OLAF SCHOLZ

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida have agreed to strengthen economic and defense ties.

It has been more than a year since Russia invaded Ukraine. Several smaller countries have sent money to Ukraine but we are still waiting for Germany to contribute its fair share. Why?

Olaf Scholz announced that Germany needs to clamp down on "irregular migration" in the country. He believes illegal immigrants must be deported.

A dramatic declassified video showing the moment a Russian fighter jet collided with a US drone over the Black Sea has been released by the US European Command.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has expressed pride that the German antiwar movie “All quiet on the Western Front” won four Oscars, including best international film.

Seven people, including an unborn child, were killed in the Thursday night shooting in Hamburg, Germany after a single gunman unleashed over 100 rounds into a Jehovah's Witness meeting.

The gunman, identified only as Phillip F., legally owned the pistol used in the attack, and police say he was also found dead at the scene.

A shooting at a Jehovah's Witness centre in the German city of Hamburg has left eight people dead, including the suspected gunman, police said Friday, as the motive for the attack remained unclear.Several more people were wounded in the attack late Thursday at the Kingdom Hall building in the port city of Hamburg, where Jehovah's Witness members were attending a religious service."Eight people were fatally injured, apparently including the suspected perpetrator," Hamburg police said, adding that several other people were hurt, "some seriously".German media put the number of wounded people at eight.News weekly Der Spiegel reported that the suspected attacker was a former member of the Jehovah's Witness community who was not a known extremist.The magazine, which did not cite its sources, said he had been armed with a handgun.Best-selling newspaper Bild named the suspect as 35-year-old "Philipp F." and said he killed himself after police stormed the building.Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned the "brutal act of violence" and said his thoughts were with the victims and their loved ones.- 'Filmed the whole thing' -The Jehovah's Witnesses in Germany association said it was "deeply saddened by the horrific attack on its members".Hamburg police are due to give an update at a press conference around midday and urged people not to speculate about the motive behind the shooting.Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said investigators were "working flat-out to determine the background" to the attack.The first emergency calls were made around 9:15 pm (2015 GMT) on Thursday after shots rang out at the building in the city's northern district of Gross Borstel.An alarm for "extreme danger" in the area was sounded using a catastrophe warning app, but Germany's Federal Office for Civil Protection lifted it shortly after 3:00 am on Friday.Neighbours in the area recalled hearing multiple shots fired late Thursday."Our son filmed the whole thing, he could see quite well from the house," Bernd Mibache, a 66-year-old business owner, told AFP."On the video you can see that someone broke a window, you can hear shots fired and see that someone broke in."- 'Something big' -Police have asked witnesses to come forward and upload any pictures or videos they may have to a special website.Another resident said police arrived on the scene within "four or five minutes"."We heard shots and we knew something big was happening," said the woman, who gave only her first name Anetta.She said she knew the building was used by members of the Jehovah's Witness community, describing them as "very peaceful, quiet".The three-storey building was still cordoned off on Friday with several officers standing outside, an AFP reporter said.Germany has about 175,000 Jehovah's Witnesses, including 3,800 in Hamburg. The US Christian movement, set up in the late 19th century and which preaches non-violence, is known for door-to-door evangelism.The first officers to enter the Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall building found several lifeless bodies and seriously wounded people, police said.- Hit by attacks -Officers heard a shot in the "upper part of the building" before finding a body in the area where it rang out, police said.In a tweet, Hamburg police said they assumed the body belonged to the perpetrator. The suspect is believed to have acted alone.Germany has been rocked by several attacks in recent years, both by jihadists and far-right extremists. Among the deadliest committed by Islamist extremists was a truck rampage at a Berlin Christmas market in December 2016 that killed 12 people.The Tunisian attacker, a failed asylum seeker, was a supporter of the Islamic State jihadist group. Germany has also been hit by a string of far-right assaults, sparking accusations that the government was not doing enough to stamp out neo-Nazi violence. In February 2020, a far-right extremist shot dead 10 people and wounded five others in the central German city of Hanau. In 2019, two people were killed after a neo-Nazi tried to storm a synagogue in Halle on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.hmn/mfp/jm

The German branch of the Jehovah's Witnesses called it a "horrific" attack while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said it was a "brutal" and sent his condolences.

