Germany's Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck on Thursday urged a strong European Union (EU) reaction to the US import tariffs on cars declared by President Donald Trump.

"It must be clear that we will not give in to the US. We need to show strength and self-confidence," Habeck said.

Trump announced on Wednesday that&nbsp;a 25% tariff on all vehicles imported to the US&nbsp;is set to kick in&nbsp;on April 2.

<h2>European exporters consider retaliatory action</h2>

Trump has claimed auto tariffs aim to protect US businesses and boost domestic manufacturing,&nbsp;but&nbsp;Habeck it would be "bad news for&nbsp;he US," along with&nbsp;German carmakers,&nbsp;the German economy, and the EU.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described Trump's tariffs&nbsp;as "bad for businesses, worse for consumers."

Elsewhere in Europe, France's Finance Minister Eric Lombard said the "only solution" would be for the EU to raise tariffs on US products in response.

Meanwhile, the UK said it was not planning any retaliatory measures "at the moment."

"We are looking to secure a better trading relationship with the United States. I recognize that the week ahead is important. There are further talks going on today, so let's see where we get to in the next few days," said Rachel Reeves, Britain's finance minister.

<h2>Top car exporters to the US warn of wider impact</h2>

Half of the cars sold in the United States are manufactured&nbsp;domestically. Of the imported vehicles, about half come from Mexico and Canada, with Japan, South Korea, and Germany also playing major roles as suppliers.

Japan called the tariffs "extremely regrettable." Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba reiterated that he wants Japan to be exempt from such tariffs.

"Japan has made significant investments and significant job creation, which doesn't apply to all countries ... We are the number one country in investment in the United States," Ishiba added. He said failing that, "all options are naturally subject to consideration."

South Korea's trade and industry minister Ahn Duk-geun held an emergency meeting with major automakers.

"The government will work closely with the industry to devise countermeasures and, in coordination with other ministries, announce a comprehensive emergency response plan for the auto sector in April," Ahn said.

The latest levies will be in addition to those Trump already imposed on neighboring countries.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was meeting his cabinet on Thursday to discuss what he called a "direct attack" on his country's workers.



<h2>Musk said cost of tariffs 'not trivial' for Tesla&nbsp;</h2>

Trump said the tariffs could be net neutral for Tesla, the electric vehicle company led by one of his major backers, Elon Musk.

"To be clear, this will affect the price of parts in Tesla cars that come from other countries. The cost impact is not trivial," Musk wrote on X.

The Center for Automotive Research estimated that US tariffs could increase car prices by thousands of dollars and impact jobs.

Peter Navarro, Trump's senior trade counselor, dismissed this, saying "foreign trade cheaters" turned America's manufacturing sector into a "lower wage assembly operation for foreign parts."



Edited by: Wesley Rahn

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Germany urges strong response to Trump's auto tariffs

Samsung Electronics&nbsp;co-CEO Han Jong-hee died on Tuesday of a heart attack, the company said.

Han had been with Samsung since 1988 and built a career in the television department. The company said he was central in taking Samsung TV to "the pinnacle of the global market."&nbsp;

He became the CEO in 2022 and was also in charge of its consumer electronics and mobile devices division.&nbsp;

The Samsung company is still dominated by the Samsung family, with Lee Jae-yong as the third-generation leader and current chief of its flagship subsidiary Samsung Electronics.&nbsp;

The South Korean tech giant said in a stock exchange filing that Jun Young-hyun would now be the sole CEO. The company has traditionally had a co-CEO structure. Jun had only been appointed as co-CEO last week.

<h2>Samsung sees a difficult year ahead</h2>

The news comes as Samsung is struggling with its memory chip-maker business. It has been lagging behind rivals like SK Hynix and TSMC in the global artificial intelligence chip market.

In October, Samsung said questions had arisen about its "fundamental technological competitiveness and the future of the company".

In a shareholder meeting last week, Han and other top executives told investors that they were expecting 2025 to be a difficult year.

Edited by: Wesley Rahn

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Samsung co-CEO Han Jong-hee dies at 63

Germany's Constitutional Court on Wednesday upheld the solidarity tax that was introduced after the reunification of East and West Germany in 1990.

