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☆ Angela Merkel says she was powerless to stop Putin invading Ukraine because he knew she was about to leave office
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Angela Merkel said that she was too politically weak to stand up to Putin at their last meeting. "For Putin, only power counts," she told German outlet Der Spiegel. "The feeling was very clear: 'In terms of power politics, you are through,'" she told the magazine. In Moscow, she said, "The feeling was very clear: 'In terms of power politics, you are through.'" US intelligence and independent experts increasingly suggested that Putin was looking for an excuse to invade.

☆ Germany's Merkel says didn't have political strength for pre-invasion Ukraine talks
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"But I no longer had the strength to push through because, after all, everyone knew: she's leaving in autumn," she said. Merkel, who retired from politics after 16 years in power following Germany's September 2021 election, officially handed over the reins to Olaf Scholz of the Social Democrats in December that year. Referring to her farewell visit to Moscow in August 2021, Merkel, who speaks fluent Russian, told Spiegel: "The feeling was very clear: 'In terms of power politics, you're through.' It says the conflict will only end when Moscow withdraws its forces from all of Ukraine, including areas it has occupied since 2014. Writing by Rachel More, Editing by Miranda Murray and Philippa FletcherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Germany plans to tighten rules for firms highly dependent on China
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( Andreas Rinke | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BERLIN, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Germany's foreign ministry plans to tighten the rules for companies deeply exposed to China, making them disclose more information and possibly conduct stress tests for geopolitical risks, a confidential draft document seen by Reuters said. A spokesperson for the foreign ministry declined to comment. The draft, drawn up by the foreign ministry led by the Greens' Annalena Baerbock, still has to be agreed by other ministries. A final decision on the China strategy is expected early next year. To avoid cluster risks, investment guarantees should be limited to 3 billion euros per company per country, it added.

BERLIN/PARIS, Nov 18 (Reuters) - France, Germany and Spain have reached agreement over starting the next phase of the development of a new fighter jet dubbed FCAS, Europe's largest defence project at an estimated cost of more than 100 billion euros, two sources told Reuters on Friday. The three countries and their respective industries had struck a deal, said a defence source who spoke on condition of anonymity and did not give details. According to earlier information, the next development phase for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) is expected to cost some 3.5 billion euros ($3.63 billion), to be shared equally by the three countries. France's Dassault (AM.PA), Airbus (AIR.PA) and Indra (IDR.MC) - the latter two representing Germany and Spain respectively - are involved in the scheme to start replacing French Rafale and German and Spanish Eurofighters from 2040. ($1 = 0.9642 euros)Writing by Sabine Siebold, Editing by Miranda, Kirsti KnolleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

BEIJING, Nov 4 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and a delegation of business leaders landed in Beijing on Friday morning, kicking off the first visit by a leader of a G7 nation to China in three years. China's strict zero-COVID policy and growing tensions with the West have made it unfeasible for leaders of major western powers to visit China, while Chinese President Xi Jinping has only just resumed foreign trips. Amid historic inflation and looming recession in Germany, Scholz will be looking to emphasise the need for continued cooperation with China, analysts say. In the run-up to the visit, there had been criticism of the visit within the EU and the German government coalition, mainly from the Green Party and the Liberals. Scholz has changed his tune even faster, but he does not have as solid of a domestic political standing as Merkel," said Wang.

The top diplomats of the G7 rich democracies will join sessions in the western German city of Muenster focusing on Ukraine, China and the Indo-Pacific as well as Iran and Africa, among others. "G7 partners will now together kick off winter aid for Ukraine," German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said at the opening of the event. The joint winter aid will be coordinated by G7 partners, she noted. Japan and Germany have agreed to work towards a military logistics pact, a Japanese government official said on Thursday after a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 meeting. The G7 session was being hosted by Germany as holder of the group's rotating presidency.