Police say eight people were killed in a shooting at a Jehovah’s Witnesses hall in Hamburg, apparently including the perpetrator

Authorities say a gunman stormed a service at his former Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation in Hamburg, killing six people before taking his own life after police arrived.

Catch up on key developments and the latest in-depth coverage of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says his country faces considerable challenges, but also opportunities, in the coming years as it seeks to transform toward a green economy with a shrinking workforce.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned of 'consequences' should China move forward with sending arms and ammunition to assist Moscow in the ongoing Ukraine-Russia War.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says there would be “consequences” if China sends weapons to Russia for Moscow’s war in Ukraine, but he’s fairly optimistic that Beijing will refrain from doing so.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says there would be “consequences” if China sent weapons to Russia for Moscow's war in Ukraine, but he's fairly optimistic that Beijing will refrain from doing so. Scholz's comments came in an interview with CNN that aired Sunday, two days after he met U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington. U.S. officials have warned recently that China could step off the sidelines and begin providing arms and ammunition to Moscow.

The U.S. and Germany are two of Kyiv's biggest backers, but they have not always seen eye-to-eye on the best way counter Russia.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is visiting the White House on Friday for a private meeting with President Biden.

Protestors across Germany gathered to demand the government take action against global warming. The protestors in Germany are part of a global "climate strike."

President Biden will honor a Vietnam War veteran before hosting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. In Maryland, three GOP presidential aspirants will address a conservative conference.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says Western allies will support Ukraine for “as long as it takes” as he visits the White House for a private meeting with President Joe Biden.

Olaf Scholz is asking China to refrain from sending weapons to Russia. He believes China should use its influence to press Russia to withdraw troops from Ukraine.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called on China to refrain from sending weapons to Russia and instead use its influence to press Moscow for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.

Olaf Scholz has not delivered on his sweeping vision for a more modern, more active German military.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says his government wants to make it easier for information technology experts from India to obtain work visas in Germany as the country struggles with a shortage of skilled labor.

A rally in Berlin calling for peace talks to end the war in Ukraine is expected to draw thousands of people from across the political spectrum, including the far left and the far right

Ukraine has reportedly struck a Russian ammunition depot and other military equipment in the occupied city of Mariupol. The strikes, which happened at night, set off big explosions, according to the Ukrinform news agency, and suggest Ukraine is using new weapons with an extended reach. According to a local official, Russian targets were struck in the villages of Yalta and Yurivka where there is a “large concentration of occupiers”. Petro Andriushchenko, an adviser to the Mariupol city mayor, pos

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz sought assurances Saturday from India that it would support, or at least not block, Western efforts to isolate Russia for waging a devastating war against Ukraine.

Nearly a year after Chancellor Olaf Scholz declared Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a “turning point” that would trigger a massive increase in Germany’s military spending, the turnaround for his country’s armed forces still has a long way to go

Nearly a year after Chancellor Olaf Scholz declared Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a “turning point” that would trigger a massive increase in Germany’s military spending, the turnaround for his country’s armed forces still has a long way to go.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy started off the three-day forum with a message of urgency, saying that "we need to hurry up."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is urging Western allies to quicken their military support for Ukraine.

Germany’s defense minister says a deal has been signed for new ammunition for self-propelled anti-aircraft guns it provided to Ukraine to be produced at home after it ran into difficulties securing supplies from elsewhere

Beijing has given the United States a rare opportunity to rally public concern and build international solidarity.

Germany’s main opposition party is celebrating its victory in a Berlin state election re-run made necessary by serious voting glitches in 2021.

Ukraine’s wartime leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy has now been bestowed with France’s highest medal of honor.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that “a Ukraine that is winning” should become a European Union member.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to address the European Parliament after visits to London and Paris, where he requested warplanes and weapons.

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been honored for her efforts to allow more than 1.2 million migrants between 2015-2016.

Turkey’s foreign minister says his country is working to get international aid to earthquake-hit areas inside Syria, but that damage was making efforts more difficult.