Six members of the pro-free market Free Democratic Party (FDP) had challenged the tax, claiming that it violates the constitution because the government's&nbsp;Solidarity Pact II&nbsp;that the tax was part of expired in 2019.

They also claimed the tax violated the principle of equal treatment because most taxpayers — around 90% — had been exempt from the levy in recent years.

However, a judge at the Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe ruled that these complaints were unfounded because additional financing was still needed as a result of German reunification.

The judge nevertheless emphasized that the solidarity tax was a temporary measure that would become unconstitutional if the need for it disappeared.

<h2>What is the solidarity tax?</h2>

The solidarity tax was introduced by the German government in 1991 to help cover the costs of reunification and support infrastructure in the formerly Communist eastern states.<figure class="image"><img src="https://static.dw.com/image/72041894_906.jpg" alt="Judges at Germany's Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe" title="Judges at Germany's Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe" class="hq-img loaded"><figcaption class="img-caption">Germany's Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe said the solidarity tax was still needed for the time being</figcaption></figure>

It has been reformed in the years since then, sitting at 5.5% of income.

The number of German taxpayers subject to the levy has fallen to 10% recent years — making up the highest income earners. Companies and investors are also subject to the 5.5% tax.

"The fact that the solidarity surcharge now only applies to top earners does not make it any less legitimate — on the contrary: it is now more urgently needed and fairer than ever," German tax expert Julia Jirmann told Reuters news agency.

<h2>Government defends solidarity tax</h2>

Last year, the solidarity tax brought in around €12.6 billion ($13.6 billion) to German government coffers.

If the tax had been declared unconstitutional, it would have created similarly sized a hole in the upcoming&nbsp;budget.

It also would have forced the German government to pay back around €65 billion collected since 2020.

The German government defended the tax in court at a hearing last year. It argued that costs associated with Germany's reunification are still ongoing and that the tax does not have to be tied to a single, specific expense.

Edited by: Wesley Rahn

While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter Berlin Briefing.

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German top court upholds reunification solidarity tax

Flights at Heathrow Airport slowly started resuming after 18 hours of disruption due to a fire at an electrical substation and the following power outage.

Media reports on Saturday&nbsp;cited a statement from Heathrow&nbsp;saying that it is "open and fully operational".

"Flights have resumed at Heathrow following yesterday’s power outage," the airport said in a post on X.



Authorities said they found no evidence that the fire was suspicious and the London Fire Brigade said the investigation would focus on the electrical distribution equipment at the substation.

&nbsp;Britain's National Grid said it reconfigured the network around a substation and restored power to the parts of Heathrow Airport connected to it on an interim basis.

Heathrow, one of the world's busiest airports,&nbsp;was completely shut down after&nbsp;a large fire at a nearby electrical substation knocked out power on Thursday evening.

&nbsp;



<h2>What has Heathrow Airport said?</h2>

On Friday afternoon, the airport said it was "now safely able to restart flights."

"Our teams have worked tirelessly since the incident to ensure a speedy recovery," the airport posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

"We hope to run a full operation tomorrow and will provide further information shortly," it said.



"Our priority remains the safety of our passengers and those working at the airport. We apologize for the inconvenience caused by this incident."

The London Fire Brigade earlier announced&nbsp;that the&nbsp;electricity substation fire&nbsp;that broke out Thursday night and shut down the airport was&nbsp;under control.

Earlier Friday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer&nbsp;said in a social media post that he was receiving regular updates and that he was in close contact with partners on the ground.

<h2>Firefighters and police investigate cause of fire</h2>

Jonathan Smith, deputy commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, said&nbsp;the brigade was working with police to investigate the cause of the fire.&nbsp;

Police said there was so far no indication of foul play in the blaze that shut down Heathrow, but counterterrorism detectives are leading the investigation into its cause.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband called the fire at a substation that shut down London's Heathrow Airport "catastrophic" and said it also knocked out the hub's backup generator.

According to Willie Walsh, head of the airline industry's trade association IATA, a power outage that led to the complete closure of London's Heathrow Airport was a "clear planning failure" by the aviation hub.

"Firstly, how is it that critical infrastructure — of national and global importance — is totally dependent on a single power source without an alternative. If that is the case — as it seems — then it is a clear planning failure by the airport," IATA's Director General wrote on X.

