and expansion of the Hasmonaean kingdom from the mid-second century B.C.E. onward caused a rise in "literacy scribal intellectual culture." The authors say their findings suggest that scribes were copying multiple literary manuscripts before this period.

Sommerschield and Assael say the new study shows AI could be used to provide more accurate dating of other ancient texts.

"This new study shows that computational tools don't diminish the role of human expertise, they enhance it, opening new paths for discovery in even the most well-studied texts," they said in their email.

Antiquity scholars believe they are on the brink of a new era of because of AI. Researchers have also, for example, been using AI totranslate ancient textsthat have been vexing ancient scholars for decades.

Russian fertilizer has become increasingly important to European agriculture over the past three years, despite the war in Ukraine. Brussels appears to be finally dealing with the issue but not everyone is convinced.

Amid the intense focus on theEuropean Union'sefforts toreduce imports of Russian gasand oil over the past few years, a significant product has slipped under the radar: fertilizer.

Russia is a major global producer and exporter of fertilizer, which is used by farmers and food producers to provide nutrients to plants and crops.

While the EU has largely cut out Russianoil and gasfrom its import list, it has ramped up its purchases of the country's fertilizer sinceRussia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Russia's share of EU fertilizer imports has grown from 17% in 2022 to about 30% now. In 2024 alone, imports rose by more than 33% to around $2 billion (€1.75 billion).

According to the MIT Observatory of Economic Complexity — a detailed trade data platform — Russia exported a total $15.3 billion worth of fertilizers in 2023, making it the largest exporter in the world.

While its primary export markets are India and Brazil, the EU collectively accounts for a significant chunk of Russia's exports, weighing in at around 13% in 2023.

Earlier this month, however, the European Parliament endorsed theEuropean Commission'sproposal to introduce a 6.5% tariff on fertilizers imported from Russia and Belarus. The plan is to continue ramping up the tariffs to 50% by 2028.

This can be partly explained by the type of fertilizer Russia produces and how it produces it. Russia specializes in nitrogen-based or inorganic fertilizer,which requires huge amounts of natural gas both as a raw material and to produce it.

Many EU nations require nitrogen-based fertilizers because they are particularly rich in nitrogen and vital nutrients such as phosphorus and potassium.

William Moseley, professor of geography at Macalester College in the USA and a member of the UN High-Level Panel of Experts for Food Security and Nutrition, told DW that Russia is particularly well-placed to meet this demand because it can use cheap gas to produce the fertilizer for far lower prices than European competitors can.

The European fertilizer sector has railed against what some have said is Russia "dumping" cheap fertilizer into the EU market.

When European energy prices surged and energy marketswere disrupted by the invasion of Ukraine, many European producers of nitrogen-based fertilizers were forced to stop production. Now they have lost market share to Russia and are struggling to compete.

According to Moseley, the EU's tariff plans suggest it is serious about weaning itself off Russian fertilizer by 2028.

"This will force EU countries to source inorganic fertilizer from elsewhere," he told DW, identifying China, Oman, Morocco, Canada or the US as potential alternative markets.

Mosley believes other alternatives for the EU would be to turn to its own sources of nitrogen-based fertilizer — which would be very expensive, due to the gas requirements — or to ramp upthe use of organic fertilizermade from manure and composted organic waste.

This option, he added, was "more sustainable and better for the soil."

"While it is unlikely that the EU could become totally independent of inorganic fertilizer imports, it could certainly shift the ratio towards more dependence on home-grown organic fertilizer production, especially if it is done gradually," said Mosley.

The EU itself has acknowledged that it wants to move in this direction of developing fertilizer processed from animal dung and urine.

Christophe Hansen, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, said in February that the livestock sector could "provide a positive input to the circular economy" with organic fertilizer, as it is "domestically grown and doesn't need to come from outside and is not based on high energy prices like gas."

Moseley thinks the EU fertilizer tariffs, if carried out as planned by 2028, will gradually eliminate Russian imports from the EU market. "By 2028, the duties will be so high that it will be economically unviable for the EU to import inorganic fertilizer from Russia and Belarus."

The EU's sanctions will come into effect in July and specifically target agricultural products which it had neglected previously, including fertilizers.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser thatsupports HTML5 video

In a statement, the EU Commission said particularly fertilzer imports "make the EU vulnerable to potential coercive actions by Russia and thus present a risk to EU food security."

The reason why the sanctions are to be phased in gradually over the next three years is to give EU farmers time to find alternatives, particularly if they are already dependent on Russian fertilizers.

In astatementon the EU tariff plan, the president of the Fertilizers Europe industry group, Leo Alders, said surging imports of Russian fertilizers into Europe have been "undermining fair competition and putting pressure on domestic producers" for too long.

Although calling for higher tariffs to be brought in more quickly, Alders wrote that "by levelling the playing field, tariffs will contribute to ensuring that European producers can continue supplying European farmers with high-quality, sustainable fertilizers for years to come."

However, farmers' groups are not happybecause they feel the EU has not done enough to develop realistic, affordable alternatives to Russian fertilizer.

Copa and Cocega, the two major agricultural umbrella organisations in the EU, released a joint statement urging the EU to present a clear strategy on diversification of fertilizer supply.

If the EU is determined to reduce dependency on Russian and Belarusian fertilizers, they said, it must present a "credible and forward-looking" alternative.

"We cannot afford to further undermine the economic viability of farms or the food security of millions across the EU," the statment underlined.

Joshua Kimmich's 100th game for Germany was spoiled by Portugal's comeback and Cristiano Ronaldo's heroics.

The evening started with a weather warning: a major storm was approaching, delaying the start to the game and perhaps also delaying the goals.

This was supposed to beJoshua Kimmich'snight.