☆ U.S. cautioned Germany against a Chinese controlling stake in Hamburg port
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Humeyra Pamuk | Lewis Jackson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Cargo ship 'Cosco Shipping Gemini' of Chinese shipping company 'Cosco' is loaded at the container terminal 'Tollerort' in the port in Hamburg, Germany, October 25, 2022. REUTERS/Fabian BimmerMUNSTER, Germany, Nov 2 (Reuters) - The United States cautioned Germany against allowing China to obtain a controlling stake in a Hamburg port terminal, a senior U.S. State Department official said on Wednesday, in a deal that has been seen as a gauge of how far Germany is willing to toughen its stance on its top trading partner. By pushing the stake under 25%, the deal no longer officially requires Cabinet approval, which would have been hard to muster from the Greens and liberal-run ministries. The document points to "considerable risks that arise when elements of the European transport infrastructure are influenced and controlled by China - while China itself does not allow Germany to participate in Chinese ports." Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk in Munster, Germany; writing by Daphne Psaledakis in Washington; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

China became Germany's single biggest trade partner in 2016. A recent survey by the Ifo think-tank found that nearly half of German industrial firms now rely on significant inputs from China. But Scholz's trip comes at a time of growing concern in the West - particularly in Germany's top security ally, the United States - about China's trade practices, human rights record and territorial ambitions. FDP General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai called the decision "naive" and criticized the timing of Scholz's trip to China as "deeply unfortunate". But the German chancellor declined Macron's offer, the sources said.

☆ Climate Change Is Real. Markets, Not Governments, Offer the Cure. - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Bret Stephens | Mr. Stephens Is An Opinion Columnist. Mr. Winter Is A Staff Photographer On Assignment In Opinion. | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +32 min

worse-case, highest-carbon-emission scenario.” (The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is the U.N. body that assesses climate change.) How do we weigh the risks of underreacting to climate change against the risks of overreacting to it? While he’s not an expert on climate change, he has spent decades thinking deeply about every manner of risk. That’s particularly true if climate change is akin to cancer — manageable or curable in its earlier stages, disastrous in its later ones. Maybe, I realized, in assessing my newfound concerns about climate change, my long-held beliefs might provide a solution — look to the market.

That's not the done thing," a senior French official said. "The goal is to make Berlin understand there's a problem," the senior French official said. We even struggled to get them to meet in person," the French official said. German officials say that they are aware they need to reduce their reliance on China, but they add that this should not mean banning all Chinese investment in Europe. read moreGerman officials say France had been invited to join but declined.

☆ Dietrich Mateschitz, co-founder of Red Bull and F1 team owner, dies at 78
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-22 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

AUSTIN, Texas — Austrian billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz, the co-founder of energy drink company Red Bull and founder and owner of the Red Bull Formula One racing team, has died. Officials with the Red Bull racing team at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, said Saturday that Mateschitz had died. With the growing success of Red Bull, he significantly expanded his investments in sports. Red Bull now operates football clubs, ice hockey teams and F1 racing teams, and has contracts with hundreds of athletes in various sports. The Austrian Servus TV station, owned by Red Bull Media House GmbH, is known for promoting right-wing provocative views.

☆ German spy chief: 'Russia is the storm, China is climate change'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Sarah Marsh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

German and Chinese national flags fly in Tiananmen Square ahead of the visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Beijing, China, May 23, 2018. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterChina has urged Germany not to politicize the countries' economic relations or engage in protectionism "in the name of national security". "In the case of a political disagreement between China and Germany, these instruments will be used," he said. The head of Germany's domestic intelligence service, Thomas Haldenwang, said stakes in critical infrastructure could also open the door to sabotage and influence on public opinion. "When I speak with foreign partners about China, they always say: Russia is the storm, China is climate change," he said.

☆ Former German Chancellor Merkel defends her government's move to buy massive amounts of Russian gas, saying she has no regrets as it was right for the time
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The former German Chancellor said she had no regrets about her government's energy policy, per Reuters. "You always act in the time in which you find yourself," Merkel told reporters in Lisbon, according to Reuters. Merkel was referring to liquefied natural gas, a supercooled version of natural gas that can be transported via ships. She recently came under heavy scrutiny and criticism from political rivals, the press, and her peers for her Russia policy amid Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Germany's Russian gas policy spanned decades, starting during the Cold War in the 1960s with the Pipelinepolitik policy that connected both sides with a pipeline.

☆ Merkel: no regrets on energy policy with Russia
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LISBON, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Former German chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday she had no regrets about the course her government took with its energy policy and Russia during her time in power, which critics say left Europe's biggest economy too dependent on Russian gas. Last year, 55% of German gas imports came from Russia, partly the result of Merkel's pursual of trade ties with Russia and backing the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline, even after Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014. Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends a news conference ahead of the Gulbenkian Foundation award ceremony, in Lisbon, Portugal, October 13, 2022. REUTERS/Pedro NunesHowever, Germany has now delayed these plans read more read more as it scrambles to replace throttled gas deliveries from Russia. This is a turning point," Merkel said in reference to Germany's energy policy.