<figure class="image"><img src="" alt="Planes on the tarmac at Heathrow Airport" title="Planes on the tarmac at Heathrow Airport" class="hq-img"><figcaption class="img-caption">It took firefighters all night to contain the blaze that shutdown operations at Heathrow Airport</figcaption></figure>

<h2>Flights diverted worldwide</h2>

At least 1,350 flights to and from Heathrow were affected by the shutdown, according to the FlightRadar24 tracking service.



United Airlines said it expected its Friday departures to land Saturday morning at Heathrow.&nbsp;

Heathrow&nbsp;handles more than 80 million passengers a year.

<h2>Transformer blaze to blame</h2>

Thousands of homes saw their power get knocked out&nbsp;and some 150 people were evacuated after a transformer at&nbsp;the North Hyde electrical substation caught fire&nbsp;in Hayes, around 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) from Heathrow.<figure class="image"><img src="" alt="A fire at a substation in Hayes, UK" title="A fire at a substation in Hayes, UK" class="hq-img"><figcaption class="img-caption">The fire at the Hayes substation cut power to Heathrow Airport and a large number of homes and local businesses</figcaption></figure>

The London Fire Brigade said 10 fire engines and around 70 firefighters were involved in fighting the blaze.

Footage posted to social media showed huge flames and large plumes of smoke coming from the facility.

Fire officials said they were called to the fire around 11.23 p.m. local time on Thursday.

Edited by: Sean Sinico

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Heathrow Airport flights resume after fire cut power

Britain's National Grid said it reconfigured the network around a substation and restored power to the parts of Heathrow Airport connected to it on an interim basis.

Heathrow, one of the world's busiest airports,&nbsp;was completely shut down after&nbsp;a large fire at a nearby electrical substation knocked out power.

The impact was likely to last several days as passengers try to reschedule their travel and airlines reposition aircraft and crews.

<h2>What has Heathrow Airport said?</h2>

On Friday afternoon, the airport said it would resume some flights and hoped regular operations would begin again on Saturday.&nbsp;

"Our teams have worked tirelessly since the incident to ensure a speedy recovery," the airport posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

"We’re now safely able to restart flights, prioritizing repatriation and relocation of aircraft."&nbsp;

"We hope to run a full operation tomorrow and will provide further information shortly," it said.



The airport urged passengers to avoid the airport unless advised to do so by their airlines.

"Our priority remains the safety of our passengers and those working at the airport. We apologize for the inconvenience caused by this incident."

The London Fire Brigade earlier announced&nbsp;that the&nbsp;electricity substation fire&nbsp;that broke out Thursday night and shut down the airport was&nbsp;under control.

Earlier Friday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer&nbsp;said in a social media post that he was receiving regular updates and that he was in close contact with partners on the ground.

<h2>Firefighters and police investigate cause of fire</h2>

Jonathan Smith, deputy commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, said&nbsp;the brigade was working with police to investigate the cause of the fire.&nbsp;

Police said there was so far no indication of foul play in the blaze that shut down Heathrow, but counterterrorism detectives are leading the investigation into its cause.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband called the fire at a substation that shut down London's Heathrow Airport "catastrophic" and said it also knocked out the hub's backup generator.

According to Willie Walsh, head of the airline industry's trade association IATA, a power outage that led to the complete closure of London's Heathrow Airport was a "clear planning failure" by the aviation hub.

"Firstly, how is it that critical infrastructure — of national and global importance — is totally dependent on a single power source without an alternative. If that is the case — as it seems — then it is a clear planning failure by the airport," IATA's Director General wrote on X.

<figure class="image"><img src="https://static.dw.com/image/71993138_906.jpg" alt="Planes on the tarmac at Heathrow Airport" title="Planes on the tarmac at Heathrow Airport" class="hq-img loaded"><figcaption class="img-caption">It took firefighters all night to contain the blaze that shutdown operations at Heathrow Airport</figcaption></figure>

<h2>Flights diverted worldwide</h2>

At least 1,350 flights to and from Heathrow were affected by the shutdown, according to the FlightRadar24 tracking service.



United Airlines said it expected its Friday departures to land Saturday morning at Heathrow.&nbsp;

Heathrow&nbsp;handles more than 80 million passengers a year.

