Germany updates: Weather service issues heat warnings – DW – 08/13/2025
The German Weather Service has warned of intense heat affecting northern Germany, while much of the rest of the country is also experiencing sweltering temperatures.
Highs of around 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) are forecasted in some places.
Meanwhile, new data from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) shows consumer prices in Germany increased by 2.0% compared to the same month last year.Germany is in the grip of a summer heatwave, with temperatures well above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) across much of the country.
The German Weather Service (DWD) expects highs of up to 37 degrees today, with only the northern coast seeing slightly cooler conditions. Thursday could be even hotter, with temperatures possibly reaching 38 degrees.
On Tuesday, the southwest state of Baden-Württemberg recorded one of the highest temperatures so far, 35.4 degrees near the French border.
The DWD has issued warnings about "intense heat" moving into northern Germany today and spreading eastward tomorrow.
Germany still has it better than other parts of Europe, where temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius were expected.
On Tuesday, temperatures in Spain reached 44 degrees in some regions.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz has begun curbing irregular immigration and shaping foreign policy, but cracks are also appearing in his coalition government.
August 13 marks the 100th day of his chancellorship, which began chaotically when he needed a second Bundestag vote to secure his position.
Lately, he is facing criticism over his decision to suspend arms deliveries to Israel that could be used in Gaza.
DW's Jens Thurau takes a look at theGerman chancellor's bumpy honeymoon period.
Inflation in Germany stayed at 2.0% in July, compared to the same month last year.
Data from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) shows prices rose by 0.3% from July.
"The rate of inflation has stabilised since the start of the year and remained unchanged again for two consecutive months," Destatis President Ruth Brand said.
She said falling energy prices helped to keep inflation in check.
However, prices for services, like rent, travel, and personal care,are still rising faster than average, which is pushing inflation up.
from Bonn, where it is going to be hot, hot, today. The German Weather Service has issued heat warnings for large parts of the country.
The federal government is feeling a different kind of heat. As Chancellor Friedrich Merz reaches his 100th day in office, political analysts are beginning to evaluate his initial performance.
On the economic front, Germany, Europe's largest economy, has released new data. We will examine these figures and other developments in today's blog.
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EU plan to penalize Israel still stalled amid famine warning – DW – 08/13/2025
A proposal to restrict Israeli access to some EU funds over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is going nowhere for now. Germany is among those blocking the move. Two weeks after the European Commission laid out a plan to impose first-of-their-kind penalties on Israel, the proposal remains stalled due to disagreements among the bloc's members. Germany is among the hold-outs asking for more time to review, European Union (EU) diplomats told DW. Without Berlin's backing, the plan is unlikely to advance. "Humanitarian suffering in Gaza has reached unimaginable levels, with famine unfolding before our eyes," the EU's executive warned on Tuesday. In a bid to pressure Israel to change course, it proposed barring Israeli startups from accessing part of a pot of EU research funding known as "Horizon Europe" in late July. That marked a shift in the EU's approach: the first time the bloc moved to back a year and a half of critical words with action. "With its intervention in the Gaza Strip and the ensuing humanitarian catastrophe, including thousands of civilian deaths and rapidly rising numbers of spreading extreme malnutrition specifically of children, Israel is violating human rights and humanitarian law and thus is in breach of an essential principle of the EU-Israel cooperation," the European Commission wrote in its proposal on July 28. Belgium's foreign minister Maxime Prevot had floated August 13 as a possible date for adoption if consensus was reached, but EU sources told DW there was little shift in positions at a virtual meeting of EU ministers on Monday. That means for now, there's no green light. To kick in, the EU plan needs support from a so-called qualified majority of the bloc's 27 member states, a system under which more populous countries' views carry most weight. Israel's foreign ministry called Brussels' proposal to restrict funds "regrettable," and claimed any such punitive measures would only serve to "strengthen Hamas" — something the bloc refutes. The stall in EU action has drawn outrage from campaigners and human rights watchdogs, which have long accused the bloc of failing to use potential leverage. "The fact that the EU cannot even agree on the smallest step is a disgrace. The bar is