German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt is putting his words into action. In September last year, the Bavarian conservative politician announced that he wanted to boost Germany's civil defense and emergency management capabilities. Eight months later, the government is to decide on measures at its next cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
NATO confirmed on Tuesday that one of its F16 jets from the Baltic air policing mission based in Lithuania had shot down a drone over Estonian airspace. Estonia and Latvia both issued air alert threats reporting a drone in their airspace.
The annual Sudetendeutscher Tag, a meeting of ethnic Germans expelled from Czechoslovakia after the Second World War and their descendants, will take place in the Czech city of Brno from May 22 to 25 as part of the Meeting Brno festival of reconciliation.
The Swedish government on Tuesday announced a deal to purchase four new frigates for its navy from France's Naval Group. The Nordic country, neutral throughout the Cold War, applied for NATO membership in May 2022 alongside Finland, soon after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Skip next section Deutsche Bank London branch fined for Russia sanctions violations May 19, 2026 Deutsche Bank London branch fined for Russia sanctions violations The London branch of German global financial institution Deutsche Bank has been fined by UK authorities for violations related to Russian sanctions.
Russian and Ukrainian forces launched cross-border drone attacks overnight Tuesday as Moscow began three days of nationwide nuclear weapons drills amid escalating tensions in the long-running war. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia launched more than 500 drones and over 20 ballistic and cruise missiles overnight, targeting multiple regions across the country.
Russia may celebrate its "no-limits" partnership with China — a phrase coined when President Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping met just before the Ukraine war — yet those relations are increasingly one-sided.
Hailey Baptiste of United States plays a forehand against Madison Keys of United States during the Women's Singles Fourth Round match on Day Nine of the 2025 French Open at Roland Garros on June 02, 2025 in Paris, France.
Russia may celebrate its "no-limits" partnership with China — a phrase coined when President Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping met just before the Ukraine war — yet those relations are increasingly one-sided.
The Italian government confirmed on Monday that the bodies of four Italian divers were located in an underwater cave in the Maldives.
The National Audience court in Madrid has ordered Spain's main tax authority to return €55 million ($64 million) to pop star Shakira, saying the amount was improperly attained during a dispute over her 2011 taxes. Court documents reveal that the decision was reached in mid-April, but first became known to the media on Monday.
Germany's chemical sector stands as a core pillar of the nation's economy, ranking third after automotive and mechanical engineering. It generates hundreds of billions in annual revenue and directly employs about half a million people.