Latest news with #EU-wide
Euronews
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Many EU countries endorse Commission's migrant outsourcing plans
EU home affairs ministers meeting in Copenhagen on Tuesday have broadly endorsed two recent controversial proposals by the European Commission designed to curb irregular migration into the bloc. These proposals - dubbed 'innovative solutions' by the Commission - involve outsourcing to third countries asylum seekers and migrants whose claims have been rejected. 'We need to make innovative solutions and new agreements with countries outside of the European Union', said Kaare Dybvad Bek, Minister for Immigration and Integration of Denmark, which is currently chairing the EU. 'I've had good discussions with colleagues, a lot of similar opinions across the table, and I hope that we can make some progress in the coming six months.' A UK-Rwanda style policy By changing the EU definition of "safe third countries", member states would be allowed to dismiss asylum applications without consideration, and transfer applicants overseas, even if the migrant has no connection to the place in question. A 'safe third country' is a non-EU country where a person seeking international protection is treated according to 'international standards', and safeguards include the protection of asylum seekers from persecution and serious harm, the respect of the principle of non-refoulement, and the possibility to have access to a functioning asylum system. Under the Commission's proposal, no form of connection between the third country and the applicant meant to be transferred there is required. The change could therefore result in partnership with non-EU countries, similar to the UK's Rwanda deportation policy, which was ruled unlawful by the UK's Supreme Court. Previously considered taboo, many countries have now come around to the idea, according to the Danish Minister for Immigration. 'A lot of member states changed their position in these areas. I remember when I was a new minister in this Council three years ago, it was a bit uphill, I think, to try to introduce innovative solutions. [...] Now we see there's been a lot of countries that changed their position either because they changed their mind or because there's a new government,' said Dybvad Bek. While most countries seem to agree with the proposal, more opposition is expected from the European Parliament, with Socialists and democrats, Greens/EFA and The Left group traditionally against stricter rules on migration. Return hubs gaining traction The other innovative idea, enshrined in the return regulation, would enable member states to transfer rejected asylum seekers to 'return hubs' outside the EU, while completing the paperwork to get them returned to their countries of origin. The Commission's proposal does not foresee an EU-wide programme to build these deportation centres, but it lays the necessary legal groundwork to allow governments to strike arrangements with countries outside the bloc that might be willing to host migrants in return for financial incentives. Two centres built in Albania by the Italian government, initially meant to host asylum seekers, have been converted into return centres and could serve as a model. Other countries could follow suit with similar schemes, as suggested by French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau. 'France has constitutional obstacles [on some measures], but we don't have any on return centres. And I'm in favour of anything that makes returns more efficient." Migration is a priority for Denmark, which would probably push the Commission's proposals forward, especially the return regulation: 'We hope to reach a general agreement on return policy within our presidency,' the Danish Minister said. The Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner considered Denmark 'very aligned' with the Commission's agenda over the next six months. He declined to pin a concrete target on the effective return rate of rejected migrants from EU countries, to be reached after the approval of the return regulation. Many countries seem to be on board with the Commission's proposals. Austria, Germany, France, the Czech Republic, and Poland recently signed a common declaration to beef up migrant returns, strengthen external borders, and build partnerships with third countries.
