Germany updates: Sabotage suspected in major rail disruption – DW – 07/31/2025
A fire on a rail line between Duisburg and Düsseldorf has paralyzed Deutsche Bahn's main north-south corridor, causing widespread disruptions.
A railway spokesperson said train traffic would face massive delays, with the disruption expected to last throughout the day.
Long-distance services are also affected.
It comes on the same day that Deutsche Bahn reported that 63.4% of its long-distance trains are now arriving within 15 minutes of schedule.
In its first-half results, the company also reported a reduced loss of €760 million, nearly €1 billion less than in the same time last year. More than 30,000 people in Germany have signed a petition calling for the return of a Yazidi family deported to Iraq.
The family was deported despite a court having lifted their obligation to leave the country on the same day.
On Tuesday, last week, 43 people were deported to Iraq on a charter flight from Leipzig to Baghdad. The Yazidi family was among those on board.
The Yazidis are a religious minority that suffered genocide at the hands of the so-called "Islamic State" (IS) militant group in Iraq in 2014, making such deportations particularly contentious.
Classmates of the family's 6-year-old child appear to have created a petition on Change.org, stating that the family was deported "for no apparent reason" and urging German authorities to work toward bringing them back.
Last week, Brandenburg's Interior Minister Rene Wilke said he wanted to bring the family back quickly in coordination with the federal government.
Police in Germany are investigating an alleged act of sabotage targeting a major railway line between Düsseldorf and Duisburg, which has disrupted both regional and long-distance services.
The fire broke out in a cable duct near Düsseldorf and was discovered when a train driver noticed smoke and raised the alarm.
Deutsche Bahn warned of significant delays, rerouted trains, and suspended stops at several stations in the region.
High-speed rail lines to Berlin and Frankfurt am Main, as well as connections to northern and southern Germany and the Netherlands, have also been impacted, the rail operator announced.
The cables in the affected tunnel segment were destroyed and will need to be replaced.
German lawmakers in the Bundestag's Budget Committee have unlocked €1.1 billion ($1.2 billion) for urgent bridge repairs.
It comes after Autobahn GmbH halted contract tenders for 2025 in mid-July due to a lack of funds. The state-owned company warned of major delays to bridge renovations as billions in infrastructure funding remained unavailable.
The German government said Thursday's approval means Autobahn can fully spend the €2.5 billion earmarked in the special fund this year for bridge and tunnel rehabilitation, including on major traffic arteries such as the A7 and A3 motorways.
As many as 5,000 of the 40,000 bridges along the country's autobahns are in such poor condition that they urgently need repair. More than half of the autobahn bridges were built before 1985, including most of the major valley bridges in former West Germany.
Autobahn reported a "dramatic increase" in the maintenance backlog on highways, which could severely impact traffic safety.
German inflation remained unchanged in July, preliminary data from the Federal Statistics Office Destatis showed.
Annual inflation in Europe's top economy came in at 2.0%.
Unemployment in Germany rose by 65,000 in from June to July, just shy of a total of 2.979 million, according to the Federal Employment Agency in Nuremberg.
The unemployment rate now stands at 6.3%, with Bremen and Berlin the cities with the most unemployed people.
That's 171,000 more than the same time last year.
Experts expect the total number of unemployed to top 3 million in August.
"Unemployment has risen due to the start of the summer break. Companies remain cautious about reporting new jobs, and employment subject to social insurance contributions is hardly increasing at all," Andrea Nahles, the head of the Federal Employment Agency said.
More than 200 celebrities have signed an open letter to Friedrich Merz, stating that "words alone won't save lives" in Gaza.
They are urging the German chancellor to halt arms deliveries to Israel over its military actions in Gaza.
"We too condemn the horrific crimes committed by Hamas in the strongest possible terms. But no crime justifies collectively punishing millions of innocent people in the most brutal manner," the letter states.
Actors Daniel Brühl and Heike Makatsch, along with musicians Shirin David and Zartmann, are among the artists and media personalities who co-signed the letter, which was organized by the campaign group Avaaz.
Germany approved €326.5 million ($374 million) in arms exports to Israel in 2023, a sharp increase from previous years. In 2024, approvals fell by half amid mounting legal and political pressure.
In addition to calling for a ban on weapons deliveries, the signatories want Merz to support suspending the European Union's Association Agreement with Israel. They also demand an immediate cease-fire and unrestricted access for humanitarian aid.
"These steps are deeply in line with European values and would make it unmistakably clear to the Israeli government that even its closest allies can no longer accept the suffering, and that words are not enough," the letter reads.