Poland and the Baltic states have been vindicated for their anti-Putin hawkishness. That has yet to translate into power.

Former British Prime Minister Liz Truss will join the former leaders of Australia and Belgium at a conference in Tokyo later this month to call for a tougher international approach to China.

Having defended democracy at home, Brazil inspired hope that it might sympathize with the struggle for freedom elsewhere too. Apparently not.

Having defended democracy at home, Brazil inspired hope that it might sympathize with the struggle for freedom elsewhere too. Apparently not.

The White House has announced that President Joe Biden will host Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for meetings on Feb. 10.

The Ukrainian presidential office says Russian shelling has killed at least five people and wounded 13 others over the past 24 hours.

Amid growing discord, a new proposal swayed a reluctant ally, as Germany relented on Leopards and U.S. pledged (eventually) to provide Abrams tanks to Kyiv.

It’s good that Chancellor Olaf Scholz is finally giving Ukraine tanks. Now let’s admit what it took to get there.

Smaller countries forced NATO’s greatest powers to give Ukraine the vehicles it needs.

The agreement between the US and Germany is a critical step toward helping Ukraine regain lost ground.

The wariness over military involvement that made Germany hesitate to send tanks to Ukraine is rooted in the country's memories of World War I and II.

Germany has apologized for using a leopard emoji in a jibe at Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Twitter that ended up offending some Africans.

U.S. officials balked for months at sending M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, insisting they were too complicated and too hard to maintain and repair.

Speaking at the White House on Wednesday, President Biden said the U.S. will send 31 Abrams tanks to support Ukraine in its battle against Russia’s invasion. In his remarks, Biden also praised German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for agreeing to contribute tanks to support Ukraine, saying, “Germany has really stepped up.”

GettyIt didn’t take long for Russian officials to start foaming at the mouth and ranting about global conspiracies after Germany agreed to deliver its Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine on Wednesday.After weeks of resistance, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that, along with allies, the country would provide 88 of the battle tanks to Ukraine, effectively giving Kyiv more firepower to launch new offensives. The Biden administration was also expected to announce a deal to send 30 M1 Abrams t

The U.S. and Germany had resisted sending tanks for months. This marks the latest upgrade in heavy weapons for Ukraine and comes amid growing expectations the fighting will soon escalte.

Germany has approved to send Ukraine up to two battalions of Leopard 2 tanks following weeks of stalled and frustrated negotiations as the war rages on.

The economic outlook has brightened in Europe's largest economy.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced Wednesday his country will export more than a dozen of its Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine. The move follows weeks of pressure from western allies.

Germany announced it is ready to send 14 its own tanks to Ukraine and to allow others to do so, in an U-turn from its previous position.

The decision expected from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz would end months of debate among Western allies and could help to shift the balance on the battlefield.

Germany and the United States have announced that they will send advanced battle tanks to Ukraine.

The American-made Abrams tanks, probably numbering at least 30, are not likely to arrive in time for an expected spring offensive, however.

The German Army has 320 Leopard-2 main battle tanks at its disposal, although they are at different stages of deployment readiness, German Defense Ministry official told CNN on Jan. 24.

In what would be a reversal, the Biden administration is poised to approve sending M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, U.S. officials said Tuesday, as international reluctance to send tanks to the battlefront against the Russians begins to erode. The decision could be announced as soon as Wednesday, though it could take months or years for the tanks to be delivered. U.S. officials said details are still being worked out.

Sometimes not making a decision becomes the decision. By dithering about sending tanks to Ukraine, the German Chancellor is making the worst kind.

Sometimes not making a decision becomes the decision. By dithering about sending tanks to Ukraine, the German Chancellor is making the worst kind.

At a moment when Ukraine and its allies are preaching the need for speed in order to chase Russia out of its territory, the Germans are being viewed as a European ditherer.

A revolution in Germans’ military outlook will only go so far, so fast. Given history, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Andrés Gluski made his comments during a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Germany’s top diplomat says her country won't object if Poland decides to send Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine.

France and Germany have commemorated the 60th anniversary of their post-World War II friendship treaty by committing to “unwavering support” for Ukraine and to strengthening the European Union.