Not only did the Germany captain make his 100th appearance with the national team. He also assisted the first goal of the match played at his home stadium, Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena.

But opponents Portugal had other plans and ended up stealing the show with a 2-1 away win to reach the Nations League final, putting another dent in Germany's hopes of a resurgence.

"We need to understand that if we are not at 100%, it's difficult against any opponent," said Kimmich after the match, referring to Germany missing key players such asJamal MusialaandAntonio Rüdigerdue to injuries.

After a cagey first half, it was Kimmich who provided a lobbed pass to Florian Wirtz to score Germany's first goal in the 48th minute.

"Even after we went 1-0 up, it didn't appear to me like we wanted to reach the final," said Kimmich

"We need to be honest with ourselves, we were not active enough on the ball and also without it. We didn't bring the energy on the pitch and therefore we deserved to lose."

Despite the defeat, Kimmich believes the team is "more consolidated than we were a year and a half ago" and he is more than familiar with the current situation.

Kimmich began his international career in 2016, just two years after Germany'sWorld Cuptriumph in Brazil. While he lifted the now-defunct Confederations Cup in 2017 with the national team, Germany have experienced multiple disappointing tournaments ever since.

The 30-year-old Is the 14th player to reach 100 caps with Germany's men's national team. But he's the only German player with over 100 appearances who has not won a World Cup.

"I've experienced many highs and lows with the Germany national team," he had said earlier in the week.

"Of course, you always have the goal of winning a title in mind. We go into every tournament, especially as Germany, to compete for the title."

But Kimmich and Germany will have to wait longer to end their trophy drought.

While this was the captain's 100th match wearing the Germany shirt,Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal's captain, dwarfed the German's milestone by playing his 220th game for his nation.

"Congratulations to Kimmich. He's played 100 games, it's a landmark, it's amazing," said Portugal coach Roberto Martinez after the match.

"But when you're talking about a player like Cristiano Ronaldo, he's got over double that. It's difficult to put into words," said Martinez.

In fact, it was the 40-year-old who would put an end to his own drought of sorts.

Ronaldo had lost all five of his previous meetings against Germany but it was the Portuguese captain who would score the winning goal in the 68th minute, just five minutes after Francisco Conceicao had tied the match with a stunning curling shot from distance.

Ronaldo is used to being in the spotlight. As soon as his name was announced, the stadium exploded in cheers and jeers. Naturally the cheers came from the away supporters and jeers from the home fans.

But it's amid the jeers that Ronaldo appears to thrive in the most.

Ronaldo had missed a few chances earlier in the game, sparking boos and whistles from the home crowd. This turned into silence once he scored, turning the game around. His goal against Germany was his 137th for Portugal, a record in men's international football.

"It's human, when you win, the next day you have less hunger. But that's not the case with Cristiano," said Martinez.

The striker was only substituted in the 90th minute to receive the applause of the away crowd as he led his country to another Nations League final.

With Ronaldo off the pitch, Germany desperately pushed for a last-minute equalizer with a counter-attack. But it was Kimmich who missed a crucial pass bringing the home crowd to a sigh.

The special night which was meant to honor the Germany captain turned into another night of praise for Cristiano Ronaldo.

Wildland firefighters in North America and other parts of the world have seen rising temperatures transform fire behavior into dangerous feedback loops. A veteran 'hotshot' gives a glimpse of life on the frontlines.

After months of being shuttled fromwildfire to wildfireacross the bone-dry American West, it seemed only fitting that Kelly Ramsey's final assignment of 2020, a record-breaking season, would be the largest fire in California's history.

"I knew it was coming. We all knew it was coming. Almost every crew in California was getting called to this fire at some point," said Ramsey.

The crew drove nearly six hours just to travel from the eastern to the northern section of the fire, known as the "August Complex," which had burned through one million acres (404,685 hectares).

They wove through a yellow smoke-filled moonscape of towering trees, which resembled charred matchsticks. The flames they saw turned the heads of even the most seasoned crew members.

"So already it's this feeling of like, 'Oh my God,'" Ramsey recalls.

What it takes to a be a 'hotshot'

One of the crew's first tasks was to torch a stretch of land near a highway caught in the fire's path. Clearing away any potential fuel would, they hoped,halt the insatiable wildfire. At least in one area.

Given the extremely arid conditions, the crew had to be particularly vigilant. An accidental fire start could "add another 50,000 acres" to the inferno.

By this point, Ramsey's physical and mental stamina had been put to the test during her first season on the hotshot crew, an elite wildland firefighting unit often compared to the Navy Seals — recognizable by their yellow shirts and high-laced mountaineer boots.

The United States relies on roughly 100 of these federally-funded 20-person teams to manage wildfires in the most remote, rugged terrain, to prevent them from spreading uncontrollably.

Becoming a hotshot means running 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) in well under 11 minutes and, crucially, hustling up steep, vertical slopes carrying at least 45 pounds (20 kilograms) of gear, or even more for those carrying chainsaws.

Hotshots are often the first in and the last out. Ramsey's first summer had been a lesson in superhuman stamina and vigilance, and this particular day at the August Complex would prove this once again.

As she and a crew member dripped fire along the land, the wind suddenly shifted. Embers started "falling out of the sky all over us like falling stars," she said, sending the crew scrambling.

Prolonged droughtsbrought on by rising temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns have left regions of North America bone dry, and trees weakened and prone to insect infestation. The damaged land is becoming fully flammable, experts warn.

That night, as Ramsey's crew searched for coin-sized embers, it was only a matter of minutes before a tiny spark drifted into a dry, rotten tree stump, engulfing it in a 10-by-10 foot (3 by 3-meter) blaze.

