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Germany's Dr. Wolff cosmetics company is going all in on AI
This medium-sized, family-run business has embraced artificial intelligence to stay competitive. All employees are encouraged to learn about and apply LLMs.
These German Politicians Agree With Trump: It’s Time for U.S. Troops to Get Out
From the far right to the far left, parties representing a third of German voters are cheering Trump’s drawdown punishment.
Uber weighs higher bid for Delivery Hero, FT reports
Uber’s board met on Saturday to discuss raising its offer for German food delivery group Delivery Hero after a major shareholder rebuffed an Uber bid that would value Delivery Hero over 11.5 billion euros ($13.39 billion), the Financial Times reported on Sunday.
ASUS next-gen ROG Ally handheld may appear at Computex
ASUS may use Computex 2026 to show new ROG Ally device ASUS may show a next-generation gaming handheld at Computex 2026, according to comments from German
Worldwide Caution: Public Health Arrival Restrictions and Enhanced Ebola Screening - U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Germany
Worldwide Caution: Public Health Arrival Restrictions and Enhanced Ebola Screening Event: U.S.-bound American citizens who have been present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within 21 days of arrival in the United States must only enter through the following airports for enhanced screening: Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) for flights after 11:59 PM on May 21, 2026 Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) for flights after 11:59 PM on May 22, 2026 George Bush Intercontinental Airport, (IAH), Houston, for flights departing after 11:59 PM on May 26, 2026 The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will apply enhanced public health screening at the above listed airports in response to the Ebola outbreak. This requirement applies to all passengers, including U.S. citizens, who were present in those countries. Please be prepared for flight changes or cancellations. Actions to take: Read the Modification of List of Designated Airports Regarding Arrival Restrictions (opens in a new tab). Review the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) information on what travelers need to know about returning to the United States from DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan. Review the Department of Homeland Security Alert on Enhanced Ebola Screening (opens in a new tab). Review Consular Information for Americans Regarding the Ebola Outbreak (opens in a new tab). If you are planning to travel to the United States, contact your airline to confirm your flight and route. You may also contact the State Department – Consular Affairs: +1-888-407-4747 (opens in a new tab) or +1-202-501-4444 (opens in a new tab) Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive safety and security updates.
Ebola outbreak live updates: WHO upgrades risk to 'very high' and warns virus 'spreading rapidly'
Meanwhile, an American doctor who was flown to Germany for treatment after contracting the virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo is "critically ill," his missionary group says.
Bayern Munich announce squad to face Stuttgart
Bayern Munich have announced the squad that will travel to Berlin to face VfB Stuttgart in the DFB Pokal final.It’s a near full strength squad for Germany’s record champions, who are playing in th...
German Business Confidence Edges Higher Though War Concerns Still Weigh
Sentiment rebounded marginally this month, though remained near multiyear lows, as companies adapted to the energy shock prompted by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
German Ifo business sentiment unexpectedly rises
German business morale unexpectedly rose in May, a survey showed on Friday, offering a glimmer of hope for Europe's largest economy.
From Germany: Josko Gvardiol targets summer Manchester City exit
Croatian international defender Josko Gvardiol is reportedly considering a departure from the Etihad Stadium after just three seasons in England.Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich are monitoring th...
Germany Politics
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul attends the cabinet meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, May 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
David Raum discusses RB Leipzig future
David Raum played a key role in RB Leipzig securing a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League. The German, who has a contract with the Saxony club until 2027, discussed his future.Speaking to B...
Samsung One UI 9 Beta eligible devices: Android 17 beta expected list
Samsung just kicked off the One UI 9 beta program for the Galaxy S26 series in mid-May 2026. If you own one of those new flagships, you can already sign up through the Samsung Members app in countries like the US, UK, Germany, Korea, and soon India and Poland. But what about the rest of […]
Deutsche Bank Says Just Half of Business Earned Cost of Capital
Most of Deutsche Bank AG’s business activities still failed to earn their cost of capital last year, demonstrating the long struggle the German lender is facing in generating attractive shareholder returns.
EXCLUSIVE: German intelligence warns Iran could expand terror operations in Europe after war
Officials warn of rise in Europe-based regime supporters travelling to Iran
Kenyan scientist advances energy storage research in Germany
A Kenyan scientist in Germany is using advanced microscopy to study how batteries work at the atomic level—research that could lead to longer-lasting batteries while reducing the need for scarce raw materials.
Exclusive | Activist Elliott Builds Big Stake in Life-Science Tools Supplier Bio-Rad
Elliott also has a stake in German lab-equipment supplier Sartorius, where Bio-Rad is also an investor.
