Bild: This is what the new military service will look like / So wird der neue Wehrdienst
Funke: 16,000 Berlin men must report for medical examination next year / 16.000 Berliner Männer müssen im nächsten Jahr zur Musterung
Handelsblatt: Data as a weapon / Daten als Waffe
RND: Coalition committee results: Government lowers industrial electricity price to five cents / Ergebnisse des Koalitionsausschusses: Regierung senkt Industriestrompreis auf fünf Cent
SZ: Military service will remain voluntary for now / Wehrdienst bleibt vorerst freiwillig
Tagesspiegel: Coalition decides: Discounted electricity for industry, lower taxes on flights / Koalition entscheidet: Vergünstigter Strom für die Industrie, weniger Steuern auf Flüge
taz: How to be a traitor to the fatherland / How to be Vaterlandsverräter
Welt: Medical examination for men and a needs-based draft / Musterung für Männer und Bedarfswehrpflicht
KOALITIONSAUSSCHUSS
- The coalition has agreed on a state-subsidised industrial electricity price. From 2026, energy-intensive companies are to receive electricity at around five cents per kilowatt hour for three years to secure their competitiveness. handelsblatt.com
- The government is planning a power plant strategy with tenders for new gas-fired plants. Next year, projects with a total volume of eight gigawatts are to be awarded, to be connected to the grid by 2032 to ensure security of supply. tagesspiegel.de
- The coalition wants to reduce the aviation ticket tax, which was increased in 2024, again on 1 July 2026. This aims to ease the burden on airlines by around 350 million euros and make German aviation more competitive internationally. tagesschau.de
Budget committee approves budget with record debt: After more than 15 hours of consultations, the budget committee approved the 2026 federal budget with spending of around 524.5 billion euros. Planned net borrowing will rise to just under 98 billion euros, eight billion more than in the original draft. Including additional special-fund resources, total debt is likely to exceed 180 billion euros. The Bundestag plans final approval in the session week starting 25 November. tagesspiegel.de, welt.de
GAZA
Hamas hands over another hostage’s body to Israel: The militant Islamist group has handed over the body of another Israeli hostage in southern Gaza to Red Cross staff. Israel confirmed the identity of the person at a forensic institute in Tel Aviv. The handover took place as part of existing ceasefire arrangements. The bodies of three more hostages are believed to remain in Gaza.
Israel dismantles Hamas cell in the West Bank: Around 40 suspected Hamas members have been arrested in raids in the Bethlehem area. According to the police, the army, and the intelligence service Shin Bet, they were planning attacks on Israeli civilians and security forces. The operations prevented bomb and firearms attacks with numerous casualties and led to the seizure of weapons. Authorities say a major Hamas terror network in the Bethlehem area has been broken up.
Arson attack on mosque in the West Bank sparks international outrage: Radical Israeli settlers set fire to a mosque in the village of Deir Istiya, burned Qurans, and sprayed threats and racist slogans on the walls. The army confirmed an investigation. UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the act as an unacceptable escalation of extremist violence. Germany’s Foreign Office demanded clarification and consequences. Israel’s President Isaac Herzog and Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir also sharply criticised the growing settler violence.
UKRAINE
Kyiv orders comprehensive audit of all state-owned companies: Following a corruption scandal at state energy company Energoatom, the government has ordered an audit of all state-owned firms. Prime Minister Yuliya Svyrydenko instructed supervisory boards to scrutinize procurement, including in the energy sector. President Volodymyr Zelensky imposed sanctions on a businessman central to the affair. The revelations about alleged bribes have already led to the suspension of the justice and energy ministers. zdfheute.de, welt.de
- Zelensky has sanctioned two key figures involved in a major bribery scandal in the energy and defence sectors. Measures also target his former film studio „Kvartal 95“, in which one of the accused was involved; assets and accounts are frozen.
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz has urged Zelensky to act more decisively against corruption. Zelensky promised full transparency and stronger independent anti-corruption bodies.
- The EU is providing Ukraine with nearly six billion euros in additional financial aid. The money partly comes from interest on frozen Russian state assets.
