Bild: Traffic gridlock | Straßenkollaps
FAZ: Merz promises new consensus on justice | Merz verspricht neuen Konsens über Gerechtigkeit
Funke: Berlin’s austerity measures jeopardize planned hospital reform | Berlins Sparkurs gefährdet geplante Klinikreform
Handelsblatt: New attempt at green electricity from the desert | Neuer Anlauf für grünen Strom aus der Wüste
RND: Putin’s microphone mishap shows: The Kremlin chief has not groomed a successor | Putins Mikrofon-Panne zeigt: Der Kreml-Chef hat keinen Nachfolger aufgebaut
SZ: Merz asks for patience with reforms | Merz bittet bei Reformen um Geduld
Tagesspiegel: Merz prepares citizens for far-reaching changes – SPD “stands by the reforms” | Merz stimmt Bürger auf tiefgreifende Veränderungen ein – SPD „steht zu den Reformen“
taz: We can do things differently | Wir können auch anders
Welt: Merz promotes social reforms in general debate | Merz wirbt in Generaldebatte für Sozialreformen
Chancellor Friedrich Merz announces major social reforms: In the general debate on the chancellor’s budget, Merz prepares the German people for profound changes. Merz said that this is not about details, but about very fundamental issues: “It is about nothing less than the future of our country—how we live, how we live together, how we work, how we do business, and whether our values will continue to endure.” Changes are planned in areas such as pensions, the healthcare system, and citizen’s income. zdfheute.de, spiegel.de, sueddeutsche.de, tagesschau.de
Federal Audit Office calls for austerity package: In view of the planned new debt in the coming years, the federal government should no longer live beyond its means. Germany needs to reduce government spending. Subsidies should also be questioned. The state must once again be in a position to finance its core tasks from its own revenues. The budget for 2026 and the financial planning until 2029 are to be discussed in the Bundestag for the first time next week. tagesschau.de, welt.de
Israel opens temporary escape route for residents of Gaza City: Following the start of its major offensive, the Israeli army has opened a new evacuation route for refugees until Friday noon. The escape route runs “along Salah al-Din Street and south of Wadi Gaza.” According to the military, more than 350,000 people have fled the city since the offensive began on Tuesday night. According to UN estimates, the city had a population of around one million in August. stern.de
- According to a Palestinian report, Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip have once again claimed many lives. Eyewitnesses reported a drone attack near Shifa Hospital.
- The Israeli army said it had attacked more than 150 targets in Gaza City over the past two days. The goal is to defeat the terrorist organization Hamas.
- According to Palestinian sources, there are internet outages in the Gaza Strip. Cybersecurity organization NetBlocks cited an “attack on one of the most important fiber optic cables” as the reason.
- Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of forced expulsions and other abuses against civilians in the buffer zone with Syria on the Golan Heights. The human rights organization cites interviews with residents, evaluated image material, and satellite images.
- Relatives of Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip have once again demonstrated in front of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem. Ofir Braslavski, father of Rom Braslavski, accused Netanyahu of having “blood on his hands.”
- Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan has sharply criticized the Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip. “And it is absolutely clear that at the same time, Hamas must lay down its weapons and finally release all hostages unconditionally,” she said.
- Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich describes Gaza as a “real estate gold mine.” rnd.de
Hamas official Ghazi Hamad speaks out for the first time since the Doha attack: In a live interview with Al Jazeera, the member of the Hamas Politburo accused the US of failing to fulfill its role as mediator in the Gaza war and of siding with Israel. Hamad said he was on site during last week’s air strike. However, the Hamas delegation was able to quickly get to safety. The group was in the process of discussing a mediation proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza war when the attack occurred. rnd.de
EU Commission proposes sanctions against Israel over its actions in the Gaza Strip: Among other things, free trade benefits are to be revoked; specifically, higher customs duties would be imposed on around one-third of imports from Israel. In addition, punitive measures are to be taken against extremist Israeli ministers and settlers. In the Commission’s view, the country is violating human rights and international humanitarian law with its military offensive and the resulting famine. It is unclear whether a sufficient majority of EU member states will agree. zeit.de, faz.net
- Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Armin Laschet said on Welt TV that it was clear that Germany rejected these sanctions. There should be no negative special role for Israel. He called EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s policy on Israel “shocking.”
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned against using the sometimes justified criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policy toward the Palestinians as a pretext for anti-Semitism. “Dissent on the issue is not disloyalty to our friendship,” Merz said at the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Central Council of Jews. welt.de
- Friedrich Merz thanked the Central Council of Jews for its commitment to democracy in Germany. He said that it had quickly become a lifeline for democratic culture after its founding 75 years ago – just five years after the Holocaust. zdfheute.de
- Central Council President Josef Schuster appealed for continued support for Israel, despite discontent with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s policies. Even if not all of the decisions made by the government in Jerusalem are understandable, this should never serve as justification for Germany to turn away from Israel.