Everton 1-3 Sunderland: What Moyes said
Merlin Rohl is the very first German player to score for Everton in the Premier League and the newest nationality to strike for the Toffees in the competition since Guinea-Bissau's Beto in December 2023. Everton manager David Moyes has lost his last three Premier League meetings with his former sides.
Is China becoming Europe’s top science partner amid an American brain drain?
‘Massive changes in the global flow of talent’ are creating opportunities, according to the head of Germany’s Max Planck Society.
🚨 Bundesliga: relegated sides set, one giant misses Champions League!
The 2025–26 Bundesliga season delivered its verdict this Saturday.The big news from this final multiplex of the season concerns Bayer Leverkusen. Germany’s 2024 champions will not play in the Cham...
Andreas Rettig: 'You can't separate sports and politics'
The World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico is sparking discussions beyond the realm of football. DFB Director Andreas Rettig discusses the Germany team and the geopolitical situation in an interview with DW.
Andreas Rettig: 'You can't separate sports and politics'
The World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico is sparking discussions beyond the realm of football. DFB Director Andreas Rettig discusses the Germany team and the geopolitical situation in an interview with DW.
🚨 Neuer signs a one-year Bayern extension
Manuel Neuer has signed a new contract with FC Bayern, as the German club announced on Friday afternoon.The agreement between the international goalkeeper and Bayern is valid for one more season. Neue...
Germany Politics
A girl protests during German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's speech at a discussion with young people during a congress of the German Catholic people the "Deutscher Katholikentag" in Wuerzburg, Germany, Friday,
Germany Politics
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, second right, attends a discussion with young people during a congress of the German Catholic people the "Deutscher Katholikentag" in Wuerzburg, Germany, Friday, May 15, 2026.
Germany Politics
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, center, attends a discussion with young people during a congress of the German Catholic people the "Deutscher Katholikentag" in Wuerzburg, Germany, Friday, May 15, 2026. (AP
Germany Politics
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, center, attends a discussion with young people during a congress of the German Catholic people the "Deutscher Katholikentag" in Wuerzburg, Germany, Friday, May 15, 2026. (AP
Chartbook 449: Voldemort on Threadneedle street. The Bank of England and the "haunted house" of English politics.
Imagine the scene: In some Harry Potter version of 21st-century London, a group of deathless UK Treasury officials gathered from across the last century huddle over warm pints and glasses of Chardonnay. Around the table there are officials from the 1920s, the 1930s, the 1970s, 2022 and today. Inevitably, in May 2026, the subject of conversation is the disintegration of the current Labour government. Despite its huge majority in parliament, it has been reduced to tatters by catastrophic local election result. These exposed the fact that rather than having a government with a clear popular majority, the UK is like most other modern societies divided into 5 segments each of which commands between 26 and 16 percent of the vote. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the leadership at Nos 10 and 11 Downing Street - where the Prime Minister and the Chancellor (Treasury Secretary) work - seem paralyzed. They are caught between mounting discontent over unfairness and the cost of living, and tough fiscal strictures that push them into making unpopular spending decisions. In the London pub, the Treasury officials from across the ages, can barely hide their satisfaction at the latest display of democratic politics caught in the vice-grip of financial logic. “Remember the mur d’argent and the banker’s ramp?” “Just like yesterday!” There are smirks around the table. Then the representative of 2026 pipes up: “One thing you have to say about the current lot (referring to the latest hapless Labour government), you don’t have to teach them about the bond market!” There is a murmur of ascent from the Treasury Mandarins. The trauma of the fiscal crisis of September-October 2022 sits deep. Back then, in the final stages of Tory decay, a ‘mini budget’ that challenged fiscal orthodoxy led to a brief but fierce panic in one of the oldest government bond markets in the world (aka gilt market). Now all you have to do is to mention the “bond market” to hush debate. [ Paul Mason@paulmasonnews In the name of public service, and as ex-economics editor of BBC Newsnight, I offer to do a zoom call, tonight, with any Labour MP who wants to understand why bond markets do not "fall into line" with governments. 1/ 3:57 PM · May 12, 2026 · 466K Views 224 Replies · 674 Reposts · 3.93K Likes ](https://x.com/paulmasonnews/status/2054229532404519082?s=20) “And the funny thing is”, the young man in the huddle continues, “they don’t even want to talk about … ”. There is a sudden hush. Significant looks are exchanged around the table. About? One of the senior figures puts down his glass with a decisive “clink”. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has entered their thoughts. Meanwhile, a few miles away in a grubby pub in Bloomsbury, two conspirators from the camp of Critical Macrofinance huddle over cans of low-alcohol IPA. They look at each other and blurt out loud: “The Bank!” “Everyone in the bloody Labour party is talking about the bond market. But why aren’t they even mentioning … the Bank of England!?” “Why is no one talking about Voldemort?” In Paul Mason’s blogpost, after much chest-thumping about basic fiscal logic, the basic point about the Bank of England is buried in the fine print at #3 in his list of suggestions as to what a radical Labour government might actually be able to do! [ Conflict & Democracy Down with the bond market! Down with gravity! It may seem unfair to focus on Labour MP Paula Barker for her off-the-cuff assertion that the bond market would have to “fall in line” with Andy Burnham, should he replace Keir Starmer as prime minister. But Burnham himself told the New Statesman that Labour had to “get beyond this thing of being in hock to the bond markets… Read more 2 days ago · 100 likes · 3 comments · Paul Mason ](https://htsf.substack.com/p/down-with-the-bond-market-down-with?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web) Back in Bloomsbury they shake their heads and ask: “Didn’t we learn anything from the Eurozone crisis?” Meanwhile, as if summoned to the conversation by some higher force, the “pink pages” announce: “The days of ultra-cheap government borrowing have come to an end” and Martin “Whizzard” Wolf publishes the graph of the season Look at the UK in 2026, perilously positioned on the upper edge of the pack. No wonder no one in London needs any lessons about the “bond market”. But, look again. Imagine how they feel in Rome. What is London’s nightmare in 2026? The nightmare is that you end up like Italy in the early 2010s during the Eurozone crisis. Once comfortably situated in the middle of the pack, watching with horror as your ten-year yields explode to 7 percent and “spreads” become a national nightmare. One of the largest economies in Europe, a founding member of the euro, stigmatized. But the message of the Italian experience is ambiguous. After all, the stigma didn’t last. In 2026, Italy borrows at rates lower not only than the UK but the US. The US, which, as everyone knows, enjoys the “exorbitant privilege” of being the issuer of reserve, safe asets. What kind of magic is this? How did Italy, in the space of fifteen years, go from being good, to bad and back again? Which brings us back to our dissident friends in their Bloombury boozer and their memories of the Eurozone crisis. Italy never was Britain - with its ongoing fiscal deficits. Without interest payments, on primary balance, from 2000 to 2020 Italy ran a tight fiscal ship. Even in 2008 it barely went into deficit and when it was being put on the rack in the early 20210s its primary surplus matched that of austere Germany. So, what happened? How did it end up stigmatized? Of course Italian politics didn’t help. Berlusconi was at the helm and he had legal issues. But amongst friends in the Bloomsbury pub, Berlusconi is a sideshow, the name we whisper to each other is “Trichet”. From 2004 to 2011 the ECB was headed by Jean-Claude Trichet, ex of the French Treasury, more German than the Germans. After 2009 as the news of the Greek fiscal disaster broke, the European bond markets wento into panic mode and Trichet began a brutal game of cat and mouse. Between 2009 and 2011, Trichet intervened in the bond market to help, only when he thought he had compliance with austerity. When he thought they were uncooperative, he withdrew. In the summer of 2011, he even made direct suggestions to his Italian counterparts in Rome, as to how Italy should be governed. It was this cat and mouse game that drove the bond markets crazy and exposed Italy to a violent squeeze. When Mario Draghi took over the ECB at the end of 2011 and declared “whatever it takes”, the pressure on Italy, gradually eased. It is that starring role that has made Draghi into the towering figure in European politics that he remains today. So now you see why voices in London hush when it comes to the Bank of England. “The bond market” isn’t an irresistible objective force like the weather or an avalanche. It can appear like that. But that depends on the way it is being handled, or not handled by the central bank. Which is why the silence about the Bank of England in London right now is so significant. If you think this all sounds a bit fishy, coming from a left-liberal Keynesian like myself, well, let me introduce you to Robin Brooks, who, to put it mildly, plays on a different quidditch team to me. Here, from the position of a fiscal hawk is Robin’s celebratory account of the Bank of England’s role since 2022; In October 2022, at the height of the bond market blow-up in the UK, something incredible happened. Governor Andrew Bailey told British pension funds the Bank of England would end its support program for the country’s fragile gilt market, drawing a line under how much help the central bank was willing to give to exposed pension funds and - implicitly - the government. By the end of that week, Kwasi Kwarteng - the finance minister - had resigned. Prime Minister Liz Truss would soon follow. This episode is so incredible because it contrasts with what happened in the Euro zone earlier that year. Bond markets in Spain and Italy were under pressure amid high inflation and rising interest rates. In the middle of this, Mario Draghi - Italy’s Prime Minister - resigned, compounding pressure on bond markets of high-debt countries on the Euro periphery. Unlike the Bank of England, the ECB caved. It bought Italian and Spanish government bonds in an effort to cap yields and introduced a new tool that signaled to markets it might do such caps more frequently going forward. Faced with pressure on bond markets, the ECB capitulated to political pressure from high-debt countries like Italy and Spain. The Bank of England stood its ground and toppled the Truss government. This kind of thing has long-lasting consequences. It means markets price a higher probability of yield caps in the Euro zone, which