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Bosch is closing its recently modernized model factory for ovens in Bretten
In Bretten, near Karlsruhe, the Bosch subsidiary BSH (Bosch-Siemens Home Appliances) plans to close its oven and range hood factory by March 2028 at the latest. The site was modernized as recently as 2025 and is considered a model factory. A new enameling line is even regarded as a showcase technical project. The closure plans
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Attack on families – Spousal splitting and family insurance on the brink of collapse
In Berlin at the end of March 2026, several measures will be debated that could directly increase the cost of living for families and fundamentally alter their lives. The coalition is considering abolishing income splitting for married couples, ending free family health insurance coverage for spouses, and introducing new incentives to discourage part-time work. The
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Bidding war for LNG – Asia snatches gas supplies away from Europe
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
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Wind power in Germany – doubts about a functioning energy transition are growing
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
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Government takes control of the Federal Court of Auditors
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,
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Withdrawal from electric cars – twelve manufacturers are slowing down their electric vehicle plans
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,
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Balsa wood for wind power – over 500,000 trees are illegally felled annually in the Amazon region
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
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KiK is closing 300 stores in Europe – Germany is particularly affected
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
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Reiche attacks EU climate targets and demands a change of course in energy policy
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
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Recall due to fire risk – more than 90,000 electric cars from VW and Cupra must go to the workshop
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
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UN report criticizes restrictions on freedom of expression in Germany
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
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Turnberry Agreement: US threatens EU with worse LNG conditions
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
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Ingolstadt closes its theater – automotive crisis tears a hole in the city’s coffers
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
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Safety concerns – US authorities are considering a recall of Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” system
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
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LNG from Qatar is lacking – shortages are driving Asia into an electricity crisis and production standstill
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