Bild: This is how Habeck wants to shrink your savings | So will Habeck ihr Erspartes schrumpfen
FAZ: Sharp decline in irregular entries into the EU | Starker Rückgang der irregulären Einreisen in die EU
Funke: Despite the ruling: Berlin won’t ask football clubs to pay for high-risk games | Trotz Urteil: Berlin bittet Klubs bei Hochrisikospielen nicht zur Kasse
Handelsblatt: Bavaria faces price shock (electricity prices) | Bayern droht Preisschock (Strompreise)
RND: Does the AfD’s „deportation ticket“ constitute incitement to hatred? | Erfüllt das AfD-„Abschiebeticket“ den Tatbestand der Volksverhetzung?
SZ: New hope for a ceasefire in Gaza | Neue Hoffnung auf Waffenruhe in Gaza
Tagesspiegel: Negotiations in Doha: Ceasefire in the Gaza Strip within reach | Verhandlungen in Doha: Waffenruhe im Gazastreifen zum Greifen nah
taz: Father State beats King Football | Vater Staat schlägt König Fussball
Welt: Football clubs may be asked to contribute to police costs | Fußballklubs können an Polizeikosten beteiligt werden
Agreement on ceasefire in Gaza almost ready to be signed: Egyptian President Abd al-Fattah as-Sisi has discussed with US President Joe Biden the ongoing efforts for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip; the talks also covered the possible exchange of Israeli hostages for imprisoned Palestinians. According to reports, an agreement on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is almost ready to be signed. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that only Hamas‘ approval was missing. A Hamas representative told Reuters that they were still waiting for Israel to provide details of a withdrawal of its forces from the Gaza Strip. The delegation of the radical Islamic Hamas had previously said that it had already accepted a draft of the agreement. zeit.de, handelsblatt.com, t-online.de, tagesschau.de
RTL/ntv Trendbarometer by Forsa: CDU/CSU 31 percent (-1), SPD 16 percent (-1), Greens 13 percent (+1), FDP 4 percent, AfD 20 percent (+1), Left Party 3 percent, BSW 4 percent, others 9 percent. n-tv.de
- Chancellor candidates: Olaf Scholz 17 percent, Friedrich Merz 23 percent (-2), Robert Habeck 23 percent (+3), Alice Weidel 16 percent, none of them 21 percent. n-tv.de
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius pledges support for Ukraine after the Bundestag elections: During his visit to Kiev, Pistorius said he expected a solution would be found in the current negotiations in Berlin on a three billion euro aid packet for Ukraine. He is counting on Europe and the United States to continue to coordinate closely on Ukraine policy under president-elect Donald Trump. This would give the country a real chance of entering into reasonable negotiations with Russia on an equal footing in the course of the year. He said the EU and NATO would continue to stand by Ukraine. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the talks with Pistorius focused on building a comprehensive air defense shield, investing in the Ukrainian defense industry, expanding Ukrainian defense capabilities, and training and supporting soldiers on the battlefield. sueddeutsche.de, spiegel.de, zdf.de
NATO Baltic states are arming themselves against Russian threat: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said after a conference in the Finnish capital Helsinki that securing infrastructure is of the utmost importance. NATO will strengthen its maritime presence to counter threats in the Baltic Sea region. With regard to suspected acts of sabotage on undersea cables, Rutte did not rule out a „robust response“ in the future; he brought up the possibility of confiscating assets. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced that Germany will contribute ships to protect infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden all took part in the summit. dw.com, sueddeutsche.de, spiegel.de
Criticism of statements by Friedrich Merz on the future of the steel industry: CDU leader Merz said he did not believe that the rapid switch to hydrogen-powered steelworks would be successful. Merz had also stated that, in principle, preserving industry was more important to him than climate protection. spiegel.de
More politics:
- Chancellor Olaf Scholz against further raising the retirement age. freiepresse.de
- Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck sees a need for an initial investment fund of €40 billion. welt.de
- SPD General Secretary Matthias Miersch calls for „tough sanctions“ against those who work under the table while claiming unemployment benefits. rnd.de
- Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser calls for more respect for well-integrated migrants. rp-online.de
- FDP leader Christian Lindner in Osnabrück: Federal Environment Agency can be closed without replacement. noz.de
- Number of assisted suicides has risen again, according to the German Association for Human Dying. evangelisch.de
More federal states consider cost sharing by football clubs for police operations: The Federal Constitutional Court has ruled that it is lawful to make football clubs contribute to the costs of police operations at high-risk matches. Karlsruhe thus rejected an appeal by the German Football League against Bremen. The state governments of Lower Saxony, Hamburg, Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate announced that they would examine financial claims against clubs. The club Werder Bremen demanded that the DFL and the guest clubs also contribute to the costs. The DFL expressed disappointed at the judgment. Criticism came from the fan alliance „Unsere Kurve“, which would like to see public security financed from tax revenues. Approval came from the German Police Union. zdf.de, weser-kurier.de, faz.net
