The Alpine state makes arms that Western allies want to send to Kyiv. Swiss law bans this, driving a national debate about whether its concept of neutrality should change.
Tag Archives: Germany
Gunman Kills 6 in Shooting at Jehovah’s Witness Hall in Germany
The authorities in Hamburg said the attacker, who was believed to have killed himself after police officers arrived at the scene, appeared to have been driven by anger at religious groups.
Several Dead After Mass Shooting in Hamburg, Germany
A police spokesman said there were no indications that a shooter remained at large in the attack, on a Jehovah’s Witness hall in Hamburg.
Biden and Germany’s Scholz Meet Amid Concerns Over Ukraine and China
President Biden said he and Germany’s chancellor, Olaf Scholz, would work in “lock step” to provide military support to Ukraine.
Germany’s Scholz Visits Washington Amid Worries Over Ukraine War
Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrives Friday for a quiet working visit with President Biden, sparking speculation that they will discuss tough questions on how to end the war.
At U.S. Base in Germany, Ukraine’s Military Conducts War Games
The exercises come as Ukraine is emerging from a winter that was expected to offer a lull in fighting. Ukraine’s president appeared to signal recently that the country is preparing for a major offensive.
Europe Struggles to Find Leopard 2 Tanks for Ukraine
The struggle to deliver on promises to provide Leopard 2 tanks for use against Russian forces has exposed just how unprepared European militaries are.
In Ukraine War, Talking About Peace Is a Fight of Its Own
Russia and the West have argued for months about which side is more willing to negotiate, with the world as an audience.
What I’m Watching, Weimar Noir Edition
“Babylon Berlin” is the TV show I can’t stop thinking about.
China’s Leading Electric Carmaker Has Arrived in Germany
BYD is a powerhouse in China and sells the most electric vehicles of any company in the world. Now it has a plan to attract buyers in Europe’s largest economy.
Germany raises red flags about Palantir’s big data dragnet
Enlarge / German police officers sit in their vehicle at the Neuenburg junction of the A5 motorway and observe the traffic from France. (credit: Philipp von Ditfurth/Getty Images)
Britta Eder’s list of phone contacts is full of people the German state considers to be criminals. As a defense lawyer in Hamburg, her client list includes anti-fascists, people who campaign against nuclear power, and members of the PKK, a banned militant Kurdish nationalist organization.
For her clients’ sake, she’s used to being cautious on the phone. “When I talk on the phone I always think, maybe I’m not alone,” she says. That self-consciousness even extends to phone calls with her mother.
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Western Leaders Pledge Support for Ukraine at Munich Security Conference
As Russia’s invasion approaches its second year with no end in sight, Ukraine’s supporters faced lingering questions at the Munich Security Conference about how long their resolve will last.
A Russian Mole in Germany Sows Suspicions at Home, and Beyond
A director at Germany’s spy service was picked up on suspicion of passing intelligence to Russia. German officials and allies worry just how deep the problem goes.
Grieving Turkish Diaspora Rallies to Support Turkey Earthquake Victims
In Melbourne, Australia, dozens of volunteers in the parking lot behind a halal butcher shop packed three shipping containers with cardboard boxes full of new tents, blankets and sleeping bags.
Germany Has a Problem
A reckoning with the far right is long overdue.
What Weapons Is Ukraine Getting, and Will They Arrive in Time?
Kyiv has been promised scores of tanks and other armor, and the longest range munitions yet. But with a looming Russian offensive, a race is on to get the matériel to the battlefield.
Who Is Olaf Scholz, the Man Leading Germany?
Chancellor Olaf Scholz is something of an enigma.
These Extinct Elephants Were Neanderthals’ ‘Biggest Calorie Bombs’
A study of butchered bones from 125,000 years ago offers what researchers call “the first clear-cut evidence of elephant-hunting in human evolution.”
#GermanyRIP. Kremlin-loyal hacktivists wage DDoSes to retaliate for tank aid
Enlarge / An iteration of what happens when your site gets shut down by a DDoS attack.
Threat actors loyal to the Kremlin have stepped up attacks in support of its invasion of Ukraine, with denial-of-service attacks hitting German banks and other organizations and the unleashing of a new destructive data wiper on Ukraine.
Germany’s BSI agency, which monitors cybersecurity in that country, said the attacks caused small outages but ultimately did little damage.
“Currently, some websites are not accessible,” the BSI said in a statement to news agencies. “There are currently no indications of direct effects on the respective service and, according to the BSI’s assessment, these are not to be expected if the usual protective measures are taken.”
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Ukraine War Accelerates Shift of Power in Europe to the East
The war has raised the influence of Central and Eastern European countries with negative views of Russia, amplified calls to expand the E.U. and NATO, and dimmed the power of France and Germany.
Germany and U.S. Pledge to Send Battle Tanks to Ukraine
Although welcomed by Kyiv as a critical weapon to expel Russia’s invasion, the Leopard 2 tanks from Germany and Abrams tanks from the United States are unlikely to arrive soon.
What to Know About Western Tanks Going to Ukraine
Western allies have pledged to send at least 105 tanks, far less than Ukraine says it needs, and it may be months before they join the battle.
U.S. Plans to Send Abrams Tanks to Ukraine, Officials Say
The Biden administration had resisted sending tanks, which Ukraine says it needs, but the move is seen as likely to push Germany to approve the transfer of its own tanks.
Germany Says It Will Make a Decision Soon on Sending Leopard 2 Tanks to Ukraine
Kyiv has been pleading for months for hundreds of modern battle tanks to reinforce its battered Soviet-era fleet.
Can Germany Be a Great Military Power Again?
Leery of Russian aggression, Europe’s economic giant is making a historic attempt to revitalize its armed forces. It has a long way to go.