New fire startsare more destructive than ever. According to a study by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder, by 2020, wildfires in the American West were growing 250% faster over a 24-hour period compared to 2001 and cost roughly $19 billion (€16.8 billion) to suppress.

Experts warn these intense wildfires are also unleashing dangerous ember activity.

In Canada, Hugh Murdoch, an incident commander for British Columbia's Wildfire Service, has watched as wildfires throw embers well in advance of themselves, even flying across natural breaks, like lakes and rivers.

Luckily, for Ramsey's crew, the tree stump blaze "wasn't hard to catch it, but you know, imagine if we hadn't."

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser thatsupports HTML5 video

Mutual aid more important now than ever

By the time the crew tracked down every last ember, they'd been on their feet for 13 hours that day.

"I think that night I didn't even need a melatonin or a Benadryl or anything I just was gratified and tired, and looked up at the sky and just fell asleep," Ramsey said.

When the season ended, Ramsey enthusiastically signed up for a second, despite knowing everyone would be pushed to their limits.

A catastrophe like the August Complex required the help of more than 4,000 personnel over almost three months. according to non-profit site Wildfire Today.

With extreme fires on the rise, this type of demand threatens to drain resources quickly as calls go up the chain from local to state-level, and in the worst-case scenario, to foreign partners.

In 2023, for example, whenCanada experienced its worst fire season on record, over 12 nations, including the US, sent help. If they hadn't, Canada's "landscape would look very different today than it does," Murdoch said.

Experts who spoke with DW agree that countries will need to invest more in preparedness and prevention to save lives as fires become more complex. Long-standing cooperation between the US,Canada, Australia, Mexico and other countries – which already share personnel and equipment – will become indispensable to these efforts, they said.

The struggles firefighters face

As time went by, Ramsey grew used to the marks firefighting left on her body – black gunk in every crevice, chaffed armpits, and numb hands from vigorously swinging an ax into the soil, scraping away its flammable inhabitants.

After two seasons, she developed an autoimmune disorder and decided to step away.

"What if fire made you sick?" she later wrote in her forthcoming book, "Wildfire Days: a woman, a hotshot crew and the burning American West."

Ramsey became part of the estimated 45% of wildland firefighters who leave each year, according to a 2024 report by investigative site ProPublica.

The fatigue that leads to such high turnover boils down to a variety of health issues, she writes, like prolonged smoke exposure, insufficient meals that fail to provide the necessary 5,000 calories a day, and the stress of near-death situations.

The pay is also low. Ramsey earned $16.33 an hour, plus roughly 1,000 hours of overtime.The salary is lower than what Amazon pay its warehouse workers.

Her hiatus ultimately became indefinite when she started a family, a factor she believes contributes to the high attrition rate, including for men.

Ramsey still describes wildland firefighting as the "most fun job I have ever and probably will ever do," but for now, that chapter has come to an end.

"I'm no longer a hotshot. I'm a washed-up former hotshot, but I do miss the job all the time."This article was adapted from an episode of DW environment's podcast, Living Planet. To listen to the episode,click here.Edited by: Tamsin Walker

Germany must recruit up to 60,000 more service personnel to meet NATO's defense goals, according to Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. The estimate reflects growing military demands amid heightened tensions with Russia.

Germany's military,the Bundeswehr, will require an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 additional troops to meet NATO's updated defense requirements amid the growing threat from Russia, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Thursday.

Germany is seeking to adapt its military posture in response to NATO's plans for collective defense, as the alliance continues to shore up its eastern flank afterRussia's invasion of Ukraine.

"We assume, but this is only a rough estimate to be clear, that we need around 50,000 to 60,000 more soldiers in the standing armed forces than we have today," Pistorius said at a NATO meeting in Brussels.

Pistorius admitted that plans for a more pro-active voluntary system system of recruiting might not be enough to bridge the gap as Germany adapts to a war-ready footing.

Although conscription might be necessary at some point, the minister said, it was "of no use at all now because we have the capacity neither in the barracks nor in training."

"That's why these capacities must grow," the minister said. "Until then, voluntary participation applies."

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, a holdover from the center-leftSocial Democrat-led government offormer Chancellor Olaf Scholz,has pushed the idea of building up the armed forces.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser thatsupports HTML5 video

Friedrich Merzof the conservativeChristian Democratic Uniontook over as chancellor last month, but decided to keep thewell-regarded Pistoriuson as defense minister.

Pistorius has promoted a model that relies on voluntary service that also allows the country to make conscription compulsory if needed.

Under these terms, all 18-year-olds would be sent a questionnaire about their interest in the army and their physical condition.

While all young men would be obliged to return the questionnaire, it would be voluntary for women.

A number would then be invited to participate in a selection process. Some would be recruited for an initial six-month period, with the option to extend.

Germanyhad conscription in place for young men until 2011, when the rule was scrapped.

Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher

An EU drug report shows synthetic substances are on an upward trend. Drugs like cathinones are now made in Europe to keep up with demand. The health risks are largely unknown.

The European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) monitored 1,000 new psychoactive substances at the end of 2024 and found that local drug users were increasingly consuming new forms of synthetic drugs.

This has been the dominant trend in Europeover the past 5 to 10 years.

But what is new is that increasing amounts of these synthetic drugs are now being produced in Europe — previously, they were largely trafficked from India, China or the Middle East.

"This is a result of the demand for taking synthetic [drugs]," said Andrew Cunningham, head of policy, crime and markets at the EUDA in Lisbon, Portugal.

Cocaine, however, is still Europe's most popular illicit stimulant drug. Imported from Latin American countries like Ecuador and Colombia, about 4.6 million Europeans used cocaine in 2024.

The report also shows more Europeans are taking multiple drugs at the same time. As in previous years, so-calledpolysubstance useis the leading cause of drug deaths in Europe.

