76 m. ago Federal workers sue over Elon Musk’s threat to fire them if they don’t explain their accomplishments – live

Attorneys for federal workers say Elon Musk violated the law with his weekend demand that employees explain their accomplishments or risk being firedMusk demand for federal workers document what they do brings chaosMusk’s ‘Doge’ claim about USAid funds for India sets off political firestormHere’s a little more on Dan Bongino, the Maga podcaster Donald Trump has named as deputy director of the FBI and who will oversee the bureau alongside newly appointed director Kash Patel.The president announced the appointment on Sunday night in a post on his Truth Social platform, praising Bongino as “a man of incredible love and passion for our country”. He called the announcement “great news for law enforcement and American justice”.Kash Patel should have been a redline. Bongino is what you get when R Senators fail to do their jobs and say no to Patel. The Trump Admin is turning federal law enforcement over to unqualified, unprincipled, partisan henchmen. It’s unacceptable and conservatives nee...

Events

1 hour ago The fight at the heart of the German election is simmering everywhere | Zoe Williams

In all similar democracies, left and right are having versions of the same argument: does ‘electable’ mean centrist or radical?As the German election results land, a lot of people are looking on the bright side: nearly 80% of Germans won’t entertain voting for Alternative für Deutschland (AfD). A nanosecond ago, however – as recently as Saturday – the idea that voters might go this far-right, in these kinds of numbers, for the first time since the second world war was terrifying. Some are calling this a victory over Donald Trump and Elon Musk, who vocally supported the AfD; others are calling it a victory for them.Nobody is puzzling much over the decline in support for Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic party – down 9%, almost equal to the AfD’s gains, although the numbers on switchers have yet to be crunched – because it was so long expected. The CDU/CSU alliance has won, with 28.5%, pretty much as the polls predicted. It’s an incredibly German story in its labyrinthine and laborious ...

Politics

2 h. ago Elon Musk claims US government workers to be put on leave if they fail to return to office – live

Billionaire claims workers will face administrative leave if they ‘ignored President Trump’s executive order’Musk demand for federal workers document what they do brings chaosMusk’s ‘Doge’ claim about USAid funds for India sets off political firestormHere’s a little more on Dan Bongino, the Maga podcaster Donald Trump has named as deputy director of the FBI and who will oversee the bureau alongside newly appointed director Kash Patel.The president announced the appointment on Sunday night in a post on his Truth Social platform, praising Bongino as “a man of incredible love and passion for our country”. He called the announcement “great news for law enforcement and American justice”.Kash Patel should have been a redline. Bongino is what you get when R Senators fail to do their jobs and say no to Patel. The Trump Admin is turning federal law enforcement over to unqualified, unprincipled, partisan henchmen. It’s unacceptable and conservatives need to say so. Continue reading...

Politics

3 h. ago Germany: Merz says it’s ‘five to midnight’ for Europe and calls for unity – live

Most likely next German chancellor warns against rise of far right and says he intends to form new government by EasterGerman election 2025: results in fullGuten Morgen aus Berlin,In November 2019, Freidrich Merz joined a conference of German students at Harvard.From our point of view it can get going very, very quickly. We should hold the first talks this week already, in the coming days.My impression is that there are many people in the SPD who also see that we can and should do something together, and then we will find compromises. Continue reading...

Politics

4 h. ago Apple cheers Trump with $500bn US investment plan; UK defence firm Chemring ‘targeted’ by private equity firm – business live

One of the world’s largest private equity investors has made an approach to buy Chemring, the FTSE 250 defence group, Sky News reportsGerman election live: Merz says priority is to make Europe independent from US on defence as coalition talks to beginShares in some European weapons makers are rising in early trading too.German tank maker Rheinmetall jumped 3% at the start of trading, while in London BAE Systems are up 1.7%.‘’A dose of more certainty has been injected into European politics, with the Germany’s Conservatives winning the elections. It comes at a crucial time for the continent. Three years on from the invasion of Ukraine, high stakes deal making between the US and Russia continues, Ukraine is out in the cold and the outcome will have huge implications for security in Europe.There is a dawning realisation that European nations will have to pull together and present a more united deterrent force, and Friedrich Merz, the CDU leader, is reading from that script. He has pled...

Economics

4 h. ago US politics live: confusion at agencies over whether to comply with Elon Musk email demanding workers justify jobs

Government agencies give conflicting orders after Musk demands employees list accomplishments from past week by Monday deadlineDonald Trump’s sweeping foreign aid freeze has stalled a United Nations programme in Mexico aimed at stopping imported fentanyl chemicals from reaching the country’s drug cartels, according to eight people familiar with the situation, Reuters reports.It is one of several US counternarcotics efforts in Mexico derailed in recent weeks by the stop-work order. Continue reading...

Politics

4 h. ago German election shows how far green wave has receded in Europe

Result is further evidence that political conversation around the climate crisis has shiftedGerman election live – latest updatesIn the final days of an election campaign dominated by migration, the likely new chancellor of Europe’s biggest polluter sought to assure voters that its economy ministry would not be occupied by NGOs. Instead, conservative lead candidate Friedrich Merz posted on social media that it would be led by “someone who understands that economic policy is more than being a representative for heat pumps”.Climate action barely featured on the campaign trail before Germany’s federal elections on Sunday – except when right-leaning parties used it to swipe at the Greens. Merz’s jab was at the tamer end of attacks aimed at the Green party candidate, Robert Habeck, the economy and climate minister who pushed through an unpopular law to promote clean heating, but is a sign of how far the political conversation around climate action has shifted. Continue reading...

