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German arms exports went up by 65% in 2019 over the prior year, reaching $8.8 billion, according to the Economics Ministry. The previous record was set in 2015, followed by 3 years of declining sales. Exports to crisis region can destabilize, as in Yemen. In some situations such as Sahel Africa Chancellor Merkel sees a constructive role for German arms exports to allies.

The largest buyer is Hungary at 1.77 billion euros as Hungary is upgrading its military. Next is Egypt at 802 million euros, and the USA at 483 million euros.

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An ECB report in Jan 2015 shows improvement in lending conditions in the eurozone. The ZEW Indicator of German business sentiment jumps to 48.4 points from 34.9 in December 2014, and 11.5 in November 2014. The poll takes into account financial analysts and investor sentiment. A weaker euro that is moving towards parity with the U.S. dollar improving prospect for European exports, and lower crude oil prices, are factors in the big change in business sentiment

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The German car market has shrunk 19% vs 1992. Its at 3.148 million new car registrations in 2007, a drop of 9.2% from 2006. The new car market is declining in both Germany and Japan which is why we should see more emphasis on Eastern Europe and Russian market in the European area, and on emerging country markets especially in Asia in the years ahead, a process already underway. Foreign car makers from Europe and the USA will face competition from the likes of Cherry in China and Tata in India with aggressive price competition. The most effiicent and innovative producers will survive because even though these are emerging markets the buyers will be looking for the best design, quality and technology, and will have good knowledge of prices and what is offered by competitors.

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Christian Seifert, chief executive of the German Football League acted quickly to get the Bundesliga played by teams in empty soccer stadiums but reaching millions on televsion. Following the example of the Bundesliga which started with games on May 16, the La Liga in Spain starts on June 11, and the Premier League in Britain on June 17. Two rounds of play are done and seven more to go for Bundesliga. Even the sounds of fans were brought back for television. Bayern Munich played Borussia Dortmund in  1-0 game that brought the old games and rivalries back to life for sports fans on television. Seifert says he was just doing his job. It helped that the German health infrastructure was good and handled the coronavirus well, making it possible for sports not to be seen as a potential burden for hospitals. The empty stadiums- all the teams and team fans accepted this. It wasn't that some teams had different views on how to proceed. A $300 million broadcast rights payment was one more incentive to get going and still be safe by keeping the stadiums empty-  and everybody calmly accepting that as a necessary aspect of the modified way for 2020. You could still enjoy the game and be thankful you could - on television. ...

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Germany scraps 3 year path to German citizenship replaces it with 5 years and B+ in German. The change in the law by SPD coalition to 3 year path was criticized by CDU as "turbo path." Dual citizenship will be retained. The new law for 5 year path to citizenship is the policy of the new government the CDU-SPD coalition led by CDU's Merz. Those non citizens who pose a risk to the democratic order will be sent back to their home countries.

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Chancellor Merkel visits Latvia in August 2014 and calls for a "persistent NATO presence" in the Baltic states. Merkel also visits Ukraine for talks with Ukrainian leaders. Germany is also mediating in the crisis and helped to arrange a meeting between Russian president Putin and Ukraine president Poroshenko in Belarus.

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The Christian Democrats coalition with the Free Democrats fails to win in the German state of Lower Saxony by one seat in a close election. The CDU won 36% of the vote, the FDP 9.9%, the SPD 32.6%, the Greens 13.6%. Merkel's CDU and the CSU is showing 40% support nationally, the SPD 23%. The next election is in Berlin.

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The St Petersburg Circle and German-Russian relations. The role of Schroeder, former German chancellor. Note that the SDP and the Christian Democrats split posts for Angela Merkel to head the government. Shows how the international geopolitical scene is evolving in new directions and affecting oil policies of key oil producers, as well as how the European auto producers are working with Eastern Europe and Russia for manufacturing. It shows a more confident Russia as a center for R&D for Western companies like Boeing.

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German chancellor Scholz finally approves 14 Leopard tanks for Ukraine. Shown here in this report is a graph of all the in service and stored Leopard tanks in individual countries of Europe including Poland, Spain and Finland which are ready to supply these tanks to Ukraine. Scholz says that he has acted with international coordination with the US. Ukraine says it needs a lot more tanks to face an expected Russian offensive and to initiate its own operations in coming months in the south and east.