Zelensky Urges Ukrainians to Remain Unified
On a day meant to mark the unification of Ukraine in 1919, the country’s leader said it was vital for Ukrainians of all regions to bind together.
Germany’s Reluctance on Tanks Stems From Its History and Its Politics
A post-Nazi aversion to war and a commitment to promoting peace through engagement combines with an old fixation on Russia and a deep aversion to leading militarily.
A Brutal New Phase of the War in Ukraine
The job at hand is to persuade Russia that a negotiated peace is the only option.
Despite German Reluctance, Ukraine Expresses Optimism About Receiving Tanks
Even as frustration mounts over what some see as Germany’s indecision on sending Leopard 2s to Ukraine, a Kyiv official says his country’s soldiers will begin training on them.
The NATO Alliance Is Holding Strong on Ukraine. But Fractures Are Emerging.
The allies differ on strategy for the coming year and the more immediate question of what Ukraine needs ahead of a major offensive in the spring.
Ukraine’s Allies Fail to Agree on Sending German-Made Leopard Tanks
Officials tried to play down the rift. But Germany is still insisting it will not be the country to take the first step alone, for fear of incurring Moscow’s wrath.
Ukraine’s Allies Pledge to Send Major Infusion of Military Aid
As representatives from dozens of countries prepared to attend a war-planning meeting in Germany, the talk was of missiles, air defense and — above all — tanks.
The Debate Over Sending Tanks to Ukraine
Western nations are amping up offensive military power for Ukraine in almost every category except the one Kyiv says it needs the most. Here’s why.
At Wartime Davos Forum, Calls for European Unity Are Eased by Relief
“Our energy supply for this winter is secure,” Germany’s chancellor declared as government and business leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum.
Untested German Defense Minister Has Allies Watching Closely
Boris Pistorius, the new defense minister, is seen as a skilled politician but, entering a world stage on which Ukraine is at war, he may pose a risk for Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Christine Lambrecht Resigns as Germany’s Defense Minister
Christine Lambrecht was a frequent target of criticism, including over German caution on military aid to Ukraine. Chancellor Olaf Scholz had backed her strongly, and may find her hard to replace.
German Village at Center of a Fight Over Coal and Climate Is Cleared Out
For years, activists tried to save tiny Lützerath from being razed to make way for the expansion of an open-pit coal mine. This past week, the police moved them out.
Western Tanks Appear Headed to Ukraine, Breaking Another Taboo
The West has sent an array of weapons once seen as too provocative, and it looks like tanks will be next. With a new Russian offensive expected, officials see an urgent need to shift the balance.
New Armored Vehicles Will Help Ukraine Take the Fight to Russia
The Western allies’ provision of infantry fighting vehicles signals their support for new offensives in coming months, analysts said.
Germany reminds Musk that removing disinformation from Twitter is a must
Twitter CEO Elon Musk continues to deal with intense scrutiny of how his social media platform will fight disinformation with its reduced staff. Early in 2023, Musk met with Germany’s digital minister, Volker Wissing, in California to discuss whether Twitter would “voluntarily comply” with an agreement Twitter previously made with the European Commission to combat disinformation.
A ministry spokesperson described the meeting as “a very open and long talk” that ended with Musk assuring Wissing that Twitter wouldn’t back down from the disinformation fight. Politico reported in December that part of Twitter’s agreement with the commission involves preventing users from profiting from misinformation, labeling political ads, and making data available to researchers.
Ars could not immediately reach Twitter for comment. A ministry spokesperson told Ars that “in his talks with Elon Musk, Federal Minister Wissing made it clear, among other things, that Germany expects the existing voluntary commitments against disinformation and the rules of the Digital Services Act to be observed in the future.”
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Putin Calls a 36-Hour Cease-Fire, but Ukraine and U.S. Are Skeptical
The cease-fire would coincide with the Eastern Orthodox Christmas on Saturday, but Kremlin adversaries and some analysts call it a ploy for military and political advantage.
Some European Nations See Warmest Start to the Year Ever Measured
Countries across the continent saw the warmest start to the year ever measured. The weather has forced ski resorts to close trails, with sparser than usual snow cover.
Benedict’s Death Leaves Catholic Conservatives Bereft
Even after his resignation as pope, traditionalists invoked Benedict’s name and sought to draw him into internecine ideological wars. Now he is gone.
Climate Activists Find a Way to Get Germany’s Attention: Stop Traffic
Extreme tactics have pushed the climate crisis to the top of the public discourse but also stirred debate over whether the activists are going too far.
Mixed Emotions in Germany at Benedict XVI’s Death
He was the first German pope in over 400 years, but his legacy is marred by failures at handling sexual abuse scandals when he served in southern Germany.
A Bittersweet First Year for Germany’s New Chancellor
Olaf Scholz came to power with a mandate for domestic renewal. Instead, he was forced to upend his country’s traditional stance on war and foreign policy.
Investigating the Nord Stream Pipeline Sabotage
As investigators piece together clues, Russia has quietly taken steps to begin expensive repairs on the giant gas pipeline, complicating theories about who was behind September’s sabotage.
Germany’s Energy Crisis Is a Cue to Chop Wood and Stock Up
The high cost of natural gas and electricity is prompting many to prepare for outages and shortages. For some, it’s been a way of life for years.
At German Christmas Markets, Smiles Shine Bright but Budgets Are Tight
In Nuremberg, the stalls are open without Covid restrictions, and big crowds are returning to sip mulled wine and socialize. But amid economic uncertainty, visitors are spending less.
Exploring the World in Miniature: A Model Train Lover’s Paradise in Hamburg
With some 53,000 feet of train track, the world’s largest model airport and an array of meticulously scaled-town cities, Miniatur Wunderland captivates all who enter its life-size doors.