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On Thursday, April 16, 2026, three plant closures in Germany and Austria were decided upon or announced: MANN+HUMMEL plans to close its plant in Speyer by the end of 2028, ZF will scale down its Lebring site by the end of 2027, and Hydro will cease production in Lüdenscheid as early as May 31, 2026. […]

According to international organizations, acute food shortages have increased significantly in numerous countries around the world. Around 266 million people in 47 countries were affected by severe food shortages last year, according to the “Global Report on Food Crises” published Friday in Rome. This is almost twice as many as in 2016. According to the

A stock rally has begun in the nuclear and aerospace sector on international stock markets, driven by investments in small modular reactors (SMRs), new US space plans, and an optimistic outlook for uranium stocks. Notable gainers include Oklo, NuScale Power, and Energy Fuels, while Denison Mines, Lightbridge, and Uranium Energy also posted gains. Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce

In Germany, farmers have been increasingly losing leased land to operators of large solar parks since 2023, while government subsidies and high energy prices are accelerating expansion. Regions with intensive agriculture are particularly affected, as investors are paying significantly higher leases. The decisive risk factor lies in this financial superiority, which is crowding out agricultural

In Germany, following the recent rise in oil prices, fears are growing of further price shocks affecting everyday shopping, as many households have hardly any savings left. The trigger is significantly higher costs for energy, fuel, and daily groceries, which have noticeably increased the cost of living recently. In March, the inflation rate rose to

Sensor specialist Sick AG, based in Waldkirch, plans to cut around 500 jobs in southern Baden-Württemberg. The cuts will affect the Waldkirch, Reute, Freiburg, and Donaueschingen locations, which currently employ approximately 5,000 people. The reduction was recently announced after the company had already warned of further cuts in November and, in January, announced the closure

Plans by Federal Economics Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) for Germany’s energy supply continue to draw criticism – even within the coalition. Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) criticized the reform plans for the electricity grids on Wednesday: “I still see considerable room for improvement,” he told the Süddeutsche Zeitung. Green Party leader Felix Banaszak accused

MANN+HUMMEL plans to close its plant in Speyer by 2028. This will affect 600 employees, including 400 production workers. The site produces filter elements such as air, oil, and air-oil separators for agriculture and mechanical engineering. Production will be gradually transferred to other plants. The company cites weak economic growth in Europe, higher energy and

In the US, Tesla is alleged to have failed to fully disclose serious accidents involving its Autopilot system for years, even though these very incidents were crucial for assessing the system’s risks in real-world use. This renewed criticism stems from a massive data leak that exposed thousands of internal processes and customer complaints. The documents

On April 16, 2026, the Higher Administrative Court of Rhineland-Palatinate in Koblenz revoked the building permit for two wind turbines on the Hümmerich hill in the district of Altenkirchen. The project is located within the Westerwald bird sanctuary, making species protection the central issue in the proceedings. The case was triggered by a lawsuit filed

Renault plans to cut 15 to 20 percent of its engineering positions worldwide over the next two years. This could result in the elimination of up to 2,400 jobs. The cuts will affect a division currently employing around 11,000 to 12,000 engineers. The French automaker is responding to growing pressure from Chinese manufacturers in key

The German government’s National Security Council currently sees no threat to Germany’s energy supply. According to information obtained by the AFP news agency from participants, it was unanimously agreed at a meeting of the council on Monday evening that no energy emergency is expected in Germany in the foreseeable future. However, to continuously monitor the

The expansion of wind power continues, but economic reality contradicts political promises. Despite years of subsidies, guaranteed feed-in tariffs, and billions in government aid, electricity prices remain high, while rising costs and high interest rates render many projects unprofitable. The decisive risk factor lies in the ongoing dependence on political intervention, without which the economic

BASF CEO Markus Kamieth has called into question Europe’s industrial base with an unusually clear statement, thereby intensifying the debate about the continent’s attractiveness for new major investments. In his view, the triggers are high energy costs, increasing regulation, and weak growth prospects. BASF is now increasingly focusing its investments on more attractive regions such

Munich plans to plant 150 new trees in the city center starting in autumn 2026, even though the city has already had to take on €2.6 billion in new debt for its 2026 budget. The impetus is the desire for more shade on increasingly hot summer days, but narrow streets, underground utilities, and elaborate protective