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This report in The Economist magazine shows that Germany no longer runs the European Union in the way it has previously. During the austerity crisis with bank bailouts in many countries in southern Europe Germany played a key role. Merkel was perceived as the dominant partner in the relationships with French presidents Sarkozy and Hollande. Britain perceived Germany's increased dominance during that period as a threat. Brexit Leave campaign played on these fears and a diminished British role. Merkel's handling of the migration crisis also played into the hands of Brexit Leave campaigners with poster pictures of migrants crossing European borders in large numbers on British buses. Merkel changed course on migration policies and gradually reversed it to where Germany no longer welcomes economic migrants preferring that they stay in their home countries with German aid to these countries. Merkel's CDU is now facing challenges from a fragmented electorate with many parties and its own diminished role. Gradually the perception of Germany's role is now also reversing. Even though the new president of the European Commission is Ursula Leyen from Germany, there are more Spaniards, French, Italians and Belgians, work in the commission and parliament than Germans, More Director General roles are held by Italy. Germans in Brussels also do not take directions from Berlin, and are actually more Francophile and federalist in their thinking. Germans opinion is more diverse and plural than the idea of a dominant German view. Greens in Germany are coming first in polls showing how much is changing. These multilayers and different strands of thinking make Germany introverted as it is at present. Leyen is seen as more European in outlook and a more European Germany may be the result than a German Europe.  This may play a part in any new elections in Britain or a second referendum on Brexit as polls suggest there is a shift in opinion in Britain underway. ...

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Cost of Living Crisis under Biden, Affordability Crisis under DJT, and the situation in Feb 2026 with 2.4% inflation and job creation at 130,000 jobs in January 2026. Is this a sign that the tariffs policy is greatly misrepresented and misunderstood? The flexibility in tariffs, attention to financial markets through Scott Bessent's keen sghts at the Treasury shared with the president, the cutouts for key countries such as India to exclude semiconductors and cell phonesand other products from tariffs. For instance under tariffs increase India actually increased its exports by diversifying its economy and signing a trade agreement with Germany and the EU, followed by the trade agreement with the US, so that it remains an enven stronger economic partner. The same is true for Japan where elections are leading to a parliamentary majority for PM Sanae Takaichi who wants to work with the US and build a strong economic partnership, and make the large investments in the US it has promised.  Japan and India are two of the five largest economies in the world (US, China, Japan, India, Germany). German Foreign Minister Wadephul for the CDU welcomed Marco Rubio's call for a "new Western Century" and for strengthening western civilization common heritage of the US and Europe. This means 4 of the 5 largest economies in the world are in sync for the future of world trade, and their economic future.  ...

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A call from German chancellor Angela Merkel to the Greek president to hold a referendum on Greece's participation in the eurozone. Political parties in Greece denounced it as considering Greece a "protectorate" coming from the Syriza party, to calling it "unacceptable from the New Democracy party. Karel De Gucht, trade commissioner of the EU, and Olli Rehn commissioner of economic affairs, issue conflicting statements. Gucht says the EU and ECB are working on preparations for Greece's exit, and Rehn says that this in not the case, that Greece is staying in.

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Birnbaum interviews Germany's Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere about German thinking and policy on the use of drones. German policy is to use drones in combat zones and not remotely from Germany. German use of drones would also not be unilateral as this is required under the German Constitution.

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A new mom discusses maternity leave in her native Germany compared to maternity leave in the U.S.

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The service at Reims cathedral in France commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Mass at Reims cathedral for a reconciliation between Germany and France. The service 50 years ago was attended by Adenauer and Charles de Gaulle. This service was attended by Hollande and Merkel.

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The relationship of former German chancellor Schroeder with Russian president Putin reflects personal experince with the deaths and destruction of the Second World War. Schroeder lost his father in the war. Putin is the only surviving child, born in 1952, of a mother who barely survived the siege of Leningrad from 1941 to 1944 when 641,000 Russians died of starvation in the city. His mother lost one child in the siege.

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A German company BioNTech founded by Dr. Sahin, a son of Turkish immigrants, is based in Mainz. Dr. Sahin says it will be ready with a vaccine by December 2020 when it will seek regulatory approval. BioNTech is partnering with Pfizer of the U.S. and plans to have several hundred million doses ready by the end of this year, 1 billion doses of vaccine by 2021. 

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Bonn as location of 6 federal ministries and twin capital of Germany with Berlin is shown here with the history and cultural significance, in this report in Le Monde.

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Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck bring a young generation into politics for the first time in Germany, as they lead to Greens into the 2021 German elections. Here they kick off a party conference in Berlin. The 40 year old Baerbock is finally finding her stride after a difficult couple of weeks. The Greens are polling at 15 to 17% and hope to form a coalition government with the Social Democrats.

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Germany calls U.S. intelligence agencies spying on Chancellor Merkel's mobile phone "a grave breach of trust."