Euractiv
14 hours ago
- Health
- Euractiv
Wild Animals Not Pets – The Case for an EU Positive List
Health This video captures highlights from the event: Wild Animals Not Pets – The Case for an EU Positive List. A gathering of policymakers, experts, and animal welfare advocates at the European Parliament to discuss the trade in wild animals and its implications for welfare, health, and biodiversity | 22 Jul 2025 | 12:00 | 1 min. read | video This video captures highlights from the event: Wild Animals Not Pets – The Case for an EU Positive List. A gathering of policymakers, experts, and animal welfare advocates at the European Parliament to discuss the trade in wild animals and its implications for welfare, health, and biodiversity. Speakers reflected on the importance of: Establishing an EU-wide positive list of species permitted as pets Addressing the risks wild animal trade poses to animal welfare, public health, and biodiversity Tackling fragmented national rules and the need for harmonised EU legislation Strengthening EU animal welfare frameworks to better protect wild species At a time when animal welfare and biodiversity face increasing pressures, these insights point to the need for coherent, science-based policies that safeguard both animals and society. Euractiv is part of the Trust Project More from this section
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
It's crystal clear that an unregulated digital world carries far too many risks for the young
An EU-wide survey published last month, found that overall, one in three Europeans surveyed were concerned that there were insufficient online protections for children and young people. Digging a little deeper, Irish people were more sanguine than the average European about how digital rights and principles were applied, with almost half of those questioned in Ireland (49%) being satisfied compared to a European average of 42%. And yet, for those who care for and work for and with children, and have seen the harms that can occur, it is crystal clear that the digital world carries far too many risks for children and young people. Regulating tech platforms to produce systems and material that do not harm children is an ongoing topic at both Irish government and regulator level, and at EU level too. Now, in this second half of July, some important advances have been made. After long deliberations, the European Commission issued guidelines on Monday, July 14, to a wide number of tech platforms setting out how they are to apply EU legislation – particularly the Digital Services Act – to better protect children and young people from engaging with illegal and harmful content online. While the Act was there already, these guidelines are more practical, more precise, with clearer emphasis on ensuring children's human rights and equality are respected. They emphasise that platforms must identify how risky their content is to children, and then take practical and workable steps so that children don't access it. They will have to ensure that their recommender systems – which control things like the 'For You' function on apps – is stricter for young people on the company's site. They must have practical, effective age assurance systems to stop children from accessing inappropriate content. In a nutshell, the privacy, safety and security of the child and their best interest is to be central to the platform's consideration. Meanwhile back at home, the second and final section of Coimisiún na Meán's Online Safety Code comes into effect today. This applies to a smaller number of companies but includes some of the largest social media companies, which have their European headquarters in Ireland. Those companies have had obligations under the first part of the Online Safety Code since last November which meant that they were obliged to take steps to protect children and young people from content which could "impair their physical mental or moral development". The second part of the code, going live today, puts specific obligations on companies to effectively prevent children from accessing adult-only content such as pornography and to have good parental control and flagging systems. While we would want to see the regulators playing a much stronger role in enforcing uniform, high safety standards, rather than each platform setting its own rules, these requirements will mean that there will be better protections for children and young people using these online platforms/services. At the end of the day, that is progress. While tech companies, for the most part, will say that they welcome fair regulation, there is some restiveness. Coimisiún na Meán, the Irish regulator, has had to issue a formal notice to X – formerly Twitter - to say that it's not satisfied with the information X has submitted about the protection of young people on its platform. And the same company is challenging the regulator about whether the entire code should apply to it at all. A step forward These regulatory changes come with few fireworks and clashing cymbals, but they need to be acknowledged. They are a step forward. They also need to be widely known. They will have to be monitored and implemented by Coimisiún na Meán but the rest of us – caregivers, educators, child rights organisations and advocates - will also need to know what's there to highlight discrepancies, to complain about breaches, to require the tech platforms to be a bit more responsible for children's safety. We will also have to continue to highlight that while technology is with us and brings great benefits to everyone including children and young people, tech platforms and those who are in the business of making sometimes extraordinary profits from selling their digital products and advertising to us, must do it in a way that is decent and fair. We will need to be a lot less complacent than the recent survey shows we have been about the welfare and rights of our children. And we will need to continue to insist that our government and our regulators continue to scrutinise the tech industry to ensure the safety and rights of children and young people in Ireland in this, our digital world. Noeline Blackwell is the Online Safety Co-Ordinator with the Children's Rights Alliance