The findings were published in theEuropean Drug Report 2025, June 5.

Synthetic drug use is a major public health concern. Many synthetic substances have very high potency, and because they are relatively new and ever-evolving, scientists have not been able to track the long-term effects.

The report shows that Europeans are increasingly using cathinones, either in combination with, or instead of, amphetamines and MDMA.

Cathinones, such as 3-MMC, are synthetic stimulants, which have "gained recreational popularity over the past 20 years in Europe," said Jan Ramaekers, a psychopharmacologist at Maastricht University in the Netherlands.

Ramaekers said the long-term health effects of cathinones were not well known. Researchers needed to better understand consumption patterns among users: What is a "normal" dose? How does it range? What is lethal?

"We need controlled studies with 3-MMC in these 'normal' dose ranges that focus on health risks, but also on potential health benefits," said Ramaekers.

Most cathinones were imported from India and China, primarily through the Netherlands. But production has steadily moved to Central Asia and Europe, "influenced by the Ukraine war," said Cunningham.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser thatsupports HTML5 video

A significant amount of global cocaine productends up in Europe.

For the seventh year in a row, record quantities of cocaine were seized by EU countries, amounting to 419 tons in 2023, up from 323 tons in 2022.

"It's a very significant amount considering global cocaine production is estimated at 2,600 tons per year," he said.

But it's not just cocaine: Wastewater analysis in 128 European cities found overall increases in cocaine, but also MDMA and amphetamine use in 2024.

The analysis suggests that urban patterns of drug use in big cities may be spreading to smaller towns.

Cunningham, whose team tracks the effects of geopolitical situations on Europe's drug market, said most of Europe's cocaine (70%) comes from Colombia.

"Global [cocaine] production is up every year since 2016 after the Colombian government made a[peace] deal with FARC," he said. FARC, also known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, were a Marxist militant group, suspected of involvement in illicit drug trade.

Large seizures in Europe's ports show drug traffickers continue to smuggle the drug in from the sea. In 2024, Spain reported its largest ever seizure of cocaine (13 tons), concealed in bananas originating in Ecuador.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser thatsupports HTML5 video

The EUDA report estimates there were 7,500 drug-induced deaths in Europe in 2023, the majority of which were due to opioid drugs.

Fake medicines containing synthetic opiates callednitazenesincreased in at least 12 European countries in 2024.

Some nitazene compounds are even stronger thanfentanyl, which itself is 50 times stronger than heroin and has an extremely high risk of overdose.

Synthetic opioids have been amajor issue in the US for years, but the report shows they are a growing problem on the European drug market, too.

"We fear an increase in synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl and nitazenes, on the illegal drug market, particularly as a result of the ban on opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan," said Daniel Deimel, an addiction expert at Nuremberg Technical University, Germany.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser thatsupports HTML5 video

In recent months, there has been an increase in overdose clusters in Europe, which, Deimel said, may be a result of people mixing synthetic opioids with heroin.

"Tests in drug consumption rooms in Germany have shown evidence offentanyl or nitazene in heroin. If these substances become more common, the number of overdoses and fatal overdoses is likely to increase," said Deimel.

Drug seizures in Europe have found nitazenes in fake prescription drugs, mimicking oxycodone or benzodiazepines bought on the illegal drug market.

These fake pills have much higher potency and carry a significant risk of drug poisoning and overdose, especially as people do not know the drugs they are taking contain nitazenes.

The EUDA report shows authorities seized 10 kilograms of nitazenes powder in 2023 — potentially sufficient to make millions of pills containing enough nitazenes to cause an overdose.

Many experts are calling for more drug checking services to detect which substances are circulating on the drug scene. This allows public warnings to be issued when dangerous compounds are found in substances.

The European Drug Report 2025: Trends and Developments, EUDA, June 5,2025https://www.euda.europa.eu/publications/european-drug-report/2025_en

Which countries are seen as reliable partners for Germany? How do voters rate Chancellor Friedrich Merz? The latest ARD Deutschlandtrend survey offers answers to these and other questions.

Thursday'sWhite House meetingbetween ChancellorFriedrich Merzand PresidentDonald Trumpwas highly anticipated and top news in Germany. Just under half of the eligible German voters taking part in the monthly Deutschlandtrend survey expected Merz to find a good rapport with the US president.  A similar number also said Merz did not have enough diplomatic skills to deal with the foreign policy challenges of his new role.

This is the result of the latest Deutschlandtrend, a representative survey of 1,292 eligible German voters conducted for public broadcasting networkARDby pollsters infratest dimap in early June.

Germany has close relations with the United States and also with Israel. However, respondents see relations as becoming more distanced. France and Ukraine are currently seen as much more reliable partners.

The vast majority — 84% — of those surveyed thought that Russia could not be relied upon, and 73% said the same of the US. Israel was also classified as no longer reliable by a clear majority. Only 16% of respondents still regarded Israel as a partner that Germany can rely on — an 11% drop compared with October 2024.

The impact ofIsrael's military reactionto the attack by the militant group Hamas in October 2023 was evident in the survey. The European Union as well as the United States, Germany and several other countries classify Hamas as a terrorist organization. The Israeli course of action in Gaza has gone too far, according to 63% of respondents, while 18% thought it was appropriate.

Seventy-seven percent of respondents thought it was right thatChancellor Friedrich Merz criticized Israelfor its current military conduct in Gaza. Only one in eight thought Germany should unconditionally support Israel in the Gaza conflict. Fifty-five percent of the respondents do not agree that Germany has a greater responsibility to protect Israel because of its history.

Almost exactly as many respondents blame Israel for the situation faced by Palestinian civilians in Gaza as blame Hamas. Accordingly, most respondents favored a reconsideration of German military assistance: 43% supported restricting weapons exports to Israel, and a further 30% wanted a complete stop.