A revolution in Germans’ military outlook will only go so far, so fast. Given history, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Germany has become one of Ukraine’s leading weapons suppliers in the 11 months since Russia’s invasion, but Chancellor Olaf Scholz also has gained a reputation for hesitating to take each new step — generating impatience among allies

Germany has become one of Ukraine's leading weapons suppliers in the 11 months since Russia's invasion, but Chancellor Olaf Scholz also has gained a reputation for hesitating to take each new step — generating impatience among allies. Berlin’s perceived foot-dragging, most recently on the Leopard 2 battle tanks that Kyiv has long sought, is rooted at least partly in a post-World War II political culture of military caution, along with present-day worries about a possible escalation in the war. On Friday, Germany inched closer to a decision to deliver the tanks, ordering a review of its Leopard stocks in preparation for a possible green light.

Power brokers have wrapped up the World Economic Forum’s annual conclave in the Swiss town of Davos as worries about the war in Ukraine, a warming planet and a cooling global economy dominated discussions about the world’s ills.

Western envoys have visited Kosovo and Serbia as part of their ongoing efforts to defuse tensions and help secure a reconciliation agreement between the two.

Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore says data from a new project tracking greenhouse gases suggests oil and gas companies are emitting three times as much as they report.

The head of the United Nations says the world is in a “sorry state” because of myriad “interlinked” challenges including climate change and Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Poland’s prime minister says he wants the German government to supply a wide range of weapons to Ukraine.

German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht has resigned following persistent criticism of her handling of military modernization programs and the country’s arms deliveries to Ukraine.

The White House has announced a new $3.75 billion military assistance package to help Ukraine and its neighbors on NATO's eastern flank as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine grinds on.

A Swiss court has granted a six-month “stay of bankruptcy” to the operating company for the never-opened Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has inaugurated Germany’s first liquefied natural gas terminal, declaring that the speed with which it was put into service is a signal that Europe’s biggest economy will remain strong.

Russia has rejected Western demands that it pulls out completely from Ukraine as part of any future talks to end the war, saying they effectively rule out any talks on settling the conflict.

Germany and Norway are urging NATO to set up a center tasked with protecting undersea infrastructure such as gas pipelines and telecommunication cables.

Germany’s parliament has approved a resolution labeling as genocide Ukraine’s 1930s “Holodomor” — a famine believed to have killed more than 3 million Ukrainians under the repressive rule of Soviet leader Josef Stalin.

Qatar is to supply liquefied natural gas to Germany under a 15-year deal as the European economic powerhouse scrambles to replace Russian gas supplies that were cut during the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Fleeing shelling, civilians have streamed out of the southern Ukrainian city whose recapture they had celebrated just weeks earlier.

Normally when the World Cup comes around, Germans happily wave their country’s flag and enthusiastically back their team.

A Swedish prosecutor says investigators have found traces of explosives at the Baltic Sea site where two gas natural pipelines were damaged in what he called an act of “gross sabotage.”.

The family of imprisoned Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah says they were allowed to see him for the first time in nearly a month and that he is “very, very thin” after ending a hunger strike that prompted widespread concern for his health.

China and India, after months of refusing to condemn Russia’s war in Ukraine, did not stand in the way of the release of a statement by the world’s leading economies that harshly criticized Moscow.

A United Nations official says the U.N. is “cautiously optimistic” a wartime deal that has enabled Ukraine to export grain and Russia to ship its grain and fertilizer to world markets will be renewed.

The family of Egypt’s imprisoned hunger-striking activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah says he has started drinking water again.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is leaving his country’s COVID-19 bubble and venturing abroad next week into a dramatically changed world marked by rising confrontation.

German lawmakers have approved a plan to keep the country’s three remaining nuclear power plants until mid-April.

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry indicated no shift in position with regard to a jailed activist who is on a hunger and water strike.

The German government has blocked the sale of a chip factory to a Swedish subsidiary of a Chinese company.

The second day of leaders' speeches at the UN's climate conference included bold proposals, recommendations to crack down and standardize “net zero” claims and continued discussion about the situation of a jailed pro-democracy activist who is on a hunger and water strike.