Increased police presence at Christmas markets after the Magdeburg attack

Increased police presence at Christmas markets after the Magdeburg attack

A tragic event shocks Schleswig-Holstein. On December 21, 2024, politicians reacted with horror after the attack on the Christmas market in Magdeburg. Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU) expressed his thoughts for the victims and those affected as well as the emergency services who fought for their safety. Interior Minister Sabine Sütterlin-Waack (CDU) described the act as terrible and inhumane. In a sign of mourning, the showmen at the Lübeck Christmas market on Saturday at 3 p.m. want to be silent for five minutes to remember the victims. The state police have increased their presence at Christmas markets to ensure security. In Magdeburg the death toll has risen to four; There are also over 200 injured after a man drove a stolen car into a crowd NDR Schleswig-Holstein reported.

Meanwhile, Swedish battery maker Northvolt is fighting on another front. Despite debts of almost six billion US dollars, the construction of a new factory in Dithmarschen is continuing. The construction of the plant, which is considered a key project for European battery production, shows that the company and politicians are sticking to their plans. Northvolt has filed an application for restructuring proceedings under US bankruptcy law (Chapter 11) with the Bankruptcy Court in Houston. Experts estimate that the debt could be significantly reduced through a so-called “haircut”. The demands of German taxpayers, which were made available in the form of a 600 million euro convertible bond, could fall by up to 100 percent, which could mean that 300 million euros would be lost for Schleswig-Holstein alone. Loud daily news The Swedes are urgently looking for new donors to cover their expenses of around 30 million US dollars per week.

Northvolt's difficulties are alarming, especially given the aid that both the federal government and the state of Schleswig-Holstein want to provide to support the project. This hope for a successful battery factory remains, although the European battery market is increasingly dominated by Asian companies. Experts warn that the company's failure could not only have economic consequences, but could also endanger Germany's national security.