keeps Italian and Spanish yields artificially low, while markets feel free to push up UK yields without fear of central bank intervention. As I flagged in yesterday’s post, this means you really can’t compare UK yields to those of other high-debt countries. The UK looks worse, but only because its central bank isn’t interfering with markets. There’s more to this than just that 2022 episode. The Bank of England has also been much more aggressive in its quantitative tightening (QT) than other central banks. If one motivation for quantitative easing (QE) is to lower bond yields - especially longer-dated ones - then it stands to reason QT pushes yields up. The left chart above shows a four-quarter moving average of UK government debt issuance (black line) in percent of GDP and which sectors absorb this issuance, including the Bank of England (blue bars). The right chart above compares the Bank of England’s accumulation or run-off of government bonds (blue line) with that of other central banks, where this blue line is the same as the blue bars in the left chart. The Bank of England was quicker and more aggressive than other central banks in downsizing its bond holdings, so UK yields will have risen more than elsewhere also for this reason, not just because of Governor Andrew Bailey’s remarks in October 2022. Back in October 2025, after a conversation in New York with friends in British politics, my sense of dysphoria was such that I raised the issue of the Bank of England openly in the FT Since 2008, the UK has slid into a deep economic and political predicament. Growth has stagnated to a degree far worse even than in the 1970s. The Tory leadership’s wager on the Brexit referendum spectacularly backfired, leaving the UK isolated from Europe and at the mercy of its special relationship with the US, many of whose political class regard the UK as a basket case. After years of austerity, the Labour party lurched to the left and then back to the centre. The Tory party has been eclipsed by the populist nationalism of Reform. Any British government should be worrying first and foremost about how to restart growth. Instead, Keir Starmer is beset by shades of the gilt market panic triggered by the Liz Truss government in 2022. The debt level is higher than in recent years, but there is no cause for panic. UK debt is at far from critical levels and of long duration. Whether you want to “take back control” or launch progressive economic policy, a democracy dogged by fear of bond market vigilantes is unhealthy. In a country that is a monetary sovereign, this climate points to one thing: a disconnect between the government and the central bank. Since 1997, the independence of the Bank of England has become a sacred cow. But independence is what you make of it. And in the wake of the gilt market crisis of September 2022, relations between the Bank of England and the UK government need a reset. In normal times, there is no doubt that an inflation-targeting independent central bank can serve a country well. But since 2008, the UK and other advanced economies have not had the luxury of such simple problems. To their credit, central bankers around the world have not stood on orthodoxy. After 2008, the US Federal Reserve rescued the global banking system and, through quantitative easing, it stabilised the Treasury market in the face of huge deficits. In Europe, things were trickier. Both the Bank of England under Mervyn King and Jean-Claude Trichet’s European Central Bank played cat and mouse with national governments. This was a high stakes wager that between 2010 and 2012 escalated bond market tension and triggered a disastrous turn to austerity. Shaken by the impact of those shocks, their successors, Mark Carney and Mario Draghi adopted a more protective stance (assuming you were not the government of Greece). Recall that Draghi’s legendary slogan, “Whatever it takes”, was uttered to face down the City of London’s bond vigilantes. In 2015, Draghi launched QE — financial repression by another name. In 2016, Carney used the authority of the Bank of England to stabilise markets following the vote for Brexit, an exemplary demonstration of how central banks can underpin democratic choice, even when those choices are wrong headed. All these were independent central bankers steeped in the best practice of the 1990s, who recognised that historic crises demanded radical action. It was the price surge of 2021-2023 that poisoned the atmosphere. Though the shock came mainly from the supply side, central banks ended up in the dock. Nowhere more so than in the UK. The Bank of England reacted with aggressive normalisation. Faced with a cost of living crisis, the governor called for workers to accept real wage cuts. In early 2022, as gas prices were at record levels and Russia’s army was poised to invade Ukraine, the Bank adopted a stringent programme of quantitative tightening, elevating interest rates. When the Truss government got itself in trouble, the Bank took almost a week to come to the rescue. Rather than enacting a charade of normality, it is time to recognise that in 2025 the UK faces a period of historic transition. To meet this challenge, what is needed is a new concordat with the Bank. This should not ignore inflationary pressures or the long-run trajectory of debt, but should affirm the priority of reviving investment-led growth. One could follow Donald Trump in demanding interest rate cuts. The Bank could shadow the ECB in its commitment to capping Eurozone yields. But the top priority should be to lay the ghost of September 2022. The Bank’s slowing of QT last month was a concession. An immediate and complete end would send the right signal. Such a concordat will not by itself restore sanity to politics, solve the housing problem or rebuild