Vote on making abortion legal in Germany stalled
A vote on reforming abortion laws in Germany - and making them legal - has been stalled for the time being.
A group of cross-party MPs put forward a motion in November to call for abortions in Germany to be legal in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.Â
However, following a hearing on February 10th, the Bundestag's legal affairs committee failed to advance the proposal for a final debate, which campaigners say effectively blocks an opportunity for reform the law before the upcoming elections.
Abortions are illegal under Section 218 of the German criminal code. However, they are tolerated in practice for women who are up to 12 weeks pregnant and have received compulsory counselling. There are also exceptions for women who have been raped or whose life is in danger.
Under the reform, the obligation for counselling would remain, but without the waiting period of three days between counselling and the abortion. Abortions would also be covered by statutory health insurance.Â
READ ALSO: Six things to know about abortion in Germany
There had been major pushback to the calls for reform, particularly from right-leaning parties in Germany.Â
The draft law was put forward largely by members of the centre-left Social Democrats and Greens.
Adriana Lamačková, Associate Director for Europe, Center for Reproductive Rights, said: "This missed opportunity is deeply disappointing, as it leaves the country’s abortion regulation glaringly out of step with modern, evidence-based healthcare practices and international human rights standards.
"This inaction means that Germany’s outdated regulations will continue to perpetuate harmful stigma and impose barriers to essential reproductive healthcare for millions of women across the country."
READ ALSO:Â 'Last opportunity for years' - Why MPs are pushing to legalise abortion in Germany
Union Verdi threatens to escalate warning strikes
Strikes have been hitting various public sectors across German regions recently as Verdi fights for better pay for its members.
Now the union says it may call for a nationwide strike if employers don't present a good offer.
As well as local public transport across the country, airports could be affected in nationwide action as well as waste collection and daycare services.
Verdi deputy chairwoman Christine Behle called on employers to submit an offer. "If nothing is forthcoming, there will certainly be a significant expansion before the federal election," said Behle.
READ ALSO: How strikes in the public service sector will affect life in Berlin this week
Pollen season begins slowly due to cold weather
The pollen season has begun in Germany, but thanks to a recent bout of cold weather the start of the season is more mild than it was in the two previous years, according to Matthias Werchan of the German Pollen Information Service Foundation (PID).
"At the moment, only hazel and alder have started to dust," Werchan explained at a press conference in Berlin, per reporting by DPA.
How the pollen season will develop, however, is difficult to predict. Warm weather in recent years has been blamed for early and elongated allergy seasons.
Europe reacts immediately to US tariffs
After the US enacted 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminium on Monday, the EU quickly announced countermeasures on Tuesday - but details were withheld.
"Unlawful tariffs at the expense of the EU will not go unanswered – they will result in decisive and proportionate countermeasures," said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. However, she did not say exactly what those countermeasures would be.
The chairman of the EU Parliament's trade committee, Bernd Lange, said on rbb24 Inforadio that if Trump were to raise tariffs again, the EU will of course immediately put its counter-tariffs into force.
He cited motorcycles, jeans, peanut butter and bourbon whiskey as examples of products that could be taxed to "hit American exporters".
READ ALSO: What do Trump's steel and aluminium tariffs mean for Germany?
But other business leaders have cautioned against retaliatory tariffs. The EU had responded in a similar manner to Trump's tariffs during his first term in office, and measures and countermeasures continued to escalate.
Meanwhile, it is expected that Trump is already working on further tariffs that may be levied within the coming days.Â
Germany's DAX index hits new record above 22,000 points
Germany's economy might not be doing so hot, but it's stock market sure is.
The blue-chip DAX stock index rose above 22,000 points for the first time on Tuesday, AFP reported, led by industrial conglomerate Siemens and software giant SAP.
The index, which groups the 40 largest publicly traded companies on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, hit 22,003 points in the afternoon, before falling back.
Independent stock market analyst Andreas Lipkow described the record as "rather unsatisfactory", noting that gains were concentrated among only a few firms.
"Most industries and sectors cannot keep up. Only the shares of the few multinational corporations can benefit from the demand of investors," he said.
The majority of companies in the index were "still sluggish", Lipkow said.
Germany's economy shrank by 0.2 percent in 2024, the second year in a row it has been in recession.
Germany investigates potential warship sabotage
German police were investigating the potential sabotage of a brand-new warship after several dozen kilograms of metal shavings were dumped into its engine system, according to a German media report Tuesday.
The issue with the corvette-class ship "Emden" was found during an inspection at a shipyard in the northern city of Hamburg, said the SĂĽddeutsche Zeitung daily and the broadcasters NDR and WDR.
The warship, which was slated for deployment in the Baltic Sea, had not yet been delivered to the German navy when the discovery was made.
The presence of the metal shavings could have caused considerable damage to the ship if it had not been spotted in time, said the report.
The incident on the Emden was now being investigated by the Hamburg regional prosecutor's office and the local criminal police, the report said.
The prosecutor's office and police declined to comment when contacted by AFP, and the defence ministry in Berlin did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
READ MORE: Germany investigates suspected warship sabotage
With reporting from Paul Krantz, AFP and DPA
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