<h2>Transformer blaze to blame</h2>

Thousands of homes saw their power get knocked out&nbsp;and some 150 people were evacuated after a transformer at&nbsp;the North Hyde electrical substation caught fire&nbsp;in Hayes, around 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) from Heathrow.<figure class="image"><img src="https://static.dw.com/image/71992419_906.jpg" alt="A fire at a substation in Hayes, UK" title="A fire at a substation in Hayes, UK" class="hq-img loaded"><figcaption class="img-caption">The fire at the Hayes substation cut power to Heathrow Airport and a large number of homes and local businesses</figcaption></figure>

The London Fire Brigade said 10 fire engines and around 70 firefighters were involved in fighting the blaze.

Footage posted to social media showed huge flames and large plumes of smoke coming from the facility.

Fire officials said they were called to the fire around 11.23 p.m. local time on Thursday.

Edited by: Sean Sinico

Heathrow Airport aims for return to full service on Saturday

Britain's National Grid said it reconfigured the network around a substation and restored power to the parts of Heathrow Airport connected to it on an interim basis.

Heathrow, one of the world's busiest airports,&nbsp;was completely shut down after&nbsp;a large fire at a nearby electrical substation knocked out power.

"The network has been reconfigured to restore all customers impacted, including the ability to resupply the parts of Heathrow airport that are connected to North Hyde," a National Grid spokesperson said.

"This is an interim solution while we carry out further work at North Hyde to return the substation and our network to normal operation."

Heathrow&nbsp;said on Friday that it still did not know when full power would be restored, adding that it would provide additional information whenever possible.

"We will provide an update when more information on the resumption of operations is available," a spokesperson for the airport said in a statement.

"To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on 21 March," Heathrow Airport said in a post on X, adding that "passengers are advised not to travel to the airport and should contact their airline for further information."

The London Fire Brigade announced&nbsp;that a fire at an electricity substation in Hayes that broke out Thursday night and shut down the airport was&nbsp;under control.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer&nbsp;said in a social media post that he was receiving regular updates and that he was in close contact with partners on the ground.

<h2>Firefighters and police investigate cause of fire</h2>

Jonathan Smith, deputy commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, later said&nbsp;the brigade was working with police to investigate the cause of the fire.&nbsp;

Police said there was so far no indication of foul play in the blaze that shut down Heathrow, but counterterrorism detectives are leading the investigation into its cause.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband called the fire at a substation that shut down London's Heathrow Airport "catastrophic" and said it also knocked out the hub's backup generator.

According to Willie Walsh, head of the airline industry's trade association IATA, a power outage that led to the complete closure of London's Heathrow Airport was a "clear planning failure" by the aviation hub.

"Firstly, how is it that critical infrastructure — of national and global importance — is totally dependent on a single power source without an alternative. If that is the case — as it seems — then it is a clear planning failure by the airport," IATA's Director General wrote on X.

<figure class="image"><img src="https://static.dw.com/image/71992916_906.jpg" alt="A firefighter douses flames of a fire that broke out at a substation supplying power to Heathrow Airport in Hayes, west London, UK" title="A firefighter douses flames of a fire that broke out at a substation supplying power to Heathrow Airport in Hayes, west London, UK" class="hq-img loaded"><figcaption class="img-caption">It took firefighters all night to contain the blaze at the substation near Heathrow Airport</figcaption></figure>

<h2>Flights being diverted worldwide</h2>

Scores of flights were already being diverted to land at other airports.

According to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, at the time of the airport's closure, "120 aircraft were in the air that will be diverting to alternate airports or returning to their origins."

A Qantas flight arriving from Perth, Australia, was diverted to Paris' Charles de Gaulle while a United Airlines flight from New York was due to land in Ireland's Shannon instead, news agencies&nbsp;reported.

Some flights from the US were turning around mid-air and returning to their point of departure, according to the Reuters news agency.&nbsp;

Other flights from as far afield as Lagos, Johannesburg and Singapore were being diverted to nearby Gatwick Airport.

Heathrow&nbsp;handles more than 80 million passengers a year.

