Bild: The new plan of the Merz government / Der neue Plan der Merz-Regierung
FAZ: Hamas announces the release of hostages / Hamas kündigt Freilassung der Geiseln an
Funke: Celebration in the Middle East after progress in Gaza talks / Jubel in Nahost nach Annäherung bei Gaza-Gesprächen
Handelsblatt: The new war / Der neue Krieg
RND: Breakthrough in the Middle East: „The United States is still the defining power“ / Durchbruch in Nahost: „Die Vereinigten Staaten sind immer noch die bestimmende Macht“
SZ: Sanctions for citizen’s benefit recipients will get tougher / Sanktionen beim Bürgergeld werden härter
Tagesspiegel: „Citizen’s benefit is now history“ – Coalition passes reform package / „Bürgergeld ist jetzt Geschichte“ – Koalition beschließt Reformpaket
taz: Relief / Aufatmen
Welt: Breakthrough in negotiations: „It will be a different world“ / Durchbruch bei Verhandlungen: „Es wird eine andere Welt sein“
Israel’s cabinet approves Gaza agreements: The government has approved the first phase of the US peace plan for the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced after a several-hour meeting. The first phase of the plan includes an imminent ceasefire and the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas. According to US President Donald Trump, the Israeli hostages are expected to be freed on Monday or Tuesday. In return, nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners will be released from Israeli jails. zdfheute.de, handelsblatt.com
- Earlier, Israel’s far-right police minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir said he and his party would vote against the deal covering the first points of the Gaza war plan. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich expressed similar criticism but did not threaten to withdraw from the government, warning of „the release of the next generation of terrorist leaders who will continue to shed Jewish blood.“ n-tv.de
- The militant Islamist Hamas declared the war over. Its exiled leader Khalil al-Hayya told Al Jazeera that confirmations had come from the US and mediators, and that the agreement included reopening the Rafah border crossing in both directions. Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan rejected the US proposal for a „Peace Council“ for Gaza under Donald Trump’s leadership, saying, „No one would accept a return to the era of mandates and colonialism.“ focus.de, n-tv.de
- Iran welcomed the agreement but warned of a possible breach of Israeli commitments, urging all sides to remain vigilant about Israel’s reliability.
- The White House announced that around 200 US soldiers would help monitor the ceasefire, though not from within Gaza itself. Trump plans to travel to the Middle East on Sunday. stern.de
- Despite the breakthrough, Israel’s army carried out new airstrikes in Gaza City against Hamas fighters it said posed an imminent threat to Israeli troops.
- The UN relief agency OCHA said about 170,000 tons of aid were ready near Gaza and could be delivered once Israel gives the green light.
- The agreement was welcomed internationally. Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the development „gives hope.“ Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called for rapid humanitarian aid to Gaza, saying Germany was ready to help immediately. France’s President Emmanuel Macron reiterated support for a two-state solution at the start of an international conference on the Middle East conflict.
- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with dozens of Israeli peace activists in the West Bank to discuss a sustainable end to violence, reaffirming his goal of establishing a Palestinian state. The Palestinian Authority insists on playing a leading role in Gaza after the war, despite Trump’s different plans.
- Crowds celebrated in the streets across Israel and Gaza. tagesschau.de
UKRAINE
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sees long-range weapons as key to peace: „The more successfully Ukraine acts with rockets and drones, the closer peace becomes,“ he said in a video address. Kyiv must therefore boost production of long-range missiles and drones. Zelensky also said the delivery of Tomahawk cruise missiles could force Russia to negotiate and expressed hope that US President Donald Trump would grant Ukraine substantial military support to strengthen its position in future talks. n-tv.de
- EU finance ministers are meeting in Luxembourg to discuss further Ukraine aid, including the European Commission’s plan to use frozen Russian assets for reparation bonds — a plan supported by Chancellor Friedrich Merz. faz.net
- The EU’s 19th sanctions package against Russia is nearly complete and could be adopted before the European Council summit on October 23–24, pending Slovakia’s concerns.
Evacuations have begun in Kramatorsk and nearby areas in the Donetsk region due to drone attacks. The city, just 20 km from the front line, is the last major Donetsk city under Kyiv’s control. Attacks are destroying residential buildings and infrastructure, making social and health services „impossible.“
Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted responsibility for a plane crash last December: during a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, he acknowledged that a Russian air defense error caused the downing of an Azerbaijani passenger plane. Russian forces had targeted a Ukrainian drone, but missiles exploded near the aircraft, killing 38 of the 67 passengers. Putin promised accountability and compensation for victims’ families. zdfheute.de, spiegel.de, n-tv.de
Germany and Ukraine have signed an IT cooperation agreement for the armed forces, running from 2026 to 2028. It covers funding for the Delta battlefield management system, IT projects, and expansion of the Armija+ and Reserw+ apps. Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Oksana Ferchuk called it a sign of growing support for the digital modernization of the military.