More regional news:
- Brandenburg: AfD candidate will probably not become chair of the education committee for the time being. rbb24.de
- Baden-Württemberg: Minister President Winfried Kretschmann wants to keep primary school performance tests. n-tv.de
- Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Government presents supplementary budget for 2025. n-tv.de
- Brandenburg: People’s initiative for free school meals in Brandenburg apparently inadmissible. maz-online.de
- Bavaria: SPD in the Free State calls for billions in incentives for e-mobility and the automotive industry. heise.de
- NRW: Cities demand a compromise on old debts before the election. waz.de
- Bavaria: SPD politician Anna Rasehorn is threatened while putting up posters in Augsburg. augsburger-allgemeine.de
- North Rhine-Westphalia: Ex-AfD MEP Gunnar Beck fined 12,000 euros for shoplifting, assault and resisting arrest. t-online.de
- Berlin: Police find suspected ball-bomb detonator. n-tv.de
Iran and European countries hold „constructive“ nuclear talks: Both sides spoke afterwards of serious, open and constructive discussions and said the dialogue would be continued. Nothing was said about the content of the talks. It was the second round of talks with representatives from Germany, France and Great Britain in less than two months. Iran wants an end to international sanctions against it; the West wants to ensure that Iran does not build nuclear weapons. derstandard.de
EU border protection agency Frontex reports fewer illegal entries into the EU in 2024: According to preliminary figures, there were around 239,000 illegal border crossings, 38 percent fewer than in 2023. The number of border crossings on the Western Balkans route and arrivals in Italy after crossing the Mediterranean have decreased. While the figures on irregular migration reflect progress, challenges remain, Frontex explained; for example, smuggling networks are adapting to new circumstances. n-tv.de, sueddeutsche.de, zdf.de
OECD countries fail to reach agreement on fossil-fuel finance rules despite months of negotiations: The EU, the UK and Canada had pushed for a common agreement to no longer support the fossil-fuel industry with guarantees or loans in the future. There was resistance from the US. n-tv.de
French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou wants to renegotiate the pension reform for three months. Bayrou said in his government statement before the National Assembly that changes could be discussed without taboos; this also applies to the retirement age, which was gradually raised from 62 to 64 years as a result of the reform. If a specially appointed body finds a good solution, he will adopt it. If no agreement is reached, however, the reform will continue to be implemented. sueddeutsche.de, spiegel.de
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico faces a vote of no confidence: The opposition accuses the head of government of having given up on governing. “Instead of being at home and solving the problems that are bothering the people, he travels the world, bows to dictators and enjoys luxury somewhere in Vietnam. He insults our neighbors and partners,“ said the leader of the strongest opposition movement, Michal Simecka. n-tv.de, sueddeutsche.de
US President Joe Biden wants to remove Cuba from the terrorist list: There is no information to support the classification of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism. Biden wants to inform Congress, which must review the decision. It is hoped that this will further negotiations for the release of a significant number of political prisoners in Cuba before Donald Trump takes office on Monday. Trump had put Cuba back on the list shortly before the end of his first term; he could reverse the decision as early as next week. t-online. de, faz.net
President-elect Donald Trump announces new customs agency to collect tariffs and other fees from foreign countries. He said the US economy has given the world growth and prosperity through „terribly weak trade deals,“ adding that it is time for that to change. spiegel.de, n-tv.de
More news:
- EU: Doubts about PFAS report: „Lobby rush“ to torpedo chemicals ban in EU. n-tv.de
- EU: EU wants to take action against organized crime. rheinpfalz.de
- EU: EU and China plan summit this year to mark 50 years of relations. stern.de
- EU: EU to continue proceedings against US tech companies. derstandard.at
- EU: EPP leader Manfred Weber wants to contain FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl. faz.net
- Austria: Senior FPÖ politicians stir up hatred against the ÖVP, immigrants and the EU. spiegel.de
- Austria: Finance Minister optimistic that EU will not initiate excessive deficit procedure. derstandard.at
- Great Britain: Anti-corruption commissioner Tulip Siddiq resigns after corruption allegations. faz.net
- Great Britain: Right-wing populist Reform UK is gaining ground in British polls; immigration policy is mobilizing the masses. tagesspiegel.de
- Sweden: Citizenship to be made dependent on „honorable behavior“. n-tv.de
- Switzerland: Neutral confederates take part in EU military mobility project. de.euronews.com
- Georgia: Journalist Msia Amaglobeli imprisoned. faz.net