<h2>Transformer blaze to blame</h2>

Thousands of homes saw their power get knocked out&nbsp;and some 150 people were evacuated after a transformer at&nbsp;the North Hyde electrical substation caught fire&nbsp;in Hayes, around 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) from Heathrow.<figure class="image"><img src="https://static.dw.com/image/71992419_906.jpg" alt="A fire at a substation in Hayes, UK" title="A fire at a substation in Hayes, UK" class="hq-img loaded"><figcaption class="img-caption">The fire at the Hayes substation cut power to Heathrow Airport and a large number of homes and local businesses</figcaption></figure>

The London Fire Brigade said 10 fire engines and around 70 firefighters were involved in fighting the blaze.

Footage posted to social media showed huge flames and large plumes of smoke coming from the facility.

Fire officials said they were called to the fire around 11.23 p.m. local time on Thursday.

Edited by: John Silk and Louis Oelofse

London's Heathrow says unclear when service will resume

Britain's&nbsp;Heathrow Airport&nbsp;has completely shutdown and will&nbsp;be closed all day on Friday following a large fire at a nearby electrical substation knocked out power to one of the world's busiest airports.

"To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on 21 March," Heathrow Airport said in a post on X, adding that "passengers are advised not to travel to the airport and should contact their airline for further information."

<h2>Flights being diverted worldwide</h2>

Scores of flights were already being diverted to land at other airports.

According to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, at the time of the airport's closure, "120 aircraft were in the air that will be diverting to alternate airports or returning to their origins."

A Qantas flight arriving from Perth, Australia, was diverted to Paris' Charles de Gaulle while a United Airlines flight from New York was due to land in Ireland's Shannon instead, news agencies&nbsp;reported.

Some flights from the US were turning around mid-air and returning to their point of departure, according to the Reuters news agency.&nbsp;

Other flights from as far afield as Lagos, Johannesburg and Singapore were being diverted to nearby Gatwick Airport.

Heathrow,&nbsp;Europe's busiest airport, handles more than than 80 million passengers a year.

<h2>Fire Brigade fights serious blaze</h2>

Thousands of homes saw their power get knocked out&nbsp;and some 150 people were evacuated after a transformer at&nbsp;the North Hyde electrical substation caught fire&nbsp;in Hayes, around 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) from Heathrow.

London Fire Brigade said 10 fire engines and around 70 firefighters were fighting the blaze.

"The fire has caused a power outage affecting a large number of homes and local businesses, and we are working closely with our partners to minimize disruption," Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne said.

Footage posted to social media showed huge flames and large plumes of smoke coming from the facility.

Fire officials said they were called to the fire around 11.23 p.m. local time on Thursday and crews have been on scene throughout the night.

Edited by: John Silk

London's Heathrow Airport closes due to nearby fire

Germany's largest bank, Deutsche Bank, plans to cut around 2,000 jobs in its retail banking division this year, the group's chief executive, Christian Sewing, said at a conference in London on Wednesday.

The move to downsize comes amid falling profits and is part of the bank's broader strategy to reduce costs. The bank also plans to close several of its branches.

"Where we have to turn around the ship from a profitability point of view is clearly in the retail personal bank in Germany," Sewing said.

"We will take out almost another 2,000 people in the personal bank this year," Sewing added, referring to Deutsche Bank and its subsidiary Postbank.

Deutsche Bank already reduced its workforce by laying off 3,500 support staff last year in an effort to cut costs.

Sewing said the latest cuts are "already provisioned in terms of restructuring costs" in the company's 2024 books "but are executed now."

The bank employs 90,000 people worldwide.

<h2>Deutsche Bank to trim branch network</h2>

A spokesperson for the bank confirmed that the decision to shut down branches was part of an earlier announced strategy. He added that no new savings programs are being introduced.

In September, Deutsche Bank announced the closure of 50 of its 400 local branches this year and over 200 branches in Postbank.

The bank has gradually been incorporating digital banking services and intends to increase video and phone consultations for private customers.

The bank expects the restructuring measures to improve its return on equity, targeting a figure of over 10% by 2025, up from 4.7% last year.

The bank's performance in 2024 remained below expectations, with a pre-tax profit of €5.3 billion ($5.8 billion) — 7% lower than the previous year.

Edited by: Louis Oelofse

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Deutsche Bank to slash 2,000 jobs

Police in India's northern state of Punjab&nbsp;detained hundreds of farmers who have been protesting for over a year for better crop prices. Authorities also used bulldozers to dismantle their makeshift camps.

