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• Elon Musk has sparked backlash in Germany after calling for the chancellor to resign and backing the AfD.
• The German health minister said Musk "should not interfere in our politics."
• It comes as right-wing leaders in Europe seize on an attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany.

Elon Musk has stirred controversy in Germany after calling Chancellor Olaf Scholz an "incompetent fool" and backing the country's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

In a post on X, Musk first reshared a video by right-wing influencer Naomi Seibt in which she criticizes Friedrich Merz, one of the leading candidates to become Germany's next chancellor.

"Only the AfD can save Germany," Musk, who is the richest person in the world, wrote alongside the post.

Musk then weighed in on news of an attack on Friday on a Christmas market in the eastern German city of Magdeburg that killed at least five people.

Musk reshared a post purportedly showing an image of the suspect that said the attack was a "DIRECT RESULT of mass unchecked immigration."

"Scholz should resign immediately. Incompetent fool," Musk added in a separate post.

Leading right-wing figures across Europe have seized on the incident to promote anti-immigrant rhetoric and call for tighter border controls.

Musk's comments, which come just two months before Germany is set to hold a snap federal election, have sparked backlash in the country.

Scholz appeared to respond indirectly at a press conference in Berlin, saying, "We have freedom of speech here. That also applies to multimillionaires. Freedom of speech also means that you're able to say things that aren't right and do not contain good political advice," per the Guardian.

Karl Lauterbach, the German health minister, said on X that Musk "should not interfere in our politics, adding that "his platform profits from hate and incitement and radicalizes people."

The AfD party was established in 2013 as an anti-euro party, but it has since focused more on immigration and has been seen as increasingly far-right.

Musk, however, has previously questioned how far-right the party's policies are.

In a post on X in June, he wrote:"Why is there such a negative reaction from some about AfD?"

"They keep saying "far right", but the policies of AfD that I've read about don't sound extremist. Maybe I'm missing something," he added.

The Tesla CEO has shown growing support for right-wing leaders, including Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Nigel Farage, leader of the UK's Reform Party.

Earlier this week, Farage boasted that Musk was "right behind" him and hinted that the tech mogul might financially back his party.

• My group of 20 went on a multigenerational trip to Austria and stayed in a castle for a week.
• Our stay cost about $151 per person per night, which felt surprisingly affordable for all we got.
• We had a great time and especially enjoyed exploring the spacious grounds and castle amenities.

The average price of a hotel in Austria tends to be over $200 a night — even higher if you want a five-star experience.

But if you get a group of 20 together and everyone chips in, you'll each pay around $151 a night to stay in a castle for a week.

That's about what my family did last summer when our large group booked a stay in Castle Wasserburg, a 12th-century marvel in Austria.

As expected, our multigenerational family vacation in a European castle ended up being pretty wonderful.

We were after the castle life, and we got it

To be clear, castles are not palaces.

Castles were traditionally built to defend people and places, whereas palaces were built as symbols of extreme wealth. Still, castles tend to be large and impressive, often with incredible grounds.

The castle we rented sleeps up to 20, with 10 bedrooms and seven bathrooms. The rental comes with a staff member who does basic cleanup and prepares a breakfast every morning for guests.

Redesigned in baroque style, Wasserburg's ground floor opens to a small entrance hall, a great hall with an open fireplace, a small salon, a sauna, and an elevator.

On the first floor there's a large, gilded salon we nicknamed "the WiFi room" because it had the best cellular reception.

There was also a library with a fireplace where the older generations liked to gather, and a secret back room adjacent to the library that my son discovered one afternoon.

Most memorably, the castle has an enormous dining room with a table that seats 24, a vast balcony overlooking the grounds, and a kitchen with an external dumb-waiter that lowers down to the grill area.

The dumbwaiter proved to be an invaluable tool so we could avoid running up and down narrow stairways with heaving platters of dishes. Even the youngest members of our clan had fun operating it.