DW
2 days ago
- Automotive
- DW
Germany updates: Protestors derail AfD leader's interview – DW – 07/20/2025
Far-right leader Alice Weidel's big "summer interview" was disrupted by raucous demonstrators. Meanwhile, a dispute dividing the country's ruling coalition will not go away. Follow DW for more. Bundestag President Julia Klöckner says Germany's lower house of parliament is under constant cyberattack. On Sunday, she called for beefed-up cyber defenses as well as expanded rights for parliamentary police when screening visitors. Meanwhile, Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil is pushing to revive a postponed Bundestag vote on law professor Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf's controversial nomination to Germany's top court. Also in Berlin, Alternative for Germany (AfD) leader Alice Weidel found herself unable to hear the questions during a prime-time interview when rowdy protestors broke out into song and dance below where they were Weidel, one of the co-chairs of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), was due to give the big "summer interview" that the leaders of the country's main political parties traditionally give to public broadcaster ARD. However, as she was preparing to begin the question and answer session on a terrace in Berlin's government quarter, demonstrators arrived nearby. Breaking out into loud singing, dancing, and chanting, they made it extremely difficult for Weidel to hear the questions she was being asked. She pressed interviewer Markus Preiss to continue despite the difficulty, resulting in what Preiss described as an "acoustically difficult situation." "At points we really couldn't understand each other," he said afterward. The European Commission is preparing to ban combustion engine vehicles for company fleets and rental car providers starting in 2030 — a move that some in the industry say would hit Germany's auto market especially hard. According to , the plan would affect about 60% of all new vehicle sales across the EU, with only 40% of the market made up of private buyers. In 2023, 10.6 million vehicles were sold EU-wide. The Commission intends to present the proposal by late summer and launch the legislative process. Approval by both the EU Council and European Parliament will be required. A Commission spokesperson confirmed work on the regulation but declined to provide details. German voices are already pushing back. European lawmaker Markus Ferber, from Bavaria's conservative Christian Social Union, urged Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to scrap the plan. In a letter seen by Bild, he warned that fleet operators would be forced to buy only electric vehicles to meet quotas. Rental firm Sixt board member Nico Gabriel called the measure unrealistic. "Vacationers will hardly use rental cars anymore, and consumers will barely be able to lease vehicles," he said, pointing to a lack of charging infrastructure across the EU. Other rental firms told Bild they expect prices to rise as a result. Chancellor-designate Lars Klingbeil of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) is standing by the nomination of Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf to the Federal Constitutional Court and has called for a repeat of the judge election in the Bundestag. Speaking to , Klingbeil said alleged plagiarism concerns raised by the opposition had been addressed, adding: "We can now put the vote back on the Bundestag agenda." The Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) remains cautious. "We are not under time pressure and will discuss this calmly within the coalition," a parliamentary group spokesperson told the newspaper. They added that plagiarism was never the main issue, saying: "There are fundamental, substantive concerns within the parliamentary group." Brosius-Gersdorf has become the focus of a rare political clash over appointments to Germany's highest court. The CDU/CSU initially approved her nomination alongside two other candidates, but last Friday abruptly withdrew its support and urged the SPD to drop her candidacy. Opponents of the nominee, a law professor, have cited her perceived liberal views, with some media portraying her as "ultra-left" views on issues such as abortion. Brosius-Gersdorf insists her opinions have been misrepresented, accusing the media of "inaccurate and incomplete, unobjective and non-transparent" reporting. Klingbeil framed the controversy as a test of principle. "It's a fundamental question of whether we yield to pressure from far-right networks that have smeared a highly qualified woman," he told the newspaper. Julia Klöckner also called for a new parliamentary police law to better protect the Bundestag and politicians against potential physical attacks — specifically when it comes to ID checks among visitors to the popular institution. Currently, says Klöckner, domestic security services cannot share information about an individual visitor's criminal records or threat potential with Bundestag police, a situation she blasted as "absurd." Germany's Bundestag is the most-visited parliament in the world according to Klöckner, with more than 2 million citizens attending sessions each year. A female brown bear, known as JJ4 or Gaia, that killed a jogger in Italy in 2023 has been relocated to a wildlife sanctuary in Germany. The move follows legal