Germany News

January 17, 2019

German far-right politician launches AfD splinter group

A German far-right politician Thursday launched a “patriotic” breakaway party from the anti-immigration AfD, potentially weakening the populist opposition movement. Andre Poggenburg, 43, has made negative headlines in the past with racist comments, such as defaming Germany’s large ethnic Turkish…

January 17, 2019

Bangladesh bans film about Islamist cafe siege

Bangladesh has banned a film based on a 2016 cafe attack claimed by the Islamic State group that left 22 people dead, saying it would damage the country’s reputation. The Film Censor Board denied the theatrical release of “Shonibar Bikele”,…

January 17, 2019

Siemens, Alstom raise doubts about mega merger

Confidence that the politically sensitive merger of their rail businesses would be waved through by the European Commission was ebbing at both Siemens and Alstom Thursday. A source at German group Siemens said Brussels had posed “insurmountable” demands for concessions…

January 17, 2019

Obstacles to Siemens-Alstom merger ‘too high’

Concessions demanded by the European Commission to allow a planned tie-up of Siemens and Alstom’s rail operations are “insurmountable” and would likely block the plans, a Siemens source said Thursday. “There will be no further concessions… we’ve run into a…

January 17, 2019

In gloomy times, rights body sees ‘striking’ pushback against abuses

A growing pushback against human rights abusers and autocrats has emerged in the last year, Human Rights Watch said Thursday, with resistance coming from a number of new sources. Smaller countries and groups like the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation are…

January 17, 2019

Alstom says EU clearance of Siemens tie-up not certain

French engineering giant Alstom said Thursday there was no certainty that concessions made to competition regulators to approve its rail business tie-up with German peer Siemens will be enough. The two companies have offered a series of asset sales to…

January 16, 2019

Germany to extend Weidmann’s run at helm of Bundesbank

Germany’s finance ministry on Wednesday said it planned to extend current Bundesbank president Jens Weidmann’s contract by another eight years, keeping the central bank chief in the race to replace Mario Draghi at the European Central Bank. “We can confirm…

January 16, 2019

Body of missing German tourist found in Australian outback

The body of a German tourist who went missing earlier this month was found Wednesday in the scorching Australian outback, police said. Police said the remains of Monika Billen, 62, were discovered after receiving crucial new phone data to narrow…

January 16, 2019

‘Humiliated’: World media react to British PM’s Brexit defeat

Britain is in “uncharted waters” after Prime Minister Theresa May was “humiliated” by the “crushing defeat” of her Brexit deal in parliament, according to scathing reactions in the British and world press on Wednesday. Here are some of the responses:…