Bild: We are the women behind the statistics / Wir sind die Frauen hinter der Statistik
FAZ: U.S. Congress votes to release the Epstein files / Amerikas Kongress stimmt für Freigabe der Epstein-Akten
Funke: Court: Civil servant salaries in Berlin were unconstitutional for years / Gericht: Beamtengehälter in Berlin waren über Jahre verfassungswidrig
Handelsblatt: Sewing’s plan for Deutsche Bank / Sewings Plan für die Deutsche Bank
RND: Private mail services accuse Klingbeil of favoring Deutsche Post / Private Briefdienste werfen Klingbeil Bevorzugung der Deutschen Post vor
SZ: Soldiers should be allowed to shoot down drones / Soldaten sollen Drohnen abschießen dürfen
Tagesspiegel: Federal Constitutional Court: Berlin civil servants received too little money for years / Bundesverfassungsgericht: Berliner Beamte bekamen jahrelang zu wenig Geld
taz: Shooting in Berlin / Ballern in Berlin
Welt: Bundeswehr to help defend against drones / Bundeswehr soll bei Abwehr von Drohnen helfen
A secret plan for peace in Ukraine: The U.S. government is said to have worked with Russia on a peace plan for Ukraine that demands far-reaching territorial concessions from Kyiv. According to the portal Axios, the concept was developed at the end of October in talks between U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriyev. Qatar and Turkey were also reportedly involved in the secret negotiations. zdfheute.de, zeit.de, rnd.de, tagesspiegel.de
- The proposal includes ceding Crimea and a complete withdrawal of Kyiv from the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. In addition, Ukraine is to significantly reduce its army and give up certain weapons. Moscow denies that new U.S. proposals exist.
- Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has avoided commenting on reports about the U.S. peace plan. He demands greater American leadership responsibility for ending the war. Effective U.S. leadership is essential to stop the bloodshed, Zelensky writes after talks with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is urging Russia and Ukraine to return to Istanbul negotiations. Against the backdrop of continued fighting, he emphasizes the strain on both sides. Zelensky signals openness to Turkish mediation and refers to initiatives for prisoner exchanges.
- The United Kingdom says it shares U.S. President Donald Trump’s goal of ending the war. London simultaneously stresses that Russia could „end the conflict tomorrow“ by withdrawing its troops from Ukraine.
- Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul says Germany has no information about alleged secret negotiations between the U.S. and Russia on a Ukraine peace plan. Berlin has not been informed about related drafts. Wadephul points to ongoing international efforts to push Moscow toward negotiations.
GAZA
Israel carries out strikes in the Gaza Strip: Despite the ceasefire in place since October, the Israeli military has attacked Hamas targets throughout the Gaza Strip. According to the army, this happened after armed fighters opened fire on Israeli units in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza. The military called it a clear breach of the ceasefire; no Israeli soldiers were injured. According to authorities controlled by Hamas, more than 20 people were killed and dozens injured, including after a strike on an administrative building in Gaza City. tagesschau.de
- The U.S. has asked Yemen to participate symbolically in an international peacekeeping force in the Gaza Strip. The government in Sanaa is reviewing the request; any contribution would be limited to a few officers for logistical tasks.
- According to its own statements, the Israeli army has killed two Hezbollah members in southern Lebanon, including one involved in rebuilding military structures. At the same time, Israel attacked buildings used by Hezbollah in several towns. Fear of further escalation is growing among the Lebanese population.
- Israel intends to designate a larger area near Sebastia in the West Bank as an archaeological zone, thereby revoking existing Palestinian usage rights. Peace activists describe it as the largest land seizure for antiquities in the region to date. Affected parties can file objections within two weeks.
Cabinet:
- The government has approved the draft for a new aviation security law that expands powers to defend against drones. In future, the Bundeswehr will be allowed to act in extreme cases solely on instructions from the Defence Ministry, without coordination with the Interior Ministry. heise.de
- Measures to improve protection against domestic violence have been decided. In future, family courts will be able to require violent offenders to wear electronic ankle monitors and attend anti-violence training; if they come near victims, both victims and police will be automatically alerted. n-tv.de
- The government approved the draft law under which Ukrainian refugees who arrived in Germany after April 2025 will receive benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act instead of standard unemployment benefits. The rates are significantly lower. zdfheute.de
- The „Charging Infrastructure Master Plan 2030“ is intended to make charging electric cars easier and more widespread. The plan includes transparent prices, simple payment systems and new funding programmes for charging points at residential buildings and motorways.
