Today in Germany: A roundup of the latest news on Wednesday
Six-day strike begins, German software giant to replace jobs with AI, and more news from around Germany on Wednesday.
Six-day train strike begins in Germany
A six-day train strike began Wednesday morning at 2 am, affecting most long-distance, regional and S-Bahn trains. Passengers can expect only about 20 percent of these services to run until the strike, called for by union GDL, ends on Monday at 6 pm.
READ ALSO: How train travellers in Germany will be affected by latest six-day strike
The fourth strike since November left passengers scrambling to rebook or cancel their plans, and sparked warnings of huge costs to the state and industry at a time when the German economy was already ailing.
Deutsche Bahn estimated each strike day to cost "a low two-digit million figure", but industry experts warned the impact on the economy would be far bigger.
Job cuts as German software giant SAP announces major restructuring around AI
German software giant SAP has announced a company-wide restructuring plan to increase its focus on artificial intelligence, a move expected to cost €2 billion and affect 8,000 jobs.
"In 2024, SAP will further increase its focus on key strategic growth areas, in particular Business AI," SAP said in a statement Tuesday, adding that it aims to capture "organizational synergies" and "AI-driven
efficiencies".
The company said it plans to execute a "company-wide transformation program" this year that will affect approximately 8,000 positions, the bulk of which "are expected to be covered by voluntary leave programs and internal re-skilling measures".
SAP estimated the cost of restructuring at around €2 billion and said it expects to end the year "at a headcount similar to current levels".
Germany to deliver military helicopters to Ukraine for the first time
The German government now wants to deliver military helicopters to Ukraine to aid its defence against Russia. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) has promised the country six Sea King Mk41 multi-purpose helicopters, accessory and spare parts packages as well as training, he announced in Berlin on Tuesday.
"The Sea King is a proven and robust helicopter that will help the Ukrainians in many areas: from reconnaissance over the Black Sea to the transportation of soldiers. It is the first German delivery of its kind," said Pistorius.
Air defense remains the number one priority for the protection of the Ukrainian population and infrastructure, he added, and more speed is needed in arms production.
According to the Ministry of Defense, military deliveries to Ukraine from Germany have amounted to around €6 billion since the start of the war.
Around 245,000 Holocaust survivors still alive, says study
Nearly 80 years after the end of World War II, there are still about 245,000 Holocaust survivors alive across more than 90 countries, a study showed Tuesday.
According to the Claims Conference, an organisation that seeks damages for Holocaust survivors, 119,300 of them live in Israel, 38,400 in the United States, 21,900 in France and 14,200 in Germany.
"Nearly all of the current population of survivors were children at the time of Nazi persecution, having survived camps, ghettos, flight and living in hiding," said the report, underlining that children had the "slimmest chances of surviving".
With a median age of 86 now, they are "at a period of life where their need for care and services is growing," said Gideon Taylor, president of the Claims Conference, adding that it was "time to double down on our attention to this waning population".
Milli Vanilli creator Frank Farian dead at 82
German music producer Frank Farian, the mastermind behind kitsch sensations Boney M and Milli Vanilli, has died at the age of 82, his family said Tuesday.
The hitmaker, who sold more than 800 million records over several decades working with different artists, passed away at his home in Miami.
Born Franz Reuther, Farian started his career as a solo musician, scoring a number one at home in West Germany in 1976 with a cover of country hit "Rocky".
Farian subsequently found international success with disco outfit Boney M, devising the band's name and hiring the lineup.
With hits such as "Rivers of Babylon", "Daddy Cool", and "Rasputin", the group went on to sell 150 million records.
Farian caused a scandal with Milli Vanilli, an R&B music act packaged by the producer and fronted by lip-syncing dancers Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus.
With reporting by AFP.
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Six-day train strike begins in Germany
A six-day train strike began Wednesday morning at 2 am, affecting most long-distance, regional and S-Bahn trains. Passengers can expect only about 20 percent of these services to run until the strike, called for by union GDL, ends on Monday at 6 pm.
READ ALSO: How train travellers in Germany will be affected by latest six-day strike
The fourth strike since November left passengers scrambling to rebook or cancel their plans, and sparked warnings of huge costs to the state and industry at a time when the German economy was already ailing.
Deutsche Bahn estimated each strike day to cost "a low two-digit million figure", but industry experts warned the impact on the economy would be far bigger.
Job cuts as German software giant SAP announces major restructuring around AI
German software giant SAP has announced a company-wide restructuring plan to increase its focus on artificial intelligence, a move expected to cost €2 billion and affect 8,000 jobs.
"In 2024, SAP will further increase its focus on key strategic growth areas, in particular Business AI," SAP said in a statement Tuesday, adding that it aims to capture "organizational synergies" and "AI-driven
efficiencies".
The company said it plans to execute a "company-wide transformation program" this year that will affect approximately 8,000 positions, the bulk of which "are expected to be covered by voluntary leave programs and internal re-skilling measures".
SAP estimated the cost of restructuring at around €2 billion and said it expects to end the year "at a headcount similar to current levels".
Germany to deliver military helicopters to Ukraine for the first time
The German government now wants to deliver military helicopters to Ukraine to aid its defence against Russia. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) has promised the country six Sea King Mk41 multi-purpose helicopters, accessory and spare parts packages as well as training, he announced in Berlin on Tuesday.
"The Sea King is a proven and robust helicopter that will help the Ukrainians in many areas: from reconnaissance over the Black Sea to the transportation of soldiers. It is the first German delivery of its kind," said Pistorius.
Air defense remains the number one priority for the protection of the Ukrainian population and infrastructure, he added, and more speed is needed in arms production.
According to the Ministry of Defense, military deliveries to Ukraine from Germany have amounted to around €6 billion since the start of the war.
Around 245,000 Holocaust survivors still alive, says study
Nearly 80 years after the end of World War II, there are still about 245,000 Holocaust survivors alive across more than 90 countries, a study showed Tuesday.
According to the Claims Conference, an organisation that seeks damages for Holocaust survivors, 119,300 of them live in Israel, 38,400 in the United States, 21,900 in France and 14,200 in Germany.
"Nearly all of the current population of survivors were children at the time of Nazi persecution, having survived camps, ghettos, flight and living in hiding," said the report, underlining that children had the "slimmest chances of surviving".
With a median age of 86 now, they are "at a period of life where their need for care and services is growing," said Gideon Taylor, president of the Claims Conference, adding that it was "time to double down on our attention to this waning population".
Milli Vanilli creator Frank Farian dead at 82
German music producer Frank Farian, the mastermind behind kitsch sensations Boney M and Milli Vanilli, has died at the age of 82, his family said Tuesday.
The hitmaker, who sold more than 800 million records over several decades working with different artists, passed away at his home in Miami.
Born Franz Reuther, Farian started his career as a solo musician, scoring a number one at home in West Germany in 1976 with a cover of country hit "Rocky".
Farian subsequently found international success with disco outfit Boney M, devising the band's name and hiring the lineup.
With hits such as "Rivers of Babylon", "Daddy Cool", and "Rasputin", the group went on to sell 150 million records.
Farian caused a scandal with Milli Vanilli, an R&B music act packaged by the producer and fronted by lip-syncing dancers Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus.
With reporting by AFP.
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