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Once renowned for its punctuality, Germany's rail operator has struggled in recent years to maintain its reputation.
However, Deutsche Bahn reported a slight improvement over the past six months, with 63.4% of long-distance trains arriving within 15 minutes of schedule, according to its first-half results.
This marks a modest increase from 62.7% in the first half of 2024.
The state-owned rail operator said it aims to raise punctuality to between 65% and 70% by the end of the year.
Despite ongoing issues with delays, passenger numbers rose to 943 million in the first half of 2025, reflecting continued demand for rail travel.
The company also reported a reduced loss of €760 million for the period, nearly €1 billion less than in the same time last year.
Revenue increased by 3.4% to €13.3 billion, although it still fell short of internal targets.
CEO Richard Lutz emphasized the urgent need to modernize the country's aging rail infrastructure.
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Lufthansa, Germany's flagship carrier, reported a 27% increase in second-quarter operating profit year-on-year, reaching €871 million ($995 million).
It beat analysts' average forecast of 805 million euros.
"Although the second quarter was again marked by geopolitical crises and economic uncertainties, we are today confirming our positive outlook for the full year," Chief Executive Carsten Spohr said in a statement.
All airlines belonging to the Lufthansa group, including Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Ita Airways, reported profits in the period.
A German delegation, led by Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is headed to Israel and the occupied West Bank on Thursday for talks with representatives from the Israeli government and the UN.
Wadephul said his "main goal is definitely a ceasefire," but also said something needs to be done "to ease the suffering of people" in Gaza.
"The number of victims in the Gaza Strip is too high."
Wadephul, from the center-right CDU, will be joined by a member of the Social Democrats (SPD) with whom they govern in a coalition.
SPD deputy parliamentary group leader Siemtje Möller told public broadcaster ARD before the two-day trip that "real pressure" was needed to end the suffering in Gaza.
Möller gave six aims that Germany has: large-scale humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip, a ceasefire, the release of hostages held by Hamas, the disarmament of Hamas, peace negotiations, and an end to Israeli settlements in the West Bank that violate international law.
Despite its commitment to a two-state solution, Germany has not joined the growing number of Western countries that have pledged to recognize Palestinian statehood in response to the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel in Gaza.
However, Möller suggested that Germany could consider recognizing a Palestinian state sooner than expected.
"The recognition of a Palestinian state is not a taboo and doesn't necessarily have to come at the end of a [two-state] process," she said before the flight.
A helicopter used by the German military that crashed into the Mulde River the town of Grimma in the eastern German state of Saxony, has been removed, the Air Force said.
Two people were killed in the crash Tuesday, and one person remains missing.
Divers have been scouring the river, while soldiers have combed the riverbanks in search of the missing crew member.
The helicopter was flying at a low altitude when it went down near a bridge over the A14 motorway.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.Germany and the international sports community have reacted with shock to the news that Laura Dahlmeier has died in a mountaineering accidentin Pakistan.
The two-time Olympic gold medal-winning German biathlete was confirmed dead on Wednesday, two days after being caught in a rockslide high in the mountains of northern Pakistan.
The 31-year-old was swept away by falling rocks on Monday at an altitude of around 5,700 meters (18,700 feet) while ascending the 6,069-meter-high Laila Peak.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier offered his condolences to Dahlmeier's parents, writing that she "was an exceptional sportswoman."
"Laura Dahlmeier was an ambassador for our country in the world, a role model for peaceful, cheerful and fair coexistence across borders," he said.
International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry described the news as "deeply shocking for all of us in the Olympic Movement."
"Laura made history at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics as the first female biathlete to win sprint and pursuit gold at the same Games edition. She will be remembered forever. Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this very difficult time," Coventry said.
The International Biathlon Union (IBU) said, "throughout her career and following her retirement, Laura's drive to push beyond limits and embrace challenges touched and inspired countless lives around the world."
The German Ski Federation DSV said they were "shocked and deeply saddened" to learn about Dahlmeier's death. "In Laura, the German Ski Federation has not only lost an outstanding athlete, but also a very special person. Her legacy will reach far beyond sport. We will honour her memory," the DSV said.
Magdalena Neuer, who also won two Olympic golds and 12 world titles in biathlon, posted a photo of herself and Dahlmeier along with a heart emoji on Instagram.
Gray skies and steady rain over Bonn this morning, .
