Paris Prosecutors Raid French X Offices in Internet Crime Inquiry
On Tuesday, the internet‑crime division of the Paris prosecutor’s office had the French offices of the social‑media platform X searched. The authority said the investigation began in January 2025, but no further details were released. Media reports indicate the probe centers on alleged manipulation of algorithms and illicit data collection. It has reportedly broadened…
February 3, 2026
CDU Revises Part‑Time Application Ahead of Federal Party Congress to Probe Misaligned Incentives
After the debate about a “lifestyle” type of part‑time work, the union is now set on testing whether the existing part‑time entitlement in Germany produces unintended incentives. According to the “Rheinische Post” (Wednesday edition), this stance comes from the final draft of the Part‑Time Application that will be presented at the federal party…
February 3, 2026
German Companies Reuse 80% of Old IT Equipment, Study Finds
Most companies in Germany claim they ensure that decommissioned IT equipment is either reused or disposed of in an environmentally responsible way, according to a survey released on Tuesday by the IT industry association Bitkom. Seventy‑four percent of respondents say they properly dispose of still‑functional devices. A third (33 %) donate old equipment to charitable causes…
February 3, 2026
Russia Escalates Drone and Rocket Barrage on Ukraine Ahead of Abu Dhabi Peace Talks
A day before the scheduled peace talks in Abu Dhabi, the Ukrainian government reported another intensive series of Russian air attacks. According to Foreign Minister Andriy Yusov, Russia launched more than 500 unmanned aircraft and missiles at Ukrainian cities during the night. The count consisted of 450 drones and over 60 rockets. The strikes struck residential buildings…
February 3, 2026
Finnish Foreign Minister Urges US to Intensify Pressure on Moscow Ahead of Abu Dhabi Talks
Before the peace talks in Abu Dhabi, Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen called on the Trump administration to step up pressure on Moscow. “Russia could end this war at any moment but is deliberately choosing not to” she told “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland”. Her message to the United States was clear: “Look at the big picture.…
February 3, 2026
Greens Demand Mini‑Job Abolishment and Social Security Coverage for Employees
Deputy Green parliamentary group chairman Andreas Audretsch wants to abolish mini‑jobs in their current form. He told RTL and ntv that such jobs should be transformed into regular, socially‑insured employment. Mini‑jobs would only be necessary in limited cases, such as for students and retirees – essentially wherever they do not displace or replace regular work. He…
February 3, 2026
DAX Breaks Through 25,000 Mark as Investors Shake Off Uncertainty
30 a..m., 1.2 % above the previous close. Siemens Energy, Daimler Truck and Siemens led the winners list, while Merck, Zalando and Scout24 finished at the bottom. Consorsbank’s chief market analyst, Jochen Stanzl, said that investors were brushing off the short‑term sell‑off in gold and silver. “The fall in precious metals is not continuing, so the risk of forced…
February 3, 2026
Green Party Accuses Merz of Weakening Pension And Endangering Women
Andreas Audretsch, the deputy chair of the Green parliamentary group, accused Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) of wanting to weaken Germany’s statutory pension system.He told RTL and ntv: “If the pension level is questioned again, that is, again a political decision, it will inevitably leave women poorly protected in old age. That must not happen. A fall in the…
February 3, 2026
German Ski and Snowboard Imports Drop 30 Percent Over a Decade
Over the past decade, German imports of skis and snowboards have fallen by 29.8 %. In 2024, the country imported 518,800 pairs of equipment-incl. downhill skis, cross‑country skis, monoski and snowboards-valued at €71.7 million, according to Destatis. A decade earlier, 739,200 units were imported. The lowest imports in the last decade were in the pandemic year 2021, with…
February 3, 2026
Germany Leads EU With Oldest Workforce
Germany has the steepest age profile among workers in the European Union. According to the German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) using Eurostat data released on Tuesday, 9.8 million of the approximately 40.9 million employed people aged 15‑64 were between 55 and 64 years old. That represents 24.0 % of all workers, the highest proportion of any EU state. Across the EU,…
February 3, 2026
Germany Poverty Risk Rate Rises to 13.3 Million People Below Threshold
About 13.3 million people in Germany had an income below the poverty‑risk threshold in the most recent assessment, meaning that 16.1 % of the population was considered at risk of poverty, according to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Tuesday. A year earlier, the poverty‑risk rate had been 15.5 %. Under the European Union (EU) definition, a person is at risk of…
February 3, 2026
German Industrial Firms Report One‑Third Declining Competitiveness
Nearly one in three industrial firms in Germany reports a decline in its competitiveness, a survey by the Munich Ifo Institute revealed on Tuesday. In January, 31.2 % of companies said they were less competitive compared with countries outside the EU, and 17.2 % reported the same against other European states. “Only a few businesses see improvements in their position…
