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Berlin's ruling coalition last month agreed that almost all newly installed heating systems in Germany should run on 65% renewable energy from 2024, both in new and old buildings. Houses could also use heat pumps that run on renewable electricity, district heating, electric heating or solar thermal systems as acceptable alternatives to fossil fuel heating, according to the bill, which was seen by Reuters. Such a shift could cost Germans around 9.16 billion euros ($10 billion) annually until 2028, the draft bill showed. Germany's push to phase out gas in heating became more urgent after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine prompted Berlin to halt Russian fossil fuel imports. Heating uses up more than 40% of Germany's annual gas consumption as almost half of the country's 41 million households heat with natural gas while almost 25% use heating oil.

☆ Doctors are building tech startups to help fix a healthcare system reeling from crisis after crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

But with increasing patient demand and complexity, there are not enough doctors in the healthcare system to match that level of care, he said. With its promise of free universal healthcare, the UK's National Health Service has long been a source of national pride. A growing number of clinicians are becoming "doctorpreneurs," applying their first-hand experience in healthcare to build startups to help fill that gap. As clinicians in the UK expand their startups abroad, they predict the doctorpreneur trend will become a global phenomena — with health startups in other countries looking to the UK for inspiration. Selim noted that many doctors — across continents — are also incentivized by a unifying mission, which is to offer patients hope.

[1/5] A demonstrator takes part in a protest against the shut down of the last three German nuclear power plants, in Berlin, Germany, April 15, 2023. An estimated 50,000 protesters in Germany formed a 45-kilometre long (27-mile) human chain after the Fukushima disaster from Stuttgart to the Neckarwestheim Nuclear Power Plant. One of the long-running movement's early successes came in the 1970s when it managed to get plans for a nuclear plant in Wyhl in western Germany overturned. It was a Greens-coalition government that introduced the country's first nuclear phase-out law in 2002. "The nuclear phase-out is a Greens project ... and all parties have practically adopted it," said Rainer Klute, head of pro-nuclear non-profit association Nuklearia.

☆ Germany allows Poland to export old fighter jets to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BERLIN, April 13 (Reuters) - Germany has approved Poland's request to export five old MiG-29 fighter jets to bolster Ukraine's air power against the Russian invasion, the German defence ministry said on Thursday. Germany inherited 24 MiG-29 jets from the East German GDR during reunification in 1990. At the time, the aircraft were seen as among the most advanced fighter jets in the world. Ukraine, which hopes to launch a counteroffensive in the coming weeks or months, wants to secure fighter jets to defend against air strikes. Western countries have so far been reluctant to send advanced fighter jets such as F-16's to Kyiv, but some countries have stepped in to send old MiG-29 jets that Ukraine already uses.

☆ Why Paris is one of the few cities in the world banning rental e-scooters
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Transportation experts say the Paris ban doesn't necessarily mean much for the growth of micromobility. The diverging approaches to rental e-scooters by major cities around the world reflects the technology's chaotic rollout over the last few years and an inability for cities to keep up with sufficient regulations, experts say. Either way, experts say the regulatory environment in Paris and many other places just hasn't been able to keep up. Transportation experts say Paris' ban isn't necessarily reflective of how the public in that city — or any — feels about e-scooters. Despite the setback in Paris, transportation experts say electric vehicles of all sorts, from e-scooters, to e-bikes, to electric buses, are the future of transport in cities around the world.