- The Cabinet passed a space security strategy designed to strengthen the protection of satellites and communication systems. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius emphasised the need for military deterrence capabilities in space and called for international cooperation. tagesschau.de
- The current pension insurance report forecasts a pension increase of 3.73 percent next year. By 2039, pensions are expected to rise by just over 45 percent, while the contribution rate will remain stable at 18.6 percent in the short term.
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announces arms summit in December: At the presentation of the new Leopard-2 generation in Munich, Pistorius announced that the Bundeswehr will receive nearly 200 modernised battle tanks in the coming years. The first vehicles are expected to be delivered soon. Pistorius also urged the arms industry to accelerate production processes and announced a nationwide arms summit for Decembe
- Defence Minister Boris Pistorius wants to order more Leopard tanks.
China once again Germany’s most important trading partner: After one year in second place, China has overtaken the U.S. again in German foreign trade. Trade with China reached a volume of 185.9 billion euros in the first three quarters of 2025, an increase of 0.6 percent, according to the Federal Statistical Office. Trade with the U.S. fell by 3.9 percent to 184.7 billion euros in the same period. China therefore returns to the top position it held from 2016 to 2023 before being briefly overtaken by the U.S. in 2024. dw.com, manager-magazin.de
Federal government launches a ten-year research and care programme on Long Covid: The aim is to improve care and research on Long Covid and other so-called post-infectious illnesses. Health Minister Nina Warken and Research Minister Dorothee Bär are providing a total of 500 million euros for this. Planned measures include new outpatient clinics and closer cooperation between doctors and researchers to develop therapies and medications. Long Covid often leads to persistent exhaustion and loss of performance, and there is currently no effective treatment.
Federal Network Agency calls for critical scrutiny: President Klaus Müller told the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung that systems such as language-based AIs like ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot are usually correct on technical or scientific questions but often spread false information on historical or socio-political topics. These so-called hallucinations could undermine trust in public debate and institutions. Müller therefore urged citizens, media and policymakers to critically verify the answers of such systems. rundschau-online.de
Lack of clarity before the G20 summit: Chancellor Friedrich Merz hopes for a joint final declaration at the G20 summit in South Africa despite numerous cancellations. The leaders of the major economic powers will meet this weekend in Johannesburg. However, the presidents of the U.S., China and Russia — the most important representatives — will be absent. Merz admitted that it is unclear whether an agreement can be reached given the differing positions of the participants.
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz considers relations with Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to be unaffected despite the Belém remark; he expects to be able to hold a completely unproblematic conversation at the G20 summit in South Africa. zdfheute.de
Appearance by Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the Integration Prize causes scandal: Around 30 scholarship holders from the Deutschlandstiftung Integration demonstratively left the hall when Merz took the stage at the Talisman Prize ceremony. The protest targeted his controversial „cityscape“ remark; participants wore stickers saying „We are the cityscape.“ They only returned to their seats after his roughly 20-minute speech. In his remarks, Merz praised the commitment of those present and emphasised the particular challenges for people with migrant backgrounds. The Talisman Prize honoured athletes who promote social cohesion; the event was organised by the Deutschlandstiftung Integration, for which Merz serves as patron. rnd.de, tagesspiegel.de, spiegel.de
Bosch team receives German Future Prize for fuel-cell drive: Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has awarded the German Future Prize to three researchers from Bosch in Berlin. The team was honoured for developing a fuel-cell drive that can power heavy-duty trucks over long distances in a climate-friendly manner. The alternative drive enables emission-free driving and short refuelling times. The prize is worth 250,000 euros.
zdfheute.de
Other reports:
- Chancellery chief Thorsten Frei defends pension package against criticism from the CDU/CSU.
- Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger: „Is it fast enough for me? No.“
- Organised social-benefits fraud: 312 cases of gang-related welfare fraud recorded by the end of September.
- Economic researchers criticise government plans for the energy transition.
- International broadcaster Deutsche Welle complains about lack of funding.
