German | Common News Update

Aug12020 by adminNo Comments

Hungary upgrades military with delivery of German tanks

July 31 (UPI) -- The Hungarian army received four refurbished Leopard 2 tanks from its German manufacturer as it awaits delivery of 44 upgraded tanks starting in 2023. While the tanks were handed over by maker Kraus-Maffei Wegmann on Thursday at an army base in Tata, Hungary, eight older versions of the Leopard 2A4HU variant will be provided for training purposes. Hungary will later receive 44 of the newest Leopard 2 variant, called the 2A7+, to replace Soviet-made T-72 tanks. Germany and Denmark currently use the upgraded tanks, and the purchase suggests some interoperability between the German, Danish and Hungarian armies. Each is a NATO member. Advertisement "Hungary is modernizing its land forces with Germany as a strategic partner," German State Secretary of Defense Thomas Silberhorn...

Jul272020 by adminNo Comments

Israeli-built drone for German air force has first successful flight

Business

July 27 (UPI) -- An unmanned aerial vehicle made in Israel for Germany's Defense Ministry completed its first successful flight, builder Israel Aerospace Industries announced. The Heron TP, modified to the specifications of the German Defense Ministry, completed its first flight on Sunday in Israel, the company said. Advertisement The medium altitude, long endurance Heron TP, regarded as the company's most advanced drone, can be used for reconnaissance and support roles, and can fire air-to-ground missiles. With a maximum takeoff weight of 11,365 pounds, the vehicle has a 54-foot wingspan and can carry a payload of over 2,200 pounds. It is based on the Eitan UAV in use by the Israel Air Force. The German and Israeli defense ministries signed a nine-year, $ 600 million agreement in 2018 to...

Jul132020 by adminNo Comments

The Latest: German health minister criticizes vacationers

Health

BERLIN — Germany’s health minister has criticized his countrymen for failing to respect social distancing rules on vacation after videos emerged over the weekend showing German tourists partying on the Spanish island of Mallorca. Jens Spahn told reporters on Monday that he understood vacationers were “impatient” after months of lockdown, but that the scenes captured on video Friday made him “very worried” because such behavior would increase the risk of coronavirus infection for the partying tourists and others. Spahn also urged Germans not to stage private parties for Oktoberfest, after the official event was canceled this year due to the pandemic. While Germany has managed to flatten the curve of infections, with just under 200,000 confirmed cases and 9,071 deaths to date, Spahn said it

Jun232020 by adminNo Comments

German county forced back into lockdown after coronavirus outbreak at abattoir

World

A county in Germany's most populous state has been placed back into lockdown after a coronavirus outbreak at a slaughterhouse.More than 1,500 people from the Toennies plant in the Guetersloh county tested positive for COVID-19. The abattoir previously said it had stopped slaughtering on Wednesday and was shutting down in stages. Germany: Rise in virus numbers 'linke...

Jun182020 by adminNo Comments

Hundreds test positive for COVID-19 in German slaughterhouse

World

Hundreds of workers have tested positive for COVID-19 at a slaughterhouse in northern Germany, prompting to the closure of local schools and an urgent investigation.Toennies, one of Germany's biggest meat processors, said it had stopped slaughtering on Wednesday and was shutting the abattoir in stages. More than 1,000 workers were tested and a total of 657 people tested positive for coronavirus, DW News reported. ...