Bild: Bureaucratic madness slows down skilled trades / Bürokratie-Irrsinn bremst Handwerk aus
FAZ: Klingbeil praises Schröder’s courage with Agenda 2010 / Klingbeil lobt Schröders Mut zur Agenda 2010
Funke: Report: Berlin state employees require too much expensive office space / Bericht: Berliner Landesbedienstete benötigen zu viele teure Büroflächen
Handelsblatt: Sewing’s warning / Sewings Warnung
RND: Government crisis in France: And now, Monsieur Macron? / Regierungskrise in Frankreich: Und nun, Monsieur Macron?
SZ: Good days for Vladimir Putin / Gute Tage für Wladimir Putin
Tagesspiegel: Coalition summit at the Chancellery: CDU/CSU and SPD want to pull together again / Koalitionsgipfel im Kanzleramt: Union und SPD wollen wieder an einem Strang ziehen
taz: Germany’s brother-in-arms / Deutschlands Waffenbruder
Welt: World’s biggest trade deal near completion / Weltgrößter Handelsdeal kurz vor dem Abschluss
Union and SPD want to attempt a harmonious restart: CDU leader Friedrich Merz, CSU leader Markus Söder, SPD leaders Bärbel Bas and Lars Klingbeil emphasized common ground after weeks of disputes. The goal is to focus work on economic challenges and welfare state reforms. During a break in the meeting, Friedrich Merz said mistakes had been made, but that they were now meeting in a good atmosphere. Referring to the controversial discussions of recent weeks, Bärbel Bas added that there had been too much „talking about each other and too little with each other.“ Lars Klingbeil said the government was coming out of the summer strengthened and remained capable of action. Markus Söder said that after the coalition’s „summer depression“ it was now important to find new „autumn strength.“ tagesschau.de, zdfheute.de
- Welfare state: Bärbel Bas said that with regard to the upcoming social reforms, the main goal was to preserve jobs and stimulate the economy. This is also a prerequisite for maintaining a social state. A comprehensive reform of citizens’ benefits is to be launched by the end of the year, according to Friedrich Merz.
Economic policy: Friedrich Merz announced two further economic summits. He wants to invite both the steel and the automotive industries shortly. Both industries are under great pressure. - Budget: The coalition wants to quickly develop a comprehensive package. To close the gap of more than 30 billion euros, the coalition partners would like to avoid conflict and find transparent and fair solutions.
- Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil announced an Investment Acceleration Act to ensure the rapid spending of billions in debt. Friedrich Merz spoke of the „magic word“ of „overriding public interest.“ Tax increases were not part of the discussions.
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Labor Minister Bärbel Bas reconcile over a beer. sueddeutsche.de
ISRAEL-GAZA
US President Donald Trump demands hostage release: Trump wrote on Truth Social: „Tell Hamas to IMMEDIATELY release all 20 hostages (not 2 or 5 or 7!), and the situation will quickly change. IT WILL END!“ Following Trump’s demand, Hamas reaffirmed its willingness to agree to a comprehensive deal for Gaza. All Israeli hostages are to be released in exchange for a certain number of Palestinian prisoners, the Islamist militia said. Israel’s Defense Ministry called Hamas’s statement „empty words“ and deliberate manipulation. zeit.de
- Israeli authorities expect that around one million Palestinians will flee south due to the impending military offensive in the north of the Gaza Strip. So far, around 70,000 residents of the densely populated city of Gaza have left the north.
- Many reservists do not want to fight in Gaza. After nearly two years of fighting on several fronts, many reservists are exhausted and are questioning the point of the war. A group of almost 400 reservists announced that they would refuse to obey call-up orders. zdfheute.de
- In new attacks in the Gaza Strip, dozens more Palestinians have been killed.
- Jordan has confirmed the end of aid drops over the Gaza Strip. According to the Jordanian army, the last aid packages were dropped over the war-torn territory last Tuesday, including with the participation of the Bundeswehr.
- Israel’s domestic intelligence service Shin Bet has foiled a planned assassination attempt by a Hamas terror cell targeting Police Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. The suspects allegedly planned to attach explosives to drones to carry out the attack.
Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich seeks annexation of 82 percent of the occupied West Bank: Smotrich presented a corresponding plan. The Palestinians are initially to be placed under the Palestinian Authority in the remaining 18 percent of the territory. Later, „alternative regional administrative solutions“ are planned. He accused the Palestinians of supporting Hamas.
- The United Arab Emirates warned Israel’s government against possible annexation of the West Bank, calling such a step „a red line.“
UKRAINE
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expects clarity on possible security guarantees for Ukraine: French President Macron wants to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a possible ceasefire at a meeting in Paris on Thursday. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor Friedrich Merz will participate via video link. US President Trump is also to be included. Rutte said he expects the conference to clarify what security guarantees Europe could offer Ukraine to deter Russia from attacking again in case of a peace agreement.
