Berlin nonetheless shivering amid energy outage – DW

[ad_1] Skip next section This year will be 'decisive' for security, German foreign minister says 01/05/2026 January 5, 2026 This 12 months might be 'decisive' for safety, German overseas minister says 2026 is a "decisive" 12 months for European safety, German Overseas Minister Johann Wadephul says .

His remark got here throughout a visit to Lithuania — his first journey of the 12 months — chosen as a present of solidarity with certainly one of NATO's jap flank members, the place the menace posed by Russia to the alliance is palpable.

Germany has been setting up a permanent brigade there , a historic first for the Bundeswehr. It's anticipated to be prepared by 2027.

Wadephul restated German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's phrase that " Vilnius' safety is Berlin's safety" and harassed the "want for Europe to point out Russia that we're able to defending ourselves."

However there are additionally fears that European safety is being examined from the opposite facet, with Donald Trump saying the US "has to have" Greenland for its personal safety.

Wadephul was clear that Greenland is a part of Denmark and thus a part of NATO at a press convention within the Lithuanian capital, the place the US actions in Venezuela over the weekend took heart stage. Wadephul's counterpart Kestutis Budrys additionally expressed solidarity with Denmark.

Protection and sovereignty may even been on the agenda at Tuesday's "Coalition of the Keen" assembly in Paris the place European leaders will talk about the subsequent steps in help of Ukraine.

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Skip next section Police find license plates with possible link to Christmas bank heist 01/05/2026 January 5, 2026 Police discover license plates with doable hyperlink to Christmas financial institution heist

One of many photographs of the suspected getaway automobiles launched by German police Picture: Police Gelsenkirchen/AFP German police within the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia consider they might have discovered the license plates belonging to the getaway automobiles used in an audacious bank heist at the end of last year .

The theft — one of three that happened in the same state over several days — noticed people break right into a Sparkasse financial institution within the city of Buer, near town of Gelsenkirchen, and make off with thousands and thousands of euros taken from security deposit packing containers.

The incident befell over the Christmas holidays whereas the financial institution department was closed, so the precise timing continues to be unclear and investigators consider the theft could have occurred over a number of days.

It wasn't till December 29 that police found a big gap drilled into the banks' vault the place 3,250 security deposit packing containers had been opened and emptied.

Safety footage from an adjoining parking storage confirmed three people sporting black balaclavas. Police have launched photographs of a black Audi RS 6 and a white Mercedes Citan van believed to be the getaway autos.

Each autos had been fitted with pretend license plates. Nonetheless, police now say {that a} 27-year-old man has come ahead after discovering two license plates that had been deserted exterior Dortmund railway station on Sunday.

Police consider these often is the authentic plates and are probing their authenticity.

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Skip next section Germany to host North Sea wind energy summit 01/05/2026 January 5, 2026 Germany to host North Sea wind vitality summit

Quite a few wind farms, like this one near the German island of Rügen within the Baltic, have already been constructed Picture: Fred Tanneau/AFP/Getty Photos German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is ready to host leaders from a number of neighboring international locations within the northern German metropolis of Hamburg on January 26 for a summit on increasing wind farms within the North Sea .

Leaders from Belgium, Denmark, France, Britain, Eire, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Norway have been invited to what would be the third summit of this kind.

Representatives from the EU in addition to Iceland and NATO are anticipated to additionally be part of.

Following on from the 2023 summit held in Belgium, this 12 months's occasion goals to push forward with the growth of offshore wind vitality parks with interconnected infrastructure to permit for cross-border electrical energy buying and selling and transport.

The purpose is to show the North Sea into the "inexperienced energy station" of Europe.

Nonetheless, two German wind energy areas put up for tender in August haven't but acquired a single bid. Companies have argued that the dangers are too excessive.

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Skip next section Germany condemns Medvedev comments on abducting Chancellor Merz 01/05/2026 January 5, 2026 Germany condemns Medvedev feedback on abducting Chancellor Merz

Germany strongly condemned claims made by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev , who recommended Chancellor Friedrich Merz may be kidnapped in the same type to the US seize of Venezuelan chief Nicolas Maduro .

"We condemn such threats within the strongest doable phrases," deputy authorities spokesman Sebastian Hille stated in Berlin.

In accordance with Hille, the officers safeguarding Merz's safety are "among the many greatest on the planet," and the German authorities doesn't suppose there's a want to extend safety preparations across the German chief.