battles and protests, after the bear — originally set to be euthanized — became the center of a debate over human-wildlife conflict. Read more about the story here. Bundestag President Julia Klöckner, speaking with German press agency DPA, called for increased defensive capabilities at the country's parliament, saying it is under constant attack. "We are recording numerous hacker attacks… the Bundestag is a prime target," said Klöckner, whose position as president of the body is similar to that of the speaker in many other countries. "We will have to boost our capacity to resist against cyberattacks," she said in remarks to be published Sunday. "If the German Bundestag were to be shutdown during the reading of a bill or a vote, for example, and deadlines could not be met… that would be a triumph for hackers," said Klöckner. "Defending ourselves against this has to do with the stabilization and resilience of our democracy," not only the protection of the parliament. The last overhaul of the system was prompted by a May 2015 cyberattack in which the computers of numerous parliamentarians — and even Chancellor Angela Merkel — were infected with spyware. Five years later, Merkel announced that an investigation had turned up "hard evidence" of Russian involvement. Russia was also accused of being behind a 2023 cyberattack on the email accounts of then-Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democratic Party (SPD). It remains unknown who was behind a 2024 cyberattack on the headquarters of Klöckner's own Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has warned the United States against escalating the tariff war with the European Union (EU). "This would lead to everything becoming more expensive for consumers in the USA," he told the newspaper. "The European Union is not defenseless." Wadephul insisted that EU member states were standing together and that he didn't fear an end to the resistance. "Indeed, there are states which are demanding more stringency and toughness than Germany thinks is right," he said. Wadephul reiterated the German government's belief that "the complete dismantling of all tariffs" is the preferred approach, and that "we can reach a positive agreement with the USA through negotiation." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video He said that Chancellor Friedrich Merz is heavily involved in the discussions, saying: "Germans can count on the fact that there is a chancellor standing up for our interests and European interests in Washington." After the new German government resumed deportations to Afghanistan this week, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has floated a similar approach for Syria – despite the current unrest in the war-torn country. "It's possible that, in future, Syrians who have committed criminal offenses [could be] deported," he told the newspaper. "I think that's possible in principle – provided the country develops in [the right] direction." Southern Syria has been rocked by violence again this week, with the new Islamist-led regime in Damascus struggling to prevent clashes between Druze and Bedouin factions in Sweida and powerless to stop Israeli intervention. Hundreds of people have reportedly been killed. "We are watching Syria with concern," said Wadephul, calling on the interim government under Ahmed al-Sharaa to ensure that all sections of the population and all religious groups can co-exist. "No-one should have to fear for life and limb," he said. "But as it stands, we are of the opinion that we have to give this interim government a chance." Germany spectacularly reached the semi-final of the Women's Euro 2025 on Saturday night, beating France 6-5 on penalties despite having been reduced to ten players for the majority of the evening. Kathrin Hendrich was sent off in the 13th minute for tugging on an opponent's hair in the penalty area, after which Grace Geyoro gave France the lead from the penalty spot. But Sjoeke Nüsken headed Germany level just nine minutes later. What followed was 100 minutes of defensive attrition from Germany to somehow reach extra-time and then penalties, where goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger was the heroine. Germany will face Spain in the semifinal on Wednesday. The other semifinal sees defending champions England play Italy. Read DW's full match report here. German police on Saturday shot dead a man who had fired shots at passersby and neighboring buildings in the small town of Leonberg, just west of the city of Stuttgart in the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg. Local police and state prosecutors said the 44-year-old German man had indiscriminately fired shots from the second floor of his house, fortunately injuring nobody. When armed police entered his apartment, he reportedly threatened officers with his weapon and was subsequently shot. Police secured the weapon which turned out to be a non-lethal gas pistol. Whether or not this was the weapon used to fire the shots from the house was not immediately clear. The state criminal police office (LKA) is also investigating the police's use of firearms in the operation. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Saturday honored the Central Council of Jews in Germany for its role in society on the 75th anniversary of its founding. "Jewish life is a part of us," wrote Merz on the messaging platform X, adding that the organization reminds everyone in the country of something "that should be obvious: Germany must be a safe space for Jews." Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also honored the day, saying that he was "deeply thankful" that the organization's first leaders had determined to "rebuild Jewish life in Germany in the aftermath of the Shoah ." Steinmeier said that beyond not letting Germany forget the crimes of its Nazi past and fighting antisemitism, the Central Council of Jews in Germany served as "an important driving force behind the democratic development of German society after 1945." The institution, which functions as Germany's main political, societal and religious representative for Jews in the country, was founded on July 19, 1950, in Frankfurt — just five years after the end of World War II and the industrial-scale murder of more than six million European Jews at the hands of Germany's Nazi dictatorship. Today the council comprises some 105 communities and associations, and 100.000 individual view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A majority of Germans have opposed banning the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), according to a new poll. The survey by the Allensbach Institute, published Saturday by , found that 52% of respondents reject a ban on the party, while 27% support it. In eastern Germany, two-thirds of those surveyed said they were against such a move. According to the researchers, one key reason is that many Germans know AfD supporters personally. In the West, 67% said they had AfD sympathizers in their social circles; in the East, that figure rose to 88%. While 54% of respondents described the AfD as far-right, only 5% viewed their acquaintances who back the party in the same way. Another factor behind the opposition to a ban is mistrust toward the parties advocating it. Many respondents suspect those parties are mainly trying to eliminate a political rival that has grown too strong. The idea of a ban is divisive within Germany's governing coalition. The center-left Social Democratic Party voted unanimously at its June 29 party congress to prepare proceedings and called for a federal-state working group. The center-right Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union has pushed back, citing steep legal hurdles and urging a focus on political argument. Two parties have been banned in (West) Germany, an openly neo-Nazi party in 1952 and the Communist Party (KPD) in 1956. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Around half of eligible voters in Germany have said they agree with the federal government's view that Russia poses a danger to the country, according to a new YouGov poll for Germany's DPA news agency. The survey found that 13% see a very serious military threat from Moscow, while 36% consider it a significant one. By contrast, 30% say Russia poses only a minor threat, and 14% see no threat at all. The divide is sharp along political party lines. Among supporters of the conservative CDU/CSU bloc, center-left Social Democrats, and the Greens, 58–62% view Russia as a major or very serious threat. About one-third of these party groups see little or no danger. The picture flips among far-right Alternative for Germany voters, where 65% say there is little or no military threat from Russia, while 29% see one. Among supporters of the populist left Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, only 33% see a threat, while 51% do not. Supporters of the socialist Left party are evenly split — 48% see a threat, 47% do not. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video German consumers are paying more for meat — and prices are still climbing this summer. And while retail costs rise, producers of Germany's favorite meat, pork, face falling returns. According to the Agricultural Market Information Company (AMI) in Bonn, average discount supermarket prices for a 400-gram pack of minute steaks increased by 30 cents in early July, from €3.49 to €3.79 ($4.06 to $4.41). The price for coarse pork sausages rose from €2.59 to €2.89, and a 550-gram pack of chicken schnitzel went up 30 cents to €6.26. Meat and meat product prices have steadily risen in recent years. The Federal Statistical Office reports that, by June, they were on average 31.7% higher than in 2020. Poultry had risen by more than 45%, and minced beef by over 68%. The German Meat Industry Association cites several causes: general inflation, rising feed costs, wage increases, and energy policy impacts. Beef has become scarcer in Germany. According to the industry association, more farms are ending cattle production, citing regulatory pressure and uncertainty about future farming standards. The result has been shrinking herds. Meanwhile, poultry consumption is rising. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video German media have begun scrutinizing the government's latest deportation flights to Afghanistan, questioning whether the men truly fit the label of dangerous criminals. One of the 81 men deported on Friday was Haroon I., 27, who was escorted from a facility in Pforzheim under heavy police presence late on Thursday. Footage of the scene, obtained by , shows the emotional moment. The report said the man was a convicted cannabis dealer who had already served his sentence. People close to him say he had been rebuilding his life and was well on his way to integrating into German society. said that Haroon had strong German, was living with his partner, a German woman, had a job and was a member of his community. He also had little connection to Afghanistan with most of his family having left the country. The convoy was guarded by police in balaclavas who kept back friends and supporters. Pforzheim was one of the departure points for the new round of deportations to Afghanistan ordered by Germany's centrist coalition. A plane carrying the men left Leipzig airport early on Friday. The government has said it is delivering on a campaign pledge to deport people to Afghanistan and Syria, starting with criminals and people posing a perceived risk. After the deportations, the United Nations said no one should be returned to Afghanistan, regardless of their legal status.