on the floor, and yet the EU and some EU countries are still managing to trip over it," Oxfam's Bushra Khalidi told DW. The internal divisions keeping action on pause are nothing new. Ever since the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, the bloc has been united in its condemnation of the militant group — classed as a terrorist organization by the EU — and in its call for the release of Israeli hostages. But that's where the unity ends. Every word in every statement on Europe's ties with Israel has been fiercely debated ever since. The schism among EU members now centers on whether and how to respond to an EU review which found Israeli actions in Gaza — from restricting aid entry to targeting journalists — likely amount to a breach of the deal that governs EU-Israel trade and ties. In a leaked letter seen by DW, Israel blasted the EU investigation as a "moral and methodological failure" based on biased evidence, but the bloc sticks by its findings. Now Spain, often seen as a fierce critic of the Israeli government, is calling for the entire EU-Israel pact to be suspended. Other EU members including the Netherlands and Sweden — traditionally seen as less critical of Israel — want to freeze the trade element of the deal. The move would make it more difficult and expensive for Israeli firms to export to the EU, Israel's top trading partner. Germany on the other hand views itself as having a historic responsibility toward Israeli security, due to its Nazi past and its systemic murder of six million Jews during the Holocaust. Though Berlin is holding out on the first EU-level measures, Chancellor Merz announced last week that Germany would halt exports of arms "that can be used in the Gaza Strip"by Israeli forces, signalling a shift in tone. The EU says its priority is get aid flowing into Gaza in the face of a deepening humanitarian crisis — and after threatening sanctions, the bloc announced what appeared to be a breakthrough last month. "Significant steps have been agreed by Israel to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip," EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas said a July 10 statement on the so-called "common understanding" — which Germany also helped broker. But weeks on, many EU capitals say this falls far short. With proposals for action caught in institutional deadlock, EU officials continue their words of condemnation. "I call for the immediate release of all Israeli hostages by Hamas & Islamic Jihad," EU crisis management chief Hadja Lahbib said on August 3, adding that she also calls "on Israel to end its starvation of Gaza and to allow for an effective delivery of humanitarian aid at scale."
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13 hours ago
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What Ukrainians expect of the Putin-Trump summit – DW – 08/13/2025
Are Ukrainian experts and politicians optimistic about the upcoming talks between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska? Or do they doubt there will be a real breakthrough? Soon after the August 15 meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska was announced, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy put out a video warning against excluding his country from the talks: "Any decisions made against us, any decisions made without Ukraine, are decisions made against peace. They will not work." Many Ukrainians share this view, according to a survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) in late July and early August. "Ukrainians remain open to negotiations and making difficult decisions," Anton Hruschezkyj of KIIS told DW. "The absolute majority, however, continues to reject demands for [Ukrainian] surrender." According to the survey, 76% of Ukrainians reject Russia's "peace plan" and the idea of making concessions to Russia. At the same time, 49% oppose the US peace plan that entails security guarantees for Ukraine from European countries but not from the US, recognizes Crimea as part of the Russian Federation, maintains Russian control over Ukraine's occupied territories, and lifts sanctions against Russia. Ukrainians do not rule out that the upcoming negotiations between Putin and Trump, which will not have Ukrainian or European representatives present, will be aimed at forcing Ukraine to capitulate. "The Russians never changed their negotiating stance and will not do so as long as they do not suffer serious military and political defeats," Volodymyr Horbach of the Ukrainian Institute for Northern Eurasia Transformation (INET) told DW. The fact that Trump is talking to Putin without first pressuring Russia to change its stance shows that this approach is doomed to failure, Horbach says. "The Russians will stick to their position and want to offer a ceasefire in return for Ukraine's de facto surrender, in other words, fulfilling Russian demands. So calling this concessions is very naive," Horbach said. The analyst does not regard the upcoming Putin-Trump talks as a disaster, but says they signal an "alarming trend" as Trump is "legitimizing Russian war criminal Vladimir Putin, which is unacceptable to Ukraine and Europe." Horbach said he sees "no possibility of implementing any real, practical