Medvedev gave Merz for example of a world chief that may very well be kidnapped in a similar way to Maduro.

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Skip next section NATO could discuss protecting Greenland, says German FM 01/05/2026 January 5, 2026 NATO might talk about defending Greenland, says German FM

German Overseas Minister Johann Wadephul has responded to renewed threats by US President Donald Trump to take over Greenland by as an alternative suggesting that NATO might talk about what extra safety and safety may be obligatory for the Danish territory.

Talking to reporters in Lithuania, Wadephul stated that "since Denmark is a member of NATO, Greenland will, in precept, even be topic to NATO protection."

"If there are additional necessities to strengthen protection efforts with regard to Greenland, then we must talk about this collectively throughout the framework of the alliance," Wadephul stated.

Trump has typically cited perceived protection shortfalls as a motive for his want for the US to take management of the massive Arctic island. He reiterated the feedback in an interview with The Atlantic revealed on Sunday, saying: "We do want Greenland, completely. We'd like it for protection."

Whereas opinion polls recommend a slender majority of Greenlanders may help independence for the island from Denmark, no less than in some unspecified time in the future sooner or later, in addition they level to a a lot clearer majority opposing the prospect of turning into a US territory.

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Skip next section Just 1 in 5 in Germany uses AI regularly at work 01/05/2026 January 5, 2026 Simply 1 in 5 in Germany makes use of AI usually at work

Though nearly two-thirds of staff in Germany have already used artificial intelligence (AI) instruments for his or her work, most of them solely often make use of the trendy expertise, a research has proven.

AI was used frequently at work solely by one in 5 staff, in line with the research carried out by the Munich-based ifo Institute together with different analysis our bodies.

Only a third of AI customers had entry to such instruments by way of their employers, with the opposite two-thirds turning to them at their very own initiative, stated Oliver Schlenker, the deputy head of the Ludwig Erhard ifo Heart for Social Market Economic system.

However Schlenker stated staff had reported that when corporations did present AI providers, it was accompanied by the next frequency of use, extra gives of additional coaching and better manufacturing charges.

If corporations do make use of AI, it probably entails extra complicated and costly functions of the expertise, akin to diagnostic instruments and language or picture processing, the research exhibits.

Nonetheless, simply accessible textual content instruments akin to ChatGPT or translation apps have been the preferred, being employed by 80% of AI customers.

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Skip next section Burning smell causes unscheduled landing in Munich 01/05/2026 January 5, 2026 Burning odor causes unscheduled touchdown in Munich

Munich Airport is the second-busiest in Germany Picture: Sven Hoppe/dpa/image alliance An Air France plane flying to Paris from the Lebanese capital, Beirut , landed within the southern German metropolis of Munich on Sunday night after a odor of burning was detected on board, an airport spokesman stated on Monday.

He stated there have been no accidents and that the airplane was capable of roll to its parking place beneath its personal energy after touching down at 8:19 p.m. (1919 GMT).

The reason for the burning odor was not instantly clear.

The plane was nonetheless in Munich as of Monday morning, with the spokesman saying that the airline would now maintain the matter.

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Skip next section Thousands of Berlin residents remain without power as snow covers capital 01/05/2026 January 5, 2026 Hundreds of Berlin residents stay with out energy as snow covers capital

Hundreds of residents in southwest Berlin are still without electricity and heating amid freezing temperatures after a weekend attack on a cable bridge caused a power outage.

Some 14,000 of the some 45,000 households initially affected have had their energy restored, however supplier Stromnetz Berlin stated it'd take till Thursday for full protection to return.

Some colleges and kindergartens within the space remained closed on what's the first faculty day after the Christmas holidays.

Hospitals used emergency turbines to be capable of proceed operations and have since seen their energy restored, however many care houses stay affected.

Assist organizations and the fireplace brigade have arrange shelters for these in want.

Some 2,200 companies have been additionally hit, of which some 500 are again on the grid.

Authorities have stated a letter of duty posted on-line following the assault seems to be genuine.

A left-wing group that calls itself the Vulkangruppe (Volcano Group) stated within the letter that the purpose of the assault was to focus on the fossil gas trade.

It stated the assault "resulted in energy outages within the extra prosperous districts of Wannsee, Zehlendorf and Nikolassee."

"We apologize to the much less prosperous residents of southwest Berlin," the letter added.

