Markus Soeder

A train accident in the Alps in southern Germany on June 3 left at least four people dead and many more injured, authorities said.

Chancellor Angela Merkel and Germany's 16 state premiers were expected on Tuesday to step up the pressure on the nation's unvaccinated to help avoid another lockdown ahead of next month's national election, news wires reported.

Chancellor Angela Merkel and Germany's 16 state premiers were expected on Tuesday to step up the pressure on the nation's unvaccinated to help avoid another lockdown ahead of next month's national election, news wires reported.

Chancellor Angela Merkel and Germany's 16 state premiers were expected on Tuesday to step up the pressure on the nation's unvaccinated to help avoid another lockdown ahead of next month's national election, news wires reported.

The leadership of Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has backed its head Armin Laschet as the conservative bloc's candidate for chancellor in the upcoming German federal elections, dpa reported.

Armin Laschet, leader of Germany's Christian Democrats (CDU), won the backing of senior party members at an internal meeting to run as the conservative candidate to succeed Angela Merkel at a September federal election, party sources said on April 20.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday (Jun 4) she is "absolutely not" planning to stand for re-election to a fifth term despite her overwhelming popularity.

"No, absolutely not," Merkel told reporters from public broadcaster ZDF, saying her decision was "very firm".

This year's edition of the famous Oktoberfest beer festival, traditionally organized each fall in Munich, has been canceled due to the spread of the coronavirus. This was reported by the German newspaper Bild, citing sources, quoted by TASS.

Germany's largest state Bavaria on Friday became the first region in the country to order a lockdown to prevent coronavirus infections, AFP reported.
"From midnight tonight for a provisional period of two weeks, there will be fundamental restrictions on going out," state premier Markus Soeder said.

MUNICH (AP) — The first keg has been tapped and the beer is flowing as the 185th Oktoberfest gets underway in Munich.