Protest leaders Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal were among those detained by the Punjab police in the early hours of Thursday. Dallewal was taken away in an ambulance as he had been on an indefinite hunger strike for months.

"We did not need to use any force because there was no resistance," Nanak Singh, a senior police officer, told the ANI news agency. "The farmers cooperated well and they sat in buses themselves."

"The entire road will be cleared and opened for traffic. Haryana Police will also begin their action," Singh told TV news channel NDTV.

He also said the farmers were informed beforehand.

Video footage showed police using bulldozers to demolish tents and stages.

<h2>Detentions come amid ongoing negotiations</h2>

The farmers have been protesting for more than a year, demanding the government provide a legal guarantee of a minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

The farmers have been camping at the border of the neighboring state of Haryana, blocking the highway as their protest march to the capital, New Delhi, was halted by authorities.

Since last year, farmer leaders and the government have held several rounds of talks; however, no conclusion has been reached.

The seventh round of talks between farmer leaders and a central delegation concluded on Wednesday, and the next meeting is slated to be held on May 4, 2025.

"On one hand, the government is negotiating with the farmer organizations, and on the other hand, it is arresting them," Rakesh Tikait, a spokesperson for the farmer group Bhartiya Kisan Union, said on X.

Edited by: Louis Oelofse

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India detains protesting farmers, camps bulldozed

Global growth is expected to slow due to "trade barriers" and "increased geopolitical and policy uncertainty," the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said Monday.

Growth is projected to slow to 3.1% in 2025 and 3.0% in 2026, with the Paris-based policy forum lowering its projections from 3.3% for both this year and next.

"Increasing trade restrictions will contribute to higher costs for both production and consumption. It remains essential to ensure a well-functioning, rules-based international trading system and to keep markets open," OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann said.

<h2>US, eurozone driving weaker growth expectations</h2>

The projections were based primarily on weaker expected growth in the United States and the eurozone.

The OECD&nbsp;said US growth would slow to 2.2% this year, before falling to 1.6% in 2026. The eurozone is expected to grow just 1% this year, reaching 1.2% in 2026.

China's growth is forecast to drop from 4.8% this year to 4.4% in 2026.

Germany's economic growth for this year is now forecasted to be 0.4%, down from the 0.7% forecast made in December.

<h2>Risk of inflation</h2>

Inflation remains a problem, with G20 countries expected to see 3.8% inflation in 2025 and 3.2% in 2026.

"Core inflation is expected to stay above central bank targets in many countries, including the US, in 2026," the OECD said.&nbsp;

The projections include US President Donald Trump's new tariffs on trade between the US, Canada, and Mexico but exclude tariffs on trade between the US and China, steel and aluminum tariffs, and those involving the European Union.

The OECD said that "significant risks remain" as further tit-for-tat tariffs between major global economies "would hit growth around the world and add to inflation."

Edited by: Alex Berry

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OECD warns of slowing global growth amid trade tensions

Audi announced on Monday that it will cut 7,500 jobs in Germany, citing "immense challenges" as the country's auto industry battles slowing demand for electric vehicles and rising competition from China.

The slash in jobs, which will have been implemented by the end of 2029, amounts&nbsp;to 8%&nbsp;of Audi's global workforce and&nbsp;is aimed at boosting "productivity, speed and flexibility," the German carmaker said in a statement.

"The economic conditions are becoming increasingly tougher, competitive pressure and political uncertainties are presenting the company with immense challenges," read the statement from Audi, a subsidiary of Volkswagen.

<h2>What are&nbsp;the details of the cuts?</h2>

Management board chairman Gernot&nbsp;Döllner said: "There will be no compulsory redundancies up to the end of 2033. In difficult economic times, that is good news for all employees."

The current job security program, which prevents compulsory redundancies, will therefore be extended until the end of 2033. It previously applied until the end of 2029.

Job cuts before 2029 are instead expected to come through voluntary redundancies&nbsp;and&nbsp;end of contracts.

<h2>What is going wrong with Germany's automobile sector?</h2>

For decades, the automobile industry&nbsp;has been the jewel in Germany's industrial crown, but a faltering economy has seen the country's production dwindle.

Audi's job cuts are the latest blow for&nbsp;the ailing sector in Europe's largest&nbsp;economy, which has been hit hard by a stuttering shift to electric cars, fierce competition from China, weak demand and the threat of US tariffs.