Politics

4 h. ago Germany: Merz says migration, foreign relations and security key but warns of rise of far right after CDU/CSU election success – live

Most likely next German chancellor says his party has mandate to govern and intends to form new government by EasterGerman election 2025: results in fullGuten Morgen aus Berlin,In November 2019, Freidrich Merz joined a conference of German students at Harvard.From our point of view it can get going very, very quickly. We should hold the first talks this week already, in the coming days.My impression is that there are many people in the SPD who also see that we can and should do something together, and then we will find compromises. Continue reading...

Events

5 h. ago Confusion at US agencies over whether to comply with Elon Musk email demanding workers justify their jobs – US politics live

Government agencies give conflicting advice after email from Elon Musk demanding employees list accomplishments from past weekThe Trump administration has blocked a crucial step in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) process for funding medical research, likely in violation of a federal judge’s temporary restraining order on federal funding freezes.The NIH has stopped submitting study sections – meetings in which scientists peer review NIH grant funding proposals – to the Federal Register after the Trump administration paused health agency communications. By law, study sections must appear on the register 15 days in advance of meetings.Those who ignored President Trump’s executive order to return to work have now received over a month’s warning.Starting this week, those who still fail to return to office will be placed on administrative leave. Continue reading...

Politics

5 h. ago UK defence firm Chemring ‘targeted’ by private equity firm Bain Capital– business live

One of the world’s largest private equity investors has made an approach to buy Chemring, the FTSE 250 defence group, Sky News reportsGerman election live: Merz says priority is to make Europe independent from US on defence as coalition talks to beginShares in some European weapons makers are rising in early trading too.German tank maker Rheinmetall jumped 3% at the start of trading, while in London BAE Systems are up 1.7%.‘’A dose of more certainty has been injected into European politics, with the Germany’s Conservatives winning the elections. It comes at a crucial time for the continent. Three years on from the invasion of Ukraine, high stakes deal making between the US and Russia continues, Ukraine is out in the cold and the outcome will have huge implications for security in Europe.There is a dawning realisation that European nations will have to pull together and present a more united deterrent force, and Friedrich Merz, the CDU leader, is reading from that script. He has pled...

Economics

6 h. ago German election results 2025 – live: Elon Musk congratulates far

Friedrich Merz set to become new chancellor after provisional results show his conservatives won

Politics

7 h. ago Germany elections live: AfD’s Weidel says she received congratulations from Elon Musk after significant far

Conservative opposition wins most votes in Germany election amid dramatic surge by far-right Alternative für Deutschland German election 2025: results in fullGuten Morgen aus Berlin,In November 2019, Freidrich Merz joined a conference of German students at Harvard.From our point of view it can get going very, very quickly. We should hold the first talks this week already, in the coming days.My impression is that there are many people in the SPD who also see that we can and should do something together, and then we will find compromises. Continue reading...

Politics

7 h. ago Deutsche Bank boss calls for ‘fundamental reforms’ from next government, as German business confidence stagnates – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as euro rallies and DAX and MDAX indices rise in early tradingGerman election live: Merz says priority is to make Europe independent from US on defence as coalition talks to beginShares in some European weapons makers are rising in early trading too.German tank maker Rheinmetall jumped 3% at the start of trading, while in London BAE Systems are up 1.7%.‘’A dose of more certainty has been injected into European politics, with the Germany’s Conservatives winning the elections. It comes at a crucial time for the continent. Three years on from the invasion of Ukraine, high stakes deal making between the US and Russia continues, Ukraine is out in the cold and the outcome will have huge implications for security in Europe.There is a dawning realisation that European nations will have to pull together and present a more united deterrent force, and Friedrich Merz, the CDU leader, is reading from that script. He has pledged to relax...

Economics

8 h. ago German election results 2025 – live: Friedrich Merz’s conservatives celebrate win after far

Likely new chancellor has ruled out coalition with AfD

Politics

9 h. ago Germany: Merz calls for European ‘independence’ from US after Conservatives win election – Europe live

Donald Trump has made it clear he is ‘fairly indifferent to Europe’s fate’, says CDU leader who plans to form a coalition by EasterGerman election 2025: results in fullGuten Morgen aus Berlin,In November 2019, Freidrich Merz joined a conference of German students at Harvard.From our point of view it can get going very, very quickly. We should hold the first talks this week already, in the coming days.My impression is that there are many people in the SPD who also see that we can and should do something together, and then we will find compromises. Continue reading...

Politics

10 h. ago German election results 2025 – live: Friedrich Merz’s Conservatives celebrate win as far right party makes record gains

Likely new chancellor has ruled out coalition with AfD

Politics

11 h. ago German election results 2025 – live: Friedrich Merz’s Conservatives win as far right party makes big gains

Likely new chancellor has ruled out coalition with AfD

Politics

21 h. ago German election results 2025 – live: Trump hails ‘great day for Germany’ as Merz’s Conservatives claim victory

AfD set for strongest result ever while incumbent chancellor’s SPD on track for worst-ever outcome in fourth snap election in Germany’s history

Politics

22 h. ago German election results 2025 – live: Exit poll predicts CDU win as far

AfD set for record result while incumbent chancellor’s SPD on track for worst-ever outcome in fourth snap election in Germany’s history

Politics

24 h. ago German election live: Conservatives projected to win and far

Exit polls show CDU/CSU as largest party with about 29%, with Alternative für Deutschland on about 20%German election 2025: results in full – liveOpinion is divided as Germany faces what some describe as the “most important election in their lifetime”. The country is expected to shift to the right as Friedrich Merz is in pole position to become Germany’s next chancellor, while far-right party AfD could become the second most powerful party.So earlier today I asked voters at a polling station in central Berlin what they expected from the election and what they wanted the next chancellor to focus on. Continue reading...

Politics