Stories from Germany

Munich-based rail operator FlixTrain has filed an objection against route agreements made with competitor Italo. The move follows FlixTrain's planned multi-billion euro investment in new trains for Germany.

A project by a Chinese electronics firm to build transformers in Leipzig has been suspended, according to Mayor Uwe Köhler.

Specialists are scheduled to begin lowering the first tunnel element into the Baltic Sea this morning. Julian Marxen from NDR reported on the progress of the installation. The operation marks a milestone in the construction of the link. Julian Marksen from NDR was present during the operation.

A large fire has been reported in Herzfelde near Rüdersdorf. The incident is causing heavy smoke development, reduced visibility, and odor nuisance. Authorities advise residents to keep windows and doors closed. Authorities have successfully extinguished a fire covering an area of 3,000 square meters in Herzfelde. Preliminary reports suggest the fire was not motivated by political, extremist, or religious factors. The incident is allegedly attributed to a mentally unstable individual who was reportedly recently discharged from a treatment facility in Alt-Scherbiz. These details remain unconfirmed rumors within the city.

Police identified the Leipzig amok attacker as a 33-year-old German citizen born in Germany. The suspect reportedly worked as a boxing trainer, according to Bild newspaper reports. MDR Investigativ reported that the man may have been recently released from a psychiatric facility.

Card payments are expected to exceed cash payments for the first time in Germany this year, according to research from the Cologne-based EHI Retail Institute. The use of cards has doubled within a five-year period. This trend indicates a continuing decline in the importance of cash for shopping transactions. Jörg Marksteiner reported the findings for WDR Wirtschaft. Research from the Cologne-based institute indicates that nearly every second purchase is now made using a debit or credit card. Much of this transaction volume is processed through payment services originating from the United States. A study by the EHI Retail Institute in Cologne indicates that for the first time in 2026, card and mobile payments will exceed cash transactions in Germany. Traditionally, cash has been the preferred payment method in the country.

An American aerial bomb weighing approximately 70 kilograms was defused at the Südfriedhof cemetery in Nuremberg on Monday evening. The device was discovered while excavating a grave. A bomb disposal expert spent roughly 40 minutes dismantling the fuse.

Police identified license plates from Leipzig at the scene of the vehicle ramming that killed two people. Parts of the city center near the vehicle's path remain cordoned off. The individual resides in the Leipzig region and may suffer from mental illness. Three other individuals were seriously injured in the incident. Police reported that approximately 80 people were affected by the event. Further details regarding the circumstances and any potential suspects were not immediately available. A driver crashed a vehicle into a crowd in Leipzig on Monday afternoon. Leipzig Mayor Jung expressed shock regarding the attack, though the motive for the driver remains unknown. The number of people physically injured remains unclear according to reports. Prosecutors are investigating the suspect for murder and attempted murder.

Files from a German Nazi commission are reportedly still unreleased.

An applicant, Gerard Wettstein, stated that the commission investigating files related to a German Nazi figure has completed its examination. The commission has not published findings of historical relevance, and the files have not yet been made public.