Skip next section Germany plans €536 million order for strike drones
02/10/2026February 10, 2026
Germany plans €536 million order for strike drones
The German military plans to spend around €536 million (about $640 million) on an initial tranche of new combat drones.
The contracts are for loitering munitions — weapon systems that orbit a target area until an operator on the ground assigns them a target, which they then attack autonomously.
Such drones are initially intended to increase the combat power and protection of Bundeswehr troops stationed in Lithuania as a German contribution to deterrence on NATO’s eastern flank.
The deal is part of a larger €4.3 billion arrangement to be concluded with the German companies Helsing and Stark, according to two documents seen by the Reuters news agency. It is expected to be rubber-stamped by the lower house of parliament’s budget committee.
Delivery of the first systems is scheduled to begin as early as 2026 and be completed by the beginning of 2027.
https://p.dw.com/p/58R8S
Skip next section Only 3% of sexual assaults against women are reported
02/10/2026February 10, 2026
Only 3% of sexual assaults against women are reported
A study into hidden violence in Germany shows that only a tiny fraction of sexual assaults against women are actually reported.
The so-called “dark field” study answers some questions that are not covered by annually published crime statistics, as these only include offenses reported to the police.
It attempts to uncover the true extent of crime, since not all offenses are reported, for example, due to shame or mistrust.
The data from this study shows, for instance, that while women are significantly more often victims of sexual assault, they report these offenses less frequently than men.
The reporting rate for female victims of these offenses, which include rape and other non-consensual sexual acts, is just 3%.
According to the study, male victims report such assaults in 14.5% of cases. However, the researchers point out that the reporting rate for men is subject to measurement inaccuracies due to the low number of cases.
Breaking the silence: Confronting violence against women
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https://p.dw.com/p/58Qhv
Skip next section READ — Germany nudges up in transparency rankings
02/10/2026February 10, 2026
READ — Germany nudges up in transparency rankings
Germany has improved its ranking in Transparency International’s annual Corruption Perceptions Index, but this is primarily due to the decline of other countries.
The country ranks 10th out of 182 countries in the 2025 index, which ranks countries and territories on how they guard against public sector corruption.
This represents a climb of five places compared to the previous year. Denmark remains in first place with the lowest perceived corruption.
Read more about the index here.
https://p.dw.com/p/58QYB
Skip next section Unions stage ‘warning strikes’ across most of Germany
02/10/2026February 10, 2026
Unions stage ‘warning strikes’ across most of Germany
Short-term “warning strikes” are planned at university hospitals, colleges, daycare centers and schools in several German states on Tuesday.
Walkouts are planned across almost the entire country — with the sole exception of the central state of Hesse.
In the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, five tunnels will also have to be temporarily closed because employees in the control room of the state-owned operating company also intend to participate in the actions.
Rallies are planned, with the Verdi union and the German Civil Service Federation (DBB) demanding a 7% pay increase, or at least €300 (about $360) more per month.
Negotiations will take place on Wednesday — likely for the last time in this round of wage talks.
https://p.dw.com/p/58QXJ
Skip next section Welcome to our coverage02/10/2026February 10, 2026
Welcome to our coverage
Guten Tag from DW’s newsroom in Bonn.
You join us as the German government is set to present a study on the prevalence of violent incidents that do not appear in official crime statistics.
The study examines all forms of violence, with a focus on intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and digital violence.
It will also shed light on the differences in the experiences of violence faced by women and men.
Stay with us for this and other Germany-related headlines from Tuesday, February 10.
https://p.dw.com/p/58QTo