- Security guarantees for Ukraine are ready, according to Emmanuel Macron. The „coalition of the willing“ to support Kyiv will approve them, Macron said at a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris.
- Berlin is offering security guarantees to Ukraine. spiegel.de
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he sees „no sign from Russia“ of wanting to end the war.
- Russia’s government has rejected Kyiv’s demand for security guarantees for ending the war, saying such guarantees would be a threat to the European continent. zeit.de
- Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his intention to continue fighting; should possible negotiations fail, Russia would have to „achieve its goals militarily.“ Putin again declared himself ready to meet Zelensky in Moscow under the condition of good preparation.
Russia’s armed forces attacked fuel depots in Ukraine on Wednesday night, according to Moscow. Transport infrastructure was also shelled.
In its persecution of war opponents, Russia has sentenced a preacher of a Protestant free church to several years in prison for a pacifist sermon. He had called participation in the war a sin.
Putin thanks North Korea: At a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Beijing, Putin emphasized the partnership between the two countries. Putin thanked Kim for his soldiers’ participation in recapturing Russia’s Kursk region from Ukrainian troops. Kim reportedly said that North Korea was always ready to help and saw this as a „brotherly obligation.“ de.euronews.com
ARD-Deutschlandtrend by Infratest-Dimap: Union 27 percent, AfD 25 percent (+1), SPD 14 percent (+1), Greens 11 percent (-1), Left Party 10 percent, BSW 4 percent (+1), FDP 3 percent (-1), Others 6 percent. tagesschau.de
Crucial budget committee deliberations: In the wrap-up session on Thursday, members of parliament traditionally make several changes to the government’s draft budget. It is about how much money each ministry can still spend this year and which projects will be financed. Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil is currently planning spending of just over 500 billion euros. Net borrowing in the core budget will rise significantly to around 82 billion euros. Additional loans from special funds will finance infrastructure and the armed forces. The Bundestag is to vote on the budget in the session week starting September 16. stern.de
Cabinet:
- Implementation law for the European Asylum System GEAS. Procedures are to be carried out at EU external borders where possible; new asylum centers will be set up there. GEAS includes a mechanism for distributing refugees within the EU. Affected persons can also be sent back to so-called safe third countries, with asylum procedures shifted there.
- Changes to the Supply Chain Act: Larger companies are to be exempted from documentation requirements for several years, the Ministry of Labor announced. Violations of the previous obligations are to be sanctioned only in serious cases during the transition period, e.g. massive human rights violations. The Bundestag must now deal with the proposal.
- Reduction of electricity prices: The electricity tax for manufacturing industries as well as agriculture and forestry will be reduced. In 2026, there will also be a federal subsidy for grid charges of 6.5 billion euros, from which private households will also benefit.
- Ban on drilling in marine protected areas: Oil and gas extraction will be banned in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. „Protecting marine nature and phasing out fossil fuel use do not go together with oil and gas drilling,“ said Environment Minister Carsten Schneider. The law must be passed by the Bundestag.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt defends border costs: The expenditure for strengthened border controls is money well spent, Dobrindt told Sat.1; they are „a key reason why migration flows are decreasing.“ From mid-September 2024 to the end of June this year, Germany spent a total of 80.5 million euros on border controls. tagesspiegel.de
Green Party foreign policy expert Omid Nouripour advocates for a confident stance by free societies: Strong alliances should be formed between the world’s democracies to stand up to countries like China, Russia, and North Korea, Nouripour told Deutschlandfunk. Democracies stand for freedom and human rights. These principles must be defended in a values-based foreign policy. deutschlandfunk.de
AfD politician Maximilien Krah testifies as witness in espionage trial against his former employee: Krah stated at the trial at the Higher Regional Court in Dresden that in his then office in the EU Parliament, his entire team had access to his personal documents and emails. He also pointed out that he had delegated administrative tasks on the PC to his team. The accused is a German citizen of Chinese origin. The Federal Prosecutor accuses him of gathering information in Krah’s parliamentary office from 2019 to 2024 and passing on some confidential documents to Chinese authorities. zdfheute.de, n-tv.de
EU Commission wants to double financial support for Greenland: The aim is to anchor the partnership in the areas of critical raw materials, energy, and digital integration, said EU Justice Commissioner Michael McGrath. More than €500 million is to be allocated to Greenland from the next multiannual budget, which would double the amount. Greenland, as well as the overseas territories of France and the Netherlands, are important outposts for Europe. zeit.de