Ukraine receives missiles for Patriot and Himars from the US: The missiles are part of arms deliveries under the so-called PURL financing mechanism, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. PURL pools contributions from NATO members to purchase American weapons, ammunition, and equipment.
- Volodymyr Zelensky will travel to New York next week for the 80th UN General Assembly, where he is particularly hoping for a high-level meeting with US President Donald Trump. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that the meeting is possible.
- Volodymyr Zelensky: Russia lacks the strength for a major offensive. rnd.de
- According to Volodymyr Zelensky, Europe is currently not prepared for a war with Russia. This was demonstrated by the recent incident involving Russian drones over Poland. In what has been Russia’s most massive attack on Ukraine to date, air defenses intercepted more than 700 of the 800 flying objects deployed by Russia; In Poland, however, only four of the 19 drones were shot down.
Denmark wants to purchase long-range precision weapons for the first time. The procurement of the weapons is a “paradigm shift in Danish defense policy,” says Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen; the purchase of the weapons is intended to achieve a “credible deterrent.” - Polish President Karol Nawrocki has stated that he would like to see his country included in nuclear sharing, and is counting on France to make this happen. He says he is prepared to do everything in his power to secure guarantees for his country’s security.
EU Parliament represented in Kyiv: With the opening of the liaison office, the EU Parliament wants to show its presence, deepen exchanges with Ukraine, and “work by your side every day,” said EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola in a speech to the Ukrainian Parliament. Metsola said that pressure on Russia would be maintained. bo.de
Battle for Pokrovsk: Russia and Ukraine are presenting contradictory accounts of the current fighting. Russia’s Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov speaks of territorial gains around the city in eastern Ukraine, which has been contested for months. Ukrainian military sources, on the other hand, report the encirclement of larger Russian units, whose surrender is expected soon. Kyiv reported 117 engagements along the front line, without any significant changes in frontline positions.
- A Russian drone attack has caused power outages and disruptions to rail traffic in the central Ukrainian region of Kirovohrad. According to the authorities, 45 towns and villages were temporarily cut off from the power supply. According to Deputy Prime Minister Kuleba, the attack targeted substations that also supply power to the rail network. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, missiles struck near the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant.
- One man was killed in Russian artillery shelling of the Ukrainian village of Slatine in the Kharkiv region, Governor Oleg Synegubov said. “The 73-year-old resident was in his garage in his own yard when the Russian army attacked the village,” Synegubov said.
YouGov Sunday poll: CDU/CSU 27 percent (+2), AfD 26 percent (-1), SPD 15 percent (+1), Greens 11 percent (-1), Left Party 9 percent (-1), BSW 5 percent, FDP 4 percent (+1), others 4 percent. yougov.de
SPD and CDU/CSU argue over inheritance tax reform: SPD deputy leader Serpil Midyatli calls for higher taxes on large inheritances and criticizes the fact that hardly any taxes were paid on inheritances worth billions in recent years. She argues that immense fortunes should not be passed on without the state receiving its share. She emphasizes that under the SPD, no one will lose their home or family business as a result of inheritance tax reform. CDU/CSU deputy leader Sepp Müller, on the other hand, accuses the SPD of wanting to place an additional burden on entrepreneurs and warns of negative consequences for the economy. rnd.de, tagesspiegel.de
Billions in funding shortfall threatens to delay highway projects: The Department of Transportation estimates the volume of missing funds until 2029 at 5.5 billion euros. New construction approvals for projects in the requirements plan are therefore not possible at this time. This affects a total of 74 projects. These mainly involve the expansion of highways, but also new construction projects. The background to this is a new financing and implementation plan by the federal government’s Autobahn GmbH. zdfheute.de, n-tv.de
Controversy over Family Minister Karin Prien’s stance on combating extremism: Prien had stated that promoting left-wing activists was not a solution to combating right-wing extremism and announced that potential recipients of funding from the “Demokratie leben” (Live Democracy) program would be subject to screening by security authorities. SPD members of parliament Stefan Döring and Yannick Hostert reacted with irritation, emphasizing that the selection process for the federal program was transparent and based on professional criteria. taz.de, tagesspiegel.de
Foreign nurses struggle with high living costs in Germany. Germany has turned increasingly to foreign specialists to cover staffing shortages in nursing. While wages have improved in recent years — with the average full-time salary reaching €3,870 in 2023 — many international caregivers remain dissatisfied with their net income. A survey by the recruiter Globogate found that nearly half of respondents feel financially insecure, citing high taxes, unexpected costs like utilities and broadcasting fees, and regular remittances to families abroad. Although around 70% would choose Germany again as a workplace, only a third plan to stay permanently. merkur.de
