Bild: Cologne abolishes the word „playground“ / Köln schafft das Wort „Spielplatz“ ab
FAZ: EU Commission sticks to strict CO₂ reduction targets / EU-Kommission hält an strikter CO2-Reduktion fest
Handelsblatt: Fear of a debt crisis / Sorge vor Schuldenkrise
RND: Christina Block and the abduction of her children: „Will they hate me?“ / Christina Block und die Entführung ihrer Kinder: „Werden sie mich hassen?“
SZ: EU waters down its climate protection ambitions / EU verwässert Ambitionen beim Klimaschutz
Tagesspiegel: Danger for Ukraine grows: U.S. halts key arms deliveries to Kyiv / Gefahr für Ukraine wächst: USA stoppen wichtige Waffenlieferungen an Kiew
taz: First brain burned / Erstes Hirn verbrannt
Welt: Minister Pistorius’s staffing policy raises questions / Personalpolitik von Minister Pistorius wirft
Israel and Hamas stake out positions for ceasefire talks. tagesschau.de
- Hamas announced that it was prepared to accept any initiative that would lead to a complete end to the war. In exchange for the release of the approximately 50 remaining. Israeli hostages, only some of whom are still alive, Hamas is demanding a complete withdrawal of Israel from Gaza.
- Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said that an agreement on the release of the remaining hostages and a ceasefire was being seriously pursued. There is a large majority within the Israeli government in favor of a Gaza agreement that also provides for the release of the hostages.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that Hamas must not continue to exist in the Gaza Strip after the end of the war.
According to the UN, around 85 percent of the Gaza Strip is a restricted area, significantly limiting access to humanitarian aid, a UN spokesperson said. The latest evacuation order from the Israeli army affected two neighborhoods in Khan Yunis, from which rocket fire had been reported. Up to 80,000 people live in these neighborhoods. An important water reservoir, the main distribution point for drinking water in Khan Yunis, is no longer accessible due to the order. faz.net
Ukraine“s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha open to purchasing defense systems after announcement of US arms embargo: In light of Russia“s recent attacks involving a large number of drones and missiles, Ukraine’s air defenses must be further strengthened, Sybiha said. For the time being, Kyiv will not receive any new American missiles for Patriot air defense systems; the measure also affects precision artillery and grenades. handelsblatt.com, zdfheute.de
Coalition committee still without agreement on electricity tax cut: CDU/CSU and SPD have not reached an agreement on a reduction of the electricity tax for private households and additional companies even after around five hours of talks. An agreement was reached on the mothers’ pension, which is to start in January 2027; one year earlier than planned. In this context, the child-rearing period recognized in pension calculations is also to be extended to three years for children born before 1992. tagesspiegel.de, spiegel.de, faz.net
Cabinet passes legal basis for special fund for states: According to the draft law passed by the Finance Ministry, the 100 billion euros will be distributed to the federal states according to the so-called “Königstein Key.” The procedure is based on the respective tax revenue and population of the 16 states. The states are to report annually to the federal government on how the funds are used.stern.de
- Gas production off North Sea island of Borkum: An agreement with the Netherlands on joint natural gas production off the North Sea island of Borkum has been approved. The agreement forms the basis for both countries to jointly exploit the deposit. The Bundestag must still approve it. zeit.de
- Partial laughing gas ban: For children and adolescents, a general ban on purchase and possession is to apply. Online sales and vending machines will be restricted. n-tv.de
- Regulation of date rape drugs: According to the law, they may no longer be produced or sold in the future.
- Harsher penalties for ATM explosions: Anyone who uses explosives in thefts in the future must now expect a prison sentence of two to fifteen years. stern.de
Criticism of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s statement on the rainbow flag on the Reichstag: In an ARD interview, Merz stated that the Bundestag is not a circus tent and backed the decision by Bundestag President Klöckner not to raise the rainbow flag on Christopher Street Day. Nonetheless, the flag is raised every year on May 17 – the Day Against Homophobia – at the German Bundestag .zeit.de, zdfheute.de
- Queer Commissioner Sophie Koch said the rainbow flag on the Bundestag would have been a powerful commitment by the state to the protection of queer people.
- SPD deputy parliamentary group leader Armand Zorn told ntv that Merz should reconsider his choice of words. “If you look at all the places in Germany and across Europe where the rainbow flag is raised for CSD, then you can’t say these are circus events.”
- The association “Queere Vielfalt” called it a “derailment”; Merz was referring here to a group persecuted under National Socialism, which continued to be suppressed and criminalized for a long time in the Federal Republic as well.
Germany criticizes mass arrests after anti-government demonstration in Turkey: The actions reinforce Germany’s concerns about democracy and the rule of law in Turkey, said the Foreign Office. Doubts about the independence of the Turkish judiciary and police are increasing.