Edited by: Wesley Dockery

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Germany: Auto giant Audi to slash 7,500 jobs from workforce

SpaceX founder Elon Musk&nbsp;said Friday that his company's&nbsp;massive Starship rocket would leave for Mars at the end of 2026, carrying with it Tesla's&nbsp;humanoid robot Optimus.

In a post on X, Musk also suggested that&nbsp;human landings on Mars could begin as early as 2029&nbsp;if the initial landings go well,&nbsp;though 2031 was more likely.



The update follows several recent disappointments for the world's first private space firm and Musk's long-term vision of colonizing Mars.

<h2>What is Starship and what will it do?</h2>

Starship — the world's largest and most powerful rocket —&nbsp;is key to Musk's plan&nbsp;to colonize&nbsp;Mars.

At&nbsp;403 feet (123 meters) tall,&nbsp;about 100 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty, the rocket is designed to eventually be fully reusable.

Designed for deep space exploration, it is hoped Starship will make&nbsp;missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, making space travel more cost-effective and efficient.

NASA is also awaiting a modified version of Starship as a lunar lander for its Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon this decade.

However, before those missions can take place, Space X&nbsp;must prove the vehicle is reliable, safe and capable of complex in-orbit refueling,&nbsp;which is critical for deep space missions.

Multiple test flights of the Starship prototype have taken place,&nbsp;with several failures&nbsp;but also milestones like reaching space.

Earlier this month, SpaceX faced a setback&nbsp;when its latest test flight&nbsp;ended in a fiery explosion, its second failure this year.

Despite this, the firm's approach of "fail fast, learn fast" has helped it become the world's dominant launch services provider.<figure class="image"><img src="https://static.dw.com/image/71852697_906.jpg" alt="A view shows debris streaking through the sky, after SpaceX's Starship spacecraft tumbled and exploded in space, in Big Sampson Kay, Bahamas, on March 6, 2025" title="A view shows debris streaking through the sky, after SpaceX's Starship spacecraft tumbled and exploded in space, in Big Sampson Kay, Bahamas, on March 6, 2025" class="hq-img loaded"><figcaption class="img-caption">On March 6, a SpaceX Starship rocket exploded after liftoff, a second failure this year</figcaption></figure>

<h2>What is Optimus?</h2>

Also known as Tesla Bot, Optimus&nbsp;is a humanoid robot being developed by Musk's electric vehicle company.&nbsp;

It’s designed to perform repetitive, dangerous, or mundane tasks that humans would rather avoid.

The tech billionaire revealed the robot&nbsp;at an event last year. saying he expects it to retail&nbsp;for $20,000 (€18,300) to $30,000.

<h2>Will Trump make Mars a priority?</h2>

In November, Reuters news agency cited sources saying that Musk's&nbsp;dream of transporting humans to Mars would become a bigger national priority under US President Donald Trump.

The sources said that Musk's desire for reforms of the&nbsp;Federal Aviation Administration,&nbsp;the US space and aviation regulator, could help the Mars ambitions.

Musk has frequently clashed with the FAA,&nbsp;accusing it of over-regulating SpaceX over safety and environmental concerns, which he said has slowed the development of Starship.

Trump also vowed in his inauguration speech in January "to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars."

However,&nbsp;Musk's status as one of&nbsp;Trump's closest advisors&nbsp;and his influence over federal regulators&nbsp;are raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest for his companies, including SpaceX.

Musk's alignment with Trump, along with accusations of interference in European politics, has&nbsp;made him a target for fierce criticism, political roadblocks and potential legal action.

<figure class="image"><img src="" alt="US President Donald Trump and Tesla/SpaceX CEO Elon Musk stand next to a Tesla Cyber Truck and a Model S on the South Lawn of the White House, Washington DC, on March 11, 2025" title="US President Donald Trump and Tesla/SpaceX CEO Elon Musk stand next to a Tesla Cyber Truck and a Model S on the South Lawn of the White House, Washington DC, on March 11, 2025" class="hq-img"><figcaption class="img-caption">Trump bought a Tesla this week in a show of support for Musk, whose foray into politics has drawn deep criticism</figcaption></figure>

Edited by: Kieran Burke