Portugal declares national day of mourning after historic funicular railway derails in Lisbon, killing at least 15 people: According to rescue workers, at least 18 other people were injured, some of them seriously. Foreign nationals are also believed to be among the victims. It is not yet clear why the famous “Elevador da Glória” funicular railway derailed. There is speculation that the cable holding the train may have snapped. Eyewitnesses reported that the historic train was racing down the hill at high speed. The carriage derailed on a bend, crashed into a house and overturned. tagesschau.de, zeit.de
US President Donald Trump assures Polish President Karol Nawrocki of continued US military presence: The US stands fully behind Poland and has never considered withdrawing troops from the country, Trump said during Nawrocki’s inaugural visit to the White House. The military presence could even be increased if Poland so desired. Since the beginning of Trump’s second term, there have been fears in Europe that US troops could be withdrawn. Nawrocki said it was the first time in the 20th and 21st centuries that Poles were happy about the presence of foreign soldiers in their country. American soldiers were part of Polish society, he said. spiegel.de, zdfheute.de
Contact between Germany and India to become more intensive: In New Delhi, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul met with his counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to discuss cooperation between the two countries. India is counting on Germany’s support to deepen its relations with the EU and accelerate negotiations on a free trade agreement, Jaishankar said. Wadephul said he was pleased that India plans to double its trade volume of around 30 billion euros; India is of particular importance as an economic power, the most populous country and the largest democracy in the world, Wadephul said. handelsblatt.com, faz.net
More News
- EU begins final vote on Mercosur trade agreement; EU member state governments and EU Parliament now have the floor. spiegel.de
- EU Court: Lawsuit against data exchange between the EU and the US dismissed. zeit.de
- EU classification of Zalando as a “very large online platform” is lawful according to EU court ruling. n-tv.de
- Wind power expansion in Europe behind expectations; Germany in the lead. tagesschau.de
- EU initiative for tech independence. taz.de
- Fashion between waste and morality: EU plans for recycling put retailers under pressure. derstandard.de
Boomers leave a big gap: Almost a third of all workers in Germany will retire in the next 14 years. Based on last year’s microcensus, the Federal Statistical Office estimates that 13.4 million workers will reach the statutory retirement age of 67 by 2039. “Younger age groups will not be able to replace the baby boomers in terms of numbers,” explained the Federal Statistical Office. This is due to the size of the cohorts that currently still dominate the labor market. handelsblatt.com
More from Business, Tech and Science:
- Tesla plans to establish a European development center in an old factory in Berlin-Köpenick. n-tv.de
- Deutschlandradio: Fraudulent emails claiming to offer refunds on broadcasting license fees are in circulation. deutschlandradio.de
- Part-time employment rate: Part-time work is costly for everyone – Despite rising unemployment, new jobs are definitely being created. However, these are often not full-time positions. This makes everyone poorer, both individuals and society as a whole. zeit.de
- Wind power: Germany leads the way in expansion, EU too weak table.media/europe
- New registrations of electric cars rose significantly in August zeit.de
- How the US CLOUD Act is exacerbating the European data protection dilemma heise.de
- Salesloft Drift: AI tool causes data leaks at several large IT companies golem.de
- “Bringing our journalism to life in a whole new way”: Handelsblatt launches AI-supported search kress.de
- New team captain found: “Tatort” inspector Wotan Wilke Möhring to succeed Elton on “Wer weiß denn sowas?” rp-online.de
- Radiohead in Berlin: Not so easy to get tickets – FAQ – Radiohead are performing four times in Berlin. If you want to see them, there are a few rules to follow. Find out more here. bunte.de
- “All these good things”: Jennifer Aniston admits to beauty treatments n-tv.de
- Charlie Sheen turns 60: The scandalous star has long since sobered up stern.de
- “The Three Robbers”: Lost drawing by Wilhelm Busch returns to Berlin spiegel.de
- Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl? Here’s why it makes sense rollingstone.de
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- Leverkusen’s Carro joins DFL committee, Watzke remains DFL boss sportschau.de
- Media reports: Raúl in talks to become new coach at Leverkusen web.de
- Charles Leclerc on Lewis Hamilton’s first Monza race for Ferrari: “He’ll be shocked” motorsport-magazin.com
- Talks about staying in the WEC: Mick Schumacher is keeping two options open – rumors that he has turned down an offer from the Americans for a dual role as test driver and WEC driver. But there is no question of a rejection. sport.de
- Chaos at the Vuelta a Espana – Protests in Bilbao: Stage 11 shortened, no stage winner radsport-news.com
- Training accident in France: Professional cyclist Froome suffered life-threatening pericardial tear in crash spiegel.de
In Germany, you can get a PhD in beer – kind of. The Technical University of Munich offers a world-renowned program in Brewing Science, where students learn everything from microbiology to malt chemistry. Graduates often go on to become brewmasters for major breweries – or start their own craft beer brands.