Germany's new government of the conservative Union ofChristian Democrats,Christian Social Union(CDU/CSU) and the center-leftSocial Democrats(SPD) has been in office since May. Forty percent of those surveyed were satisfied with the coalition's first few weeks in office. The former tripartite coalition of the SPD, environmentalistGreensand neoliberalFree Democrats(FDP) had a higher approval rating during its early days at the start of 2022, when it reached 46%.

On the other hand, Friedrich Merz of the CDU has gained considerable popularity since taking office as Germany's chancellor. Of those surveyed, 39% were satisfied with his work, up 14% since April. Vice Chancellor and Finance MinisterLars Klingbeil, of the SPD, also has a 39% approval rating. The only high-profile German politician who most citizens are satisfied with remains Defense MinisterBoris Pistorius(SPD).

The public's expectations of the new government's policies are not significantly different from what they were straight after thesnap federal electionheld in February.

Half of those surveyed trust the new leadership to strengthen the German economy. About the same number expect better representation of German interests in the world. Skepticism of the government's ability to increase domestic security and effectively manage migration has increased slightly.

If new elections were to be held this week, the CDU/CSU would, with 29%, have a slightly better result than they did in previous polling. The SPD, which is in coalition with the Union, would be down slightly, with 15% of the vote (-1).

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) would be unchanged with 23% of the vote (the general election had them at 20.8%). The Greens and the socialist Left Party would now win 12% and 9% respectively. All other parties would not meet the required 5% threshold to enter the Bundestag parliament, including theSahra Wagenknecht Alliance(BSW) and the FDP, which both remain at 4%.

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.

The European Central Bank has cut the cost of borrowing for the eighth time in the past year. However, fiscal policymakers hinted that the current cycle of interest rate cuts might be coming to an end.

TheEuropean Central Bank's rate-setting council on Thursday cut the institution's benchmark rate a quarter-point to 2% — and hinted that a trend ofsuccession reductionsover the past year may be coming to an end.

The reduction comes with growth slow to pick up and further gloom over US President Donald Trump'smost recent threat to raise tariffs on goodsfrom the European Union to 50%.

As it announced the rate decision, the ECB was measured in its tone about the US levies and possible retaliation.

It said the "uncertainty surrounding trade policies is expected to weigh on business investment and exports," while adding that "rising government investment in defence and infrastructure will increasingly support growth over the medium term."

"Higher real incomes and a robust labour market will allow households to spend more. Together with more favourable financing conditions, this should make the economy more resilient to global shocks," it added.

Monetary policymakers also lowered their inflation forecast for 2025, with consumer price increases now expected to hit the central bank's 2% target this year. Having ramped up interest rates to tame spiralinginflation, policymakers are now hoping that price rises have been brought under control.

Meanwhile, the bank left its growth forecast for 2025 unchanged at 0.9%.

European Central Bank President Christine Lagardesaid policymakers were in a "good place" to manage economic uncertainty after the latest cut.

"I think we are getting to the end of a monetary policy cycle," Lagarde said at a press conference, a year after the ECB started cutting interest rates. "After that 25-basis-point rate cut and with the right path as it is, we are in a good place."

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser thatsupports HTML5 video

Lagarde said policymakers were "virtually unanimous" on the rate cut, part of the bank's most aggressive rate-easing cycle since the 2008/2009 global financial crisis.

Some conservative policymakers, including ECB board member Isabel Schnabel, have pushed for a break to allow time to reassess how recent upheavals may reshape the outlook.

While Schnabel has openly called for a pause, other decision makers remained more cautious.

The widely expected move is the seventh consecutive reduction and eighth cut since June last year, when the bank began lowering borrowing costs.

Investors have already been pricing in a pause in rate cuts for July, as the ECB faces mounting global and domestic uncertainty.

Donald Trump held a rare call with his Chinese counterpart to revive the tentative pause in the trade war between the world's top economies. What happens next?

The world exhaled when theUnited StatesandChinaunveiled a 90-daytarifftruce last month, pausing the escalatingtradewar between the globe's largest and second-largest economies, which had rattled businesses and investors.

The deal, aftertense negotiationsin Geneva, slashed US tariffs on Chinese imports from 145% to 30% and China's retaliatory levies on US goods from 125% to 10%.

Just three weeks later, however, US PresidentDonald Trumpreignited tensions, saying that China had "totally violated" the truce deal, without providing further details. Trump later said his Chinese counterpart,Xi Jinping, was "extremely hard to make a deal with."

China swiftly countered, asserting that Washington had imposed "discriminatory and restrictive measures" since the Geneva talks, pointing to US curbs on chip design software and warnings aboutartificial intelligence (AI)chips produced by Chinese tech giant Huawei.

US policymakers have voiced frustration at China's stalling on export license approvals forrare earths and other elementsneeded in the high-tech, defense, and clean energy sectors.

China, which dominates global rare-earth production with over two-thirds of supply and 90% of processing capacity, has imposed export restrictions on several key minerals. The US, lacking domestic rare-earth processing capacity, remains highly vulnerable to Beijing’s restrictions.

Confusion remains over what was agreed on rare earths in Geneva. In an interview with news agency Bloomberg on Wednesday, Cory Combs, head of critical-mineral supply chain research at Trivium China, said Washington believed that Beijing would "completely remove the requirement of an approval [for export licenses]," which Beijing said it did not agree to.

Michael Hart, AmCham China president, told theFinancial Timeson Monday that China has now stepped up approvals to ship rare earths to several US carmakers, noting how "only a handful" of officials are handling thousands of applications.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser thatsupports HTML5 video

Penny Naas, a distinguished fellow at the US-based German Marshal Fund think tank, thinks the rare earths are "China's biggest card," telling DW that "a key part of the negotiation will be when and how they liberalize the trade in those products."