☆ Tesla to warn of data privacy risk from car security cameras in Germany
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Victoria Waldersee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Tesla Inc FollowBERLIN, April 4 (Reuters) - Tesla (TSLA.O) will warn that its 'sentry mode', which records a car's surroundings, risks infringing data privacy laws in Germany after consumer group vzbv sued the manufacturer for failing to mention this in advertising. A spokesperson for Berlin's data protection agency said that the person driving the car is responsible for turning off the cameras in public spaces. Responsibility would extend to the company if images were transmitted to and stored by Tesla, the spokesperson added. The personal data watchdog in the Netherlands drew a similar conclusion in February, attributing responsibility for filming to the driver. Reporting by Victoria Waldersee, Editing by Rachel More, Alexandra HudsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/7] BERLIN, GERMANY - MARCH 30: King Charles III addresses members of the German Bundestag at the Reichstag Building on March 30, 2023 in Berlin, Germany. The king, on the second day of a three-day trip to Germany, alternated between German and English for the half-hour speech, which won a standing ovation from lawmakers. Both Britain and Germany had shown "vital leadership", Charles said, praising Berlin's decision to provide large military support to Ukraine as "remarkably courageous, important and appreciated". Throughout his visit, German officials have praised his interest in environmental causes and sustainability that has shone through in the engagements he has chosen to understake. Charles had been due to travel first to France but cancelled that part of the tour due to violent social unrest there.

[1/2] Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla leave after their visit to the Bolton Town Hall, in Bolton, Britain January 20, 2023. Steinmeier, said it was an important "European gesture" that Charles had chosen France and Germany for his first state visit, even before his coronation in May. Steinmeier said he had extended an invitation to Charles, who has traveled to Germany more than 40 times, at the funeral of his mother last September. However, any warmer relations with Europe brought about by the visit could cool quickly if other post-Brexit issues flare up. Macron has suggested Charles' visit to France could be rescheduled for the summer.

☆ Germany is overhauling its immigration rules to bolster a rapidly shrinking workforce
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Currently, only people with EU passports, or those who have one parent from Germany, are eligible to hold German citizenship. Immigration reforms based on Canada's points system, meanwhile, will make it easier for skilled workers to enter the country without having professional qualifications recognized in Germany. A January survey showed that more than half of German companies are struggling to fill vacancies due to a lack of skilled workers. The number of people who can come and set up businesses will be huge and a huge benefit for the country. "The number of people who can come and set up businesses will be huge and a huge benefit for the country."

BERLIN, March 26 (Reuters) - Berlin votes on Sunday on making the city climate neutral by 2030, in a binding referendum that will force the new conservative local government to invest heavily in renewable energy, building efficiency and public transportation. "At the moment, climate policy is simply not sufficient to ensure a future worth living in our city," Jessamine Davis, a spokesperson for Climate New Start Berlin, told Reuters. "The new version will automatically apply if Berlin population votes if favour," Davis said. According to the initiative organizers, around 455,000 Berliners have requested to cast their votes via mail so far. In addition to a majority of positive votes, the initiative needs at least 608,000 "Yes" votes to make the results binding.

BERLIN, March 24 (Reuters) - Germany's transport minister on Friday said he was optimistic a dispute between Berlin and Brussels over the future of combustion engine cars running on e-fuels was close to resolution, though some questions still needed clarifying. The original law would effectively ban registration of combustion engine cars after 2035, but Germany seeks an exemption for cars that run exclusively on climate-neutral e-fuel and legal assurances from the Commission. In a letter to the Commission seen by Reuters on Friday, Germany's transport ministry welcomed the EU executive's proposals but asked for legislation to ensure its implementation. Berlin's demand for an exemption had "now been answered by the EU Commission with a letter that makes me optimistic," German Transport Minister Volker Wissing told a news conference on Friday. The European Commission declined to comment on the latest proposals.

☆ 'Cannabis in Germany will be a success story': Europe's biggest economy moves closer to weed legalization
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

The sale of medical cannabis has been allowed in German pharmacies since 2016 — but several barriers to entry remain, including cost. "Patients, who cannot afford medical cannabis, may self-medicate with adult-use cannabis without medical advice. "An overall de-stigmatization of cannabis as a substance will also lead to a de-stigmatized medical cannabis market," Gallois added. The government is currently undertaking a review of its medical cannabis guidelines, including how it is prescribed and reimbursed under the country's statutory health insurance program. A 'domino effect'The plans come as cannabis legalization has fallen under renewed debate over recent years.

