Bild: New scandal surrounding Aschaffenburg killer | Neuer Skandal um Aschaffenburg-Killer
FAZ: Trump’s push for the Gaza Strip widely rebuffed | Trumps Vorstoß zum Gazastreifen stößt auf breite Ablehnung
Funke: Economy and migration are crucial topics for the Bundestag election | Themen Wirtschaft und Migration entscheidend für die Bundestagswahl
Handelsblatt: Würth for Chancellor Merz | Würth für Kanzler Merz
RND: Despite the traffic-light’s grand ambitions: Germany has less and less social housing | Trotz großer Ampelambitionen: Deutschland hat immer weniger Sozialwohnungen
SZ: Arab world outraged by Trump’s plans | Arabische Welt empört über Trumps Pläne
Tagesspiegel: Outrage over Trump’s Gaza plan: Two million Palestinians fear displacement | Entsetzen über Trumps Gaza-Plan: Vertreibung von zwei Millionen Palästinensern befürchtet
taz: A Trump Riviera | Trump’sche Riviera
Welt: SPD continues to struggle with chancellor candidate Merz | SPD hadert weiter mit Kanzlerkandidat Merz
Chancellor Olaf Scholz defends migration policy: He has introduced border controls and ensured that more than 40,000 people have been rejected at the German borders, Scholz told RBB. The number of asylum applications has fallen by a third. The CDU/CSU vote on the so-called „Five-Point Plan for Migration Policy“, which received a majority in the Bundestag last week with the votes of the AfD, was a breach of a taboo. For decades, there has been an agreement that there would be no cooperation with the far right. Nevertheless, Merz accepted a joint vote with the AfD. The CDU/CSU is also blocking important measures to limit irregular migration. rbb24.de
- Former Chancellor Angela Merkel reiterates her criticism of Merz. The change of course was wrong, she said, after Merz had ruled out even a minority government with support from the AfD as recently as November. Since it is a matter of fundamental importance, she said, it was right not to remain silent. zdf.de
- Chancellor Olaf Scholz has denied reports that SPD leader Lars Klingbeil had asked him to withdraw from the race for chancellor. Scholz told the RND that there had never been such a conversation. Klingbeil also described the account as false. rnd.de, t-online.de
- The Christian Democratic Union’s candidate for chancellor, Friedrich Merz, sees a willingness among the SPD and the Greens to pursue a new migration policy. He also sees support for his tougher approach among a large majority of the population. He takes the protests seriously, Merz told the Funke newspapers; but as the last remaining people’s party, he said, demonstrators will not be allowed to dissuade them from their course. zeit.de
White House plays down US President Donald Trump’s comments about the US taking over the Gaza Strip: Gaza Strip residents are only to be relocated temporarily, said press secretary Karoline Leavitt in Washington. The president had made it clear that he expected partners in the region, especially Egypt and Jordan, to take in Palestinian refugees so that their homes could be rebuilt. The Gaza Strip is currently a demolition zone. Trump’s proposal had sparked criticism worldwide; Trump, on the other hand, believed that everyone approved of his initiative. spiegel.de, faz.net
Israel wants to leave the Human Rights Council: The council, based in Geneva, „almost obsessively demonizes the only democracy in the Middle East – Israel,“ wrote Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on X. The body has focused on attacking a democratic country and spreading anti-Semitism instead of promoting human rights, Israel claimed. US President Donald Trump had announced the US withdrawal from the UN Human Rights Council; Trump had signed an executive order questioning US participation in several UN organizations. spiegel.de
US Vice President J.D. Vance at the Munich Security Conference: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ukraine Special Representative Keith Kellogg are also expected, along with a large delegation from the US Congress. Kellogg wants to talk about the US president’s goal of ending the „bloody and expensive war in Ukraine,“ he wrote on X. He will meet with America’s allies who are ready to work with the US. Bloomberg reported that Kellogg wants to present the plan to allies; however, the sources did not say how detailed the talks would be. In his video message, Zelenskyi reported being in close contact with the new US administration. President Donald Trump is pushing for an end to the war that has been going on for almost three years. It is unclear how he intends to achieve this. n-tv. de, zdf.de