Naas expressed little surprise at the renewed war of words between Washington and Beijing, noting that, "You often see these highs and lows and even near-death experiences before deals are reached."

But with the clock ticking until August 12 — when the 90-day pause expires — and both sides accusing the other of violations, the prospects for a lasting ceasefire and along-term dealremain uncertain.

Beyond securing access to China's rare minerals, the US seeks to cut its trade deficit with China, which was $295 billion (€259 billion) in 2024 — up nearly 6% on the previous year.

The Trump administration has urged Beijing to boost purchases of American goods and eliminate non-tariff barriers, such as anti-monopoly probes targeting US companies and the designation of certain American firms as "unreliable entities."

Washington has also demanded further economic reforms and an end to the manipulation of the Chinese yuan, which is kept artificially low to help boost exports. In April, when Trump announced his unprecedented tariffs, the yuan hit a 20-month low of 7.2038 against the dollar and is expected to weaken further if the higher US levies are reinstated.

Trump has also pressed China to strengthen efforts to curb illegal immigration and halt exports of precursor chemicals used to produce fentanyl, an opioid fueling a public health crisis in the US.

With US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent acknowledging last week that negotiations have "stalled," all eyes this week were on whether a call between Trump and Xi will break the tariff deadlock.

Chinese state media reported Thursday that the two leaders had indeed spoken by phone. Xinhua news agency said the talks took place at Trump's request but gave no further details. Later Thursday, Trump said the pair had agreed to further tariff talks to try and resolve the standoff.

The US president also said Xi had "graciously" invited him and first lady Melania Trump to China and Trump reciprocated with an invitation for Xi to visit the US.

The White House had said Monday that a Trump-Xi call was "likely" to take place this week, a development that Antonio Fatas, an economics professor at INSEAD business school, said the US president would see as "his victory."

"Trump's typically the one who calls people and tells them what to do," Fatas told DW. "But with a powerful player like China, that's not going to work."

Another boon to China could be the lack of clarity over Trump's unprecedented tariffs after a US trade court last week ruled they were illegal. Although a higher courttemporarily reinstatedthe levies, the White House has threatened to go to the Supreme Court for the ultimate ruling.

"There may be a hesitancy to go all in on an offer at this moment when there's a large lack of clarity about the US position," the German Marshall Fund's Naas told DW.

INSEAD's Fatas, meanwhile, predicted that the truce would be extended beyond the 90 days, adding: "Until I see the possibility of a real compromise on both sides, I'll remain very cautious and uncertainty remains incredibly high."

Both the Trump and Biden administrations have prioritized maintaining the US’s technological edge over China, but there are growing concerns that the tariff policies are diverting resources and focus from US firms’ ability to achieve this goal.

Investor nervousness that the tariffs could cause a US recession has intensified.

The tariffs have already increased costs and strained budgets for American tech firms, limiting their capacity to invest in research and development (R&D) at a critical time. With tariffs consuming significant attention among US policymakers, initiatives to bolster domestic innovation risk being sidelined.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser thatsupports HTML5 video

Beijing, meanwhile, has doubled down on the need to reduce its dependence on US technology. Through substantial state subsidies, China has advanced its capabilities in AI, quantum computing, advanced chip production, and 6G telecommunications, narrowing the technological gap with the US.

Naas thinks that China has now caught up on "most of the technological advantage the US thought it had" and that US companies say they're "falling behind while spending all their time on reorienting their supply chains."

"Is that the best use of their time when we're in hand-to-hand combat on the future of technology?" she asked.

Editor's note: This story was first published on June 5th, 2025 and was updated to reflect a phone call between Trump and Xi.

Germany's chancellor held a friendly meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House, and said he hopes for progress on trade talks and putting pressure on Russia.

These live updates have been closed. Thank you for reading. Below you'll find a roundup of developments and news fromGermanyon Thursday, June 5, 2025.Please move over toFriday's blog for fresh updates.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called the sharp rise inantisemitismin Germany a "terrible challenge" for the country.

"We are doing everything we can to bring these numbers down," he said during an interview on US broadcaster Fox News.

The number of antisemitic incidents in Germany almost doubled in 2024, a report released on Wednesday found.

It registered 8,627 incidents of violence, vandalism and threats against Jews in Germany.

In the Fox News interview, Merz blamed the increasing antisemitism on migrants.

"Frankly, we have imported antisemitism with the big numbers of migrants we have within the last 10 years," he said.

According to Wednesday's report, antisemitic attacks came from all parts of society — from the radical left, Muslim communities and the far right.

The report found that antisemitic incidents with a right-wing extremist background reached their highest level since it started colleting data in 2020.

Merz has used the rhetoric of "imported antisemitism" before, something critics say fuels Islamaphobia and enables Germany to ignore the growing problem of antisemitism within its society.

German Chancellor Merzis doing the rounds of US media after his talks with President Trump.

In his interviews, he's been pushing the message that tariffs are bad for Germany, the US and others.

Thetradeconflict "threatens all of us," he told CNN late on Thursday.

He repeated this on Fox News, sayingTrump's tariffs"are threatening" Germany's economy.

"We should bring them down," he said, adding that he believes "free trade, open markets is the best thing for [the] mutual wealth of our countries and our continents."

Germany sells more cars to the US than any other EU country.

Germany's automotive industry is a key pillar of the country's economy and a major employer. It was already struggling beforeTrump slapped 25% tariffs on foreign-made cars sold in the US, making the situation worse.

The impact of the car tariffs is "terrible," Merz told CNN.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser thatsupports HTML5 video

Tariffswere the other big topic that the German chancellor discussed with President Trump.

