Well, it was supposed to be a surprise attack, wasn’t it?

There are more Russian spies in Berlin than Russians in the Kremlin.

Scholz: Ukraine did not consult Germany over Russia incursion – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday Ukraine had not consulted Berlin about its Aug. 6 shock incursion into Russia and that he expected that military operation to be limited in time and territory.

Speaking at a press conference after talks with Moldovan President Maia Sandu in Chisinau, Scholz said Berlin was monitoring further developments around the incursion closely.

Ukrainian leaders have cast the attack as proof that their military can still succeed in offensive operations, and still surprise. Russia has vowed to repel the incursion.

Not so quiet on the Western Front

The Chip War Western Front.

EU approves German state aid for $11 billion TSMC chip plant – Taiwan’s TSMC (2330.TW), opens new tab on Tuesday launched a major new computer chip plant in Dresden, Germany, expected to be a key supplier to European industry and carmakers after the EU Commission approved 5 billion euros ($5.5 billion) worth of state aid.

The large aid award for the project, which will cost 10 billion in all, is the biggest approved so far under the EU Chips Act, and the first in Germany.

It is also the first project in Europe under TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, and is expected to improve Europe’s resiliency if a chip shortage of the type experienced during the COVID pandemic happens again.

What German troops?

Take your time, Lithuania.

You’ve got all the time in the world.

Lithuania begins construction of base for German troops near Russian border – Lithuania on Monday began construction of a military base, which will accommodate up to 4,000 combat-ready German troops once completed by the end of 2027, in the first permanent foreign deployment for the German military since World War Two.

Germany committed to deploy troops in the NATO and European Union member, which borders Russia, last year. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius compared the decision to the posting of allied forces in West Germany during the Cold War to defend Western Europe in case of a Soviet attack.

Come on, GÜNTHER!

I mean, GUNTHER.

You can do this.

WWE Bash in Berlin match card & rumors – Everything WWE has planned, so far, for its next major premium live event.

World Heavyweight Championship: GUNTHER (c) vs. Randy Orton – They’re using the controversial finish from the King of the Ring tournament final — the same victory that set up GUNTHER winning the championship at SummerSlam — to justify doing this rematch. It works.

They want to restrict knives now too?

But Germans have always carried knives and used them in public, right?

Sheesh. The next thing you know they’ll be restricting clubs, spears and stone axes.

Germany getting tough on knife crime – German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser wants to further restrict the carrying of knives in public, to combat a perceived rise in knife crime. But some have criticized the plan as impractical.

The German government has promised tougher knife laws after the police reported a rise in the number of stabbings, especially near train stations — though the statistics remain controversial.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has called for the law to be changed so that only blades of 6 centimeters (2.36 inches) would be allowed to be carried in public, rather than the current 12 centimeters. An exception would be made for household knives in their original packaging. Switchblades would be banned altogether.

Just don’t drink the water…

In Germany?

Montezuma’s Revenge it is not. More like Moscow’s Revenge, I’d say.

Drinking water contaminated? Suspected sabotage again at Bundeswehr base – Once again there is suspicion of sabotage at a Bundeswehr base. This time, a fence at a drinking water tank in Mechernich, North Rhine-Westphalia, has been cut. The public health department warns against using the water.

Baffling

If we could only figure out how they get into these near-insurmountable high-security facilities.

Maybe then we could finally find a way to stop them.

Germany: Climate activists block four airports – Cologne/Bonn airport announced it was suspending flights after an “unauthorized intrusion.” Protestors said they were also targeting air hubs in Stuttgart, Nuremberg, and Berlin.

Letzte Generation or “Last Generation” climate activists had promised demonstrations at several German airports this week.

They shared footage of themselves blocking the runway in Cologne, as well as in Stuttgart. The group also claimed to be blocking traffic in Berlin.

Z.

Volodymyr Z.

My explosions? Shaken, not stirred.

Nord Stream sabotage: Germany issues arrest warrant — report. A Ukrainian national who was living in Poland is the subject of a German arrest warrant, according to media reports. The Russian-European gas pipelines were attacked in September 2022…

In an investigation published Wednesday, the outlets reported that the suspect is a Ukrainian national, named only as Volodymyr Z. for privacy reasons.

It is alleged he attacked the pipelines in tandem with at least two others, who are also believed to be Ukrainian citizens.

Let’s diversify!

Just like we did with our dependency on Russian gas a few years back.

It’s called diversification through more dangerous entanglement.

German investment in China soars despite Berlin’s diversification drive – Politicians warn of rising geopolitical tensions but country’s carmakers stick with Chinese manufacturing.

German direct investment into China has risen sharply this year, in a sign that companies in Europe’s largest economy are ignoring pleas from their government to diversify into other, less geopolitically risky markets.

Hope rhymes with dope

And nope. And learn how to cope. Already.

And while you’re at it, wash your mouth out with soap.

German voters have high hopes for Kamala Harris – Respondents to a monthly trend survey had a clear preference for the Democrats’ new presidential candidate.

German media have reported on the shift in the political mood in the US over the past two weeks since President Joe Biden bowed out of the race. The new candidate, Kamala Harris, is seen to be scoring points against the Republican challenger, former President Donald Trump.

Respondents to Germany’s monthly Deutschlandtrend survey by pollster infratest dimap have a clear preference: of the 1,300 eligible voters surveyed between August 5 and 7, a whopping 77% said they believe Vice President Kamala Harris is more suitable for the presidency, while only 10% favor Donald Trump.