Otherwise, we spent most of our time in the kitchen playing cards, creating nightly feasts, sampling too many local libations, and oversharing.

But our time enjoying the grounds was arguably the most memorable part of our trip.

The castle is situated on a large park with a moat, pond, private swimming pool, tennis court set in a rock garden, small forest, horse stables, and gravel-lined walking paths throughout.

There was a lot of charm and fun to be found nearby, too

Although we could've spent days around the grounds, the castle's prime location in St. Pölten meant we were within driving distance of some exciting spots.

One of our favorite excursions was to the Wachau wine region less than an hour from the castle. There, we explored vineyards producing full-bodied, fruit-forward but razor-sharp riesling and Grüner Veltliner.

Austria's capital city, Vienna, is also less than an hour away and worth visiting for at least a full day. We also visited Salzburg and Bratislava, both a few hours' drive from the castle.

I'll never forget our incredible stay

We would've had fun no matter where we stayed, but our time in the castle still resonates with me.

The castle was the destination and it's one of my favorite spaces we've rented as a clan over the years.

Staying in such a fascinating place helped us embrace the history of the region we were visiting — its culture, traditions, food, and drinks.

Living, cooking, traveling, and laughing together, even just for a week, reminded all of us of our shared history and traditions and gave us hope and energy to face a future united despite everything that may distract and divide us.

• Israel is expected to soon deploy its top missile-defense system, Arrow 3, to Germany.
• Arrow's chief engineer told BI that the system had already proved its worth in combat.
• The transfer, planned for next year, comes amid growing concerns in Europe over Russian missiles.

Germany is expected to receive a top Israeli missile-defense system that helped protect the Middle Eastern country from two massive Iranian attacks earlier this year.

Israel is set to deploy the Arrow 3, a highly advanced system designed to intercept ballistic missiles outside the Earth's atmosphere, on German soil in 2025 as part of a $3.5 billion deal announced last fall in what officials said was the country's largest-ever defense export.

The transfer comes as Europe and NATO allies like Germany face a rising Russian missile threat to its eastern flank. Just last week, Moscow used a new intermediate-range ballistic missile to strike Ukraine.

Arrow 3 made its combat debut just a year ago in the early days of Israel's ongoing war with Hamas. But the system's chief engineer told Business Insider that it had proved its worth against two massive Iranian missile barrages in April and October of this year.

"Arrow 3 is the right answer for Germany, and, also, it'll be a part of an even greater system to German allies in Europe," Boaz Levy, the CEO of the state-run Israel Aerospace Industries, said in a recent interview.

The Arrow systems are a product of IAI and the US manufacturer Boeing. They were developed because Israel needed a way to defend itself from longer-range ballistic missiles. Together, they make up the upper echelon of the country's air-defense network.

Arrow 2, which was first deployed in 2000, can intercept targets in the upper atmosphere. It was followed in 2017 by Arrow 3, which can eliminate targets in space and up to 1,500 miles away — well beyond the ranges of the US's Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense systems. Both systems use a two-stage solid-fueled interceptor to engage incoming ballistic missiles.

Israel confirmed the first operational use of Arrow 3 in November of last year after it was used to take down a missile fired by Houthi rebels in Yemen. But the system saw its most serious tests against two massive Iranian attacks this year.

In mid-April, Iran fired more than 300 missiles and drones — including some 120 ballistic missiles — at Israel, which, along with partner forces like the US and the UK, shot down nearly all the munitions.

Six months later, in early October, Iran fired a much larger salvo of ballistic missiles — about 200 — at Israel. Most of the projectiles were intercepted, including by American warships.

Earlier this month, the Israeli defense ministry said Arrow "proved effective" in both Iranian attacks. Levy declined to provide specific figures on its performance. But he said the system performed as intended, adding that "the results that we received over those attacks are really phenomenal."

"We believe that the system proved its capability during these two attacks," he said.

