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France is abolishing low-emission zones in many cities. The system disproportionately affected drivers of older cars, often people with limited budgets. Mobility became a question of cost, even though many depend on their cars. At the same time, political pressure mounted because the unfairness significantly impacted daily life. (lemonde: 21.01.26) January 20, 2026: Abolition confirmed […]

In Innsbruck, electric buses on line 502 are unable to reliably manage the steep section of Schusterbergweg. As a result, passengers are repeatedly forced to disembark so the bus can climb the incline. This situation is disrupting public transport, the operation of the electric buses, and city traffic alike. Especially in Innsbruck, where gradients are

Aldi Süd is restructuring its administration. At the same time, the discount retailer has confirmed that job cuts are planned at its headquarters in Mülheim an der Ruhr. Specifically, up to 500 of the approximately 2,000 jobs could be eliminated because the company is consolidating processes worldwide through an IT project. (fokus: 22.0.1.26) Global IT

A research team from Peking University has reported on an analog AI chip with unusual performance characteristics. According to a publication in Nature Communications, also reported by the South China Morning Post, the chip is said to perform calculations twelve times faster than advanced digital processors in selected tasks. At the same time, it consumed

Between 2019 and 2024, Germany transferred approximately €4.33 million to Colombia. This money, provided as development aid, funded a project for climate-friendly refrigerators. The German government cites its climate targets in this context and sees a direct benefit for Germany. (bz-berlin: 23.01.26) Project name, partners, and trigger for the debate Specifically, the debate concerned the

In Bern and Schaffhausen, winter is forcing new electric buses into a difficult conflict of objectives. With the heating system running at full power, the vehicles are sometimes unable to reliably complete their scheduled routes. The reason is simple and frustrating for passengers: the heating consumes so much electricity that the battery loses too much

A Trump confidant is emerging as a new power player in German energy logistics: Kelcy Warren, an owner associated with the Sunoco group, has reportedly gained influence over key parts of Germany’s energy infrastructure, according to a report in Der Spiegel. At the heart of this are tank farms and pipelines—facilities that not only ensure

More than 50,000 households suffered power and heating outages after the attack on Berlin’s electricity grid. The Federal Prosecutor General has so far found no concrete leads on the perpetrators and remains completely in the dark. Therefore, the authorities are considering offering a reward, as only a solid lead can put the investigation against the

Amazon is reportedly preparing to cut around 30,000 jobs in its corporate division. Amazon intends to significantly alter its central structures and reorganize several core areas. According to Reuters, AWS, Prime Video, online retail, and human resources are among the affected departments. The job cuts are expected to begin soon and will accompany a larger

Toy retailer ROFU-Kinderland has filed for insolvency under self-administration. This marks the beginning of a critical phase for its 1,970 employees. At the same time, business operations will initially remain stable, as the stores are to remain open. The insolvency filing also only marks the start of the restructuring process, not its end. Customers will

The accusation of “bought journalism” rarely targets a single article, but rather a structural problem: government agencies commission journalists and pay them fees. This creates a financial relationship between politics and the media, which are meant to exercise oversight. In Baden-Württemberg, this issue is documented in a parliamentary document that records payments for activities such

By adjusting gas pressure and cyclotron heating, the team at the EAST tokamak reduced wall contact during the start-up phase, thus achieving higher plasma densities above the Greenwald limit without edge instabilities. EAST stands for Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak and refers to a Chinese research facility in Hefei that operates with superconducting magnets. The tokamak

Manufacturer SenerTec plans to cease production of combined heat and power (CHP) plants in Schweinfurt at the beginning of the year and relocate operations abroad. The Dutch parent company, BDR Thermea, has announced the closure of the manufacturing facility, but service operations will continue in Schweinfurt. This shifts the Schweinfurt site’s role, while the future

The German Navy currently lacks ships designed for Arctic waters, and this severely limits its operational capabilities around Greenland. Neither frigates nor other vessels possess an ice class that permits operations in pack and fast ice. Consequently, Germany lacks a crucial capability in the Arctic, even as security concerns there grow. Greenland is increasingly becoming

On January 19, 2026, a severed cable paralyzed the S-Bahn (suburban train) on the north-south line in Berlin for several days. Deutsche Bahn (German Rail) classified the act as an attack. The Federal Police launched an investigation. The resulting signal malfunction caused widespread disruptions because central control technology was affected. Repairs were expected to take