Journalist Gilda Sahebi describes 'mixed feelings' in Iran – DW – 06/17/2025
06/17/2025
June 17, 2025
People in Iran are mostly scared, fearing for their lives, German-Iranian journalist Gilda Sahebi says. They may be hoping that this may be the end of the regime, but, she says, the weakened regime is as repressive as ever.
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DW
41 minutes ago
- DW
Ukraine updates: NATO defense leaders to hold call – DW – 08/20/2025
As the possibility of direct talks between Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin rise, European defense leaders look for ways to solidify the continents soldiers are expected to be sent for peacekeeping in the event of a permanent ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, a German politician has said. In an interview on Wednesday, Thomas Röwekamp, the chairman of the Defence Committee in the Bundestag, expressed that both Europeans and Ukrainians have had poor experiences with Russian commitments. Röwekamp told the WDR broadcaster, this was the main reason why effective military deterrence is needed. "That also means that German soldiers will ensure in future, after a peace agreement with Russia, that peace is maintained permanently," he said. Providing examples of the types of support the Bundeswehr could provide, Röwekamp pointed towards logistics, as well as training Ukrainian soldiers. "There is a whole range of military capabilities that we have in the Bundeswehr [military] that can permanently secure peace in Ukraine," the committee chairman added. "It is a matter of giving Ukraine a binding assurance, including military assurance, that in the event of a renewed attack by Russia, the Europeans, together with American troops, are prepared to repel an attack," he said. "The safest way to prevent another military confrontation would be to deter the Russian army from such a war with a strong troop presence." Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics said he wants the defenses along the country's borders with Russia and Belarus to be built-up faster. Rinkevics has cited security risks following Moscow's war in Ukraine, as he visited the front line near Zaborje in military uniform. The Latvian leader was told of plans for fences, concrete barriers, and anti-tank obstacles as he visited with Latvia's military chief, Kaspars Pudans, and border guard head Guntis Pujats. Rinkevics said the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine has shown his country needs to be prepared for anything in the future. The border has undergone significant transformation in recent years, but further improvements are needed, including the installation of concrete and anti-tank barriers, according to the president. The barriers are part of a joint Baltic defence line with Estonia and Lithuania, designed to deter potential Russian aggression and are aligned with NATO defence plans for the region. Latvia intends to invest about €300 million ($349 million) between 2024 and 2028 to reinforce the 400-kilometer border. As the possibility of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin holding face-to-face talks grows, European military chiefs are seeking ways to guarantee the continent's safety. For NATO's defense leaders, a peacekeeping force is believed to be the best way to ensure Russia does not attempt to invade Ukraine again in the future. Despite the renewed belief that a ceasefire could be achieved, Russia has continued to bombard Ukraine, with a gas distribution station in the southern Ukrainian region of Odesa having been struck on Wednesday. Russia also said it shot down dozens of Ukrainian drones overnight.
Local Germany
41 minutes ago
- Local Germany
Everything that changes in Germany in September
Bundestag meets again Summer break comes to an end for Germany's parliamentarians in September, with the Bundestag set to meet again on September 10th. According to the agenda, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) and Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) will take questions from the deputies in the first session. Data protection rules for personal devices updated Users of networked devices such as smart TVs, robot vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, e-bikes, fitness trackers or cars can expect to get a bit more control over their data in September. From September 12th, manufacturers will have to disclose what information they collect – and how it can be accessed. This change is brought by the EU Data Act, or Data Protection Act, which came into force at the beginning of 2024, and is intended to make it easier for consumers to view their device data and share it with other services if necessary. The hope is that customers being able to share their device's data with customer service or repair services could make repairs easier or cheaper. Cashless payment spreads further at the Oktoberfest Festival-goers raise their beers at Munich's Oktoberfest. At Oktoberfest, beer is drunk in 'Massen', rather than in 'Maße'. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Sven Hoppe Munich's 190th Oktoberfest (also called Wiesn in German, for the Theresienwiese where it's held) begins on September 20th this year and comes to an end on October 5th. It's often called the largest folk festival in the world - attracting millions of visitors each year. This year's Oktoberfest brings a significant step towards the end of an era – or the beginning of a new one – as one of the fest's large beer tents is set to only accept electronic payments this year. The "Münchner Stubn" is making a complete switch and will not accept bank notes or coins as payment for beer and chicken. However, city officials emphasise that cash is still the most common means of payment at Oktoberfest for now. ATMs are available on site, but it's also advisable to use one ahead of arriving there to avoid the potential queue. Another update at the fest this year: on weekends and public holidays, the tent owners may reserve an additional 10 percent of the seats for locals from 3pm onwards. Beer prices at the festival are also creeping upward again this year. A litre Maßkrug of Munich's finest is set to cost between €14.50 and €15.80. READ ALSO: Major German beer brands announce price increases Advertisement Social welfare commission starts According to German Labour Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD), a federal commission on welfare reform is to begin its work in September. Bas had announced the commission's start in her "Summer Interview" with ARD . The commission is tasked with developing recommendations on how social benefits can be merged and simplified. It is also to examine a more uniform income could look like i.e. how much would welfare recipients get in one monthly payment as opposed to