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Skip next section Alcohol in Germany comes cheap 01/05/2026 January 5, 2026 Alcohol in Germany comes low cost

Alcohol drinkers get off comparatively cheaply in Germany Picture: picture-alliance/imageBroker Alchoholic drinks are cheaper in Germany than another EU nation besides Italy , figures from the Federal Statistical Workplace (Destatis) launched on Monday for " Dry January " present.

In October 2025, alcohol costs in Germany have been 14% under the EU common, with solely these in Italy being decrease, at 19% under the typical.

Finland had by far the very best costs, with alcoholic drinks costing 110% greater than the EU common.

The speed of alcohol consumption in Germany stays excessive, with 11.2 liters (0.32 gallons) of pure alcohol drunk per individual aged 15 or extra in 2022, in line with the World Well being Group.

This is, however, a drop from the 12.1 liters per individual consumed 10 years earlier, and put Germany in ninth place in an inventory of the heaviest drinkers within the EU in 2022, together with France and Portugal.

Heading that checklist by far was Romania, with a per capita annual consumption of 17.1 liters of pure alcohol.

However whereas Germany could also be one of many least expensive locations within the EU to purchase alcoholic drinks, that's not the case for tender drinks, which price 2% above the EU common.

This nonetheless compares fairly favorably with Latvia, which has a excessive sugar tax and the place nonalcoholic drinks are an entire 46% over the EU common.

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Skip next section Wadephul in Lithuania to talk Ukraine 01/05/2026 January 5, 2026 Wadephul in Lithuania to speak Ukraine

German Overseas Minister Johann Wadephul is kicking off his schedule of official journeys in 2026 on Monday with a go to to NATO and EU accomplice Lithuania .

Talking earlier than his departure, Wadephul stated Europe needed to "meet the menace posed by Russia with agency European solidarity."

He stated it was very important "that we're ready to defend ourselves and our freedom extra independently."

Each Germany and Lithuania are in settlement that solely resolute motion would assist deter Russia from its current course of constant escalation, Wadephul stated.

He stated the German authorities was working along with Lithuania and different NATO companions and EU member states to this finish, together with by stepping up patrols over the Baltic Sea, being extra alert and investing in additional sturdy infrastructure.

In accordance with Wadephul, each Germany and Lithuania are united by their decided help for Ukraine, "notably throughout this presumably decisive section of worldwide efforts to finish Russia's warfare of aggression."

Throughout his go to to Vilnius, Wadephul is scheduled to carry talks with Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene and Overseas Minister Kestutis Budrys on Ukraine, the protection of NATO's jap flank and the struggle towards hybrid threats akin to cyberattacks and disinformation.

Wadephul additionally intends to go to the forty fifth Panzer (Tank) Brigade of the German Bundeswehr in Nemencine close to Vilnius, which has been deployed to NATO's jap flank to assist counter the specter of Russian territorial aggression.

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Skip next section Solar power on the up in Germany 01/05/2026 January 5, 2026 Solar energy on the up in Germany

Solar energy in Germany generated 18% of domestic electricity production in 2025, up from 14% in 2024, the German Photo voltaic Trade Affiliation (BSW) stated on Monday.

Photovoltaic energy thus accounted for extra electrical energy than lignite-fired vegetation, which generated some 14%, and pure fuel, which accounted for 16%, the affiliation stated.

The figures are based mostly on information from the Fraunhofer Institute for Photo voltaic Vitality Techniques.

Germany's largest supply of electrical energy remained wind energy, which accounted for 27% of home manufacturing.

In 2025, the 5.5 million put in photovoltaic methods in Germany produced a file some 87 terawatt hours of electrical energy, 15 terawatt hours greater than in 2024, in line with preliminary annual figures.

Nonetheless, the BSW stated that regardless of the rise in solar energy manufacturing, the speed of progress within the sector in Germany in 2025 was inadequate for the nation to satisfy its legally binding targets for 2030.

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Skip next section Welcome to our coverage 01/05/2026 January 5, 2026 Welcome to our protection Guten Tag from the DW newsroom in Bonn!

As a chilly, wintry spell continues to grip Germany, all sympathies should go to the numerous Berlin residents who're nonetheless without power two days after a suspected arson assault on a cable bridge.

In higher electrical energy information, photo voltaic vitality manufacturing is on the rise — however nonetheless extra is required if Germany is to achieve legally binding local weather targets.

And as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine , Germany's overseas minister, Johann Wadephul, is to debate help for Kyiv and methods of combating Moscow's hybrid warfare with officers in Lithuania.