https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Germany in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed A former German transport minister faces a perjury trial related to a failed scheme to charge foreign motorists highway tolls, a debacle that cost the government hundreds of millions of euros. https://www.thelocal.de/20260529/german-ex-minister-faces-perjury-charges-over-failed-car-toll-plan Fri, 29 May 2026 14:27:49 +0200 german-ex-minister-faces-perjury-charges-over-failed-car-toll-plan In a significant legal shift, customers of businesses known to exploit workers could also face criminal liability going forward as Germany strengthens its human trafficking protections. https://www.thelocal.de/20260528/customers-on-the-hook-as-germany-tightens-human-trafficking-laws Thu, 28 May 2026 12:29:13 +0200 customers-on-the-hook-as-germany-tightens-human-trafficking-laws Daniela Klette, who was arrested in Berlin after decades on the run, was sentenced to 13 years in jail Wednesday for a series of armed robberies committed while she was a fugitive. https://www.thelocal.de/20260527/german-far-left-militant-jailed-for-13-years-for-robberies Wed, 27 May 2026 15:41:01 +0200 german-far-left-militant-jailed-for-13-years-for-robberies A German actor accused of spreading AI-generated pornography of his TV star ex-wife is now under investigation for alleged domestic violence, prosecutors said Tuesday, the latest twist in the headline-grabbing case. https://www.thelocal.de/20260526/ex-husband-of-german-star-in-deepfake-porn-case-faces-new-probe Tue, 26 May 2026 16:11:35 +0200 ex-husband-of-german-star-in-deepfake-porn-case-faces-new-probe A German court said Friday it had handed jail terms to three members of an extremist group that plotted to provoke "circumstances akin to civil war" and overthrow the government. https://www.thelocal.de/20260523/german-court-convicts-three-over-plot-to-overthrow-govt Sat, 23 May 2026 14:32:35 +0200 german-court-convicts-three-over-plot-to-overthrow-govt A paediatrician in Germany has been charged with 130 cases of rape and other forms of sexual abuse targeting children, prosecutors said this week. https://www.thelocal.de/20260514/paediatrician-in-germany-charged-with-130-cases-of-child-sex-abuse Thu, 14 May 2026 10:20:21 +0200 paediatrician-in-germany-charged-with-130-cases-of-child-sex-abuse At least one bank robber was on the run in Germany on Friday after sparking an hours-long standoff in which police initially feared that multiple hostages were being held inside the bank's vault room. https://www.thelocal.de/20260509/germany-bank-robber-on-the-run-after-hostage-scare Sat, 09 May 2026 16:37:11 +0200 germany-bank-robber-on-the-run-after-hostage-scare Police and first responders were on scene at a bank in Sinzig, Rhineland-Palatinate on Friday as several hostages were thought to be inside. https://www.thelocal.de/20260508/breaking-hostages-taken-at-bank-in-western-germany Fri, 08 May 2026 11:38:36 +0200 breaking-hostages-taken-at-bank-in-western-germany Two people have died and several are injured after a car ploughed onto a busy street in the eastern city of Leipzig on Monday. Here's what we know so far. https://www.thelocal.de/20260505/what-we-know-so-far-about-suspected-car-ramming-attack-in-leipzig Tue, 05 May 2026 10:14:58 +0200 what-we-know-so-far-about-suspected-car-ramming-attack-in-leipzig Prosecutors on Wednesday called for a former member of Germany's far-left Red Army Faction militant group to be sentenced to 15 years in jail for a series of armed robberies said to have been carried out to support herself while she was on the run. https://www.thelocal.de/20260429/german-prosecutors-call-for-15-years-in-jail-for-far-left-militant Wed, 29 Apr 2026 15:06:42 +0200 german-prosecutors-call-for-15-years-in-jail-for-far-left-militant Signal, an end-to-end encrypted messaging app long considered one of the most secure in the world, has recently faced attacks from hackers accused of links to Russia. https://www.thelocal.de/20260426/as-phishing-attacks-hit-germany-how-secure-is-signal-messenging-app Sun, 26 Apr 2026 13:23:33 +0200 as-phishing-attacks-hit-germany-how-secure-is-signal-messenging-app Top officials in the German government on Saturday blamed Russia for repeated phishing attacks targeting lawmakers and senior administration officials using the Signal messaging app. https://www.thelocal.de/20260426/germany-blames-russia-for-signal-phishing-attacks-on-mps Sun, 26 Apr 2026 09:40:10 +0200 germany-blames-russia-for-signal-phishing-attacks-on-mps German prosecutors Friday launched a spying investigation into phishing attacks targeting lawmakers on the Signal messaging app, with an MP saying the latest Russia-directed plot against Germany was a "wake-up call". https://www.thelocal.de/20260425/germany-launches-spying-probe-into-signal-attacks-targeting-mps Sat, 25 Apr 2026 10:23:17 +0200 germany-launches-spying-probe-into-signal-attacks-targeting-mps Bike thefts are not uncommon in Germany, especially in the bigger cities. Here's a look at where in Berlin most bikes were stolen in 2025, as well as a few tips on how to make sure yours doesn't join them this year. https://www.thelocal.de/20260422/where-in-berlin-are-the-most-bikes-are-stolen-each-year Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:43:15 +0200 where-in-berlin-are-the-most-bikes-are-stolen-each-year A German-born Turk responsible for a fatal speeding accident in Heilbronn may be deported after his appeal was rejected on Tuesday. https://www.thelocal.de/20260407/german-born-immigrant-faces-deportation-for-vehicular-manslaughter Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:13:00 +0200 german-born-immigrant-faces-deportation-for-vehicular-manslaughter If you’re caught without a ticket in Germany, it’s possible you could end up in jail. The justice minister now wants to change that, in a move that could affect thousands of people every year. https://www.thelocal.de/20260407/is-germany-planning-to-decriminalise-fare-dodging Tue, 07 Apr 2026 10:39:35 +0200 is-germany-planning-to-decriminalise-fare-dodging A 20-year-old man armed with knives was arrested after setting off pyrotechnics on a high-speed train in Germany, injuring 12 people, police said Friday. https://www.thelocal.de/20260403/man-arrested-after-setting-off-pyrotechnics-on-german-train-injuring-12 Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:08:13 +0200 man-arrested-after-setting-off-pyrotechnics-on-german-train-injuring-12 German customs have raided three companies suspected of illegally exporting machine components and chemicals to Russia in violation of EU sanctions, according to a statement released Thursday. https://www.thelocal.de/20260403/german-customs-raid-companies-over-suspected-exports-to-russia Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:38:03 +0200 german-customs-raid-companies-over-suspected-exports-to-russia Citigroup has urged staff in Paris and Frankfurt to work from home, a company spokeswoman said on Thursday, as US banks step up security following a thwarted attack against another US financial institution over the weekend. https://www.thelocal.de/20260402/citigroup-orders-home-working-as-us-banks-in-paris-and-frankfurt-tighten-security Thu, 02 Apr 2026 14:21:50 +0200 citigroup-orders-home-working-as-us-banks-in-paris-and-frankfurt-tighten-security Three men went on trial in Munich on Wednesday over allegations they had ties to an extremist group that plotted to overthrow the government and kidnap a minister. https://www.thelocal.de/20260401/three-go-on-trial-in-germany-over-plot-to-overthrow-government Wed, 01 Apr 2026 16:44:49 +0200 three-go-on-trial-in-germany-over-plot-to-overthrow-government