Ipsos Sunday poll: Union 23 percent (-1), AfD 25 percent, SPD 15 percent, Greens 11 percent (-1), Left Party 12 percent, BSW 5 percent (+1), FDP 4 percent (+1), Others 5 percent. (Change from previous month). ipsos.com
Bundestag
- Approval for modernization funds to the federal states: €100 billion of the total €500 billion from the new infrastructure special fund will be distributed to the states and municipalities. The money will mainly go toward traditional infrastructure, cultural, sports, and recreational facilities, and will be allocated according to the Königstein formula. To facilitate investments, debt rules for the federal states have been relaxed. n-tv.de, zdfheute.de
- With a „construction turbo,“ the federal government aims to significantly shorten planning and approval procedures to create more affordable housing quickly. Municipalities will be able to approve construction projects outside existing development plans under simplified conditions and more flexible regulations, such as noise protection. n-tv.de
- A standardized training program for nursing assistants with mandatory pay has been adopted. The new 18-month program, with required placements in hospitals, nursing homes, and outpatient care, aims to ease the shortage of skilled workers and will begin in the 2027 training year, pending Bundesrat approval.
- Germany is implementing the EU asylum reform, which, among other things, provides for asylum applications from people with low prospects of staying to be examined already at the EU’s external borders. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt emphasized that the goal was to better manage migration and ensure fair distribution within the EU, while critics warned of restrictions on refugee rights. tagesschau.de
Germany is pushing in Brussels for a more flexible combustion engine phaseout: the planned 2035 ban on new combustion engine cars is to be softened. Chancellor Friedrich Merz said after talks with automotive industry and union representatives at the Chancellery that he wanted to avoid a „hard cut“ and would push for changes in Brussels. Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil called for technological openness, saying „more flexibility“ and „pragmatism“ were needed. Automotive industry association head Hildegard Müller welcomed the statements. tagesspiegel.de
Agreements in the coalition committee on three contentious issues:
- The CDU/CSU and SPD have agreed to replace the citizen’s benefit (*Bürgergeld*) with a new basic security scheme. The reform includes significantly stricter participation requirements and tougher sanctions, such as a 30% cut in benefits for repeatedly missing job center appointments. Chancellor Friedrich Merz expects the Bundestag to pass the reform in early 2026. lto.de, zdfheute.de
- From 2026, an „active pension“ will be introduced, allowing tax-free additional earnings of up to €2,000 per month. It applies after reaching the statutory retirement age and is intended to encourage longer employment after retirement. A previously planned progressive taxation clause was dropped. zdfheute.de
- By 2029, the government plans targeted purchase incentives for electric cars, especially for low- and middle-income households. Funding will come from the EU Climate Social Fund and an additional €3 billion from the Climate and Transformation Fund, aiming to support the transition to climate-neutral mobility.
Environment Minister Carsten Schneider criticizes the cancellation of the German Agency for Transfer and Innovation (DATI): he said he had not been informed of the decision, either as a cabinet member or as an MP from Erfurt. Schneider sharply criticized Research Minister Dorothee Bär and demanded a correction. Thuringia’s Ministry of Science and the state development agency expressed regret over the decision. thueringer-allgemeine.de, mdr.de
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier emphasizes close partnership with Estonia: Estonian President Alar Karis praised Germany’s contribution to securing NATO’s eastern flank and supporting Ukraine. Steinmeier highlighted the close cooperation between the two countries within the EU and NATO, saying they stood together for freedom. Steinmeier also attended the annual meeting of the Arraiolos Group, an informal gathering of heads of state from 16 EU countries. stern.de
More News
- Economy Minister Katherina Reiche wants to prevent China from gaining access to Germany’s gas network. handelsblatt.com
- Federal Court of Justice: Doctors are not liable for possible COVID-19 vaccine injuries. handelsblatt.com
- Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr calls for swift political action in light of drone flights.
- German Cultural Council opposes a ban on gender-inclusive language. deutschlandfunkkultur.de
- Germany goes beyond EU requirements: „The anti-terror law pushes criminal law to the limits of the rule of law.“ lto.de
- Fake calls in his name: Klingbeil warns of fraudulent investment appeals. rnd.de
Clarification is needed regarding the economic use of lithium deposits in the Altmark region. Saxony-Anhalt’s Economics Minister, Sven Schulze, stated in the state parliament in Magdeburg that it remains unclear whether the deep deposit can be developed economically. He does not expect lithium extraction anytime soon; further studies are required. Natural gas producer Neptune Energy plans to extract lithium from thermal water in the Altmark region, whose deposits in northern Saxony-Anhalt are among the largest in the world.