outcomes of these negotiations in the context of the Ukrainian-Russian war. The proposals that Putin may make will satisfy neither Ukraine nor the European Union." He added that "Trump will have to maneuver, he will not be able to force Ukraine and its European partners to accept Putin's terms." Ukraine was in a similar situation in March 2025, says Dmytro Levus, who heads the Ukrainian Meridian Social Research Center. At the time, Donald Trump believed that the war could be quickly ended by negotiating with Russia and enforcing a peace agreement based on Ukraine's surrender. Lifting sanctions on Russia, however, proved impossible, as most of them had been imposed by the Europeans, Levus said. He believes that after this Alaska meeting, the US and Russia will once again have to face reality — Ukrainian forces continue defending their country and Ukrainian's European partners will not unconditionally accept and implement any deal agreed between Putin and Trump. "Ukraine's position, as stated by Zelenskyy, is clear and correct: the [Ukrainian] constitution does not allow for the ceding of [Ukrainian] territory," Levus told DW. "That is why I do not expect anything meaningful to come out of the Alaska meeting." Iryna Herashchenko, one of the leaders of Ukraine's opposition European Solidarity Party, says the Putin-Trump meeting represents a challenge for the entire international security system. She explains that it would signal to the whole world that violence can go unpunished if Russia, the aggressor, is rewarded for its attack on Ukraine, for annexing parts of the country and for committing war crimes. That is why Herashchenko says recognizing Russian occupation is a red line that must not be crossed. "This would pave the way for new wars, not only in our region," Herashchenko said on Telegram. "That is why all negotiations should be conducted with the participation of Ukraine and the EU, with strict security guarantees, international monitoring, and provisions for sanctions." Anything else would not bring peace, but only lead to new war. Danylo Hetmantsev of Ukraine's rulingServant of the People party takes a more positive view of the upcoming talks, saying the summit will finally reveal Russia's stance. "If there are once again attempts at 'diplomatic maneuvering' instead of productive negotiations at the meeting, this will likely lead to the imposition of tough American sanctions, including on Russia's allies, who will have to pay for supporting the aggressor, which they will not like," Hetmantsev said on Telegram. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video At the same time, Ukrainian experts do not rule out that the US will once again try blackmailing Ukraine into accepting unacceptable conditions after the Putin-Trump summit. Kyiv-Mohyla Academy lecturer and Ukrainian Prism think tank researcher Oleksandr Kraiev believes that Trump could threaten to halt arms deliveries to Ukraine. "But [weapons] deliveries are already sporadic and unsystematic, so it won't be as much of a shock as when Trump first announced something like this," Kraiev told DW. He believes the summit will be purely held for the "sake of talks," as neither side has any real idea of how the war should end. "There could be a joint statement on continuing the talks, but that's all," Kraiev said.
DW
14 hours ago
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Iraq's private power generators: Savior or climate burden? – DW – 08/13/2025
How do Iraqis cope in fiery summer heat, especially during power outages? They use private generators, which are now essential in Iraq. But the huge machines you see on every city block have plenty of drawbacks too. This week, when Iraq experienced an almost-nationwide power outage, the streets of Baghdad and other major cities went dark, with only lights from passing cars illuminating the sidewalks. The Middle Eastern nation is currently experiencing peak summer temperatures — it was around 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) in Baghdad during the blackout, and even hotter elsewhere — and the power outage saw many locals turn to the equipment they always fall back on at times like this: private generators. "Thank you for your service," one poetic Baghdad local addressed those who maintain the city's private generators in a post on Facebook. They are "the heroes of the hour," he enthused. "Unknown soldiers fighting the good fight during national power outages, enduring heat and smell, so that the pulse of life may beat on in Iraqi homes." The private generators he is praising so effusively can be found almost every couple of city blocks in Baghdad and other Iraqi cities. It is estimated there are over 4.5 million of them around the country. The ones that power whole suburban streets are industrial-sized, usually about the size of a van, parked between houses, under some sort of corrugated iron roof. The Iraqi national grid is outdated and loses somewhere between 40% and 50% of power produced as it transmits. Additionally, hotter summers, population growth and growing use of equipment like air conditioners makes it impossible for the national grid to keep up with demand. Iraq's Ministry of Electricity says the country needs between 50,000 