the NHS. But it would help to lift the fear of bond market crisis, which is paralysing the effort by democratic politicians to answer the fundamental questions facing the nation. Now, that call for a new concordat between government and Bank of Englands seems more urgent than ever. The problem is that in October 2025, Starmer still had some authority. Today the government is in tatters. And when you are the “under the harrow” - to echo a phrase of Montagu Norman’s from the 1920s - it is the worst possible time to consider institutional change. To make general arguments at a time of crisis can only seem like special pleading rather than a general argument for long-term change. The same, unfortunately, is also true for the other basic institutional reform that Britain urgently needs i.e. the abolition of the out-dated first past the post electoral system and its replacement by a moderated form of proportional representation. And thirdly - whilst we are saying the quiet parts out loud - Britain needs to reopen the question of EU membership. What the local election results of 2026 show is that this remains a key issue. And what they also show is that there is a clear majority that would favor a return. Until these basic features of Britain’s political economy are addressed the country will carry on its politics as though in a haunted house, governed by governments that lack actual majorities, conjuring up false constraints whilst ignoring the real ones. This one is for DG and MI. I love writing the newsletter. If you enjoy it too and fancy buying me a coffee once a month, you know what to do. Click below! Subscribe
Back to Bohemia: Sudeten German gathering sparks Czech-German nationalist row
At the centre of the dispute lie the post-war laws authorising the expulsion of around three million ethnic Germans from Czechoslovakia after 1945
Moscow invites far-right German politicians to ‘Putin’s Davos’
At least two lawmakers in the Kremlin-friendly AfD intend to attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June.
Germany Politics
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz attends for the cabinet meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, May 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Germany Politics
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz leads the cabinet meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, May 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Leverkusen next German club to be linked with Rohl
Rangers' Danny Rohl is among several names on Bayer Leverkusen's shortlist for a new head coach, but Bild suggests that Crystal Palace's Oliver Glasner is the top choice and Girona's Michel is also a candidate. Danny Rohl is not at risk of being sacked by Rangers and is unlikely to leave for Wolfsburg considering their relegation from the Bundesliga, but Union Berlin, in particular, and Bayer Leverkusen could be more attractive propositions amid Europe-wide interest in the 37-year-old.
🇩🇪 Bundesliga milestone: Krüger, HSV’s first female sporting director
Hamburger SV has marked a before and after in the history of German football. The club of the "red shorts" has officially appointed Kathleen Krüger as its new sporting director. This move is not only...
Bayer Profit Up On Seed Business But Glyphosate Sales Struggle
German agrichemical and pharmaceutical giant Bayer reported a bump in first-quarter profit on Tuesday, driven by its agricultural business, even as sales of controversial glyphosate-based weedkillers struggled.
Antitrust suit seeks better prices for farmers
A stack of papers is keeping eastern Colorado and western Kansas farmers out of the lucrative west-coast market and bringing a group together to levy an antitrust suit against the railroads. Stefan Soloviev was an unlikely farmer with his full-sleeve tattoos, big-city upbringing, and a last name that looked very different from the primarily German surnames […]
Politics for the Many: Democracy and Participation in the United States and Germany - Atlantik-Brücke e.V.
03.06., 18:30 - 21:00 - Berlin This evening brings together perspectives from the United States and Germany to explore how democratic representation can be strengthened.
Germany's businesses frustrated by economic decline
No one had higher hopes for Friedrich Merz's chancellorship than the German business community. Meanwhile, however, early euphoria has given way to bitter disappointment.
Germany's business community is frustrated and disillusioned
No one had higher hopes for Friedrich Merz's chancellorship than the German business community. Meanwhile, however, early euphoria has given way to bitter disappointment.
Germany learns the cost of provoking Trump
Friedrich Merz’s comments on ‘humiliated’ US have unleashed the president’s wrath
Germany’s Healthcare Reforms Herald More Pain for Big Pharma
Donald Trump’s push to bring down drug prices in the US has rattled the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies. Now, they’re confronting a new menace as Germany seeks to plug a ballooning deficit in its public health-insurance funds.
2026 Detroit Lions Schedule Release Date Officially Announced
The NFL officially announced the 2026 schedule release date, while Lions fans await Germany game details and primetime matchups.
CAIR Releases Analysis of Anti-Muslim Oklahoma Politics
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today released a new analysis detailing a multi-front effort to push Oklahoma Muslims outside the circle of the state’s protected civic and religious life — through legislation, thro
Lost my job while living abroad: Unique challenges, struggles
I lost my job while living in Germany as a Canadian. Navigating unemployment abroad was difficult, but I've created a rhythm and routine for myself.