- Belgium: Fight against flu epidemic; mask requirement partially reintroduced. aachener-zeitung.de
- Spain: 100 percent tax for foreign real estate buyers in planning. focus.de
- Czech Republic: Extension of the transalpine oil pipeline that transports oil from the port of Trieste to refineries in Central Europe. handelsblatt.com
- France: Large majority has a positive image of Germany. rp-online.de
- Sudan: 120 civilians killed in „indiscriminate shelling“. deutschlandfunk.de
- South Africa: 81 survivors rescued from disused gold mine in Stilfontein; dozens of men found dead. faz.net
- Syria: New Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaybani visits Turkey for the first time. hna.de
- Afghanistan: Taliban deny women access to further education. n-tv.de
- USA: South Korea: Suspended President Yoon Suk-yeol arrested; court case for the impeachment of the disempowered president started. sueddeutsche.de
- USA: Ex-First Lady Michelle Obama will not be attending Trump’s inauguration. handelsblatt.com
- USA: Report by Special Counsel Jack Smith: Election victory apparently prevented Trump’s conviction for voter fraud. tagesschau.de
- USA: Xiaohongshu and Lemon8: US Tiktok users are moving to alternative Chinese platforms. faz.net
- USA: US Securities and Exchange Commission sues Elon Musk for late disclosure of Twitter stock purchases. zeit.de
- USA: Air pollution caused by wildfires: Los Angeles is distributing free protective masks. tagesschau.de
- Haiti: More than a million people are fleeing from rampant gang crime, according to the UN. web.de
- Venezuela: Ruler Nicolas Maduro threatens to annex Puerto Rico; Governor Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon calls for Trump to respond. spiegel.de
Sales of electric cars up 25 percent worldwide: This is according to data compiled by the British consulting firm Rho Motion. According to the data, a total of 17.1 million e-cars were delivered, more than half of them in China. In Europe, on the other hand, the slump in sales in Germany in particular led to a decline in the figures, it said.
More from the worlds of business, technology and science:
- Planned doctors‘ strike at municipal hospitals averted after wage agreement. n-tv.de
- US aircraft manufacturer Boeing delivered fewer than half as many aircraft as Airbus in 2024. aero.de
- Deutsche Bank boss Christian Sewing warns against the USA and the Republicans‘ power. faz.net
- Great Britain bans imports of cattle, pigs and sheep from Germany due to foot and mouth disease. faz.net
- Allianz Barometer: Cyberattacks are the biggest threat to companies. tagesspiegel.de
- World Economic Forum: AI will have such a massive impact on the job market – transformation will create a net 78 million new jobs. t3n.de
- Executive survey: AI is overwhelming for many companies. faz.net
- North Sea: Germany’s largest offshore wind farm almost complete. manager-magazin.de
- Is Tiktok’s US business going to Elon Musk?. faz.net
- Toxic environment at the broadcaster: ORF has stripped channel boss Peter Schöber of his power due to bullying allegations. He is accused of having bullied employees, asked about their sexual orientation and influenced programming for the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ). He remains in office under supervision. faz.net
- #StopFakeNews: DJV launches campaign against disinformation in the German parliamentary elections. pro-medienmagazin.de
- Campaign for the German parliamentary elections: “Katapult“ magazine has 500,000 copies printed with real AfD quotes – and reaps criticism. spiegel.de
- Four times a year: Heel Verlag brings „Hyper“ magazine to newsstands. meedia.de
- Tagesspiegel managing director Gabriel Grabner is leaving again. medieninsider.com
- Protest against Iran policy: Marjane Satrapi rejects highest French honor. tagesspiegel.de
- Kultursponsoring: Willkommen im Coca-Cola-Theater – Ist Kultursponsering für die Theater die Lösung?. sueddeutsche.de
- The Weeknd cancels concert in Los Angeles „out of respect“. tagesspiegel.de
- New lawsuit: Sean „Diddy“ Combs allegedly abused 16-year-old. musikexpress.de
- After fires in Los Angeles: Paris Hilton takes care of homeless animals. n-tv.de
The newest from our Ask a German section. Why are Germans hesitant towards new technology? For one, Germany is known for its stringent data protection, privacy, and safety standards regulations. While these regulations are designed to protect citizens, they can also create barriers to rapidly implementing new technologies. Germans may also prefer to wait until a technology has been thoroughly tested and proven before integrating it into their lives or businesses. Additionally, it should be noted that there is a noticeable shift between different generations. While younger individuals tend to be more open to integrating technology into their everyday lives, the older generations often prefer to hold on to traditional methods that have served them well in the past.
- Arteta reacts to threats against Havertz: „Unbelievable“. kicker.de
- Jürgen Klopp is clear: „I will not coach a Red Bull team“. sportbuzzer.de
- Joao Fonseca: The best Grand Slam debut in tennis history. tennismagazin.de
- Pérez sacking in sight: „Viaplay“ commentator Nelson Valkenburg makes accusations against Red Bull. sport.de
- Yachting: Charlie Dalin wins solo regatta Vendée Globe in record time. zeit.de
Real snail mail: „Hamburger Abendblatt“ delivered after almost 61 years. web.de