Self-styled ‘King of Germany' arrested as far-right group banned
A former karate teacher and chef who proclaimed himself King of Germany has been arrested and his group, the 'Kingdom of Germany', outlawed for trying to set up a separate state with its own bank, health insurance service, police force, court system and currency.
Peter Fitzek, 59, ran the largest group within Germany's far-right Reich Citizens scene which refuses to recognise the postwar republic and strives to restore the nation to its prewar borders. Video footage of his 'coronation' shows him dressed in a red cloak lined with white fur declaring the aim to give Germany 'a homeland in true freedom'.
He and three other men were arrested on Tuesday when 800 police raided properties linked to the Kingdom of Germany in seven states from
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The Guardian
14 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Australian universities urge Albanese to join New Zealand in $170bn Europe fund amid Trump attacks on education
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Daily Mail
14 minutes ago
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Aussies react to shock arrest video of young Aboriginal woman in tiny town
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Mercedes CEO Has a Trump Tariff Deal That Could Reshape US-EU Auto Trade
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Mercedes CEO offers some guidance on a potential tariff solution In a new interview with German business publication Der Spiegel, Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius said that while he is looking at different scenarios, the kind of investments he has to make are ones that could last for decades, rather than ones made 'in response to a volatile situation' such as the current US-EU tariff situation that is currently unfolding. Recognizing that the current administration has the impression 'that we in Europe are closed to certain issues and only demand openness where we have strengths,' the CEO proposed a deal meant to balance its imports and exports. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. 2025 Mercedes-Benz G 580 EQS — Source: Mercedes-Benz In his proposal, Källenius would allow duty-free imports of U.S.-built cars into Europe in exchange for tariff waivers on an equal number of vehicles exported by EU automakers to the U.S., adding that it would alleviate and fulfill its desire to reindustrialize and become an attractive destination for companies to set up factories for exported goods. 'For every car that leaves the USA or Europe, a car from the other side comes in duty-free,' Källenius told Spiegel. 'We have put this idea to both sides, and it is a possible component of the negotiations between the USA and the EU.' Such a solution would work for a company like Mercedes-Benz. In the same interview, Källenius noted that Mercedes 'is a major producer' of cars in the United States, adding that the company builds and sells around 350,000 vehicles in the country, which could count for consideration in trade talks. 'But the models we build and sell [in the U.S.] are not the same,' Källenius told Spiegel. 'Two-thirds of the vehicles from our plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, are exported to 150 countries worldwide. We therefore contribute to a more balanced trade balance for the USA. We believe this should be taken into account in the negotiations.' The team at Spartanburg that helped make the seven millionth BMW a reality. — Source: BMW Ford CEO Jim Farley proposed a similar idea Källenius's idea of rewarding U.S. exports is roughly on the same wavelength as similar ideas proposed by other automotive CEOs. Previously, Ford CEO Jim Farley raised the idea that automakers like Ford should get credit for building cars in the United States that are shipped overseas for international consumption, noting that it is 'essential' that the federal government come up with policies that encourage manufacturers to build cars for export, adding that it exports nearly as many vehicles as its brings in. 'So many of the vehicles we build here are exported around the globe,' Farley said. 'Shouldn't we get credit for that?' Around the same time Farley made those comments, the export of some high-ticket models to China, including the F-150 Raptor, Mustang, Bronco, and Lincoln Navigator, was halted due to retaliatory tariffs as high as 150% on imported vehicles. Final thoughts For what it's worth, German automakers like Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz have a lot of leverage for a potential U.S. tariff deal, especially if they propose that German automakers receive credits based on the number of vehicles they produce in the United States. These aren't small potatoes, either. BMW alone manufactures some of its highest-volume models, such as the BMW X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, and XM, at its Spartanburg, South Carolina, plant, which serves both U.S. and international markets. According to data from the U.S. Department of Commerce, BMW is the largest automotive exporter by value in the U.S., shipping 'more than $10 billion' of cars in 2024. American hands assemble these cars, no matter the badge or its supposed country of origin. About the Author James Ochoa View Profile