DW
2 days ago
- Automotive
- DW
Germany updates: Bundestag is a 'prime' target for hackers – DW – 07/20/2025
Bundestag President Julia Klöckner says Germany's lower house of parliament is consistently under attack by hackers. Meanwhile, a dispute dividing the country's ruling coalition will not go away. Follow DW for more. Bundestag President Julia Klöckner says Germany's lower house of parliament is under constant cyberattack. On Sunday, she called for beefed-up cyber defenses as well as expanded rights for parliamentary police when screening visitors. Meanwhile, Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil is pushing to revive a postponed Bundestag vote on law professor Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf's controversial nomination to Germany's top Weidel, one of the co-chairs of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), was due to give the big "summer interview" that the leaders of the country's main political parties traditionally give to public broadcaster ARD. However, as she was preparing to begin the question and answer session on a terrace in Berlin's government quarter, demonstrators arrived nearby. Breaking out into loud singing, dancing, and chanting, they made it extremely difficult for Weidel to hear the questions she was being asked. She pressed interviewer Markus Preiss to continue despite the difficulty, resulting in what Preiss described as an "acoustically difficult situation." "At points we really couldn't understand each other," he said afterward. The European Commission is preparing to ban combustion engine vehicles for company fleets and rental car providers starting in 2030 — a move that some in the industry say would hit Germany's auto market especially hard. According to , the plan would affect about 60% of all new vehicle sales across the EU, with only 40% of the market made up of private buyers. In 2023, 10.6 million vehicles were sold EU-wide. The Commission intends to present the proposal by late summer and launch the legislative process. Approval by both the EU Council and European Parliament will be required. A Commission spokesperson confirmed work on the regulation but declined to provide details. German voices are already pushing back. European lawmaker Markus Ferber, from Bavaria's conservative Christian Social Union, urged Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to scrap the plan. In a letter seen by Bild, he warned that fleet operators would be forced to buy only electric vehicles to meet quotas. Rental firm Sixt board member Nico Gabriel called the measure unrealistic. "Vacationers will hardly use rental cars anymore, and consumers will barely be able to lease vehicles," he said, pointing to a lack of charging infrastructure across the EU. Other rental firms told Bild they expect prices to rise as a result. Chancellor-designate Lars Klingbeil of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) is standing by the nomination of Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf to the Federal Constitutional Court and has called for a repeat of the judge election in the Bundestag. Speaking to , Klingbeil said alleged plagiarism concerns raised by the opposition had been addressed, adding: "We can now put the vote back on the Bundestag agenda." The Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) remains cautious. "We are not under time pressure and will discuss this calmly within the coalition," a parliamentary group spokesperson told the newspaper. They added that plagiarism was never the main issue, saying: "There are fundamental, substantive concerns within the parliamentary group." Brosius-Gersdorf has become the focus of a rare political clash over appointments to Germany's highest court. The CDU/CSU initially approved her nomination alongside two other candidates, but last Friday abruptly withdrew its support and urged the SPD to drop her candidacy. Opponents of the nominee, a law professor, have cited her perceived liberal views, with some media portraying her as "ultra-left" views on issues such as abortion. Brosius-Gersdorf insists her opinions have been misrepresented, accusing the media of "inaccurate and incomplete, unobjective and non-transparent" reporting. Klingbeil framed the controversy as a test of principle. "It's a fundamental question of whether we yield to pressure from far-right networks that have smeared a highly qualified woman," he told the newspaper. Julia Klöckner also called for a new parliamentary police law to better protect the Bundestag and politicians against potential physical attacks — specifically when it comes to ID checks among visitors to the popular institution. Currently, says Klöckner, domestic security services cannot share information about an individual visitor's criminal records or threat potential with Bundestag police, a situation she blasted as "absurd." Germany's Bundestag is the most-visited parliament in the world according to Klöckner, with more than 2 million citizens attending sessions each year. A female brown bear, known as JJ4 or Gaia, that killed a jogger in Italy in 2023 has been relocated to a wildlife sanctuary in Germany. The move follows legal battles and protests, after the bear — originally set to be euthanized — became the center of a debate over human-wildlife conflict. Read more about the story here. Bundestag President Julia Klöckner, speaking with German press agency DPA, called for increased defensive capabilities at the country's parliament, saying it is under constant attack. "We are recording numerous hacker attacks… the Bundestag is a prime target," said