and 55,000 megawatts during peak hours at the height of summer. The national grid can only supply around 27,000 megawatts. The reason for this week's outage remains unclear, although some officials said it may have been caused by excess demand in southern Iraq, likely due to over 20 million pilgrims flocking there for the religious holiday of Arbaeen. This then caused a chain reaction further north. But even on better days, Iraq's state power plants usually only provide between eight and 12 hours of power a day. Which is why most Iraqis who can afford it, pay a subscription to their local generator owner. "Unreliable supply from the national grid has made private generation a critical, though problematic, part of Iraq's electricity ecosystem," the Baker Institute for Public Policy, based at Rice university in Texas, explained in a July 2025 report on Iraq's electricity woes. "Each household or business has a separate connection — known as al-khat (the line) — to a nearby private generator that supplies electricity to those within a small radius when Iraq's national grid goes down." The generator owners sell power to residents on a subscription basis, based on how many amperes a household wants, rather than the actual amount of power used. Prices differ around the country but the average cost per ampere is around $8.40 (€7.21), a January 2025 report published in the journal "Renewable Energies," found. That means most households end up paying around $100 (€86) a month for generator power. "The household's connection is wired to the generator through a circuit breaker set to that threshold of amperes," Baker Institute experts explained further. "This means that the breaker will trip whenever current drawn exceeds the agreed limit, completely disconnecting the customer." Most Iraqis are used to that. When state power drops out, Khadija al-Ameri, an engineering student living in southern Baghdad, explains how she turns off all unnecessary appliances, like the washing machine, but leaves others, like the fridge, going. "The generator voltage can't have too many things going at once, and it's also more expensive," she explains. "I pay around €40 a month for a private generator subscription," says Fatimah Mahmoud, a 50-year-old teacher from Basra. "But it only covers the fridge, TV, fans, and lights. No air conditioning." Previous studies on the generator business in Iraq, which is unregulated, concluded that locals could be spending over $4 billion on it annually. It's a lucrative business, with documented links to politicians and militia leaders, the so-called "generator mafia." And in the current summer heat, it's also essential. On Tuesday afternoon, shortly after he returned home from work, the power went out, Murtadha Saad, a 35-year-old local of the southern Iraqi city of Basra, told DW. "I had returned home just an hour earlier from my job in the engineering sector under a scorching sun, but the blackout forced me to leave [home] quickly in search of a place to escape the heat," he explains. Saad himself pays around €66 monthly for generator-provided power, but he doesn't have enough amperes to power air conditioning. So he ended up sitting in a cafe that had its own generator. "Exhausted, I decided to go back home, only to find the streets nearly empty, houses in darkness, as if we were in a ghost town," Saad recounts. "I sat in my car, using its air conditioning until 9 p.m., then tried to find another cafe or restaurant, only to discover they were all packed with families." In the inner city, the streets were crowded, he noted, because everyone was searching for a place with working air conditioning. Hotels and restaurants often have their own larger, diesel generators but some individual Iraqi households also use smaller petrol-powered generators. "When the power went out, I went searching for gasoline to fuel our small home generator," Mohammed Basheer, 21, a university student from Basra, says. "But even finding fuel became difficult as panicked residents rushed to buy up all the supplies." Basheer says he eventually managed to buy two liters, barely enough to run his family's fan for a short time. It's not much of a solution in Basra's increasingly hot summers, he admits. And while private generators may be helpful, potentially even life-saving, in times like this, they also have a dark side. The huge, grimy machines are powered by diesel and emit carbon dioxide, pollutants, dirty wastewater and noise. They also use a lot of water for cooling. They "pose serious risks to public health and the environment, with extreme noise and air pollution," the Baker Institute's report confirms. It's something of a vicious circle: Besides causing local pollution, private generators are likely also adding to environmental degradation and climate change, all of which makes Iraqis need them even more. In Baghdad, student al-Ameri recalls how one family was forced to move out after a generator moved in next door. The family had young children and the house was being shaken apart by the machine's vibrations, al-Ameri explained. "Thank goodness, it [the generator] is about a street away from our house," she told DW. "We can hear it when it's going, but mostly it doesn't disturb us."
