Fewer than a third of Germans find their capital city "fascinating", a sharp fall from 20 years ago, a survey has found. Germany is also mulling further action against Russia over the Leipzig drone incident.
More Germans think Berlin 'lacks charisma' than those who find it 'fascinating,' according to a survey. Panda twins Leni and Lotti celebrate their second birthday at Berlin Zoo. The German government is reportedly considering sanctioning a Russian cultural center in the capital over the recent drone incident at Leipzig airport. Nearly a quarter of German companies are facing a shortage of skilled workers.
At least eight people sustained minor injuries after a car appeared to lose control and hit people in a pedestrian-only section in Hofgeismar in the central German state of Hesse. Police cited witnesses as saying that the driver of the car appeared to have been experiencing medical difficulties right before the incident unfolded. Locals noticed the man behind the wheel at a crosswalk and approached him to help, but he sped into the pedestrian zone and hit several people. His car ultimately came to a stop after he crashed into a storefront. Other passersby immediately offered help to the driver, who has now been taken to hospital, where his condition is reportedly critical, according to police. The accident site remains cordoned off.
Amid mounting evidence that Russia was behind the planned drone attack on Leipzig Airport this month, the German government is reportedly considering imposing sanctions on the controversial Russian House cultural center in Berlin. German government officials have avoided publicly blaming Moscow for the incident, in which an explosive-laden drone was found at the airport in Leipzig. But according to Der Spiegel, Berlin is weighing possible sanctions against Russia, including targeting the Russian House on Friedrichstrasse. Moscow says it is a cultural center, but security officials in Germany suspect it is also used for espionage activities. Despite the frosty ties between Berlin and Moscow in recent years, Germany has resisted closing the center for fear that Russia would retaliate by closing Goethe Institutes in Moscow and St. Petersburg — the last remaining representations of German civil society in Russia.
Nearly one in four companies in Germany are facing a lack of skilled workers, the Munich-based ifo institute said Friday. The survey found that 23.2% of German firms had reported a shortage of skilled staff in July, a 2-point increase since April. The long-term average of German companies reporting skilled labor shortages remains much higher, at 31.7%. A "weak economy" is currently limiting demand for skilled workers, ifo researcher Daria Schaller said. But she warned that as Germany's economy recovers, "the shortage of skilled workers is likely to increase considerably again." Demand rose most sharply in the telecommunications sector, where 31.1% of firms were lacking skilled workers, compared to 16.3% in April. Nearly 65% of companies in the consultancy and auditing sectors were facing skilled labor shortages, up from 52.4%.
Gas storage facilities in Germany are less full for the time of year than at any point since 2011, when records began. "The current gas storage level is by far the lowest ever recorded for this time of year in Germany," Sebastian Heinermann, INES managing director told German news agency dpa. "It is therefore a historic low."
Berlin Zoo held a birthday party for two of its most popular residents: twin pandas Leni and Lotti, who are turning two years old this weekend. The panda cubs were treated to a special ice cake made of beetroot and carrot juice, which was waiting for them on the climbing frame in their outdoor enclosure, Berlin Zoo said in a statement. "The two panda twins devoured the icy birthday surprise with obvious enthusiasm," the zoo said. Born on August 22, 2024, the sisters have grown from tiny cubs weighing less than 170 grams (under 6 ounces) each into giant pandas. Leni weighs more than 70 kilograms (154 pounds), while Lotti weighs around 61 kilograms. "Two years ago, Leni and Lotti could still fit in our hands; today, together they weigh more than 130 kilograms. Watching them develop is very special for our entire team. As true Berliners, they have long since found many fans in the city," said Zoo and Animal Park Director Dr. Andreas Knieriem. The pandas' names have a special connection to Berlin: Leni is named after iconic German actress and Berlin native Marlene Dietrich, while Lotti is named after Charlottenburg, which neighbors the zoo. Their mother Meng Meng arrived in Germany in 2017 as part of an agreement with China, which has gifted pandas to friendly nations as part of its "panda diplomacy" policy. China maintains ownership of the animals and any cubs that are produced, and virtually all cubs born outside China are eventually returned. Knieriem said Leni and Lotti are "ambassadors for a species whose protection can only succeed through international cooperation. Because we mustn't forget that fewer than 2,000 giant pandas live in their natural habitat."
A new survey has found that Berlin is losing its appeal to many Germans. An Allensbach Institute poll published by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) on Friday found that 31% of respondents consider their capital city to be a "fascinating metropolis." The same survey found that 36% of the 1,039 people polled think Berlin lacks charisma. The figures represent a sharp decline in Berlin's appeal among Germans. A previous Allensbach survey from 2007 showed that 66% thought the capital was "fascinating," with only 14% saying it lacked appeal. Famously described by former mayor Klaus Wowereit as "poor but sexy," Berlin has seen tens of thousands of workers move to the city, causing rents to soar. This has in turn placed increasing strain on world-famous Berlin's nightclubs, many of which are being priced out by property developers. Hamburg (48%) and Munich (47%) lead the way for Germans who were asked which cities are particularly appealing. Asked which cities they would not want to live in, Berlin scored 46%, making it the least popular city alongside financial capital Frankfurt am Main.