Siemens Healthineers shakes up leadership team, cuts profit outlook
The Erlangen, Germany-based device manufacturer announced its quarterly earnings results on May 7, which included a 6.5% year-over-year decline in revenue for its diagnostics segment.
German Business Leader Criticizes Merz for Poor Reform Record
The head of Germany’s Chambers of Commerce and Industry sharply criticized Chancellor Friedrich Merz for his poor reform record, calling the conservative leader’s ruling coalition dysfunctional and unreliable.
Science diplomacy lessons from a North Korean volcano
Mount Paektu, a mythic, active volcano on the border between North Korea and China, is almost the epitome of a scientific challenge that crosses political lines. In 946 CE, it erupted in one of the five biggest volcanic events of the past 10,000 years, kicking up huge quantities of ash and sending destructive mud flows down river channels for hundreds of kilometres. Should this happen again, the entire region, including easternmost Russia, South Korea and even Japan could be hit. “It’s definitely got the potential to be big,” said James Hammond, a professor of geophysics at Birkbeck, University of London. An eruption on the scale of 946 would have “huge regional impact.” For the past 15 years, Hammond has helped lead a groundbreaking collaboration with North Korean scientists to study the volcano, navigating scientific sanctions, tough export controls on scientific equipment and a long, pandemic-enforced exodus from the country. Although he seems more at home on far-flung research expeditions – before speaking to Science|Business, Hammond was camping out on a Greenland ice sheet – he has also advised the European Commission on its changing science diplomacy strategy. His long experience with North Korea has made Hammond sceptical of blanket bans on science collaboration, no matter the country.This is a live question in Europe, where in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, institutional ties with Russian universities were almost entirely severed, although some scientists fear this could undermine our understanding of climate change’s impact on the Arctic. Here, Hammond tells the story of the Mount Paektu mission and the policy lessons he takes from it. Ominous rumblingsThe genesis of Hammond’s collaboration came in 2002, when Mount Paektu began to rumble ominously. Earthquake activity picked up and the volcano began to emit unusual gases. North Korean scientists took notice. “People felt we need to know more about this volcano,” said Hammond. In 2011, North Korean vulcanologists put out a request for international expertise to help them learn more. At the time, Hammond and his collaborator, Clive Oppenheimer, were working on a vulcanology project in another sanctioned country, Eritrea, and so decided to answer the call. Within a month, they had flown into Pyongyang. “It was pretty incredible,” recalls Hammond (left). “We were made to feel like honoured guests, and invited to official celebrations.” The scientific opportunity was huge. Paektu is unusually positioned, a thousand kilometres from where tectonic plates rub against each other in the Pacific. “It was an incredibly interesting volcano, but not much research had been done, at least not in the international community,” he said. “There was so much we felt we could do. And we had these partners that were super keen to engage.”The mission received an unusual visitor in the form of volcano-obsessed filmmaker Werner Herzog, who accompanied Hammond and Oppenheimer while directing his 2016 film Into the Inferno about volcanos across the world. Four days into the trip, the German director delivered a long speech about reunification to his North Korean hosts, recalls Hammond. “He got to the heart of the Koreans and how they felt, and how they thought, in a way that I'm not sure I ever will,” he said. UN sanctionsHowever, Hammond realised he’d been “naïve” about how difficult it would be to collaborate with North Korea, which was sanctioned far more heavily than Eritrea. “We didn’t fully appreciate the all-encompassing nature of restrictions,” he said. In 2016, as tensions escalated over Pyongyang’s nuclear tests, a United Nations resolution banned all joint scientific work with North Korea. However, the UN sanctions did allow countries to request carve outs, and the UK successfully requested an exemption for Hammond’s work. Related articlesEU pushes for joint science diplomacy, but care needed to avoid gridlock, experts sayRussia severs its last ties with German scienceAnchor Greenlanders in Arctic climate research, experts tell EU ahead of policy updateExport controls have also delayed Hammond’s work. In one case, it took 18 months to get approval from the UK government to take seismometers, which measure earthquakes, to North Korea. “It was frustrating,” he said. “But they didn’t just say no.” However, one instrument, called an induction coil, used to measure how the earth conducts electricity, was blocked entirely because it can in theory be used to detect submarines. Karaoke bondingSince the collaboration started in 2011, Hammond has visited the country around 15 times, although the pandemic closed off North Korea for more than five years. A trip last November was Hammond’s first since the outbreak. Despite this lengthy interlude, Hammond has deep bonds in the country. The North Korean scientists Hammond works with are somewhat isolated, as they struggle to access the latest research papers and travel to international conferences. That said, they are “excellent geophysicists” and are “very well trained in the field,” he said. Over karaoke and chats about their families, “we’ve made friendships, for sure,” he said. The authorities have to sign-off things like the placement of seismometers, for example, but Hammond said these requests have been approved. “Everything that we've asked for within a scientific context has been delivered.”Scientific backchannels? These