receiving unemployment and potentially a number of other benefits separately. In recent weeks key conservative leaders have taken aim at Bürgergeld and other benefits, amid reports that the federal government will need to close a massive budget gap in the coming years as pension costs continue to rise. READ ALSO: Is Germany headed for a period of austerity? Results from the commission's examination are expected to be presented this year. Deutsche Bahn to get a new boss and a new strategy By September 22nd, Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) wants to clarify who will be Deutsche Bahn's next CEO, as the current railway boss Richard Lutz steps down. Reportedly Schnieder also wants to announce his strategy is to lead Deutsche Bahn out of crisis on the same day. Deutsche Bahn is a state-owned enterprise, which is why the federal government manages contracts with the company's CEOs and also defines the company's big-picture strategy. Advertisement Lutz's contract had been terminated prematurely by two years, because he has so far failed to relieve the national railway operator of multiple crises , including ongoing poor punctuality and low customer satisfaction. Autumn leaves fall from the trees next to a canal in Dortmund. Photo: Ina FASSBENDER / AFP The autumnal equinox marks the changing of the seasons Officially, the autumnal equinox occurs on September 22nd this year. On this date the length of daylight and night-time hours are exactly the same, and it marks the beginning of the Autumn season in the northern hemisphere. The German word Äquinoktium, coming from the Latin root is used to describe this day, as is the more Germanic term Herbst-Tagundnachtgleiche - which translates quite poetically to "Autumn-day-and-night-same". Traditionally, this changing of the seasons also marked as a time for harvesting crops and preparing for the dark and cold season to come. In Germany the season has long been a time for harvest festivals, some of which evolved into the seasonal folk festivals that continue on to this day, including Oktoberfest. Depending where you go around this time, you can also find festivals centred on different seasonal crops or traditions, like wine fests or apple fests. READ ALSO: 10 ways to enjoy autumn like a true German Spotify prices increase in Germany From September, customers of the music streaming market leader will see their monthly subscription prices increased. The Sweden-based company had recently announced that customers across Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa, among others, are to be affected by the price increase. In Germany, the subscription is particularly expensive. For new customers, the higher prices apply immediately, while existing customers have three months to agree to the change. Advertisement New subscription prices are already visible on Spotify's German website. Individual premium plans are set to cost €12.99 per month, up from the previous €10.99, while premium family plans will see the biggest jump - up to €21.99 monthly. Federweißer season begins Containing both sugar and alcohol, 'Federweißer' is relatively high in energy. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/ | DWI Federweißer, a uniquely European alcoholic drink made of fermented freshly pressed grape juice, known as must, is typically served in parts of Germany by the beginning of September. It's particularly popular in Rhineland-Palatinate, Baden-Württemberg and the Rheingau in Hesse, but you may also find it on the menu elsewhere, particularly at seasonal events and festivals. It is drunk throughout the autumn. The beverage ranges in flavour between something close to grape juice and finished wine, and its alcohol content ranges from around four to 11 percent. In appearance it often looks a bit more cloudy than wine - a bit like an unfiltered glass of cider. Federweißer continues to ferment in the bottle, so each bottle can taste different and may have a different strength.
Int'l Business Times
2 hours ago
- Int'l Business Times
German Minister Says China's 'Assertiveness' Threatens European Interests
China's assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea and tensions in the Taiwan Strait threaten international security and European interests, Germany's foreign minister said on Wednesday. "What happens here in the Indo-Pacific has a direct impact on European security and vice versa," Johann Wadephul said in a speech in Jakarta, using an alternative description for the Asia-Pacific region. "China's growing military assertiveness in the South China Sea not only threatens Asia's security but also undermines the international rules-based order," Wadephul said after talks with his Indonesian counterpart. "With essential trade routes running right through this area, it also constitutes an economic risk." He said the same applied to frictions in the Taiwan Strait, where China has deployed fighter jets, warships and coast guard ships near Taiwan and has held several major military exercises around the island in recent years. Communist China has never ruled Taiwan but Beijing insists it is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring it under its control. "Any escalation would have serious consequences for global security and prosperity, and directly affect German and European interests, too," he said. His comments are likely to cause more friction with Beijing after it lashed out at Berlin this week over his remarks in Japan, where he accused China of being "increasingly aggressive" and trying to "unilaterally change" regional borders. China warned Germany on Monday against "inciting confrontation and hyping up tensions" in the region. Wadephul said in a statement on Sunday before leaving for Asia that China was "increasingly asserting its regional supremacy" and questioning principles of international law. He also said on Wednesday Russia's war in Ukraine had an impact on regional security in Asia because of Chinese and North Korean support for Moscow. "Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine is not only an attack on the European peace order, it also affects Indo-Pacific security," he said. "The Russian war machine runs in part on North Korean troops and ammunition, as well as China's decisive economic support." China insists it is a neutral party in the conflict but many of Ukraine's allies believe that Beijing has provided support to Moscow. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz attended talks between US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders on Monday. He said Ukraine should not be forced to surrender its Donbas region to Russia in negotiations, likening it to the United States giving up Florida. Trump welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin for a summit in Alaska days before those talks.