Klöckner, whose position as president of the body is similar to that of the speaker in many other countries. "We will have to boost our capacity to resist against cyberattacks," she said in remarks to be published Sunday. "If the German Bundestag were to be shutdown during the reading of a bill or a vote, for example, and deadlines could not be met… that would be a triumph for hackers," said Klöckner. "Defending ourselves against this has to do with the stabilization and resilience of our democracy," not only the protection of the parliament. The last overhaul of the system was prompted by a May 2015 cyberattack in which the computers of numerous parliamentarians — and even Chancellor Angela Merkel — were infected with spyware. Five years later, Merkel announced that an investigation had turned up "hard evidence" of Russian involvement. Russia was also accused of being behind a 2023 cyberattack on the email accounts of then-Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democratic Party (SPD). It remains unknown who was behind a 2024 cyberattack on the headquarters of Klöckner's own Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has warned the United States against escalating the tariff war with the European Union (EU). "This would lead to everything becoming more expensive for consumers in the USA," he told the newspaper. "The European Union is not defenseless." Wadephul insisted that EU member states were standing together and that he didn't fear an end to the resistance. "Indeed, there are states which are demanding more stringency and toughness than Germany thinks is right," he said. Wadephul reiterated the German government's belief that "the complete dismantling of all tariffs" is the preferred approach, and that "we can reach a positive agreement with the USA through negotiation." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video He said that Chancellor Friedrich Merz is heavily involved in the discussions, saying: "Germans can count on the fact that there is a chancellor standing up for our interests and European interests in Washington." After the new German government resumed deportations to Afghanistan this week, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has floated a similar approach for Syria – despite the current unrest in the war-torn country. "It's possible that, in future, Syrians who have committed criminal offenses [could be] deported," he told the newspaper. "I think that's possible in principle – provided the country develops in [the right] direction." Southern Syria has been rocked by violence again this week, with the new Islamist-led regime in Damascus struggling to prevent clashes between Druze and Bedouin factions in Sweida and powerless to stop Israeli intervention. Hundreds of people have reportedly been killed. "We are watching Syria with concern," said Wadephul, calling on the interim government under Ahmed al-Sharaa to ensure that all sections of the population and all religious groups can co-exist. "No-one should have to fear for life and limb," he said. "But as it stands, we are of the opinion that we have to give this interim government a chance." Germany spectacularly reached the semi-final of the Women's Euro 2025 on Saturday night, beating France 6-5 on penalties despite having been reduced to ten players for the majority of the evening. Kathrin Hendrich was sent off in the 13th minute for tugging on an opponent's hair in the penalty area, after which Grace Geyoro gave France the lead from the penalty spot. But Sjoeke Nüsken headed Germany level just nine minutes later. What followed was 100 minutes of defensive attrition from Germany to somehow reach extra-time and then penalties, where goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger was the heroine. Germany will face Spain in the semifinal on Wednesday. The other semifinal sees defending champions England play Italy. Read DW's full match report here. German police on Saturday shot dead a man who had fired shots at passersby and neighboring buildings in the small town of Leonberg, just west of the city of Stuttgart in the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg. Local police and state prosecutors said the 44-year-old German man had indiscriminately fired shots from the second floor of his house, fortunately injuring nobody. When armed police entered his apartment, he reportedly threatened officers with his weapon and was subsequently shot. Police secured the weapon which turned out to be a non-lethal gas pistol. Whether or not this was the weapon used to fire the shots from the house was not immediately clear. The state criminal police office (LKA) is also investigating the police's use of firearms in the operation. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Saturday honored the Central Council of Jews in Germany for its role in society on the 75th anniversary of its founding. "Jewish life is a part of us," wrote Merz on the messaging platform X, adding that the organization reminds everyone in the country of something "that should be obvious: Germany must be a safe space for Jews." Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also honored the day, saying that he was "deeply thankful" that the organization's first leaders had determined to "rebuild Jewish life in Germany in the aftermath of the Shoah ." Steinmeier said that beyond not letting Germany forget the crimes of its Nazi past and fighting antisemitism, the Central Council of Jews in Germany served as "an important driving force behind the democratic development of German society after 1945." The institution, which functions as Germany's main political, societal and religious representative for Jews in the country, was founded on July 19, 1950, in Frankfurt — just five years after the end of World War II and the industrial-scale murder of more than six million European Jews at the hands of Germany's Nazi dictatorship. Today the council comprises some 105 communities and associations, and 100.000 individual view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A majority of Germans have opposed banning the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), according to a new poll. The survey by the Allensbach Institute, published Saturday by , found that 52% of respondents reject a ban on the party, while 27% support it. In eastern Germany, two-thirds of those surveyed said they were against such a move. According to the researchers, one key reason is that many Germans know AfD supporters personally. In the West, 67% said they had AfD sympathizers in their social circles; in the East, that figure rose to 88%. While 54% of respondents described the AfD as far-right, only 5% viewed their acquaintances who back the party in the same way. Another factor behind the opposition to a ban is mistrust toward the parties advocating it. Many respondents suspect those parties are mainly trying to eliminate a political rival that has grown too strong. The idea of a ban is divisive within Germany's governing coalition. The center-left Social Democratic Party voted unanimously at its June 29 party congress to prepare proceedings and called for a federal-state working group. The center-right Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union has pushed back, citing steep legal hurdles and urging a focus on political argument. Two parties have been banned in (West) Germany, an openly neo-Nazi party in 1952 and the Communist Party (KPD) in 1956. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Around half of eligible voters in Germany have said they agree with the federal government's view that Russia poses a danger to the country, according to a new YouGov poll for Germany's DPA news agency. The survey found that 13% see a very serious military threat from Moscow, while 36% consider it a significant one. By contrast, 30% say Russia poses only a minor threat, and 14% see no threat at all. The divide is sharp along political party lines. Among supporters of the conservative CDU/CSU bloc, center-left Social Democrats, and the Greens, 58–62% view Russia as a major or very serious threat. About one-third of these party groups see little or no danger. The picture flips among far-right Alternative for Germany voters, where 65% say there is little or no military threat from Russia, while 29% see one. Among supporters of the populist left Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, only 33% see a threat, while 51% do not. Supporters of the socialist Left party are evenly split — 48% see a threat, 47% do not. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video German consumers are paying more for meat — and prices are still climbing this summer. And while retail costs rise, producers of Germany's favorite meat, pork, face falling returns. According to the Agricultural Market Information Company (AMI) in Bonn, average discount supermarket prices for a 400-gram pack of minute steaks increased by 30 cents in early July, from €3.49 to €3.79 ($4.06 to $4.41). The price for coarse pork sausages rose from €2.59 to €2.89, and a 550-gram pack of chicken schnitzel went up 30 cents to €6.26. Meat and meat product prices have steadily risen in recent years. The Federal Statistical Office reports that, by June, they were on average 31.7% higher than in 2020. Poultry had risen by more than 45%, and minced beef by over 68%. The German Meat Industry Association cites several causes: general inflation, rising feed costs, wage increases, and energy policy impacts. Beef has become scarcer in Germany. According to the industry association, more farms are ending cattle production, citing regulatory pressure and uncertainty about future farming standards. The result has been shrinking herds. Meanwhile, poultry consumption is rising. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video German media have begun scrutinizing the government's latest deportation flights to Afghanistan, questioning whether the men truly fit the label of dangerous criminals. One of the 81 men deported on Friday was Haroon I., 27, who was escorted from a facility in Pforzheim under heavy police presence late on Thursday. Footage of the scene, obtained by , shows the emotional moment. The report said the man was a convicted cannabis dealer who had already served his sentence. People close to him say he had been rebuilding his life and was well on his way to integrating into German society. said that Haroon had strong German, was living with his partner, a German woman, had a job and was a member of his community. He also had little connection to Afghanistan with most of his family having left the country. The convoy was guarded by police in balaclavas who kept back friends and supporters. Pforzheim was one of the departure points for the new round of deportations to Afghanistan ordered by Germany's centrist coalition. A plane carrying the men left Leipzig airport early on Friday. The government has said it is delivering on a campaign pledge to deport people to Afghanistan and Syria, starting with criminals and people posing a perceived risk. After the deportations, the United Nations said no one should be returned to Afghanistan, regardless of their legal status.