kind of personal links between scientists across political lines are one purported benefit of science diplomacy. During the Cold War, some historians argue, scientific contact between the US and Soviet Union laid a groundwork of trust for other cooperation, such as on arms control. Hammond agrees that backchannel contacts to North Korean geophysicists are hardly likely to defuse a military crisis on the Korean peninsula, but the simple fact of the scientific collaboration makes contacts between diplomats that little bit easier. “It creates opportunities to understand each other a little bit better,” he said. “When maybe you have those more difficult discussions as diplomats, it's coming from a slightly better place.” Cutting tiesDrawing lessons from the Mount Paektu mission for today’s links with Russian science isn’t simple. The analogy is far from exact, Hammond said, “because one is essentially a Cold War, versus a pretty hot war in the case of Russia.” But Hammond’s broader argument is that the challenges we face, such as climate change, pandemics, biodiversity loss, pollution and so on, have globalised in an unprecedented way, making blanket shutdowns in collaboration with any country unwise.He’s somewhat critical of the UN scientific sanctions imposed on North Korea in 2016, even though they did allow for exceptions. “I think a blanket halt to some of these things, when we face big global challenges [. . .] that’s quite a risky thing to do,” he said.Institutional endorsement?European academics are still by and large free to work individually with Russian counterparts. However, official, institutional partnerships have largely ended. Shortly following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian university rectors wrote a public letter endorsing the war, meaning European universities fear official collaboration could also be seen as a kind of endorsement. Hammond acknowledges there is a risk of legitimising regimes, and state-controlled universities, through scientific cooperation. “That’s the trade off you have to make,” he said. Strategic projectsWith Russia, instead of giving a green light to restart all Arctic science, a middle ground might be firing up a few carefully selected “strategic” projects, said Hammond. After all, European countries are still collaborating with Russia on the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, an experimental nuclear fusion plant in the south of France. However, even if Europe did try to revive Arctic science with Russia, there’s no guarantee Russian scientists would play ball. A series of high-profile arrests of physicists in Russia accused of sharing their findings with the outside world has made collaboration fraught. Even before the invasion of 2022, “the Russian regime made it increasingly difficult, and this sort of discouraged people,” Dag Rune Olsen, rector of the Arctic University of Norway, told Science|Business last year.
Germany defender Sule to retire this summer aged 30
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Borussia Dortmund reach agreement with RB Salzburg’s Joane Gadou
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Jannik Sinner closing in on Novak Djokovic’s Masters record
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German firms abroad grow more pessimistic as Iran war disrupts supply chains
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Only-in-2026: A Guide to Can't-Miss Live Sporting Events in Philly
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Armenia hosts European Political Community summit
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Germany Politics
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, center, speaks to Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal, left, and the media as he arrives for a board meeting of his Christian Democratic Union, CDU, party at the
Germany Politics
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, center, speaks to Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal, left, as he arrives for a board meeting of his Christian Democratic Union, CDU, party at the the Pears Jewish
Germany Politics
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks to media as he arrives for a board meeting of his Christian Democratic Union, CDU, party at the the Pears Jewish Campus in Berlin, Germany,
BMW-tied business to lay off nearly 100 at carmaker's sprawling SC site
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Borussia Moenchengladbach ensured they will remain in Germany's top flight next season when Haris Tabakovic scored with two minutes remaining to beat Borussia Dortmund on Sunday, while Mainz pushed St Pauli closer to relegation. Earlier on Sunday, goals from Phillip Tietz and Phillipp Mwene took Mainz to a 2-1 win at St Pauli, securing their top-flight status next season while pushing the hosts closer to relegation.
Germany’s Merz downplays rift with Washington despite US troop drawdown
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Ultimate camera flagship to launch globally: Xiaomi Mix 5 expected to sport major upgrades
Five years have passed since the Xiaomi Mix 4. Younger readers probably will not even remember Xiaomi's China-only flagship with an under-display camera, but current code analyses suggest it may finally get a successor in 2026. Particularly interesting: the ultimate Xiaomi flagship will likely also be available in Germany and Austria.
Trump says US will cut Germany troop levels by ‘way more’ than 5,000
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Official | Schalke 04 secure automatic promotion back to the Bundesliga
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Troop withdrawal announcement adds to friction between Europe and Trump
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US to pull 5,000 troops from Germany as Europe rift deepens
The U.S. will withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany as tensions with European allies grow.
