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Germany Grants Citizenship to Record Number of People in 2025; Syrians Top List

A general view of Berlin, Germany. (AFP)
A general view of Berlin, Germany. (AFP)
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Germany Grants Citizenship to Record Number of People in 2025; Syrians Top List

A general view of Berlin, Germany. (AFP)
A general view of Berlin, Germany. (AFP)

Germany ‌granted citizenship to a record 332,500 people last year, a 14% increase, with Syrians making up the largest group for the fifth year in a row, according to data released by the Federal Statistics Office on Wednesday.

One in five people naturalized ‌in 2025 was ‌Syrian. However, compared with ‌2024, ⁠the number of ⁠Syrians gaining German citizenship dropped by 21%

Many Syrians who arrived as refugees during 2015 and 2016 became eligible for naturalization during 2024

The office ⁠attributes the increase to June ‌2024 reforms that ‌reduced residency requirements for naturalization ‌from eight years to five, as ‌well as allowed individuals to hold dual citizenship

After Syrians, the largest groups to naturalize were Turks (10%, or ‌34,100 people) and Russians (6%, or 19,700 people).

Particularly ⁠strong ⁠year-over-year growth was also seen for Bosnians (126%, or 8,800 people), the United States (100%, or 6,600 people), and Albanians (97%, or 6,100 people).

The number of people who naturalized through restitution laws that restore citizenship to individuals, and their descendants, who were stripped of it by Nazi Germany, rose by 61% to 12,000.

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World

Man Arrested After Crashing Car into Park Across from White House

A bomb-sniffing dog checks for explosives after a vehicle drove into the north-facing pillars outside the White House, in Washington, DC, US, November 9, 2026. (Reuters)
A bomb-sniffing dog checks for explosives after a vehicle drove into the north-facing pillars outside the White House, in Washington, DC, US, November 9, 2026. (Reuters)
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Man Arrested After Crashing Car into Park Across from White House

A bomb-sniffing dog checks for explosives after a vehicle drove into the north-facing pillars outside the White House, in Washington, DC, US, November 9, 2026. (Reuters)
A bomb-sniffing dog checks for explosives after a vehicle drove into the north-facing pillars outside the White House, in Washington, DC, US, November 9, 2026. (Reuters)

The White House was briefly placed on lockdown on Monday after a man crashed his car into the sidewalk of a park across from the presidential mansion.

The driver of the vehicle was "quickly placed under arrest" after he "became combative with law enforcement," a US Secret Service spokesperson said.

Video taken by witnesses showed the man struggling with police after being pulled from his car, which crashed into a sign on the sidewalk of Lafayette Park across from the White House.

An explosive ordnance disposal team was called in to "sweep the vehicle as a precaution," the Secret Service spokesperson said in a statement.

Around the same time as the vehicle incident, "a second individual jumped a barricade near the northwest corner of Lafayette Park," the spokesperson said.

"That individual was also quickly placed under arrest," the spokesperson said. "Both incidents are under investigation."

The White House was locked down for around half an hour during the incidents, correspondents said.

World

Hegseth Plays Down Impeachment Risks, Says Ready to Defend His Record

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth observes while President Donald Trump meets with Stephen Hubbard, a released Russian prisoner, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, 30 October 2026. (EPA)
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth observes while President Donald Trump meets with Stephen Hubbard, a released Russian prisoner, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, 30 October 2026. (EPA)
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Hegseth Plays Down Impeachment Risks, Says Ready to Defend His Record

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth observes while President Donald Trump meets with Stephen Hubbard, a released Russian prisoner, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, 30 October 2026. (EPA)
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth observes while President Donald Trump meets with Stephen Hubbard, a released Russian prisoner, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, 30 October 2026. (EPA)

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday played down the risks of an impeachment push against ‌him ‌and said ‌he ⁠was ready to defend ⁠his record at the Pentagon.

"We're not worried about that," ⁠Hegseth said, ‌when ‌asked if he ‌had enough ‌Republican support to defeat articles of impeachment.

Hegseth's remarks ‌came as Republican Representative Thomas Massie is ⁠attempting ⁠to force a vote on articles of impeachment against Hegseth in the House of Representatives.

World

Paraguay’s New President Asks All Ministers to Resign Amid Bank Crisis

Paraguay's interim President Pedro Alliana attends the swearing in ceremony of ministers at the government palace in Asuncion on November 9, 2026. (AFP)
Paraguay's interim President Pedro Alliana attends the swearing in ceremony of ministers at the government palace in Asuncion on November 9, 2026. (AFP)
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Paraguay’s New President Asks All Ministers to Resign Amid Bank Crisis

Paraguay's interim President Pedro Alliana attends the swearing in ceremony of ministers at the government palace in Asuncion on November 9, 2026. (AFP)
Paraguay's interim President Pedro Alliana attends the swearing in ceremony of ministers at the government palace in Asuncion on November 9, 2026. (AFP)

Newly appointed Paraguayan President Pedro Alliana on Monday asked all ministers to resign as the country endures a major banking crisis that has locked millions of people out of their accounts.

Former vice president Alliana took office on Friday when senators impeached Santiago Pena over the collapse of Ueno Bank, to which Pena is linked.

Alliana said he had instructed his new chief of staff Rolando de Barros to "ask ministers, secretaries and the highest state authorities who hold positions of trust to submit their resignations."

"My goal is to strengthen coordination within the Government and ensure more efficient management," he wrote on X, adding that "all institutions will continue to operate with complete normality."

Almost three million people lost access to their money when Paraguay's Central Bank seized Ueno on November 3, a move that triggered massive protests.

The Central Bank began restoring deposits Thursday through a guarantee fund, and by Saturday had returned about $160 million to nearly 1.2 million people.

Pena, who came to power in 2023, owned shares in the bank's holding company until he sold them last year.

He is accused of using his influence as president to steer millions in government deposits to Ueno and of hiding or downplaying its financial woes despite warnings about questionable loans and solvency issues.

Authorities placed the ex-leader under house arrest immediately after his impeachment and raided his home over the weekend as part of the probe into the bank collapse.