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Rotor blade failure off Borkum: 20-meter blade endangers shipping traffic
On Friday, July 24, 2026, a rotor blade broke off an offshore wind turbine approximately 90 kilometers northwest of Borkum. The blade failure occurred between the EnBW wind farms Hohe See and He Dreiht; the cause remains unknown. The fiberglass-reinforced plastic (GRP) blade measured 20 meters in length and two meters in width. It was…
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Rapid expansion of wind power: Environmental assessments waived
Germany is accelerating the expansion of wind power in 2026 through record numbers of permits and streamlined procedures. In the first half of the year, authorities approved 1,419 turbines with a combined capacity of 9.15 gigawatts. At the same time, 423 new turbines with a capacity of 2.36 gigawatts were connected to the grid. New…
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Germany as a Pharmaceutical Hub: Lilly Halves Alzey Plant, Boehringer Cuts 900 Million
Alzey and Ingelheim – In early June 2026, Eli Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim significantly cut their investment plans for their pharmaceutical operations in Germany. Lilly is halving the scale of its plant in Alzey, originally valued at €2.3 billion; consequently, the number of planned jobs is dropping from 1,000 to 500. At the same time,…
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Rolly Toys closes German plant: 113 employees lose their jobs
Neustadt bei Coburg is set to lose a long-established toy manufacturer on December 31, 2026. Rolly Toys is ceasing production at its Upper Franconian headquarters following a failed restructuring effort. The move was triggered by the loss of the company’s second-largest customer, high energy, material, and procurement costs, competition from China, and US tariffs. Ultimately,…
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Chancellery refuses to disclose information regarding intelligence agency warnings of the Nord Stream attack
Berlin, July 2026: The Chancellery is refusing to give a clear answer regarding a possible warning about the Nord Stream attack. AfD MP Anna Rathert asked whether foreign intelligence agencies had informed Wolfgang Schmidt—the Head of the Chancellery at the time—prior to the explosion. She also sought to know why Germany did not subsequently implement…
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Battery Storage Boom: Germany’s Large-Scale Storage Systems Do Not Solve “Dunkelflaute” Periods
In 2026, Germany is experiencing a boom in battery storage as wind and solar power generate increasingly volatile price fluctuations. Around 2.6 million stationary batteries now store approximately 31.5 gigawatt-hours of electricity. However, new systems offer an average storage duration of only 2.3 hours; consequently, while they mitigate short-term price spikes, they do not provide…
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Job cuts at Dürr: 500 jobs lost – four German sites affected
Bietigheim-Bissingen – Job cuts at Dürr are affecting around 500 employees worldwide at its subsidiary, BBS Automation. The group announced the measure on July 22, 2026. In Germany, approximately 200 jobs will be eliminated across four locations: Garching, Hallbergmoos, Sonthofen, and Freiberg am Neckar. Weak orders from the automotive industry and lower market expectations are…
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Gas price rises to nearly 63 euros – Germany’s winter could be expensive
Berlin, July 25, 2026. The European gas price has risen to nearly 63 euros per megawatt-hour. At the same time, Germany’s gas storage facilities were only 45.7 percent full. The escalation of the US-Iran war is disrupting LNG shipments from the Gulf region. Furthermore, Europe and Asia are competing more intensely for available supplies. New…
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Guideline from Hanover: AfD candidates lose their chance of election without a judge’s ruling
A commentary by our author Klaus Bastian Hanover and Lüneburg, July 29, 2026: The district election committee denied Stephan Bothe permission to run in the election for district administrator by a vote of 6 to 1. Following Martin Sichert, Justin Vogel, and Thorsten Moriße, this measure affects at least the fourth AfD candidate in Lower…
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Hydrogen train breakdowns in the Taunus – RB12 running on diesel again
In the Taunus region, the RB12 line has been operating with diesel trains again between Königstein, Kelkheim, and Frankfurt since June 21, 2026. Ongoing issues with the hydrogen trains are forcing the RMV to continue flexibly allocating available rolling stock. Following the expiration of a lease agreement, more modern diesel trains were transferred from the…
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Industry welcomes controversial energy laws from Economics Minister Reiche
German industry has welcomed the controversial energy laws proposed by Federal Economics Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU). “With the amendment to the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) and the grid package, the federal government is providing important and long-overdue impetus for an efficient and competitive energy system,” Holger Lösch, Deputy Director General of the Federation of…
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Lidl parent company halts electric company cars in Germany – depreciation costs becoming too high
Neckarsulm – On July 24, 2026, the Schwarz Group confirmed a freeze on orders for all-electric company cars in Germany. The corporate group behind Lidl and Kaufland is responding to weak residual values and what it views as a volatile market environment. Schwarz purchases its company cars outright and therefore bears the full risk upon…
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Up to 600 jobs at risk: Albert Weber faces three plant closures
Automotive supplier Albert Weber faces the potential closure of three plants in Markdorf, Neuenbürg, and Magdeburg in July 2026. Porsche intends to terminate all contracts in Magdeburg as of September 30, while Mercedes-AMG is withdrawing orders from the Markdorf and Neuenbürg sites. According to the trade union IG Metall, talks with BMW are also going…
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The Judiciary in Germany: Is the State Losing Its Sense of Proportion?
A commentary by our author Klaus Bastian Berlin, July 25, 2026: The well-known Islamist Abdul B. allegedly attacked the CSD parade. One woman died, and 31 people were officially reported injured. The Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) had previously classified him as a high-risk individual. Nevertheless, a court released him from pre-trial detention on May…
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ARD, ZDF, and Deutschlandradio: Only one of nearly 5,000 programming complaints upheld
In 2025, ARD, ZDF, and Deutschlandradio received just under 5,000 formal complaints regarding their programming nationwide; the figure for the previous year was around 1,100. This increase was driven by a rise in specifically formulated submissions and the use of the “Rundfunkalarm” portal. Nevertheless, only 184 cases reached the relevant oversight bodies, and the broadcasting…