Aug 11 2022 — Frank Jordans, The Associated Press — The Canadian Press — BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged his government won't leave citizens freezing or unable to pay their energy bills but acknowledged Thursday that his country faces considerable challenges in the coming months. Rising fuel costs sparked by Russia's war against Ukraine have put severe financial strain on many in Germany and beyond, raising […]
Jul 18 2022 — Frank Jordans, The Associated Press — The Canadian Press — BERLIN (AP) — With the world reeling from the economic fallout of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, senior officials from 40 countries met Monday in Berlin for heart-to-heart talks on how to stay focused on fighting climate change and addressing its impact. Organizers have billed the two-day gathering as an opportunity to rebuild […]
Jun 23 2022 — Frank Jordans, The Associated Press — The Canadian Press — BERLIN (AP) — Germany activated the second phase of its three-stage emergency plan for natural gas supplies Thursday, warning that Europe's biggest economy faces a “crisis” and storage targets for the winter are at risk after Russia reduced energy deliveries to several countries. The government said the decision follows cuts Russia made to natural gas […]
Jun 6 2022 — Frank Jordans, The Associated Press — The Canadian Press — BERLIN (AP) — Nations must keep up hope and focus on tackling global warming despite the many obstacles now to international cooperation — including the war in Ukraine, the coronavirus pandemic, food shortages and rising energy costs, the U.N. climate chief urged Monday. Patricia Espinosa, whose second term as head of the U.N. climate office […]
Jun 1 2022 — Frank Jordans, The Associated Press — The Canadian Press — BERLIN (AP) — Travelers in Germany will be able to crisscross the country for under $10 a month this summer as part of a government program intended to help combat rampant inflation, high fuel prices and climate change. The hitch: the new "9-euro-tickets" that went on sale Wednesday only apply to local and public transportation, […]
May 14 2022 — Frank Jordans, The Associated Press — The Canadian Press — WEISSENHAUS, Germany (AP) — The Group of Seven leading economies warned Saturday that the war in Ukraine is stoking a global food and energy crisis that threatens poor countries, and urgent measures are needed to unblock stores of grain that Russia is preventing from leaving Ukraine. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who hosted a meeting […]
Mar 28 2022 — Frank Jordans, The Associated Press — The Canadian Press — BERLIN (AP) — The Group of Seven major economies agreed Monday to reject Moscow’s demand to pay for Russian natural gas exports in rubles. German energy minister Robert Habeck told reporters that “all G-7 ministers agreed completely that this (would be) a one-sided and clear breach of the existing contracts” for natural gas, which is […]
Mar 13 2022 — Frank Jordans, The Associated Press — The Canadian Press — BERLIN (AP) — Tens of thousands of people rallied Sunday in cities across Europe to protest against Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, with small vigils taking place in Russia as well despite a crackdown by authorities against such demonstrations. German trade unions called a protest in Berlin, where sunny weather boosted the turnout. The march […]
Feb 24 2022 — Frank Jordans, The Associated Press — The Canadian Press — BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s vice chancellor said Thursday that Russia’s attack on Ukraine is “completely illogical” and will backfire, causing western nations to stop buying Russian coal, oil and gas — an important source of income for the resource-rich country. Robert Habeck, a powerful figure in the new German government whose portfolio includes economy and […]
Feb 22 2022 — Frank Jordans, The Associated Press — The Canadian Press — BERLIN (AP) — Germany has taken steps to halt the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Tuesday, as the West started taking punitive measures against Moscow over the Ukraine crisis. The decision, which was criticized by Moscow, is a significant move for the German government. Scholz […]
Feb 8 2022 — Frank Jordans, The Associated Press — The Canadian Press — BERLIN (AP) — Jennifer Morgan, who heads the environmental group Greenpeace International, is to become Germany's new climate envoy, officials said Tuesday. She will be taking on a key role in the new center-left government that has pledged to ramp up Germany's efforts to curb global warming, including through its presidency of the Group of […]
Jan 6 2022 — Frank Jordans, The Associated Press — The Canadian Press — WASHINGTON (AP) — Germany has found itself facing a series of challenges in its relations with Russia and China since taking office last month that are testing the new government’s foreign policy mettle. Among them are Moscow’s military buildup near Ukraine and the diplomatic fallout from a court verdict finding that the Russian government was […]
Dec 15 2021 — Frank Jordans, The Associated Press — The Canadian Press — BERLIN (AP) — Germany announced Wednesday it is expelling two Russian diplomats after a German court concluded that Moscow was behind the killing of a Chechen man in Berlin two years ago. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called the state-ordered killing a “grave breach of German law and the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Germany.” […]
Dec 14 2021 — Frank Jordans, The Associated Press — The Canadian Press — BERLIN (AP) — Members of a new expert panel advising the German government on the coronavirus pandemic held their first meeting Tuesday, amid signs that government restrictions imposed in recent weeks are beginning to slow infection rates. Germany's disease control agency reported 30,823 newly confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, compared with 45,753 two […]
Dec 2 2021 — Frank Jordans, The Associated Press — The Canadian Press — BERLIN (AP) — Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg announced Thursday he is stepping down just two months after taking over from predecessor Sebastian Kurz, who stumbled over corruption allegations. Schallenberg, a former foreign minister, said he would leave office as soon as the conservative Austrian People's Party names a new leader. Kurz was the party's leader […]