Europe is facing a new bidding war in the gas market. Following the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Gulf states can no longer be shipped through the Strait of Hormuz as usual. At the same time, Europe’s gas storage facilities are unusually empty after the winter. In recent […]
Bidding war for LNG – Asia snatches gas supplies away from Europe Read More »
Germany will again face significant problems with its wind power supply in March 2026. Doubts about the success of the energy transition are noticeably increasing. For several days, wind power generation remained significantly below demand, despite approximately 80 gigawatts of installed onshore capacity. At the same time, wind turbines had to be throttled back during
Wind power in Germany – doubts about a functioning energy transition are growing Read More »
In Berlin, the CDU/CSU and SPD are seizing control of the Federal Court of Auditors, thereby damaging the very agency tasked with independently auditing the government’s handling of taxpayers’ money. Following the departure of its current president, Kay Scheller, after twelve years, CDU Member of Parliament Ansgar Heveling is slated to become the new president,
Government takes control of the Federal Court of Auditors Read More »
The retreat of many automakers from a purely electric vehicle strategy is gaining momentum worldwide. More than a dozen manufacturers are scaling back their electric vehicle targets, postponing model launches, or extending the use of plug-in hybrids and combustion engines. Besides Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Stellantis, and Volvo Cars, several luxury brands such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley,
In the Amazon region, particularly in Ecuador, an estimated 500,000 balsa trees have been illegally harvested from natural forests every year since the beginning of this decade. The global wind power industry requires large quantities of balsa wood for rotor blades. The trigger is the sharply increased demand for rotor blades. Sustainable plantations have long
The discount retailer KiK is scaling back its store expansion and will close around 300 branches across Europe by the end of 2026, while opening only 75 new locations. In Germany, the number of stores will decrease by 135 to approximately 2,200, and across Europe by 225 to just over 4,000. The main reason for
KiK is closing 300 stores in Europe – Germany is particularly affected Read More »
At the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston on Monday evening (German time), German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Katherina Reiche openly questioned the EU’s 2050 climate targets, sparking a new energy policy debate. The CDU politician criticized rigid climate neutrality targets, arguing that they jeopardize affordable energy, security of supply, and thus the survival of
Reiche attacks EU climate targets and demands a change of course in energy policy Read More »
Volkswagen and Cupra are initiating a worldwide recall of approximately 94,000 electric vehicles because battery modules in the high-voltage battery do not meet specifications. For VW, the recall affects the ID.3, ID.4, ID.5, and ID.Buzz models produced between June 24, 2023, and August 23, 2024. Cupra is also recalling the Born model manufactured between February
In Berlin, the German government has reacted cautiously to sharp criticism from UN Special Rapporteur Irene Khan regarding restrictions on freedom of expression in Germany. Following her visit from January 26 to February 6, 2026, she describes a trend in which state measures, bans, and criminal proceedings are increasingly restricting public debate. She sees particular
UN report criticizes restrictions on freedom of expression in Germany Read More »
The EU will soon decide on the Turnberry Agreement with the US, and the consequences extend to energy supply. The European Parliament is set to vote on the pact, which Donald Trump and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen agreed upon last year in Scotland. The trigger for this escalation is a warning from
Turnberry Agreement: US threatens EU with worse LNG conditions Read More »
The theater in Ingolstadt will close on May 31, 2026, because the collapse in business tax revenue due to the automotive crisis has severely worsened the city’s financial situation. The city already halted the renovation of the theater building, estimated at around €240 million, in December 2025. At the end of 2025, the budget was
Ingolstadt closes its theater – automotive crisis tears a hole in the city’s coffers Read More »
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is intensifying its investigation into Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” driver assistance system in the United States, as accident data points to safety issues in low-visibility conditions. Tesla models manufactured from 2016 onward are affected. The agency is examining two versions of the system. This technical analysis marks the
The LNG crisis in the Persian Gulf is escalating rapidly. The last tankers to leave the Gulf region before the attacks are expected to reach their ports within the next ten days, while the Strait of Hormuz is effectively blocked by the war and Qatar has already halted its LNG production. This affects a key
French nuclear power plants played a further significant role in stabilizing the German electricity grid in 2025. Nuclear energy once again accounted for the largest share of German electricity imports. Transmission system operators deployed them specifically for so-called cross-border redispatch. This was triggered by strong fluctuations in wind and solar power generation, which caused temporary
In Munster, Lower Saxony, another operational test of the German Armed Forces’ new digital radio system was aborted in November due to serious malfunctions. An internal report from early January classifies the D-LBO basic system as so deficient that, according to the test assessment, it posed a “danger to life and limb” during training and