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US withdrawing 5,000 troops from Germany after chancellor criticized war with Iran
The Pentagon said on Friday the US will be withdrawing roughly 5,000 troops from Germany over the next year.
US to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany in next 6-12 months
The Pentagon says the United States will withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany in the next 6-12 months
TekniPlex to Showcase Advanced Material Science Innovations at interpack 2026
Introducing ClearCycle+ next generation stem gaskets and ePressSeal category-defining pressure-sensitive sealing solutions. ePress Seal™ ePress Seal™ ClearCycle+™ ClearCycle+™ Wayne, PA, May 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TekniPlex, a global leader in engineered sealing and material science solutions, will showcase their innovations of next-generation sealing at Interpack 2026, taking place May 7-13 in Düsseldorf, Germany. At Hall 7, Level 1, Booth C25, both TekniPlex Consumer Products - Integrate
Made in Germany: Volla Phone Plinius launches for €598 with modular battery
The Volla Phone Plinius (Plus) combines a modern design with a particularly robust body and a Google-free Android version. With a 120 Hz OLED display, a 64 MP main camera and a replaceable 5,300 mAh battery, the smartphone offers a reasonable range of features.
Trump Threatens to Pull Troops From Germany as He Lashes Out at Merz
The comments came after the German chancellor said that Iran has “humiliated” the United States.
Germany: Merz hails 'historic' health care reform
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'Rose' and the piece of fabric that embodies gender politics
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Mercedes inks deal with BNP to sell leasing business
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German cabinet approves health insurance reform to curb costs
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TOPPERS honors military community theater productions, performers
WIESBADEN, Germany – Fifteen plays, musicals, family shows and the volunteers who made them happen were honored at the 65th annual Tournament of Plays (...
Finland’s Kone to buy German rival TK Elevator in blockbuster $34.4 billion deal
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Venezuela: German entrepreneurs bet on business boom
Venezuela was once a key destination for German industry. However, after nearly 30 years of socialism, only a handful of German companies remain active there. That could change if the nation opens up to foreign firms.
German economy under pressure
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German football agrees €100m Adidas investment: What impact will it have, and does it make sense?
The sports manufacturer's deal is intended to support the growth of the leagues and the development of the Bundesliga's 36 member clubs.
Commerzbank Quips UniCredit ‘Doesn’t Know’ Its Business Model
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Chicago Skyway’s Australian owner fields takeover bid
Atlas Arteria owns toll roads in France, Germany and the US, including the Chicago Skyway.
One Health Microbiome Center names next doctoral interns for industry program
Two Penn State doctoral students will spend eight weeks in Germany at the headquarters of global biotechnology company QIAGEN. This marks the third year of the program, a partnership between the One Health Microbiome Center and QIAGEN.
Inside the business most exposed to Trump’s tariff war
German nut and bolt maker reports stable demand despite facing one of the largest US levy rises in 2025
German manufacturer to close Illinois plant and move production overseas
The manufacturer is closing its Illinois plant, and the work is moving out of the country.
German Business Sentiment Sinks to Lowest Since 2020
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German Business Outlook at Worst Since 2023 as War Hits ‘Hard’
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German business sentiment falls in April to lowest level since 2020
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Gossip: Liverpool add Leao and Diomande to attacking targets
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“A Picayune Detail:” Nazi Science Heads West
As Allied forces crossed the English Channel during the D-Day invasion of June 1944, some 10,000 intelligence officers known as T-Forces were right behind the advance battalions. Their mission: seize munitions experts, technicians, German scientists and their research materials, along with French scientists who had collaborated with the Nazis. Soon, a substantial number of such scientists had been picked up and placed in an internment camp known as the Dustbin. In the original planning for the mission, a prime factor was the view that German military equipment – tanks, jets, rocketry and so forth – was technically superior and that captured scientists, technicians and engineers could be swiftly debriefed in an effort by the Allies to catch up.
Washington’s Allies? Japan, Germany and South Korea
The recent increase in defense spending by Germany, Korea and Japan also signals a new phase in this relationship of dependency with the US.
Public Health Command Europe Engineer Attends Iron Major Week
LANDSTUHL, Germany – Environmental Engineer with the Public Health Command Europe was recently selected to attend the Army Medical Department's prestigi...
German Business Activity Unexpectedly Shrinks as Services Plunge
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Germany Politics
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz attends the opening event for the annual Girls' Day, a nationwide initiative empowering young women to explore diverse career paths, at the Chancellery, in Berlin, Germany,
Delivered! - The Courier Driver Business
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Ramstein Students Become Environmental Detectives for a Day
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Science in the shadow of the Third Reich
In postwar West Germany, the link between cigarettes and cancer was ignored — with real and deadly effects