Thuringia

Belgian police and German investigators carried out a raid on Tuesday at the headquarters of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) as part of an investigation in Germany.

The party, which has the most members in the European Parliament, said in a statement that representatives of authorities from Belgian and Germany had visited its headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday.

"Belgian police officers raided the first and third floors of the party's headquarters in Rue du Commerce," the source said.
According to initial information, the police seized the computers as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged corruption during the election campaign for the 2019 EU elections.

A regional intelligence chief in Germany has warned that those who deny the existence of the coronavirus are becoming more radical, DPA reported.

The European Union is facing further shortfalls in its coronavirus inoculation programme after pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca said production problems and export restrictions would reduce planned deliveries of its vaccine.

Weeks full of political drama. Unexpected twists and turns. Then tragedy. These are not the usual characteristics associated with contemporary politics in Germany.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's heir apparent shook up German politics on Feb. 10 by declaring she would step down as the governing party's leader and not run for chancellor, fueling uncertainty in the country seen as Europe's anchor of stability amid Brexit and pressure from the far right.