Other News:
- Saxony: Foundation stone laid for the Freedom and Unity Monument in Leipzig. zdfheute.de
- Saxony-Anhalt: AfD seeks to block anti-racism initiatives in schools. tagesspiegel.de
- North Rhine-Westphalia: Trainee teachers must sign a declaration of constitutional loyalty. lto.de
- Thuringia: AfD party conference in Erfurt to elect new leaders in summer.
- Hamburg: Schools seen as a model for educational advancement. faz.netBaden-Württemberg: CDU state leader Hagel calls for Bundeswehr visits to schools.
- Berlin: Left Party deputy Elif Eralp to lead the party into the 2026 state election. spiegel.de
- Hamburg: Senate plans to at least quadruple photovoltaic capacity. n-tv.de
- Brandenburg: SPD parliamentary group announces bureaucracy relief for teachers. n-tv.de
- Schleswig-Holstein: State parliament aims to strengthen children’s rights. n-tv.de
EU Court of Auditors reports billions in erroneous spending: In the past fiscal year, around six billion euros of EU funds were used unlawfully. This corresponds to an error rate of 3.6 percent, down from 5.6 percent the previous year. Funds often went to ineligible projects or were used to reimburse inadmissible costs. The Court of Auditors still sees significant room for improvement in monitoring the use of funds. handelsblatt.com
EU Commission investigates possible espionage by Hungary: According to *Der Spiegel*, the Hungarian government tasked its intelligence service with spying on EU institutions and tried to recruit officials between 2015 and 2017. Brussels stated it is taking the reports very seriously and has set up an internal investigation team. The affair further strains already tense relations between the EU and Hungary, which is under fire for its rule-of-law shortcomings. spiegel.de, n-tv.de
UN cuts a quarter of its peacekeeping forces: The reason is drastic budget cuts by the United States, which reduced its contributions from over one billion to around 680 million dollars. As a result, about 13,000 of the total 50,000 peacekeepers will soon be withdrawn. Many civilian missions are also affected. The UN currently maintains eleven peacekeeping operations worldwide, including in Africa and the Middle East. nau.ch
Further reports:
- EU Commission considers simplifying the delayed deforestation law. euractiv.de
- Welthungerhilfe: UN goal of ending hunger by 2030 is barely achievable. evangelische-zeitung.de
- EU Commission presents new strategy to protect queer people. euractiv.de
- EU Climate Service: Third-warmest September since records began. deutschlandfunk.de
- ECB minutes signal no hurry to cut interest rates. n-tv.de
EU foreign ministers discuss Western Balkans’ progress: At a meeting in Belfast, Johann Wadephul reaffirmed Germany’s support for EU enlargement but pointed to major differences in reform progress. Montenegro and Albania currently have the best chances, while other states still struggle with corruption and organized crime. Wadephul sees a limited window until 2029 to make substantial progress on EU accession. deutschlandfunk.de
India and Australia deepen military cooperation: The agreement includes regular staff talks between the armed forces and closer collaboration on submarine rescue. It was signed Thursday by Australia’s Defense Minister Richard Marles and India’s Rajnath Singh. According to Canberra, the pact aims to strengthen stability in the Indo-Pacific region. reuters.com
- Hourly wages in Germany have risen according to an IAB study; the average hourly wage is now €25.61.
- Federal Court of Justice demands greater transparency from discount grocery chains in advertising discounts. tagesspiegel.de
- VW continues to post strong growth in electric car sales across Europe. tagesspiegel.de
Collective bargaining agreement reached for the East German steel industry. - Talks between Lufthansa and pilots’ union still without results. hessenschau.de
- Partridge chosen as Bird of the Year 2026.
- Founder Jonas Andrulis steps down: leadership change at Germany’s AI hopeful Aleph Alpha. n-tv.de
- Literature Nobel Prize awarded to Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai.
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Germany’s Bird of the Year 2026 is the humble Rebhuhn (partridge) — a species once so common that it inspired nursery rhymes, and now so rare that conservationists are calling its election „a comeback campaign with feathers.“ Environmentalists say it’s time to make fields friendlier again for the bird that „used to outnumber tractors.“ Maybe „A Partridge in a Pear Tree“ will feel a little more local next Christmas.