Berlin Attorney General Drops Case Against Spahn Over Mask Purchases
The General Prosecutor’s Office in Berlin has dropped the criminal case against Bundestag faction leader Jens Spahn (CDU) concerning the purchase of face masks during his tenure as federal health minister. The office announced on Monday that the case was closed without launching formal investigations. Since early June 2025, more than 170 criminal complaints have been…
March 9, 2026
Western Europe Life Expectancy Gap Widening Rapidly
Life expectancy in Western Europe is increasingly diverging, according to a study co‑authored by the German Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB) and the French Institute for Demographic Studies (INED) and published in “Nature Communications”. The research shows that the gap between regions with high and stagnating life expectancy has widened markedly…
March 9, 2026
German Crude Oil Imports Drop One-Third Over Two Decades Amid Middle East War Shakes Global Supply
The war in the Middle East is affecting the global supply of crude oil. According to Germany’s Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), 6.1 % of the crude oil that entered Germany in 2025 came from the region, specifically from Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Israel. This portion represents 4.6 million tonnes out of a total of 75.7 million tonnes…
March 9, 2026
Prosecutor Files Murder Charges Over Eight‑Year‑Old’s Deadly Death in Güstrow
In the case of the violent death of eight‑year‑old Fabian from Güstrow, prosecutors have filed charges against the suspect. The indictment, announced Monday by the police and prosecutor’s office, accuses the woman-who has been in remand since November-of treacherous murder. According to investigators, the prosecutor’s office in Rostock believes that the accused…
March 9, 2026
DAX Opens Weak on Heavy Losses as Oil and Gas Prices Surge
The German markets opened on Monday morning with steep losses. By 9:30 a.m. the DAX traded at about 23,025 points, a 2.4 % drop from Friday’s close. The top of the daily price list featured Munich Re, Siemens Healthineers, and FMC, while Siemens Energy, Continental and Infineon lagged at the bottom. Energy prices remained under pressure at the start of the week amid…
March 9, 2026
German Manufacturing Production Falls 0.5% in January 2026
Real output in Germany’s manufacturing sector fell 0.5 % in January 2026 compared with December, after seasonal and calendar‑day adjustments. In the less volatile three‑month average from November 2025 to January 2026, output was 0.9 % higher than in the preceding three months, according to preliminary figures released by Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) on Monday.…
March 9, 2026
Franziska Brantner Declines Baden-Württemberg Ministerial Post Prefers National Role
Franziska Brantner, chair of Germany’s Green Party, confirmed that she will not take a ministerial post in Cem Özdemir’s cabinet in Baden‑Württemberg. When speaking to RTL and ntv, she explained that although she grew up in Heidelberg and loves Baden‑Württemberg, she also loves the entire Federal Republic. “I’m committed to carrying this momentum…
March 9, 2026
Industrial Order Intake Falls 11.1 Percent in Manufacturing for January 2026
In January 2026 the real volume of new orders received by the manufacturing sector fell 11.1 % when adjusted for seasonality and the calendar, compared with December 2025. If large orders are excluded, the decline is slightly smaller, at 0.4 % lower than the previous month, according to interim figures released by Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) on Monday. The sharp drop…
March 9, 2026
East German Firms More Unhappy With German Economic Policy Than West German Companies
Companies in East Germany are less satisfied with the federal government’s economic policy than those in the West, a survey by the Ifo Institute released on Monday shows. On average, businesses in the West rate the government a 4.14, while the East’s score is lower at 4.27. “Significantly more companies in the East than in the West give the government a…
March 9, 2026
Banaszak Hears Winds of Momentum for Federal Greens After Ödemir Baden Württemberg Victory
After the Green Party’s success in the Baden-Württemberg state election, party leader Felix Banaszak sees fresh momentum for the federal party. In an interview with ARD’s Morning Magazine on Monday, he said, “The Greens can win elections again if they combine two things: clear policy positions and a broad appeal to the public”. Banaszak added that the…
March 9, 2026
Strack‑Zimmermann Challenges FDP Leader Dürr Amid Baden‑Württemberg Fallout
Marie‑Agnes Strack‑Zimmermann, a member of the FDP presidium, has distanced herself from party chair Christian Dürr after the party’s disappointing results in Baden‑Württemberg. “Christian Dürr took responsibility in an extremely difficult situation” she told the newspapers of the Funke‑Mediengruppe. “Personnel debates cannot simply be moderated away…
March 9, 2026
SPD Leadership Resists Karin Prien for President Amid Push for First Female Head
Within the top ranks of the SPD there are reservations about a potential bid for the presidency by family minister Karin Prien of the CDU. Deputy chair Serpil Midyatli told the “Tagesspiegel” that, while she believes it is long overdue for a woman to hold this highest office, she cannot envision Prien as president. “I find Prien’s political style…