Berlin must revise unconstitutional civil-servant pay: The Federal Constitutional Court has ruled that Berlin state civil servants were partly paid unconstitutionally between 2008 and 2020. The remuneration consistently fell below the minimum level that should guarantee civil servants and their families an appropriate standard of living. Berlin must now create a new pay system by March 2027. The ruling was eagerly awaited beyond the capital because similar cases are pending in several federal states. zdfheute.de, tagesspiegel.de
Brandenburg state parliament approves public-broadcasting reform: The reform treaty can enter into force on 1 December. The vote was close with 45 in favour and 39 against; due to resistance from the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, the SPD had to rely on CDU votes. The treaty includes limiting radio and digital channels and, for the first time, setting a cap on spending for sports rights. A newly created media body will monitor compliance with the public-service mandate. dwdl.de, n-tv.de
More news:
- Berlin: Berlin revokes naturalised man’s German citizenship after he celebrated Hamas on social media. tagesspiegel.de
- Berlin: Black-red coalition still without a majority, according to Infratest dimap. rbb24.de
- Hamburg: Greens adopt guidelines for faster climate neutrality. n-tv.de
- Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Rostock city parliament approves eleven million euros; salaries for city employees secured.
- Bavaria: Dispute in BSW board; Klaus Ernst under fire. allgaeuer-zeitung.de
COP30
Germany contributes one billion euros to tropical forest fund: As part of Brazil’s Tropical Forest Fund (TFFF), Germany plans to contribute one billion euros over the next ten years. The funds are intended to protect tropical forests and support affected countries, according to Development Minister Reem Alabali-Radovan and Environment Minister Carsten Schneider. Other countries such as Norway and France are also taking part. The fund aims to create incentives for preserving the „green lung“ and strengthening climate-protection measures on the ground. In total, pledges of over five billion U.S. dollars were announced, including one billion from Brazil.
spiegel.de, rnd.de
- Australia agrees to Turkey as the venue of the next UN climate conference. stern.de
- Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva proposes phasing out oil and gas „according to possibilities.“ zeit.de
Military Schengen area planned by 2027: The EU Commission has presented an emergency system in Brussels to facilitate the rapid movement of troops and military equipment across EU borders. In crisis situations, military transports would receive priority access to transport networks and infrastructure and benefit from exemptions from rules such as environmental, noise or labour-time regulations, said Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius. The use of rail vehicles outside their approved operating range would also be possible. Foreign Affairs Representative Kaja Kallas highlighted the need to significantly strengthen Europe’s defence readiness in the face of growing security threats. tagesschau.de
EU Commission plans easing of digital rules: Requirements for cookies, data protection and artificial intelligence are to be simplified. Internet users will receive fewer cookie prompts in future, and no consent will be required for certain activities. Part of the comprehensive digital package is also a relaxation of the AI Act and other cybersecurity regulations. With the initiative, Brussels aims to respond to calls from member states and companies for less bureaucracy. Data-protection advocates fear a weakening of consumer protection. faz.net, rnd.de, zeit.de
- Digital omnibus: EU Commission defends relaxations in data protection.
- Revision of AI Act: EU Commission wants to weaken oversight of AI.
Opening of Stuttgart 21 likely only in 2027: Deutsche Bahn will apparently not put the new Stuttgart underground station into operation at the end of 2026 as most recently planned. The start is to be postponed to 2027 due to technical problems with digital control systems, according to supervisory board and project-partner circles. An official confirmation is still pending. The supervisory board will decide on the next steps in three weeks. State Transport Minister Winfried Hermann called it a „fatal signal.“ heise.de, sueddeutsche.de, zdfheute.de
Companies have relocated thousands of jobs abroad: Between 2021 and 2023, around 1,300 companies with at least 50 employees partially or completely relocated their operations out of Germany. According to the Federal Statistical Office, this corresponds to 2.2 percent of such companies and led to the loss of about 50,800 jobs. Key reasons for the relocations were rising labour costs and the shortage of skilled workers, with most companies remaining within the EU. n-tv.de
More news:
- Nvidia accelerates growth.
- Recession risk for Germany decreasing, according to the Institute for Macroeconomics and Business Cycle Research: „Economic situation better than currently portrayed in public debate.“
- Adobe buys AI specialist Semrush in a billion-dollar deal.
- ZDF reaches agreement with actors on follow-up compensation rules.
- Film association Spio revokes honorary medals from 14 film figures after a study on Nazi-era involvement – including Leni Riefenstahl, Heinz Rühmann and Olga Tschechowa.
- German Wildlife Foundation: Red deer is the animal of the year 2026.
- DOSB chief Otto Fricke on the Olympics in Germany: „You can’t hold the Games against the will of the citizens.“
In Germany, the first snow of the season triggers a national ritual: suddenly everyone remembers they were supposed to change to winter tires weeks ago. Traffic reports turn into a poetry slam of “Glätte, Stau und stockender Verkehr,” and Germans who normally bike in any weather quietly decide today is a good day for the U-Bahn. And if you hear someone mutter “Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter…”, just smile — they forgot their gloves.