German and Chinese national flags fly in Tiananmen Square ahead of the visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Beijing, China, May 23, 2018. German investment and trade in China hit record levels in the first half of 2022 and big business says there's no question of pulling back from the world's second-biggest economy. A spokesperson for the economy ministry said it was closely following the investment behaviour of German companies as part of its strategic considerations on how to deal with China. The economy ministry declined to comment when asked about a meeting next year, or the remarks about Habeck. Reuters reported last month that the economy ministry was considering curbing export and investment guarantees as part of its new China strategy.

☆ Trump referred to German Chancellor Angela Merkel as 'that bitch' and sarcastically prayed for God to 'watch over' Ruth Bader Ginsburg while she was sick, book says
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Kayla Gallagher | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Maggie Haberman's book, "Confidence Man" reveals the profane ways Trump spoke about other leaders. Trump would refer to German Chancellor Angela Merkel as "that bitch." In 2020, Trump sarcastically threw up his hands in prayer for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Trump responded to her comments saying it was "a disgrace to the court" for a justice to get involved in a political campaign. Haberman sat down with the often crass ex-president three times for her 607-page book, which is scheduled for publication on October 4.

☆ Putin grants Russian citizenship to former NSA contractor turned whistleblower Edward Snowden
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden speaks live from Russia during the Web Summit technology conference in Lisbon, Portugal on November 4, 2019. WASHINGTON — Russian President Vladimir Putin granted citizenship on Monday to former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, according to a decree translated by NBC News. Snowden's name appears as one of approximately 70 foreign nationals approved by Putin for Russian citizenship. The former NSA intelligence officer turned U.S. government whistleblower, fled to Hong Kong and later to Russia in to evade federal prosecution after leaking classified documents to journalists. Snowden was charged with theft of U.S. government property, unauthorized communication of national defense information and willful communication of classified communications intelligence.

☆ În țara noastră a fost înregistrat un prim caz de imunizare cu două vaccinuri diferite
▼ + stars: | 2021-07-08 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: +2 min

În țara noastră a fost înregistrat un prim caz de imunizare cu două vaccinuri diferite. Colac peste pupăză, acesta a uitat ce ser a primit inițial, iar medicii din cadrul maratonului nu dispuneau de registrul electronic pentru a verifica. Bărbatul se simte bine, însă nu dispune de un certificat de vaccinare.VEACESLAV GUŢU, epidemiolog ANSP:"Este locuitor al oraşului Ştefan Vodă. A fost vaccinat pe 26 mai cu Pfizer şi la data de 16 iunie a fost imunizat cu AstraZeneca. "Când a fost depistată greșeala, acesta a fost imediat contactat de medicul de familie şi, timp de câteva săptămâni s-a aflat sub monitorizare strictă a specialiştilor.VEACESLAV GUŢU, epidemiolog ANSP:"Persoana nu a dezvoltat nicio reacţie măcar uşoară după prima doză şi nici după a doua doză.

Persons: ., Angela Merkel Locations: Ştefan Vodă, Canada

☆ Merkel: Șase state din vestul Balcanilor ar trebui să devină membre ale UE din motive strategice
▼ + stars: | 2021-07-06 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: +1 min

Șase state din vestul Balcanilor ar trebui să devină membre ale Uniunii Europene din motive strategice. Merkel a sugerat că aceste state sunt expuse influenței Rusiei și Chinei. Ea a mai declarat că UE și Balcanii de Vest au înregistrat deja succese comune, precum implementarea recentă a acordului de roaming. Cancelarul german a mai declarat că țara sa va furniza cât mai curând posibil 3 milioane de doze de vaccinuri acestor națiuni. Și Ursula von der Leyen a declarat că prioritatea UE este extinderea în întreaga regiune și sprijinul pentru partenerii din Balcanii de Vest.