Arrow's demonstrated capability in the Middle East conflicts will make it a valuable asset to Germany as Europe grows increasingly concerned with the Russian missile threat. Moscow's war against Ukraine and its widespread employment of ballistic missiles has prompted NATO countries to seek ways to bolster their air defenses.

Unease over Russian missile capabilities was underscored last week after Moscow launched an experimental intermediate-range ballistic missile at Ukraine. A Pentagon spokesperson described the weapon as a "new type of lethal capability" deployed on the battlefield and called it a "concern" to the US.

When Arrow 3 eventually arrives in Germany, it will complement NATO's existing network of systems capable of ballistic-missile defense, including the American-made MIM-104 Patriot battery that has been a workhorse in Ukraine.

In a statement earlier this month, Israel's defense ministry said it has started coordinating joint preparations with Berlin for the initial deployment of Arrow 3 next year. It did not provide a specific date.

Levy said the deployment to Germany was just a starting point, but it comes at a crucial time as missile attacks become more common in conflicts.

"We should expect to have missile attacks in future wars, and that's why a country that wants to defend its assets needs to have such a sophisticated system," Levy said. "Arrow was designed for that."

"I believe that more customers will come," he added.

• Amazon has told staff in Germany they can apply to work from home for up to two days a week.
• A leaked internal document seen by BI says requests can be submitted starting December 15.
• Amazon has a global mandate for all employees to return five days a week to the office from January.

Amazon employees in Germany will be able to apply to work from home up to two days a week when the company's global return-to-office mandate takes effect, Business Insider has learned.

Managers at the e-commerce giant told staff about the measure on Thursday and Friday via Slack and email, directing them to a new flexible working policy, two people familiar with the matter said.

The document, seen by BI, said people could apply for flexible working starting December 15.

In September, Amazon announced a mandate for all global employees to return to the office full time from January. The majority of the company's 1.5 million employees work in warehouses. Amazon's CEO, Andy Jassy, said at the time that the RTO push was to help the company "further strengthen" its culture and teams.

Amazon said the expectation was still for employees to work from the office five days a week in Germany and that it had a similar flexible work policy before the pandemic.

"Regular working from home arrangements can be made for 1 day every week, exceptionally 2 days every week, and are limited to a one-year time frame," the document said.

It added that the policy applied to all Amazon employees in Germany but that it did not include Twitch and Audible employees. It said Amazon could reconsider or change informal arrangements "at its discretion at any time."

The rule includes two types of work arrangements: informal and formal. Under the formal arrangement, employees can request to work from home for up to two days a week and change their scheduled hours, the document said.

On an informal basis, managers can approve ad hoc requests made with 24 hours' notice to work from home, it added.

It said formal flexible working arrangements change employee contractual terms and conditions and "require documentation."

The document also said that Amazon would take disciplinary action, including terminating employment, for staff who fail to comply with the policy.

Announcing the five-day RTO mandate in September, Jassy said he wanted Amazon to "operate like the world's largest startup."

He added: "That means having a passion for constantly inventing for customers, strong urgency (for most big opportunities, it's a race!), high ownership, fast decision-making, scrappiness and frugality, deeply connected collaboration (you need to be joined at the hip with your teammates when inventing and solving hard problems), and a shared commitment to each other."

Amazon said in June that it's on track to have more than 40,000 permanent employees in Germany by the end of this year. It also announced an investment of 10 billion euros (about $10.4 billion) in the country to expand its logistics network and cloud infrastructure.

Are you a tech worker with insights to share? Contact the reporter, Jyoti Mann, via email at [email protected] or Signal at jyotimann.11. Reach out via a nonwork device.

• I recently traveled to three American towns that seem to mimic the alpine style of Bavaria.
• Frankenmuth, Michigan, and Helen, Georgia, had some beautiful architecture and views.
• Having visited Germany several times, only Leavenworth, Washington, felt like the real deal to me.

