Berlin, Germany – Germany’s unemployment rate has climbed to its highest level in nearly a decade, reaching 6.4% at the start of 2025, according to new data from the Federal Employment Agency (BA).

The latest figures show that 2.993 million Germans are now unemployed, an increase of 187,000 compared to January 2024. On a seasonally adjusted basis, jobless numbers rose by 11,000 from December to January.

While an increase in unemployment is typical at the start of the year—due to the expiration of temporary contracts and seasonal job losses—the scale of the rise points to deeper economic problems.

Economic Slowdown Worsens Labor Market Struggles

Germany’s economy has been struggling with weak manufacturing output, sluggish productivity, and crumbling infrastructure. Excessive bureaucracy and political uncertainty have further dampened investor confidence.

The country’s GDP contracted by 0.2% in 2024, following a 0.3% decline in 2023. This two-year downturn has contributed to rising unemployment, with job losses particularly affecting industrial sectors.

The last time unemployment levels were this high was in February 2015, when 3.017 million Germans were unemployed.

Companies Cutting Jobs as Economic Uncertainty Grows

The Ifo Institute, a leading German economic think tank, warned this week that most industries in Germany are planning to reduce their workforce due to deteriorating business conditions.

“Almost all branches of industry in Germany want to reduce their headcount,” Ifo researchers stated on Thursday.

Manufacturers, in particular, have been struggling against rising costs, global competition, and slowing demand, leading to layoffs and hiring freezes.

Economic Issues to Shape Upcoming Elections

With Germany set to hold federal elections on February 23, economic challenges are expected to be a key issue in political debates.

Lawmakers are considering strategies to boost competitiveness amid growing pressure from China and other global players.

Germany’s transition to renewable energy and the controversial debt brake—a mechanism that limits public borrowing to 0.35% of structural GDP, except in emergencies—are also set to dominate discussions.

As economic uncertainty looms, policymakers face increasing pressure to revive growth, protect jobs, and restore confidence in Europe’s largest economy.

Washington, D.C. – Former U.S. President Donald Trump has reached a $25 million legal settlement with social media giant Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, resolving a lawsuit over his 2021 account suspension following the January 6 Capitol riots.

The settlement, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, will see $22 million allocated to Trump’s presidential library fund, with the remainder covering legal fees and other plaintiffs who joined the lawsuit. Meta will not admit wrongdoing as part of the agreement.

Trump’s Social Media Battle with Meta

Trump sued Meta and its CEO Mark Zuckerberg in 2021, arguing that his suspension from Facebook and Instagram was unjust and politically motivated. The company initially banned Trump’s accounts for two years, citing concerns over public safety after the Capitol riots.

Despite lingering tensions, Meta lifted the final restrictions on Trump’s accounts in July 2024, ahead of the U.S. presidential election. The settlement signals a significant de-escalation between Trump and Meta, following years of sharp criticism from the former president.

Trump, who previously labeled Facebook as “anti-Trump”, went as far as calling it an “enemy of the people” in March 2024. However, relations appear to have thawed in recent months, with Zuckerberg visiting Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort after his 2024 election victory.

In December, Meta donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund, and Zuckerberg attended Trump’s inauguration ceremony earlier this month, sitting alongside top global tech leaders.

Trump’s Social Media Presence and the Role of X

While Meta initially banned Trump, Twitter—now rebranded as X—permanently suspended his account in 2021. However, after Elon Musk acquired the platform for $44 billion, he reinstated Trump’s account in 2022 following a user poll.

Trump has since maintained an active presence on X, though he continues to favor his own platform, Truth Social, for major announcements.

Meta’s AI Investment and DeepSeek Competition

The settlement comes as Meta faces mounting competition in artificial intelligence (AI), particularly from China’s rising AI app, DeepSeek.

On Wednesday, Meta defended its $65 billion AI investment, even as tech stocks plummeted following DeepSeek’s rapid rise in popularity. Meta, however, bucked the trend, with its stock rising in after-hours trading after posting strong financial results.

Zuckerberg acknowledged DeepSeek’s impact but downplayed concerns. “There’s a lot to learn, but it’s too soon to have a strong opinion on what this means for AI’s future,” he told investors.

Meta’s Push for Open-Source AI

Unlike many U.S. tech firms, Meta has taken a unique approach by open-sourcing its AI models, making them freely available to developers.

“There’s going to be an open-source standard globally, and it’s important that it’s an American standard,” Zuckerberg said, emphasizing the need for U.S. dominance in AI development.

Meta’s AI spending has been a key focus, with Zuckerberg arguing that large-scale infrastructure investments will be a major competitive advantage.

“For a company serving billions of people, this kind of investment makes sense,” he said, dismissing concerns over high expenditures.

The Future of Meta: Smart Glasses and Facebook’s Relevance

Beyond AI, Meta is betting big on smart glasses, with Zuckerberg predicting that all glasses will be replaced by smart technology within a decade.

He also addressed concerns over Facebook’s declining popularity compared to Instagram and TikTok, vowing to revive the platform’s cultural relevance.

Additionally, Zuckerberg defended Meta’s decision to end fact-checking, arguing that community-based moderation tools would be more effective. He assured investors that advertiser demand remained strong, despite the policy shift.

Financial Performance

Meta reported $48 billion in revenue in the final quarter of 2024, a 21% increase year-over-year. Despite high AI spending, the company posted a $20 billion profit, up 49% from the previous year.

With AI investment surging and competition heating up, Meta remains at the center of the evolving tech landscape, even as it works to repair its once-hostile relationship with Donald Trump.

Global smartwatch maker Garmin is facing growing frustration from customers after widespread reports of device malfunctions, leaving many unable to use their high-end watches.

Users worldwide have complained that their devices either freeze on the start-up screen or display a blue triangle upon powering on. Among the affected models are the Fenix 8, a premium smartwatch retailing for nearly £1,000 ($1,200), as well as several other popular Garmin products.

Garmin has acknowledged the issue but has yet to provide a definitive fix. The company suggested that users attempt a reset or connect their devices to the Garmin app, but admitted that a full factory reset may be necessary in some cases.

However, reports suggest that even this measure has not resolved the problem for all users. “Their instructions don’t fix it, and Garmin is silent,” one frustrated customer wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Affected Devices

According to Garmin’s website, the issue impacts several of its leading product lines, including:

• Approach Watch
• Edge Cycling Computers
• Epix Watch
• Fenix Watch
• Forerunner Watch
• Instinct Series Watch
• Vivoactive 4 and 5
• Venu 3 and 3S

The company has yet to confirm the root cause of the issue, but some industry experts speculate that a faulty software update may be preventing devices from properly syncing with GPS signals.

Customer Frustration Grows

As the outage drags on, social media has been flooded with complaints, with many criticizing Garmin for its lack of transparency and slow response.

“You should really prioritize your current customers and the ongoing issue with many watches,” one user posted. Another called the company’s silence “unbelievable,” given the high price tag of Garmin’s products.

Even public figures have weighed in, including Absolute Radio DJ Leona Graham, who shared her own experience with the malfunctioning watch alongside footage of the dreaded blue triangle screen.

Garmin has yet to issue a timeline for a permanent fix, saying only that it will “provide more information when available.”

For now, frustrated users are left waiting – and watching – for answers.