Speaking to DW, Merz said that "high tariffs is not in our [Europe's] interest."

Trump has backed away from a threat to imposed 50% tariffs on imports from the European Union, giving it until July 9 to make a deal.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser thatsupports HTML5 video

A 10% tariff onEUimports is place until the July deadline, with the exception of cars, which have a 25% tariff, and steel and aluminum which saw a doubling of the tariff to 50% on Wednesday .

"I'm trying to convince the US government, especially the president, that we should come to a solution. But this will take a while," Merz told DW.

"This is my takeaway from today: [Trump] is really willing to have an agreement ontradeand if we could achieve that within a foreseeable period of time, we would have achieved much more than former governments on both sides of the Atlantic did," Merz told DW.

"So this is a real great opportunity."

German Chancellor Merz said that in his meeting with Donald Trump, he reminded the US President that the two countries were "now together in the duty to put more pressure" onRussia to end its war in Ukraine.

Speaking to DW shortly after his talk with Trump, Merz said that he also reminded Trump that "America always was in charge globally to put pressure on those who are going to war."

Merz referenced D-Day, a historic event fromWorld War IIwhen American, British and Canadian Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy in Nazi-occupied France.

D-Day marked the first step in the Allied liberation of Europe and the defeat of Nazi Germany.

"It's the 6th of June tomorrow [Friday], so-called D-Day when the Americans invaded Europe to stop the war in Europe in 1944. This could be a similar historic situation, not with military actions, but with pressure on Russia to end this war," Merz said.

Asked whether he thought his reminder of the US' historic role would make a difference, Merz said he was "optimistic."

"But I'm not so optimistic to predict that this will now change overnight something on the territory of Ukraine."

After meeting with US President Trump in Washington, German Chancellor Merz said Trump had accepted an invitation to visit Germany.

Merz said that teams from the United States and Germany were already working on a date.

"We understood each other on a personal level. … We feel that we can talk with Trump very well," Merz said.

After having lunch with US President Donald Trump, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told journalists that they had avery good meetingand a good understanding of each other.

"I'm returning with the feeling that I've found in the American president someone I can speak with very well on a personal level," he said. "We have a lot in common, even in the different career paths we've taken between politics. That creates a certain bond."

Merz added that this meeting laid the groundwork for future talks with Trump at the G7 and NATO summits.

"We wanted to work closely together on economic terms between Germany and the US," he added.

He also compared the D-Day invasion during World War II to the war in Europe between Russia and Ukraine, reminding Trump of the role America had in ending tyranny in Europe

"We agree who started this war: Russia," Merz said.

Trump on more than one occasion has accused Ukraine of starting the warRussia launched in February 2022.

Overall, the German chancellor said that he was extremely "satisfied" with his visit to Washington.

"We will be intensifying the discussions. I am extraordinarily happy with the meeting we had.It was a good talk," he said.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser thatsupports HTML5 video

At the beginning of the bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz presented US President Donald Trump with a gold-framed copy of the historic birth certificate of the president's grandfather, Friedrich.

Friedrich Trump was born in 1869 in Kallstadt in the Palatinate region and later emigrated to the United States

Merz explained in English that his grandfather was born near the town of Bad Dürkheim.

Trump commented on the place name, repeating it and saying, "That's serious German." He expressed his delight with the gift, saying, "Fantastic!" Glancing around the Oval Office searchingly, he promised to hang it somewhere, which caused laughter.

The birth of Trump's grandfather was certified by Bavarian authorities, because the Palatinate region was part of the Kingdom of Bavaria at the time.

In a video posted on X, Merz explained that the Foreign Ministry had prepared the gift, which included an English translation. "Truly sensational!" he added in German.

The first meeting between US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House struck a very friendly tone, and avoided what some had feared would be an uncomfortable encounter, said DW's Washington DC bureau chief Ines Pohl reporting from the White House.

"All the fear that he [Merz] might be ambushed by this fireside, didn't happen. This meeting between the two was a huge success from the German perspective," she said.

"Merz performed very well, with fluent English and relaxed body language, especially towards the end," she said.

"He flatteredTrump(rightly so) as the man who is crucial to ending the war in Ukraine," she added.

"A good start for the fairly new German chancellor. How long the new friendship between the US and German leader will last, however, needs to be seen.We all must not forget how fast Donald Trump can change his mind," she said.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser thatsupports HTML5 video

As the press conference turned to Ukraine, Trump reiterated his claim that thewar in Ukraine"would have never happened" if he had been president.

Merz said he hoped the US and Germany could work together to bring the war to an end.

"I am here to talk about how we could contribute to that goal … we are looking for measures and instruments to bring this war to an end," Merz said.

After winning the German election, Merz had openly expressed doubt about the robustness of the trans-Atlantic alliance, saying that Germany and Europe are now facing a "real paradigm shift in foreign and security policy."

"May I remind you tomorrow is June 6, the D-day anniversary when the Americans once ended a war in Europe," Merz said to Trump at the White House.

"In the long run, this was the liberation of my country from Nazi dictatorship … We know what we owe you," Merz said.

"America is again in a very strong position to do something on ending this war, so let's talk about doing what we can," he added.

"We are looking for more pressure on Russia, we should talk about that," Merz said.

Since Trump took office, his overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putin, andcriticism ofUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has led to concern aboutUS commitment to European security.

"It's a bloodbath going on over there," Trump said, referring to Ukraine.

Maybe there will be "more fighting before they are able to be pulled apart," Trump said, comparing the war in Ukraine to children fighting on a schoolyard.

"If I see Russia's out of line, you'll see how tough …They like to say I am friends with Russia, I am not friends with anybody, I am friends with you," Trump said, gesturing to Merz.