In the past year, I spent time in three of America's most popular Bavarian-inspired towns: Frankenmuth, Michigan; Helen, Georgia; and Leavenworth, Washington.

Each offered me a fun chance to stroll an alpine village in the US without needing a passport.

I loved exploring these European-style towns, but as someone who's visited Germany several times, only one made me truly feel like I was back at Oktoberfest.

Frankenmuth, Michigan, offered wintery vibes but lacked an alpine landscape.

I grew up in Michigan and visited the delightful German-inspired town of Frankenmuth several times in my youth.

After not visiting in years, I went back last December and found that the city is still very darling with Bavarian-style architecture and a glockenspiel that signals the time regularly.

It snowed during my visit, and the light dusting of white atop seasonal holiday décor greatly enhanced my feelings of being in Europe.

Unfortunately, the area doesn't have mountains, which made it feel a bit less immersive.

The town is home to the "World's Largest Christmas Store," which is worth a visit any time of year.

Christmas ornaments may have originated in Germany, but Frankenmuth has a lot to offer for those looking to deck their halls this holiday season.

The town's Bronner's Christmas Wonderland is more than 7 acres and calls itself the "World's Largest Christmas Store." It has thousands of items for sale in its endless rows of ornaments and décor.

Helen, Georgia, has a backdrop of rolling hills and pleasant year-round climate.

Northern Georgia is home to the alpine town Helen.

Here, I found a hillier landscape that better evoked feelings of Bavaria. The town's cobblestone streets and beer halls made this an enchanting getaway spot.

Helen's relatively warm year-round weather drew me there in early spring. I enjoyed beautiful, sunny weather that was more appealing than what's found in more northern towns like Frankenmuth at that time.

With daytime highs topping 70 degrees Fahrenheit during my stay, Helen is also much warmer than Munich in April.

It's close to wineries and outdoor adventures, which enhanced my stay.

Surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, Helen offers a variety of outdoor adventures ranging from waterfall hikes to tubing.

The area is also home to many wineries, which made it a great option for my annual girls' trip.

Leavenworth, Washington, felt bigger than I expected, and its theming was on point.

Breathtaking mountain scenery — check.

Charming Bavarian-inspired buildings — check.

German eateries slinging up hefty liters of beers — check.

When it comes to enjoying authentic year-round Oktoberfest vibes in the US, there's nowhere that beats the charm and European-style beauty of Leavenworth.

Set in the Cascade Mountains, the town offers a rugged landscape just begging to be explored.

I visited in summer, when hiking and careening along the town's alpine coaster was on the agenda — but the region also offers great skiing in the winter.

Even though Leavenworth is technically smaller than Helen and Frankenmuth by square miles, it felt the largest to me because of its many offerings.

Plus, the heart of the downtown area is free from vehicle traffic, making it very walkable.

Of the villages I visited, Leavenworth is the only one that made me feel like I was in Europe.

I fell in love with this adorable town as I walked its pedestrian-friendly streets, passing a statue of a lederhosen-clad bear and restaurants filled with cheerful accordion music.

I really feel like Leavenworth transported me back to my past visits to Bavaria.

My husband and I enjoyed skipping between beer gardens and munching on giant pretzels — just like we did on our honeymoon in Munich.

• Ford is cutting 4,000 jobs in Europe after "significant losses" in its passenger vehicle operations.
• The company also cited rising competition and weaker-than-expected demand for EVs.
• Ford CFO John Lawler called for joint industry action in a letter to the German government.

Ford said it would cut 4,000 jobs in Europe by the end of 2027 amid rising competition and weaker-than-expected demand for EVs.

The job cuts will mostly affect Germany and the UK after the company suffered "significant losses" in its passenger vehicle operations, it said in a statement Wednesday.

Ford also said it would impose additional short-time working days at its Cologne plant in the first three months of 2025.