Constitutional complaint against broadcasting fee rejected. The Federal Constitutional Court has rejected a constitutional complaint against the broadcasting fee. A man from the Leipzig area had challenged the fee, citing a lack of independence from the state and transparency in the supervisory bodies of MDR (Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk) during 2014 and 2015. He argued this violated the principles of diversity and state distance required for public broadcasting and made the fee unlawful. zdfheute.de
Old devices: Federal government wants to improve disposal of electronic waste: More than 300 million old mobile phones, tablets, and laptops are unused in German households and are not being properly disposed of, according to industry observers. To recover valuable raw materials and improve e-waste recycling, the German government plans to make it easier to return old electronic devices. On Wednesday, the federal cabinet approved a draft to amend the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG). A 2021 reform made large food retailers (with over 800 m² of sales space) legally obligated to take back small electronics. DUH now calls for a general return obligation for all supermarkets and drugstores, regardless of size, and for professional collection containers near checkout areas. However, the government’s current proposal—still requiring approval from the Bundestag and Bundesrat—does not go that far. heise.de
- Rhineland-Palatinate: State parliament passes controversial climate protection law. swr.de
- Bavaria: Police officer still on duty despite hate chats; former bodyguard of Charlotte Knobloch. infranken.de
- Thuringia: BSW parliamentary group leader Frank Augsten speaks with AfD parliamentary group leader Björn Höcke.rnd.de
- North Rhine-Westphalia: Cologne mayor Henriette Reker has no understanding for „playground“ proposal. spiegel.de
- Hamburg: State parliament debates violent crimes. ndr.de
- Bavaria: Funding for Zugspitze telescope still unclear. sueddeutsche.de
EU Commission under President Ursula von der Leyen faces vote of no confidence in EU Parliament: The right-wing Romanian MEP Gheorghe Piperea announced that nearly 80 members support the motion. This means it must be debated and voted on next week. It is not yet known which parliamentary groups the supporters belong to. The Commission is being accused of a lack of transparency and mismanagement, particularly regarding its COVID-19 policies. There have been several motions of no confidence against EU Commissions in history, but none have ever passed. spiegel.de, handelsblatt.com
Brussels wants to give EU countries more flexibility in 2040 climate target: The goal remains to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent compared to 1990 levels. A key change, however, is that not all of the reductions must be achieved within the EU. Up to three percentage points of the 90 percent target can be met through carbon reduction measures abroad. Reforestation in Brazil is one example. The EU Parliament and member states still need to approve the plan. n-tv.de
- German industry considers new EU climate target “unrealistic.” DIHK stated the target is still “clearly too ambitious.” Similar remarks came from the Federation of German Industries and from voices within the automotive and chemical industries.
Other news:
- EU imposes sanctions on pro-Russian media platform „Red.“ welt.de
- EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic in negotiations in Washington. stern.de
- EU Commission approves Zalando’s acquisition of fashion retailer About You. zeit.de
- UN describes drought as an advancing global catastrophe. spiegel.de
Other Europe news:
- Poland: Border checks with Germany to continue until August 5. sueddeutsche.de
- Belarus: Ruler Alexander Lukashenko pardons 16 more prisoners. zeit.de
- Serbia: Protesters against Aleksandar Vucic block numerous roads. zeit.de
- Spain: Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo: “Spain is growing faster than all other developed economies.” handelsblatt.com
Asia-Pacific news:
- Tibet: China’s Foreign Ministry wants to regulate possible Dalai Lama succession. faz.net
- North Korea: Hopes for Russian tourists at new beach resort. faz.net
USA:
Border asylum ban is unlawful: Neither the Constitution nor immigration law gives the president the right to deport people from the U.S. without allowing them to apply for asylum or humanitarian protection, a Washington judge ruled. The judge gave the government 14 days to appeal.
- 20 instead of 40 percent on all imports to the U.S.: Trump announces trade deal with Vietnam. tagesspiegel.de
- New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is not yet elected, but U.S. President Donald Trump is already threatening him. stern.de
- U.S. ends support for renewable energy. . handelsblatt.com
Taxi drivers call for more regulation of ride-hailing platforms like Uber and Bolt: In several major cities such as Berlin, Dortmund, and Düsseldorf, vehicle convoys were organized. The taxi industry has been in crisis for years as demand continues to decline. Taxi associations partly blame ride-hailing platforms, which can offer cheaper rides due to lack of price regulation. The associations are therefore calling for the introduction of minimum fares for rental cars booked via Uber or Bolt. The platforms reject the proposal. heise.de
Other business news:
- Germany ticket loses one million users after price increase. spiegel.de
- “Significant problems” – Tesla’s sales continue to decline. handelsblatt.com
- Bitkom forecast: Industry expects continued growth in the digital economy.tagesspiegel.de
- Jonathan Sachse leaves Correctiv. kress.de
- 40 years of „Back to the Future“: When our today was sci-fi zeit.de
- Kaiser Otto Prize for musicians Levit and Batiashvili n-tv.de
- Princess Kate talks about „very difficult“ phase after cancer treatment: „You put on a brave face.“ n-tv.de
- Fashion-Designer Kilian Kerner addresses forced adoptions in the GDR: „This is the bravest show I’ve ever done“ spiegel.de
- US star Gillian Anderson confesses at the Munich Film Festival: „I’m a bit of a hermit“ sueddeutsche.de
Life in Germany is for anyone navigating life in Germany. Whether you’re figuring out how to handle paperwork, looking for housing tips, or just trying to understand the culture better, this space is here to make things easier for you. Packed with practical advice, personal insights from my own experiences, and resources that help you feel more at home—whether you’re new to the country or have been here for years. You’ll find everything you need about making your transition an easy one on: lifeingermany.com and all my social networks — helping you truly enjoy your experience in Germany.
- 1:0 win against Iceland: Finland start the European Women’s Football Championship with victory zdfheute.de
- European Championship hosts in bad luck: Norway turns the game against Switzerland zdfheute.de
- BVB knocks out Monterrey: Rambo Ramos misses dramatic hero moment n-tv.de
- Will Verstappen switch to Mercedes? Report: Formula 1 hammer is fixed n-tv.de
- Debate about stadium song: Was the lyricist of the St Pauli anthem a Nazi? spiegel.de
In Germany, it’s considered bad luck to wish someone a happy birthday early. Germans take birthdays seriously, and many believe that celebrating or even mentioning a birthday before the actual day can bring bad luck. So if you’re at a German party and someone says, „My birthday’s tomorrow!“ — resist the urge to congratulate them early. Wait until the day itself! It’s a small but very culturally ingrained superstition — and a great way to show cultural awareness when you’re in Germany!