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 EU president-elect Ursula von der Leyen chose the Scorpions' smash hit "Wind of Change", which has become an anthem for the fall of the Berlin Wall, for her official departure ceremony in Berlin on Thursday. https://www.thelocal.de/20190816/eus-von-der-leyen-bids-germany-goodbye-with-scorpions-hit Fri, 16 Aug 2019 10:53:52 +0200 eus-von-der-leyen-bids-germany-goodbye-with-scorpions-hit Chancellor Angela Merkel's favoured successor and the head of her CDU party will become the country's next Defence Minister in a surprise move, after Ursula von der Leyen was elected European Commission president. https://www.thelocal.de/20190717/merkels-favoured-successor-akk-to-become-german-defence-minister Wed, 17 Jul 2019 10:29:11 +0200 merkels-favoured-successor-akk-to-become-german-defence-minister German defence minister Ursula von der Leyen was narrowly elected president of the European Commission on Tuesday after winning over sceptical lawmakers. https://www.thelocal.de/20190716/germanys-von-der-leyen-elected-as-first-female-head-of-european-commission Tue, 16 Jul 2019 22:24:03 +0200 germanys-von-der-leyen-elected-as-first-female-head-of-european-commission Passionately pro-European, disciplined and ambitious, German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen might have seen her political star fade in Berlin but is now aiming for the top job in Brussels. https://www.thelocal.de/20190716/ursula-von-der-leyen-merkel-loyalist-mother-of-seven Tue, 16 Jul 2019 11:35:09 +0200 ursula-von-der-leyen-merkel-loyalist-mother-of-seven Poland on Monday accused Germany's defence minister of calling on Poles to engage in anti-government activity, labelling it "unacceptable". https://www.thelocal.de/20171107/poland-angered-after-german-defence-minister-calls-for-support-for-youth-resistance Tue, 07 Nov 2017 10:14:23 +0100 poland-angered-after-german-defence-minister-calls-for-support-for-youth-resistance A planned €10.2 billion increase in defence spending agreed by ministers on Wednesday won't be enough to modernize the German army, soldiers have warned. https://www.thelocal.de/20160324/extra-spending-on-security-wont-be-enough-soldiers-warn Thu, 24 Mar 2016 09:56:02 +0100 extra-spending-on-security-wont-be-enough-soldiers-warn Hanover Medical School on Wednesday said Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen plagiarized parts of her thesis, but allowed her to keep her doctorate because there was no "deliberate deception". https://www.thelocal.de/20160310/med-school-top-minister-plagiarized-her-thesis Thu, 10 Mar 2016 10:32:39 +0100 med-school-top-minister-plagiarized-her-thesis German lawmakers must decide on Friday whether to send German airmen and sailors to join European allies and the US in the war against Isis. These are the big questions they need to answer. https://www.thelocal.de/20151203/5-questions-germany-must-answer-about-syria Thu, 03 Dec 2015 13:51:30 +0100 5-questions-germany-must-answer-about-syria Only 29 out of Germany's 66 Tornado jets – the type slated to see action on reconnaissance flights over Syria – are airworthy, a Defence Ministry report showed on Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.de/20151202/less-than-half-of-german-jets-ready-for-action Wed, 02 Dec 2015 09:42:33 +0100 less-than-half-of-german-jets-ready-for-action Germany will send up to 650 soldiers to Mali, Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday, to provide some relief to France in its global fight against Isis jihadists. https://www.thelocal.de/20151125/germany-to-send-troops-to-mali-to-support-france Wed, 25 Nov 2015 12:53:38 +0100 germany-to-send-troops-to-mali-to-support-france Two Germans were freed from a hostage-taking at a luxury hotel in Malian capital Bamako on Friday, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said. https://www.thelocal.de/20151120/two-germans-caught-in-mali-hostage-drama Fri, 20 Nov 2015 17:45:36 +0100 two-germans-caught-in-mali-hostage-drama Germany will provide "help and support" to France, Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday as Paris called for military assistance from fellow EU nations. https://www.thelocal.de/20151117/well-do-all-we-can-to-help-france-germany Tue, 17 Nov 2015 12:52:20 +0100 well-do-all-we-can-to-help-france-germany Germany's defence minister Sunday sought to quash speculation in the wake of the Paris attacks that radicals bent on violence could slip into Europe among a flood of asylum seekers arriving on the continent. https://www.thelocal.de/20151116/dont-take-paris-out-on-refugees-minister Mon, 16 Nov 2015 09:26:28 +0100 dont-take-paris-out-on-refugees-minister Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen announced on Tuesday that the government will scrap the G36, the Bundeswehr's (German army) standard rifle, following revelations about serious defects in its accuracy. https://www.thelocal.de/20150908/army-rifle-to-be-scrapped-due-to-accuracy-problems Tue, 08 Sep 2015 14:03:22 +0200 army-rifle-to-be-scrapped-due-to-accuracy-problems Some German soldiers will be carrying different weapons within a year as the Defence Ministry scrambles to replace standard rifle which loses accuracy under hot temperatures. https://www.thelocal.de/20150828/army-buys-new-rifles-for-soldiers-on-front-line Fri, 28 Aug 2015 12:52:07 +0200 army-buys-new-rifles-for-soldiers-on-front-line Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen was the unexpected star at the opening ceremony of the International Equestrian Federation's European Championship on Tuesday evening, taking part in a display put on by the Germany's state stud farms. https://www.thelocal.de/20150812/defence-minister-takes-break-for-horse-riding-contest Wed, 12 Aug 2015 11:32:45 +0200 defence-minister-takes-break-for-horse-riding-contest Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen visited Mali on Tuesday on the day that the Bundeswehr (German army) takes over control of the EU-training mission in the troubled west African state. https://www.thelocal.de/20150728/german-army-takes-over-mali-mission Tue, 28 Jul 2015 11:00:21 +0200 german-army-takes-over-mali-mission The Defence Ministry has decided to spend several billion Euros on a next-generation air defence system developed jointly in Europe and the USA, media reported on Monday. https://www.thelocal.de/20150609/army-to-spend-billions-on-new-missile-defence Tue, 09 Jun 2015 10:36:50 +0200 army-to-spend-billions-on-new-missile-defence The Bundeswehr (German army) Chief of Staff Bruno Kasdorf claimed on Wednesday that he faces a funding shortage of €4 billion. https://www.thelocal.de/20150521/army-chief-bundeswehr-needs-massive-investment Thu, 21 May 2015 12:03:45 +0200 army-chief-bundeswehr-needs-massive-investment Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen is struggling to maintain her credibility as critics have blamed her for lobbying and cover-ups within the ministry over the army's faulty G36 rifles. https://www.thelocal.de/20150508/von-der-leyen-tries-to-hold-onto-reputation Fri, 08 May 2015 11:12:38 +0200 von-der-leyen-tries-to-hold-onto-reputation