German Railways Blames Cyberattack for IT Outage After DDoS Strike
According to Deutsche Bahn, the recent disruptions of its information‑ and booking systems stem from a cyber‑attack. The company said on Wednesday that after a DDoS assault on its IT infrastructure yesterday afternoon, its website and the DB Navigator app were again available to passengers, with defensive measures in place to keep the impact on customers as low as possible.…
February 18, 2026
Söder Fires Back at Arrogant Campaign Against Expanded Maternity Pension
CSU leader Markus Söder sharply rejected criticism of the mother‑pension extension he pushed forward at his party’s political Ash Wednesday meeting.In Passau on Wednesday, the Bavarian premier said that the campaign was “almost arrogant”, especially coming from people with very high pensions on television. He emphasized that “the respect for, and the…
February 18, 2026
Melnyk Skeptical of Russia’s Willingness to Pursue Peace in Ukraine
Despite the Ukraine talks in Geneva, the country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Andriy Melnyk, believes that Russia is unlikely to embrace a peace settlement in the foreseeable future. He told newspapers of the Funke Media Group, “I am personally very skeptical. I see no genuine willingness on the Kremlin’s part to negotiate a viable…
February 18, 2026
Warken Announces E-Patient Record Improvements Amid Criticism
Bundesgesundheitsministerin Nina Warken (CDU) defended the electronic patient record (ePA) amid criticism over low usage numbers and announced a range of improvements for patients. She told the “Rheinische Post” that the ePA remains the core tool for a digital health system. “We will continue to improve its usability so that it offers greater value for all…
February 18, 2026
SPD Pressure CDU to Reconsider Relationship with Left Party Ahead of Stuttgart Congress
Shortly before the CDU federal party conference at the end of the week in Stuttgart, SPD politicians are urging the coalition partner to drop its hard‑line stance toward the Left party. ” The CDU would do well to re‑evaluate its relationship with Die Linke, says Jochen Ott, the designated flag‑bearer for the North Rhine‑Westphalia SPD, to the Spiegel.“The…
February 18, 2026
New Legal Requirement for Electronic Patient Record Lacks Enforcement Despite Effective Date
Since the legal duty that went into force on October 1 , 2025 requires doctors to fill the electronic patient record (ePA) with diagnoses, discharge summaries and laboratory results, there appears to be no effective enforcement in practice, the “Spiegel” reports. Although clinicians face fee discounts from the beginning of 2026 if they fail to use the ePA, the…
February 18, 2026
DAX Starts Higher Amid Lingering Nervousness
The DAX began Wednesday morning on a positive note. Around 9:30 a.m. local time, the main index was calculated at roughly 25,120 points, up 0.5 % from the previous day’s close. At the top of the daily performance list were Rheinmetall, Siemens, and Siemens Energy; at the bottom were Bayer, Brenntag, and BASF. According to Jochen Stanzl, chief market analyst at…
February 18, 2026
Germany Employment Slightly Down in Q4 2025 With 46.1 Million Working Individuals
Around 46.1 million people were employed in Germany in the fourth quarter of 2025. According to provisional data from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the seasonally adjusted employment figures fell by 25 000 (0.1 %) compared with the previous quarter. In the second and third quarters of 2025, the seasonally adjusted employment decline was 9 000 and 40 000,…
February 18, 2026
Germany SPD Rejects Chancellor Merz Criticism of New Tax Plans
The SPD has rejected criticism from Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) regarding its tax plans. Parliamentary manager Dirk Wiese told the “Rheinische Post” that “a stronger taxation of very high incomes by raising the rich tax would be a fair approach, not a squeeze of a lemon”. Wiese added that the coalition agreement already sets a tax reform for small…
February 18, 2026
Streeck Skeptical of Wide Social Media Ban Questions Its Effectiveness
Hendrik Streeck, the German federal drug‑policy commissioner and a member of the Bundestag for the CDU, expressed doubts that a blanket ban on social media would succeed. Speaking to the magazine “Focus”, he said, “We need an evidence‑based overall package: improved media literacy, enforceable age limits, clear accountability for platforms, and safeguards…
February 18, 2026
Germany Sees Easing Skilled Worker Shortage as Hiring Gap Slows Down
The difficulty of finding skilled workers has eased slightly for German companies, according to the latest Ifo Institute business survey. 22.7 % of firms now report a shortage of qualified staff, down from 25.8 % in October and the lowest rate in five years. Ifo researcher Klaus Wohlrabe attributes the improvement to a still‑weak economic environment, while noting that the…
February 18, 2026
Employers Demand Merz Rapidly Deliver Reform Package with Tax Cuts, Lower Social Spending and Bureaucracy Reduction
Employers are losing patience with the black‑red government and are urging Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) to promptly deliver a comprehensive reform package that includes tax cuts, lower social spending, and a reduction in bureaucracy. The president of the Federation of German Employers’ Associations (BDA), Rainer Dulger, told “Bild” that “the…