- Nordic and Baltic NATO states are financing US weapons deliveries to Ukraine worth 500 million dollars through the „Purl Initiative“, purchasing equipment from US stocks to pass on to Kyiv.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz urges Ukrainian men to remain in their home country: Merz told Zelensky to ensure young Ukrainian men do not leave for Germany but serve in Ukraine where they are needed. n-tv.de
Bundestag:
- The Bundestag approved a legal amendment to limit the rise in rail track access charges by lowering the return on equity for the rail infrastructure division. The aim is to slow down increases in track prices and avoid higher ticket prices. The Bundesrat’s approval is still pending. schiene.de
- Mandates for the Bundeswehr in the NATO mission „Sea Guardian“ and the EU mission „Med Irini“ in the Mediterranean have been extended. German soldiers will continue combating terrorism, arms smuggling and human trafficking, and monitor the UN arms embargo on Libya. Up to 550 personnel are planned for „Sea Guardian“ and up to 300 for „Med Irini“.
- The Bundestag has passed a ban on the sale and possession of nitrous oxide for minors, including stricter controls on date-rape drugs. The measure aims to curb its abuse as a party drug and prevent health risks such as nerve damage; nitrous oxide cartridges may no longer be sold online or via vending machines.
- Parliament adopted a reform strengthening efforts to combat illegal work, giving the financial control authority expanded powers and digital tools. Data can be cross-checked with social and tax officials. Workers in specific sectors must present their ID, and the state expects to generate an additional revenue of approximately 860 million euros by 2029.
- Parliament passed stricter security rules and reporting obligations for cyberattacks in companies and authorities, implementing the EU’s NIS-2 directive.
- Research Minister Dorothee Bär presented the new „High-Tech Agenda,“ aimed at strengthening six key technologies including AI, quantum technologies and microelectronics. While Bär emphasised value creation and competitiveness, the opposition criticised missing implementation.
New military service regulation: All 18-year-old men and women will receive a questionnaire to assess motivation and suitability; all men born from 2008 onwards will be medically examined. If volunteer numbers are insufficient for the planned force size, the Bundestag may introduce a needs-based draft, potentially using a lottery. Measures will boost the attractiveness of military service. The regulation is the result of weeks of negotiations among coalition parties, presented jointly with Defence Minister Boris Pistorius. . faz.net, handelsblatt.com
- Defense Minister Boris Pistorius supports the compromise on reintroducing voluntary military service and announced the start for 1 January 2026. He sees it as an important contribution to deterrence and expects a positive response similar to Scandinavian countries.
- NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte praised the agreement on the military service model and emphasised the importance of a political solution for personnel strength, noting national responsibility for organising military staffing.
- Within the Greens, Sara Nanni criticised the agreement as bureaucratic and ineffective, especially because of the planned lottery. The Left and AfD expect a long-term return to conscription; the Left rejects any compulsory service and the inclusion of women.
- Reserve association head Patrick Sensburg considers a return to conscription inevitable despite the new voluntary model; he points to the need for over 200,000 reservists and calls for swift implementation of new examination corridors once the law is passed.
- Alongside the service reform, the coalition plans to expand the Federal Voluntary Service by 15,000 places, increasing capacity to over 100,000 while around 35,000 are currently active.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt sets conditions for the right to remain for Syrians: Those who work and integrate well should be allowed to stay long-term. Those who do not integrate or do not work face return to Syria. He reiterated his intention to resume deportations, with talks on bilateral agreements ongoing. tagesspiegel.de
Agreement on reduced benefits for newly arrived Ukrainians: Refugees arriving after 1 April 2025 will no longer receive citizens’ income but benefits under the Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act. The rate for single adults drops from 563 to 441 euros. Lower and higher costs across government are expected to balance out; the federal government will reimburse states for additional expenses. zdfheute.de, n-tv.de
Business demands policy shift on pension package: Over 30 associations have urged the government to stop its pension package, warning of a „historic financial burden“ for future generations. Additional costs could reach around 480 billion euros by 2050. zeit.de
Further reports:
- Union parliamentary leader Jens Spahn: „There will be no cooperation with the Putin-party AfD with me.“
- Patient advocates outraged over Streeck’s statements on drug prescriptions for the very elderly.
- Coalition wants to boost research on long-term Covid effects.
- Government plans to exclude Huawei from the 6G network.
