Germany slightly raised its growth forecast for this year to 0.2% on Wednesday, helped by a planned government spending spree, but ongoing trade tensions will continue to weigh on exports, the country's main engine for growth.

German industrial production fell back to 2005 levels in August as output in the country’s all-important car industry cratered by 18.5 per cent compared with the previous month.

A large emergency response took place in the German town of Mainaschaff after a gas cloud was released following an accident at an industrial plant, authorities said on Tuesday evening. Four people suffered minor injuries,

Germany's budget committee on Wednesday approved the procurement of 20 more Eurofighter jets for around 3.75 billion euros ($4.36 billion), according to the defence ministry.

German Mayor Iris Stalzer was stabbed Monday and reportedly in critical condition after an attack near her home in the German state of North-Rhine Westphalia.

The German defence ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Rheinmetall declined to comment. Canberra-based EOS, which has a German subsidiary, this year struck a €71mn deal with the Netherlands to provide the country with its technology. It is also in talks with several other Nato member states.

Sentiment among German CEOs continued to deteriorate this year and is more negative on the economic outlook and company prospects than in other countries, a survey by KPMG showed on Thursday.