JDownloader website spread malware downloads

In early May, the JDownloader website delivered malware through compromised installation packages. The site has since been taken offline to address the issue.
News from Germany on politics, society, regions and everyday issues relevant to readers in Germany and across Europe.

In early May, the JDownloader website delivered malware through compromised installation packages. The site has since been taken offline to address the issue.

The new heating law permits the installation of gas and oil heating systems beyond 2045. Heating installer Albert Kohl from Bobingen explains how his customers are reacting.

In 2025, 11 percent of internet users in Germany fell victim to cybercrime, according to reports. Online shopping fraud led to financial losses and a decline in trust in the services used.

Search efforts continue for a 23-year-old swimmer who went missing in the Main River near Großwallstadt following a swimming accident.

According to the Cybersecurity Monitor 2026, 11 percent of internet users in Germany fell victim to cybercrime last year. The study was published by the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) and the Police Crime Prevention.

A 23-year-old swimmer has been missing since Sunday evening in the Miltenberg district of Lower Franconia, presumed to have gone under while attempting to swim across the Main River.

Oliver Blatt, chairman of the GKV-Spitzenverband, urges federal and state governments to contribute more to the costs of nursing homes. This could reduce monthly expenses for nursing home residents by an average of 500 euros.

Berlin extreme athlete Arda Saatci reached his goal at Santa Monica Pier after 123 hours and 21 minutes, missing his target time of 96 hours for the 600 kilometers across California.

A truck caught fire on the A2 near Hannover this morning, resulting in the highway being closed in the direction of Hannover, according to Niedersachsen.

The A23 will be fully closed from today until May 25 between Hamburg-Eidelstedt and Pinneberg-Süd heading north. The reason is the renovation of the open-pore asphalt, as announced by the Autobahn GmbH.

Construction work around Mainz will cause train cancellations, route changes and rail replacement services from today until July 10, affecting commuters and several S‑bahn lines, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) reports.

Bundestag held a first reading on proposed stricter accessibility requirements designed to make daily life easier for people with disabilities. The measures would apply at the federal level and, according to Deutschlandfunk, also clarify obligations for the private sector.

The Greens, SPD, FDP, Free Voters and Rosa Liste have agreed on the distribution of deputy mayor positions and city ministries for Munich’s new coalition, according to a newspaper report. Party bodies still have to approve the agreement.

The Frankfurt (Oder) Regional Court has sentenced four young men to prison terms for attacking, humiliating homosexuals and filming the acts.

The Bavarian Council of Ministers has decided to expand air rescue in the state. In the future, rescue helicopters will be able to stay in the air longer from five locations.

The Verdi union has called for warning strikes in the ongoing tariff negotiations with Deutsche Telekom.

Italian researchers have used artificial intelligence for the first time to reconstruct the appearance and final moments of a victim of the Vesuvius eruption in Pompeii.

From Sicily, pro-Palestinian activists have again set off with more than 50 boats towards the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces serious competition: two former prime ministers plan to run together against him in the next election.

German Foreign Minister Wadephul has spoken out in favor of a stronger engagement by the United Nations to end the Iran war.

A recent survey shows that a majority of Bavarians support stricter migration policies and higher taxes on inheritances.

As the General-Anzeiger Bonn reports, Ökotest and Stiftung Warentest have tested vitamin D supplements – with sobering results: Only a few products are convincing.

Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann has presented the results of the regionalized population forecast. According to this, the state's population will rise to 13.53 million by 2044, while the average age increases to 46 years.

As Bild newspaper reports, Bayern boss Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has declared a star of FC Bayern Munich absolutely unsellable. The background is said to be an alleged €200 million offer.

Bavaria's Minister President Dr. Markus Söder and Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann open the new drone competence and defense center in Erding. The facility is intended to bundle and further develop the defense against drone attacks.

Several people have been killed in the ongoing mutual attacks between Israel and the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, according to Deutschlandfunk.

As Deutsche Bahn reports, regular train service on the Mangfalltalbahn is expected to resume from the end of June 2026. The reason for the months-long interruption is the extensive repair of a softened railway embankment.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected in Moscow on Monday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, according to Lebanese reports, there have been several deaths in mutual attacks between Israel and the Hezbollah militia.

The United States has threatened Iran with military attacks should no agreement be reached in the ongoing negotiations.

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt does not see increased migration to Europe so far despite the war in Iran. At the same time, a fatal accident in a western German city is being reported.

More than 227,000 people have fled conflicts in Lebanon to Syria, where they are encountering a lack of shelter, economic hardship, and insufficient state services. Despite a new ceasefire, many intend to stay in Syria.

Ahead of the Bundesliga North Derby between Werder Bremen and Hamburger SV (HSV), a police regulation is sparking discussions, while incidents have already occurred.

The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important shipping routes, remains closed. As Tagesschau reports, Iran has reversed a previously announced opening of the waterway.

During the rescue of the stranded whale "Timmy" in the Baltic Sea, wealthy supporters criticize authorities for delays. An elaborate maneuver with floating platforms is underway, but experts see little chance of survival.

New polls indicate that a large portion of the U.S. population does not consider the military measures of the Donald Trump administration in Iran to be justified.

The German Navy has warned of overstretch in the context of the debate about a potential deployment in the Strait of Hormuz.

Even after a ceasefire with Lebanon came into effect, Israel maintains its central goal of disarming the Hezbollah militia active there.

Actress Natalie Portman is pregnant with her third child at the age of 44, as media reports confirm.

The number of irregular border crossings into the European Union (EU) fell by around 40 percent in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year.

Former US President Donald Trump has sharply attacked the North Atlantic military alliance after Iran ended its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.