- Data as a weapon – insights into Palantir. handelsblatt.com
A pro-Palestinian banner on the Brandenburg Gate: Three activists climbed the monument using a lifting platform and unfurled a banner reading „Never again genocide – Freedom for Palestine.“ Police deployed height-rescue teams and detained the activists and their helpers. rbb24.de
Raids against Islamist online propaganda: Nationwide searches targeted people suspected of spreading Islamist content and symbols of terrorist organisations online, mostly teenagers and young adults. Numerous data carriers were seized; propaganda is currently spread mainly via TikTok and Instagram. faz.ne
Suspect behind politician death lists comes from neo-Nazi scene: A 49-year-old man from Dortmund’s neo-Nazi scene has been arrested for publishing death lists of politicians on the dark web and calling for attacks. Authorities have known him for years. stern.de
More news:
- Brandenburg: Extraordinary BSW parliamentary group meeting on Friday.
- Hessen: AfD fails in election for vice-president of the state parliament.
- Rhineland-Palatinate: State parliament supports reform of public-service broadcasting contributions.
- Schleswig-Holstein: Firewall crumbles in Kiel and Norderstedt.
- Schleswig-Holstein: Almost 80 percent of Microsoft licences cancelled.
COP30
Germany tasked with mediating climate adaptation negotiations: State Secretary Jochen Flasbarth has been appointed by the host to advance negotiations on adaptation. A UN report estimates developing countries will need at least 310 billion dollars annually for adaptation measures by 2035. KfW signed ten new financing agreements worth nearly 960 million euros for forest protection, innovative businesses and phasing out fossil fuels. Around 90 percent of the financing consists of loans. sn.at
Right-wing majority in the European Parliament significantly weakens supply-chain law: The Parliament voted for major relaxations of the law, supported by the EPP and right-wing and far-right groups, including France’s Rassemblement National and Hungary’s ruling party. The group that includes the AfD also voted in favour. Traditionally, there is an informal agreement not to cooperate with the far-right. The rules would apply only to some very large companies; the requirement to integrate climate targets into action plans is removed, and EU-wide liability for violations is deleted. Social Democrats, Greens, and Liberals sharply criticized the vote. Negotiations with member states and the Commission can now begin.
European Parliament votes for 2040 climate target: Greenhouse gas emissions are to fall by 90 percent compared to 1990 levels by 2040, with five percent achieved through certificates from third countries. Emissions trading for transport and buildings is postponed to 2028. Parliament also demands stricter rules for certificates from third countries to protect EU strategic interests .zfk.de, table.media/climate
EU ends duty-free imports for low-value goods: Finance ministers agreed to abolish customs exemption for goods from third countries valued under 150 euros. Platforms like Temu, Shein and AliExpress will have to pay duties even for cheap products. A transition solution is being developed, and an additional handling fee for small parcels is planned. retail-news.de, heise.de, n-tv.de
Further reports:
- EU investigates Google for disadvantaging publishers.
- EU launches a „democracy shield“ to fight disinformation online.
- EU boosts border drone defence to deter migrants.
- ECB presidency: Bundesbank chief Joachim Nagel sees himself as a candidate to succeed Christine Lagarde.
- Wage increases: Collective bargaining parties may not override EU requirements.
- G20: China’s Xi Jinping, like US President Donald Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin, will not attend the summit.
- EU ruling: Alcohol-free gin may not be called gin.
The Federal Court of Justice strengthens creditors’ priority in the Wirecard insolvency proceedings: The Federal Court of Justice has ruled that shareholders have no claims to payouts from the Wirecard insolvency estate. The court thus confirmed the principle that shareholders are subordinated in insolvency proceedings and usually come away empty-handed. With the ruling, the court overturned a differing decision by the Munich Higher Regional Court. Wirecard’s collapse in 2020 affected thousands of investors and creditors who have since been disputing the distribution of the remaining assets. zdfheute.de
Further news:
- Number of organ donations in Germany has risen slightly. rnd.de
- Study: Cannabis consumption in Germany has risen slightly after partial legalisation.
- Pfizer apparently plans to fully exit BioNTech. handelsblatt.com
- Allianz becomes more optimistic after profit increase.
- Thomas Coesfeld will succeed Rabe at Bertelsmann.
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Ever noticed how German weekends follow a strict emotional protocol?
Friday: Euphoric freedom („Feierabendbier?“).
Saturday: Hyper-productivity (everyone suddenly becomes a gardening/DIY Olympian).
Sunday: State-mandated serenity — no drilling, no vacuuming, no fun with power tools.
If you hear a neighbor using a hammer on a Sunday, they’re either (a) not from here or (b) in mortal danger. Germans will appear at their door in under 30 seconds.
Enjoy your quiet Sunday — it’s not just a day of rest, it’s the law.