Persons: Angela Merkel, Ursula von der Leyen, Merkel, Ea Organizations: Uniunii Europene, Comisiei Europene Locations: Balcanilor, Serbia, Albania, Macedonia de Nord, Bosnia, Herțegovina, Muntenegru, Kosovo, german, Rusiei, Chinei, UE, Balcanii, Vest, Balcanii de Vest

☆ Statele din Balcani ar trebui să devină membre UE, din „motive strategice”, consideră Angela Merkel
▼ + stars: | 2021-07-06 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +1 min

Sursa foto: Getty ImagesStatele din Balcani ar trebui să devină membre UE, din „motive strategice”, consideră Angela MerkelCancelarul german Angela Merkel a declarat luni că în opinia sa şase state din vestul Balcanilor ar trebui să devină membre ale Uniunii Europene, din motive strategice, transmite Reuters, citată de Digi24. Președintele Comisiei Europene, Ursula von der Leyen sprijină, de asemenea, aderarea statelor din Balcani la blocul comunitar. La conferinţă au participat şefii de guvern din Serbia, Albania, Macedonia de Nord, Bosnia-Herţegovina, Muntenegru şi Kosovo, precum şi preşedintele Comisiei Europene, Ursula von der Leyen. În conferinţa video, preşedintele Franţei, Emmanuel Macron, şi-a declarat „foarte clar” sprijinul pentru perspectiva aderării celor şase state la UE, a subliniat Merkel. Separat, Merkel a declarat că Germania va furniza "cât mai curând posibil" trei milioane de doze de vaccinuri pentru Covid-19 naţiunilor din Balcanii de Vest.

Persons: Angela Merkel Cancelarul german Angela Merkel, Ursula von der, Merkel, Emmanuel Macron Organizations: Uniunii Europene, Reuters, Europene Locations: Statele, Balcani, UE, Balcanilor, Balcanilor de Vest, Chinei, Serbia, Albania, Macedonia de Nord, Bosnia, Herţegovina, Muntenegru, Kosovo, Balcanii, Vest, Germania, Balcanii de Vest

☆ UE a prelungit cu încă șase luni sancțiunile împotriva Rusiei pentru anexarea Crimeei
▼ + stars: | 2021-06-30 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: +2 min

Sancțiunile economice împotriva Rusiei impuse de Uniunea Europeană pentru anexarea ilegală a Crimeei ucrainene au fost prelungite pentru încă șase luni. În același timp, blocul european examinează posibilitatea de impune noi sancțiuni împotriva Rusiei, în contextul evoluțiilor recente, scrie digi24.ro. Acordul pentru noile sancțiuni va trebui, însă, validat cu unanimitate de voturi de miniștrii de externe ai statelor-membre, la reuniunea din 12 iulie. Liderii UE i-au cerut Moscovei să dea dovadă de „un angajament mai constructiv” şi „să înceteze acţiunile sale contra UE şi ţărilor din vecinătatea sa”. Şeful diplomaţiei europene Josep Borrell a fost însărcinat să prezinte „opţiuni pentru măsuri restrictive suplimentare, inclusiv pentru sancţiuni economice”.

Persons: francez Emmanuel Macron, Vladimir Putin, german Angela Merkel, Josep Borrell Organizations: Uniunea Europeană, UE Locations: Rusiei, Crimeei, Crimeea, Sevastopol, Ucrainei, Rusia, Ucraina, francez, Bruxelles, UE, german

☆ Cancelarul german își menține poziția organizării unui summit UE-Rusia, în ciuda obiecţiilor
▼ + stars: | 2021-06-28 | by ( Buzdugan Loredana | ) www.zdg.md time to read: +1 min

Liderii UE au căzut de acord asupra unui „dialog” cu Rusia, însă nu și asupra formatului în care vor avea loc discuțiile, scrie Reuters. „Relația dintre Rusia și Uniunea Europeană nu este într-adevăr bună în acest moment, dar chiar și în timpul Războiului Rece, oamenii au vorbit între ei, așa că cred că tăcerea nu este propice rezolvării problemelor”, a spus Merkel. Merkel a adăugat însă că liderii UE au identificat probleme pe care au convenit că vor să le abordeze cu Rusia și au însărcinat oficialii să analizeze formatele și condițiile în care discuțiile cu Moscova ar putea continua. „Asta înseamnă că am făcut un pas înainte, dar încă nu ne-am atins scopul”, a menționat Merkel. Dincolo de preocupările UE cu privire la influența Rusiei în Belarus și Ucraina, Merkel a enumerat dezarmarea și viitorul Siriei și Libiei drept aspecte în care blocul ar putea „ridica în cadrul discuțiilor cu președintele rus”.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Angela Merkel, Reuters, Merkel Organizations: Uniunii Europene, Uniunea Europeană Locations: Rusia, Polonia, Moscova, UE, Rusiei, Belarus, Ucraina, Siriei, Libiei