☆ China protests 'vile' Taiwan visit by German minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has ramped up military, political and economic pressure to assert those claims. The politically sensitive visit is taking place as Berlin is reviewing its previously close ties with China. In January, a visit to Taiwan by a delegation of high-ranking lawmakers from the liberal Free Democrats (FDP), the smallest party in Chancellor Olaf Scholz's three-way coalition, also led to protests from Beijing. "It is a great pleasure and honour for me to be the first minister heading a specialist government department to visit Taiwan in 26 years," she added. Given the sensitivity of the trip, Stark-Watzinger is not scheduled to meet Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen.

The Greens in particular, but also the SPD, want to invest more in the transition to a low-carbon economy. The FDP on other hand, seeks a return to solid public finances after signing off on hundreds of billions of euros of exceptional expenditure during the pandemic and energy crisis. German coalition disputes are also spilling over into European Union policymaking, sparking irritation among partners. Proportional representation, for example, means coalition governments are the norm, which can slow down decision-making. However singling out just one minister could could result in that minister's party exiting the coalition, he said.

Speaking alongside Netanyahu after talks in Berlin, Scholz said he hoped that a compromise on the reforms suggested by Israel's President Isaac Herzog was not off the table. Netanyahu visited Germany while protests erupted once again in Israel over the reforms by his far-right government that have triggered mass unrest in recent weeks. Netanyahu called criticism of the plans "absurd", assuring Scholz that "Israel will remain a liberal democracy". Netanyahu wanted the meeting with Scholz to focus on efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption charges that he denies, says the judicial changes will strengthen democracy and boost business.

☆ German union calls on Berlin airport security personnel to strike on Monday
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BERLIN, March 11 (Reuters) - Germany's Verdi trade union has called for a strike of security personnel at Berlin's airport on March 13 to start in the early hours of the morning, which it said would likely cause longer queues for passengers or flight cancellations. The services sector trade union said it was calling for the strike due to disputes over remuneration for working at night, weekends and on bank holidays that had been going on for years. "Verdi calls for appropriate pay for flight security personnel who are working at unfavorable times," it said in a statement. "Supplements have not been improved since 2006, and we have been on and off negotiating a raise ever since 2013". Reporting by Sarah Marsh and Christian Ruettger; Editing by Tomasz JanowskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The EU law would require all new cars sold from 2035 to have zero CO2 emissions, making it effectively impossible to sell new fossil fuel-powered cars. E-fuels, like e-kerosene, e-methane, or e-methanol, are made by synthesizing captured CO2 emissions and hydrogen produced using renewable or CO2-free electricity. Germany and Italy want clearer assurances from the EU that sales of new ICE cars can continue beyond 2035, if they run on CO2-neutral fuels. Most major carmakers are betting on battery-electric vehicles - a technology that is already widely available - as the main route to cut CO2 emissions from passenger cars. Supporters say e-fuels offer a route to cut the CO2 emissions of our existing passenger car fleet, without replacing every vehicle with an electric one.

"But after years of dithering, the German 5G network is deeply dependent on Chinese suppliers. Huawei, ZTE and China's government reject these claims, saying that they are motivated by a protectionist desire to support non-Chinese rivals. The government would ban operators from using certain controlling elements from Huawei and ZTE in 5G networks. The German government was last month unable to answer a recent parliamentary request about how many Huawei components operators were using in their 5G networks. The deadline to remove all Huawei gear from Britain's 5G networks by the end of 2027 remains unchanged.

☆ Ukraine 'Art Weapon' show draws crowds in Berlin
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( James Imam | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] A person stands in front of a video installation at the Art Weapon Festival, which showcase contemporary Ukrainian culture and various performances, created during the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the "Alte Muenze" in Berlin, Germany February 25, 2023. REUTERS/Annegret HilseBERLIN, Feb 25 (Reuters) - In a converted former mint in Berlin on Saturday, crowds danced in a blaze of strobe light as a rapper hollered Ukrainian lyrics to punchy beats. The 'Art Weapon' event - which opened at Berlin's sprawling Alte Muenze complex on Saturday - also featured live painting by Ukrainian artists, Ukrainian-language theatre and the chance to sit for a Ukrainian tattoo artist. He decided to apply for funding through a German organisation supporting cultural initiatives, allowing him to organise "Art Weapon" in Berlin. "The invasion has definitely changed art in Ukraine," he added.