Dave Johnston, Ford's European vice president for transformation and partnerships, said: "It is critical to take difficult but decisive action to ensure Ford's future competitiveness in Europe."

The company said the global auto industry faced significant disruption as it shifted to EVs. Automakers had to cope with "significant competitive and economic headwinds" in Europe and a "misalignment between CO2 regulations and consumer demand for electrified vehicles," it said.

The company said its chief financial officer, John Lawler, had written to the German government calling for joint action to improve market conditions and ensure the industry's success.

"What we lack in Europe and Germany is an unmistakable, clear policy agenda to advance e-mobility, such as public investments in charging infrastructure, meaningful incentives to help consumers make the shift to electrified vehicles, improving cost competitiveness for manufacturers, and greater flexibility in meeting CO2 compliance targets," Lawler said.

Last month, Ford said it would pause production of the F-150 Lightning pickup in Detroit for seven weeks and cut managers' bonuses in the latest cost-cutting moves amid sudden changes in the US electric vehicle market.

The news comes after General Motors announced 1,000 layoffs Friday. The company said it had "to optimize for speed and excellence," which meant "operating with efficiency, ensuring we have the right team structure and focusing on our top priorities," AP reported.

Earlier this month, Japanese automaker Nissan announced 9,000 layoffs and a 20% cut in global production amid falling sales in the US and China.

Stellantis, the owner of Jeep and Dodge, has announced rounds of layoffs in 2024.

• A Chinese ship was seen near severed Baltic Sea internet cables, the FT reported.
• Germany's defense minister said the incidents were likely to have been "caused by sabotage."
• An unnamed source told the FT that Sweden is investigating whether China was involved.

Sweden is investigating the sighting of a Chinese vessel near where two Baltic Sea internet cables were severed, the Financial Times reported.

The first cable — a 135-mile internet link between Lithuania and Sweden's Gotland Island — stopped working on Sunday.

Later on Monday, a 730-mile cable carrying data between Germany and Finland was cut.

Boris Pistorius, Germany's defense minister, said on Tuesday that it was being assumed that the two incidents were "caused by sabotage."

"No one believes that the cables were accidentally damaged," he said.

A joint statement by France, Italy, Germany, Poland, and Britain had previously suggested that Russia was involved. However, China is now also being investigated.

Yi Peng 3, a Chinese-registered cargo ship, was traveling from Russia to Egypt when it passed the two cables at around the same time each was cut on Sunday and Monday, according to Marine Traffic data obtained by FT.

The ship was then followed closely by the Danish Navy, open-source intelligence experts told the outlet.

The Danish defense ministry said it was "in the area near" the Chinese ship in a statement on X Wednesday, amid unconfirmed reports that Danish officials had boarded the vessel.

Erin Murphy, coauthor of a recent Center for Strategic and International Studies report on the threat to undersea cables, speculated that China may be working in tandem with Russia.

"There have been questions about China's support or lack of opposition to Russia's war in Ukraine but if intentional, this is an aggressive step by a China that typically operates in the Indo-Pacific region," Murphy told BI.

In 2023, a Chinese vessel was investigated after dragging its anchor and damaging gas and telecommunications lines in the Gulf of Finland. China cooperated with the investigation.

In a joint statement on Monday, the Foreign Ministers of Finland and Germany said they were "deeply concerned" about the incidents.

"The fact that such an incident immediately raises suspicions of intentional damage speaks volumes about the volatility of our times," the statement said.

"A thorough investigation is underway. Our European security is not only under threat from Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, but also from hybrid warfare by malicious actors," they added.

"Safeguarding our shared critical infrastructure is vital to our security and the resilience of our societies."

The International Union of Marine Insurance estimates that repairing damaged cables usually costs between $7 and $12 million.

It comes amid tensions between the West and China over its support of Russia in the war against Ukraine.

Representatives for Sweden's Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Marine Traffic, and China's Embassy in the UK did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.