Germany is mourning the loss of Olympic biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier, who died in a climbing accident while ascending Laila Peak in Pakistan's Karakoram range. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier led tributes, calling her a role model and a national treasure.
Rescue teams confirmed her death on Wednesday, but due to harsh weather conditions, they were unable to recover her body. In today's blog, we'll reflect on Dahlmeier's legacy and how she'll be remembered by fans, fellow athletes, and the wider public.
Later this morning, we're expecting fresh data from Germany's statistics office: an early estimate of July's inflation. Analysts are predicting a slight slowdown in price growth, though not enough to bring real relief to consumers still grappling with high costs for food and services.
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Why the birth rate in Germany continues to nosedive – DW – 08/03/2025
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To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video But Germany isn't the only country experiencing a sinking fertility rate, by far. Numbers are going down drastically across the world, reaching as low as 0.75 in South Korea. Vietnam rang alarm bells earlier this year, when its birth rate hit a record low. The only exception is the Sahel zone, where women are still having more than five children on average. Michaela Kreyenfeld is a sociologist and was one of the experts behind the German government's family report. She sees a growing connection between economic crises and uncertainties and the birth rate. "Is it egoism or simply autonomous behavior that women don't want to have any children? We have been talking about that since the 1970s at least, so it's nothing new," she told DW. What is new, she said, are the multiple crises: "The COVID pandemic, rampant climate change and high inflation. 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DW
7 hours ago
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Germany updates: Welfare payments up by €4 billion last year – DW – 08/03/2025
Payments of basic state welfare benefits grew by several billion euros in 2024, according to the German government, Retailers are reporting a surge in shoplifting. Read more on these and other stories from Germany. The German state paid out some €46.9 billion ($54.4 billion) in basic welfare benefits last year, a rise of €4 billion over 2023, the government has said. Experts say the rise was partly caused a significant increase in standard rates in 2023 and 2024 due to inflation adjustments. Just over half the payments went to German citizens. Non-German recipients included several hundred thousand Ukrainians who have fled Russia's full-scale invasion of their country. Meanwhile, a retail association says shops are billions of losses per year due to shoplifting. This type of theft is on the rise and nearly all incidents remain unprosecuted, they incurred losses of some €3 billion ($3.5 billion) through shoplifting in 2024, a fifth more than in 2022, according to the German Trade association (HDE), the umbrella body for the German retail sector. Speaking to the t-online website, HDE managing director Stefan Genth noted a growing problem with highly professional criminal gangs. "Groups of offenders drive [..] through inner cities, steal valuable products — perfume, shoes, electronics — and sell them on the gray market," Genth said. He said there were also more aggressive individual offenders who attacked shop staff if they were detected. Genth also said that almost all offenses went unreported. "Retailers make a complaint to police, only for state prosecutors to drop the case for reasons of efficiency. As a consequence, many retailers are frustrated and don't report thefts to the police," he said, adding: "For that reason, the number of unreported cases is extremely high: 98% of shoplifting offenses are not registered." Genth called for changes to laws, more investment in security and more powers for the judiciary. He also said that his association had so far found no connection between the increasing number of self-service checkouts and the rising shoplifting rate. Germany paid out about €46.9 billion ($54.4 billion) to recipients of state welfare benefits in 2024, a rise of €4 billion compared with the previous year, the government as said. The information was provided the Social Affairs Ministry in response to a parliamentary question from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament. About €24.7 billion (52.6% of the total) went to German citizens and €22.2 billion (47.4%) went to non-German nationals, according to the data — roughly the same distribution as in 2023. The latter group included several hundred thousand Ukrainians who have fled to Germany following Russia's full scale invasion that started in 2022. The Ukrainian nationals received altogether €6.3 billion. The rise in welfare payments has been in part attributed to a large increase in standard rates due to inflation adjustments, as well as to a rise in accommodation and heating costs. The anti-immigration AfD criticized the payments to non-German nationals, saying they were "spiraling out of control." "Foreigners should generally be denied access to citizen's income [Bürgergeld]," said AfD Bundestag member René Springer. It's worth noting, however, that millions of non-German nationals work in the country, paying into the system via taxes and obligatory social program payments. from DW's newsroom in the former West German capital of Bonn! Many Germans are worried that their welfare system will not be able to survive for long in times of global instability. And while the country remains Europe's biggest economy, retailers are reporting a surge in shoplifting. Follow us for stories on how Germany is coping with the myriad of challenges faced by many countries today, as well as a general roundup of major talking points in Bonn, Berlin, and beyond.