☆ German peace activists park rusty tank outside Russian embassy
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Berlin, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Activists protesting against Russia's invasion of Ukraine parked a destroyed, rusty tank directly in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin on Friday, bringing a piece of the battlefield to the centre of the German capital. The Russian embassy was not available for comment. They said it was transferred to Germany with the help of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry and the Ukrainian National Museum of Military History. The district office of Berlin's Mitte borough rejected Lenze's and Giebel's application to display the tank last year, citing concerns including road safety. The tank will subsequently tour through Europe and may end up in a German tank museum.

☆ Two Germans parked a mangled Russian tank in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin as an anniversary gift
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A ruined Russian tank has been dumped outside the country's embassy in Berlin. The rusted heap appeared as a vivid symbol on the anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The gesture came on the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The destroyed T-72 1B tank sits at an intersection near the embassy on the city's famed Unter den Linden boulevard. A ruined Russian T-72 tank sits on a flatbed truck outside the Russian embassy in Berlin, in February 2023.

SummarySummary Companies Ministry plans for low-carbon power systemAims for 80% green power in 2030Will prepare tenders to attract stable capacityFRANKFURT, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Germany will do most of the work this year to prepare its power market for greater reliance on renewable supplies by the end of the decade, Economy Minister Robert Habeck said on Monday. "We will do most of the necessary work in 2023," he said at a consultation meeting on power market reform. To back up swings in green power as more reliable nuclear and coal production is phased out, the government will prepare tenders for gas-fired power capacity, Habeck said. A further challenge will be the simultaneous increase in demand for power to run electric cars and heat pumps. Germany's plan could set it apart from some other European Union countries holding on to more stable sources of power, said Habeck.

☆ Germany to speed up power market reform in 2023, minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FRANKFURT, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Germany will do most of the work this year to prepare its power market for greater reliance on renewable supplies by the end of the decade, Economy Minister Robert Habeck said on Monday. "We will do most of the necessary work in 2023," he said at a consultation meeting on power market reform. To back up swings in green power as more reliable nuclear and coal production is phased out, the government will prepare tenders for gas-fired power capacity, Habeck said. Habeck said the government was working on the assumption that national power usage would reach 700-750 TWh by the end of the decade. Germany's plan may set it apart from some other European Union countries that may hold on to more stable sources of power, said Habeck.

☆ China cranking up political espionage, German official tells newspaper
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] German and Chinese national flags fly in Tiananmen Square ahead of the visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Beijing, China, May 23, 2018. We must be prepared for these to increase in the coming years," Verfassungsschutz agency chief Thomas Haldenwang told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper. He warned that economic dependence on China could be exploited for political influence. "The political leadership is already using its economic power, which also results from intensive relations with the German and European economies, to implement political goals." The German government has been reassessing its economic relations with authoritarian countries after the Ukraine war laid bare the vulnerabilities of Berlin's years-long energy dependence on Russia.

☆ Berlin chooses change in rerun election with clear lead for conservatives
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Riham Alkousaa | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/7] Berlin?s frontrunner for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Kai Wegner, for the rerun of state elections reacts at the regional state parliament in Berlin, Germany, February 12, 2023. The Social Democrats, who have governed the German capital in a coalition with the environmentalist Greens and hard-left Die Linke, scored 18.2%. "Berlin chose change", CDU top candidate Kai Wegner said of the results, adding that there was a clear mandate for his party to form a state government. Berlin's left-wing mayor Franziska Giffey acknowledged the election defeat but said the CDU would still need a stable majority to govern in the city. Talk of a possible two-way coalition with the CDU was received with booing at the Greens election party on Sunday.

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