"I want the right thing to happen for everybody," Trump said.

Merz said he agreed with Trump on ending the war quickly.

"I am for stopping killing … I think we both agree on how terrible this war is, we are both looking for ways to stop it very soon," Merz said.

"I told the president that he is the key person in the world who can do that by putting pressure on Russia," Merz added.

"I think we have the duty to do something on that now to stop it."

DW's Washington bureau chief, Ines Pohl, said that Chancellor Merz calling Trump the most important factor in pressuring Russia to end the war in Ukraine was a savvy attempt at flattery.

She added that waiting until after the cameras were rolling to discuss the details with Trump was a "smart" move by Merz.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser thatsupports HTML5 video

In the Oval Office, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and US President Donald Trump sat before cameras and shared pleasantries.

Trump congratulated Merz on his election victory, and Merz commented on the appearance of the Oval Office, to which Trump replied, "we like things to be tippy top like they have in Germany."

When Trump was asked what he expects from the US relationship with Germany, Trump said that he and Merz had a good working relationship.

"He is a very good man to deal with, he is difficult , but he is a very great representative of Germany."

"All we want is to have a good relationship. We will have a good trade deal," Trump said, adding that any deal on trade would also be up to the European Union.

When asked in German, what his thoughts of the meeting were, Merz said, "I want to thank the president for the very friendly reception in the Oval Office, I am very glad to be here, and we are paving the way for closer cooperation, I hope," Merz said, before continuing in English.

"You speak such good English … it is an achievement," Trump said, complementing the German chancellor.

Trump continues to field questions from the press covering everything from China, Elon Musk, and his crackdown on student visas.

German ChancellorFriedrich Merzarrived at the White House for a meeting with US PresidentDonald Trump.

Trump greeted Merz at the door, and the two leaders shook hands. Then, the US president led the German chancellor inside.

The two leaders are scheduled to meet for 40 minutes in the Oval Office, after which they will have lunch.

According to a long-standing tradition, everyone who stays overnight at Blair House, the US President's guest house, leaves a book there.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who stayed overnight at Blair House after his arrival in Washington, also adhered to the tradition.

According to a government spokesperson, he brought a collection of letters from German immigrants published by Walter Kamphoefner in 1988 under the title "News from the Land of Freedom. German Immigrants write home."

The collected letters come from farmers, workers and domestic servants from the period between 1830 and 1900.

There appears to have been a last minute change to the visit schedule between US PresidentDonald Trumpand German ChancellorFriedrich Merz.

The New York Timesreported that the meeting in the Oval Office has been shifted to before the working lunch.

German officials had expected the working lunch first where any differences could be ironed out, before facing the global media, the newspaper reported.

Trump's meeting with Merz in front of the press is now due to take place at 11:30 a.m. local time (5:30 p.m. German time).

Its not immediately clear why the schedule has been changed at this stage.

Germany's new ChancellorFriedrich Merzhas said he is ready to discuss German domestic issues with US PresidentDonald Trumpduring their first meeting at the White House.

"If we also talk about German domestic policy, we are welcome to do so," he said ahead of the meeting.

"However, I will also be very clear about my opinion, if necessary," Merz added.

But he also stressed that Germany does not interfere or comment when it comes to American domestic politics.

Meanwhile, the Associated Press news agency quoted a White House official as saying that Trump would likely raise issues such as German defense spending, trade, Ukraine, and what an official called "democratic backsliding" at the meeting.

The anonymous source explained that the Trump administration believes freedom of expression has deteriorated in Germany. This position wasmade clear during a speechby Vice President JD Vance during his address at the Munich Security Conference in February.

According to a press statement from the chancellor's office, Merz said that he wants to thank Trump first for the invitation and then present him with a small gift.

The German chancellor is prepared to talk aboutthe war in Ukraineand ways Berlin and Washington can work together to end it.

Merz also said that he and Trump will also have to discuss trade policy. "Germany is one of America's largest investors. Few countries invest more in the US than Germany does," he added.

The statement also outlined NATO as another topic of discussion.

"We've amended the German Basic Law. Now, we can truly make the necessary expenditures to strengthen the Bundeswehr," he said in the statement, adding that Germany's goal is to have thestrongest conventional army in Europe.

"However, I still don't expect any breakthroughs on the three major issues mentioned," the German chancellor said.

ChancellorFriedrich Merzisset to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington for talksthat are likely to call on the new German leader to exert his diplomatic skills to the maximum amid differences overthe conflict in Ukraineandtrade tariffs.

Ahead of the meeting, Merz's spokesman said that the chancellor was, however, looking ahead to his first in-person meeting with Trump "with great calmness and joy."

"Germany is the third largest economy in the world, and we have a lot to offer as an economic partner of the USA," Stefan Kornelius said.

"At the same time, a very constructive and positive relationship with America is very important to us, for our own economy and for the security of Germany and Europe."

The fact that both Trump and Merz are keen golf players and have business backgrounds might also go some way toward creating a good atmosphere despite the weightiness of the topics on the agenda. They are also on first name terms after several phone calls, Kornelius said.

Another thorny issue that might raise its head is the support of many in Trump's circle for the far-right German partyAlternative for Germany (AfD), with some of themcriticizing the fact that it has been declared "right-wing extremist" by Germany's domestic intelligence agencyas a blow to free speech.

At the time, Merz described these criticisms as "absurd observations" from Washington and said he "would like to encourage the American government … to largely stay out of" German domestic politics.

But even in view of such possibly explosive discussions, Merz quipped in a recent interview with public broadcaster ZDF that he would not need to take valerian — often prescribed to treat anxiety — "to stay calm and have a reasonable conversation with the American president."

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser thatsupports HTML5 video