Bundestag election: YouGov’s latest poll: CDU/CSU 29 percent, SPD 18 percent (+3), Greens 12 percent (-1), FDP 4 percent (+1), AfD 22 percent (-1), Left Party 6 percent (+1), BSW 6 percent, other 4 percent. (compared to the previous week). tagesspiegel.de
NDR HamburgTrend by Infratest-Dimap: CDU/CSU 18 percent (+1), SPD 31 percent, Greens 20 percent (-2), FDP 3 percent (-1), AfD 9 percent, Left Party 8 percent (+3), BSW 3 percent (-1), other 8 percent. ndr.de
Authorities suspect Russia behind car vandalism attacks in several federal states: According to initial investigations, the saboteurs received money from a Russian client. Der Spiegel reports that more than 270 vehicles in Berlin, Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Brandenburg have been affected. Their exhaust pipes were blocked with construction foam. Paper scraps with slogans referring to the Green Party were found at the scenes of the crime – possibly an attempt to frame climate activists for the act. spiegel.de, dw.com
Number of anti-Semitic crimes remains high: According to a response from the Ministry of the Interior to a question from the Left Party, the police registered well over 5,000 crimes where anti-Semitic motives were suspected. This is a similar figure to the previous year. The number has almost doubled compared to previous years following Hamas‘ terrorist attack on Israel in 2023 and Israel’s attack on Gaza. Most of the acts are attributed to right-wing perpetrators.
Left-wing politician Petra Pau called the figures alarming. n-tv.de
2030 climate target unlikely to be achievable: According to the report by the German Advisory Council on Climate Change, the decline in greenhouse gas emissions has recently accelerated. However, the pace would have to increase by 50 percent from 2025 onwards in order to reach current targets. According to the government’s plan, a 65 percent cut in emissions is required between 1990 and 2030. The expert council also criticized an imbalance in funding programs in favor of high-income households. The rising CO2 price hits poorer households much harder in relative terms. zdf.de, tagesschau.de
Alliance for Social Housing warns of growing shortage of social housing: According to a study, the number of social housing units has been continuously declining since the mid-1990s, and now stands at just over one million. However, the demand is around 5.6 million social housing units. In an interview with DLF radio, BAU union leader Robert Feiger suggested lowering standards in order to build more cost-effectively. Not every apartment needs an underground parking space or triple-glazed windows. zdf.de, spiegel.de, tagesschau.de
More regional news:
- Berlin: Two CDU election helpers attacked in Schöneberg; Green election campaign stand attacked in Tempelhof. spiegel.de
- Saxony: New high for extremist „Citizens of the Reich“ movement. rnd.de
- NRW: ‘Monk of Lützerath’ fined by court. wdr.de
- Brandenburg: Almost one in five doctors is from abroad. rbb24.de
- Hessen: Green Party Chairman Andreas Ewald’s travels do not violate the Political Parties Act. faz.net
- Berlin: Only two languages allowed at pro-Palestine demonstration in Berlin. rbb24.de
- Sachsen-Anhalt: Magdeburg assassin transferred to another prison again. mdr.de
- Munich: Google and the Technical University of Munich launch program against cybercrime. sueddeutsche.de
- Saxony: KNDS takes over Görtlitz’s Alstom plant to build tank parts instead of trains. sueddeutsche.de
- Thuringia: Ex-supervisory board member rejects strawman accusation after AfD donation. mdr.de
EU bureaucracy slows down troop deployments: There are conceptual weaknesses and problems in the implementation of the military mobility action plan adopted in 2022, according to a report by the European Court of Auditors. As an example, the report cites the fact that heavy equipment from one EU country could not be relocated because the route led over a bridge that was not approved for the weight. Another point of criticism from auditors is that an EU country requires cross-border military shipments to be announced 45 days in advance.