☆ Veste bună! Italia a anulat purtarea obligatorie a măștilor în aer liber
▼ + stars: | 2021-06-28 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: +1 min

Italia a anulat purtarea obligatorie a măștilor în aer liber, introdusă în toamna anului trecut. Măsura a fost ridicată datorită faptului că întreaga țară a intrat în zonal ”albă”, adică nu s-au înregistrat mai mult de 50 de cazuri săptămânale la 100 de mii de locuitori. Cu toate acestea, locuitorii au fost avertizați că, în cazul de creștere a numărului de infecții, această restricție va fi restabilită.Dacă în Italia situația se ameliorează, în Marea Britanie a fost deja amânată cu o lună ridicarea restricțiilor. Într-un lockdown de două săptămâni a intrat și metropola Sydney. De la începutul pandemiei, Australia a reușit să limiteze răspândirea COVID-19 și, în toamna anului 2020, țara era liberă de noul tip de coronavirus.

Persons: Angela Merkel Locations: Italia, Australia, Sydney, pandemiei

☆ Îngrijorate de răspândirea variantei Delta, țările încep să ia măsuri contra cetățenilor din Marea Britanie
▼ + stars: | 2021-06-28 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +3 min

Sursa foto: Guliver/GettyImagesÎngrijorate de răspândirea variantei Delta, țările încep să ia măsuri contra cetățenilor din Marea BritanieVarianta Delta a Covid-19 care se răspândește cu rapiditate în Marea Britanie este privită cu îngrijorare de mai multe state, care au impus sau se gândesc să ia măsuri contra cetățenilor britanici care călătoresc. Astfel, călătorii din Portugalia care vin în Marea Britanie trebuie să facă două teste anti-Covid și să stea în carantină zece zile. Potrivit premierului spaniol, turiștii britanici trebuie să dovedească schema completă de vaccinare sau să arate un test negativ anti-Covid. Guvernul din Hong Kong a declarat că Marea Britanie a fost adăugată pe lista țărilor cu „risc extrem de ridicat”. La rândul său, Germania dorește să fie restricționate călătoriile din Marea Britanie.

Persons: Pedro Sanchez, Sanchez, Angela Merkel, Ea, Boris Johnson, Președintele francez Emmanuel Macron Organizations: Times Locations: Portugalia, Spania, Insulele Baleare, portughez, Madeira, Britanii, Regatul Unit, Hong Kong, Germania, Britanie, Franța

☆ Kievul îşi exprimă nemulţumirea faţă de intenţia Franţei şi Germania de organizare a unui summit UE-Putin
▼ + stars: | 2021-06-26 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +2 min

Sursa foto: jurnal.mdKievul îşi exprimă nemulţumirea faţă de intenţia Franţei şi Germania de organizare a unui summit UE-PutinUcraina a denunţat vineri încercarea eşuată a Germaniei şi Franţei de a relansa dialogul cu Moscova printr-un summit cu preşedintele rus Vladimir Putin, cerând în acelaşi timp explicaţii de la ambasadorii la Kiev ai celor două ţări, relatează AFP, citată de Agerpres. "Părţile s-au pus de acord ca astfel de chestiuni (legate de un summit cu Rusia - n.r.) Însă propunerea a divizat statele membre, aşa că nu a fost găsit un consens. Aceasta i-a adus Moscovei sancţiuni europene, în timp ce Germania şi Franţa joacă rolul de mediatori în conflict. „Din păcate, Rusia nu şi-a manifestat dorinţa de a-şi schimba politica, nici faţă de Ucraina şi nici faţă de UE, prin urmare suntem de părere că reluarea summiturilor este fără fundament", a adăugat Kuleba.

Persons: Putin, Vladimir Putin, Facebook, Kuleba, Părţile, Joe Biden, Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron Organizations: Agerpres, UE Locations: Germania, Putin Ucraina, Moscova, Kiev, Parisului, Rusiei, Rusia, n.r, Ucraina, Geneva, Lituania, Letonia, Estonia, Polonia, Suedia, Olanda, ucraineană Crimeea, Ucrainei, Franţa

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