Arrest in Spain after cyber attacks on NATO and the US army: An alleged hacker has been arrested in the Alicante region, police said. The suspect is said to have been responsible for more than 40 attacks last year. The hacker also targeted state and international organizations. He is said to have obtained information about employees and customers, as well as internal documents, and sold the data on the Darknet.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier emphasizes Turkey’s importance for peace in the region: At a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, Steinmeier called Turkey a central player. Both presidents made it clear that a two-state solution must remain the goal for ending the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Erdogan also announced that Turkey would continue to work together with Germany on the situation in the Gaza Strip and Syria. youtube.com
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu faces seven years in prison: The public prosecutor’s office is also calling for the politician from the opposition CHP party to be banned from holding public office. Imamoglu is considered a possible presidential candidate and thus a challenger to head of state Recep Tayyip Erdogan of the ruling AKP. Several cases are pending against Imamoglu in court, including for insulting and threatening a public official. Imamoglu has denied the allegations. tagesspiegel.de, spiegel.de
Long prison sentences for opponents in Tunisia: The more than 40 leading opponents, journalists and former government employees were accused of, among other things, conspiracy against the state. Among those convicted are the leader of the Islamist-oriented Ennahda Party, Rached al-Ghannouchi, and former Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi. Mechichi fled the country in 2021, a few months after President Kais Saied dismissed him and dissolved parliament. The Ennahda party called the verdicts a blatant violation of independence. sueddeutsche.de
Rebel militia M23 continues offensive in eastern DR Congo despite declared ceasefire: According to consistent reports, militiamen and Rwandan soldiers continued to advance on the resource-rich mining settlement of Nyabibwe in South Kivu province. Heavy fighting is said to have broken out with the Congolese armed forces. In the years-long conflict, ceasefires are repeatedly announced and then systematically broken. Most recently, the fighting escalated. According to the UN, hundreds of people were killed or injured within a few days. puls24.at
Possible withdrawal of US troops from Syria: The Pentagon is considering scenarios for a troop withdrawal from the country within 30, 60 or 90 days, the US channel NBC reported, citing Pentagon circles. Officially, the plans have not been confirmed. The US currently has around 2,000 troops stationed in Syria. The troops are supposed to prevent the terrorist militia „Islamic State“ from regaining strength. They are working together with Kurdish forces that control areas in the northeast of the country. rp-online.de, n-tv.de
US President Donald Trump wants a „nuclear peace agreement“ with Iran: „I want Iran to be a great and prosperous country, but it must not have nuclear weapons,“ Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. He said reports that the US and Israel wanted to „blow up“ Iran were greatly exaggerated. He said he preferred a „nuclear peace deal“ that allowed Iran to grow and prosper peacefully. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghtschi said that if U.S. President Trump’s main concern was that Iran not seek nuclear weapons, then that was achievable. On Tuesday, Trump signed an executive order to prepare tighter sanctions against Iran. derstandard.at, n-tv.de
US intelligence agency CIA offers severance pay to all employees: Numerous planned new hires have been revoked, reports the Wall Street Journal. The personnel shake-up is intended to bring the agency into line with the new administration’s goals. US President Donald Trump had announced that he would drastically reduce the number of employees working for the 18 US intelligence agencies. stern.de
US trade deficit up more than 17 percent: The value of imports exceeded the value of exports by 918 billion euros, the Department of Commerce in Washington announced. The highest deficit was in December. Experts assume that US companies imported significantly more goods than usual before the turn of the year due to the punitive tariffs threatened by Donald Trump. n-tv.de
Argentina announces withdrawal from WHO: A spokesperson for President Javier Milei said the decision was based on profound differences in health management, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic. Argentina will not allow an international organization to interfere with the country’s sovereignty, he added. Milei follows US President Donald Trump, who ordered the US to leave the WHO immediately after taking office for a second term. tagesspiegel.de, faz.net
More news:
- EU: Christoph Heusgen, head of the EU’s political arm, the European Council, has proposed that Greenland join NATO and the EU. handelsblatt.com
- France: Government survives another no-confidence vote. zeit.de
- Austria: FPÖ and ÖVP continue negotiations despite „difficult phase“. zeit.de
- Sweden: After shots fired at educational institution; perpetrator’s motive remains unclear. sueddeutsche.de
- Bulgaria: New government reaffirms desire to join eurozone. euractiv.de
- Georgia: Parliament downsized after boycott; 49 opposition MPs have returned their mandates. zeit.de
- Kosovo: Concern over the cutbacks in US development aid. welt.de
- Czech Republic: Martin Puta, president of the Liberec region, convicted in corruption scandal. sueddeutsche.de
- Liechtenstein: Ernst Walch wants to be head of government tagblatt.ch
- Niger: Junta orders Red Cross to leave the country. diepresse.com
- Ethiopia: Power struggle within the former liberation movement TPLF fuels fears of violence. dw.com
- Afghanistan: Taliban close radio station for women in Kabul. n-tv.de
Sharp increase in new registrations of e-cars in January: In January, the number rose by 53.5 percent compared to the same month last year to 34,500 e-cars, according to the Federal Motor Transport Authority. Pure electric cars had a market share of 16.6 percent. However, the cause of the sharp increase also lies in the low figure from January 2024. At that time, there had been a slump due to the abrupt halt in government funding. zdf.de, tagesschau.de
More from the worlds of business, technology and science:
- VW works council defends collective agreement with staff; they have achieved a good result in the midst of the crisis in the automotive industry. spiegel.de
- Honda and Nissan break off merger talks. sueddeutsche.de
- Members of the doctors‘ union Marburger Bund approve wage agreement. zeit.de
- Reimann family buys US life insurer New York-based Prosperity Life Group. handelsblatt.com
- Billionaire Kretinsky wants to take wholesaler Metro off the stock exchange. handelsblatt.com
- Tesla continues to crash in Germany. faz.net
- De-industrialization: German companies are moving to Central and Eastern Europe wiwo.de
- Deutsche Post: Ver.di calls on parcel deliverers to take part in a warning strike tagesschau.de
- Bracelet and „democracy rabbit“: Journalists make Robert Habeck gifts for his election campaign uebermedien.de
- Appeal against court decision fails: SWR must invite BSW to election broadcasts tagesspiegel.de
- 29 million views on Instagram, TikTok and co.: How a Bundestag speech made the Left Party’s top candidate Heidi Reichinnek a social media star meedia.de
- America’s Got Talent: Heidi Klum will be replaced on US casting show web.de
- Streaming: Disney+ loses users stadt-bremerhaven.de
- Winner of the „Wildlife Photographer of the Year“ award: Under a graffiti at night – badger photo stuns audience n-tv.de
- Munich Opera Ball: A celebration at the Gärtnerplatztheater br-klassik.de
- Looted Nazi art: Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation examines claims to Guelph treasure zeit.de
- Influential heavy metal band: Ozzy Osbourne plans farewell concert with Black Sabbath spiegel.de
- Hip-Hop Exhibition in Essen: From Curb to Skyline monopol-magazin.de
- Microsoft co-founder: Bill Gates in book – Would have received autism diagnosis today stern.de
- Taylor Swift will perform at the Super Bowl vip.de
On 22nd February 2025, @katapultberlin will host a Flying Dance Workshop for kids and teens, led by @_irisonair & @karla_lmc. This workshop offers a unique exploration of movement, blending contemporary and modern dance with contact improvisation and acrobatics elements to create a dynamic dialogue between grounded and aerial dance. Participants will engage in group warm-up exercises, explore aerial dance techniques using specialized equipment, experience shifts in gravity and space orientation, and combine technical exercises with improvisation to develop a choreographic phrase. Designed to foster creativity, collaboration, and confidence, this workshop provides a safe and inspiring environment for young dancers to expand their movement vocabulary. Registrations are open at flyingdanceeducation@gmail.com.
- Between four cities: A crucial vote on the Olympics in Germany welt.de
- Leverkusen survive 3-2 cup drama against Cologne: Goalkeepers hate this Schick spiegel.de
- National coach left RB Leipzig prematurely – Nagelsmann’s departure for Bayern „one of the biggest mistakes“, says Mintzlaffkicker.de
- Equal pay in soccer: Denmark’s women’s national team sees equalization in prize money sportschau.de
- Allegedly no connection: During Trump’s visit, the NFL removes anti-racism banners n-tv.de
- Tennis: Former world number one Halep ends her career spiegel.de
- Biathlon star took time out in Norway – Bø returns to team training shortly before the World Championships sport.de
- „A bit of a rip-off“ – Alpine skiing: Markus Wasmeier accuses Lindsay Vonn of making false claims – the American has no artificial knee joint web.de
Surprise guest: Seal makes itself comfortable in hotel room spiegel.de