AfD candidate Joachim Paul definitively excluded from mayoral election in Ludwigshafen: Both the Federal Constitutional Court and the Constitutional Court of Rhineland-Palatinate rejected his appeals against the exclusion. The Federal Constitutional Court declared his constitutional complaint inadmissible because he had not sufficiently addressed the existing administrative court decisions. The municipal election committee had rejected his candidacy at the beginning of August due to doubts about his loyalty to the constitution. welt.de
Bremen plans a Welcome Center to ease bureaucracy. Foreign professionals coming to Germany often face long waits, complex recognition procedures, and confusing communication between offices. To address this, Bremen is planning a Welcome Center as a central contact point for all questions related to work, residence, and housing—the goal is to facilitate faster procedures, provide better guidance, and reduce bureaucracy for both migrants and employers. The center is still in the planning stage, and it is not yet clear when it will open. Zdf.de
- Saxony-Anhalt: The Magdeburg Regional Court has referred the case of the attack on the Magdeburg Christmas market to the Federal Prosecutor General in Karlsruhe for prosecution. lto.de
- Berlin: AfD wants to go back to court in dispute over first names in criminal cases. tagesspiegel.de
- Brandenburg: Ministry of Education wants to introduce AI chatbot in all schools next school year. sueddeutsche.de
- Bavaria: New anchor center in Munich for 900 asylum seekers. welt.de
- Berlin: Local transport will become significantly more expensive from next year. morgenpost.de
Court of Auditors urges EU to take swift action against drug shortages: Individual member states have begun hoarding medicines without consulting others, which could exacerbate the supply situation. Furthermore, EU countries are not coordinating with each other. The auditor responsible, Klaus-Heiner Lehne, emphasized that the EU must become more independent from third countries. The Court of Auditors is also calling for the rapid implementation of the planned reform of European pharmaceutical law. rnd.de
Poland calls for a faster end to energy imports from Russia: EU countries should stop importing Russian energy by the end of 2026 at the latest; the previous plan had envisaged a phase-out by 2028. In a letter to his European colleagues, Energy Minister Milosz Motyka also referred to the recent violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones. Poland is offering to support the transition to other energy sources, for example by importing and transporting US liquefied natural gas, which is already being delivered to Ukraine via Poland. dw.com
UN budget to be significantly reduced in 2026: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has presented a draft budget for 2026 that envisages cuts of around 15 percent. According to the draft, the budget will amount to $3.238 billion, about $500 million less than in the current year. The organization wants to respond to chronic financial problems by cutting more than 2,600 jobs. One of the main reasons for this is that US President Donald Trump has repeatedly cut funding to the UN because of its policies. The organization is also under pressure due to missing or delayed payments from other member countries. fnp.de
Protests in London accompany US President Donald Trump’s state visit: Trump was welcomed at Windsor Castle by King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Princess Kate. After a military ceremony with around 120 horses and 1,300 soldiers, a state banquet was held in the evening. A meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is planned for Thursday, among other events. Meanwhile, several thousand people protested against the visit in London, organized by the “Stop Trump Coalition” alliance of around 50 organizations. tagesspiegel.de, faz.net
More News
- Inflation in the eurozone remains at the ECB’s target of 2.0 percent. handelsblatt.com
- EU Commission approves first drug for postpartum depression. spiegel.de
- EU Foreign Affairs Representative Kaja Kallas warns India against cooperating with Russia. stern.de
USA News
Former President Barack Obama sees the US at a crossroads after the attack on Charlie Kirk: Obama warns of an increase in politically motivated violence in the US and criticizes Donald Trump in unusually harsh terms. “We are undoubtedly at a crossroads,” said the Democrat. Violence should never be accepted as a means of political debate. “No matter where you stand politically, what happened to Charlie Kirk was horrific and a tragedy,” Obama said. tagesspiegel.de, spiegel.de, welt.de
- Following statements about Charlie Kirk: US broadcaster cancels Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show. tagesspiegel.de
- Former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Susan Monarez warns of the return of measles and other diseases in America. spiegel.de
- The US Federal Reserve lowers its key interest rate by 0.25 percentage points for the first time this year in response to the tense situation on the labor market. zdfheute.de
- Criteria for obtaining American citizenship tightened. tagesspiegel.de
Majority in favor of stricter rules for children’s use of digital media: A majority of adults are in favor of banning social media for children under the age of 14 and smartphones in schools. Many respondents consider parental protection options to be insufficient and call for more responsibility from politicians and internet platforms, according to the Federal Institute for Population Research. Anja Weisgerber, deputy leader of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, rejects a general ban. Instead, she advocates “guidelines” and emphasizes that social media use is not fundamentally negative. The CDU and CSU are focusing on strengthening media literacy and supporting parents. zeit.de, rnd.de
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Deportations Deal, Oktoberfest and International Students: In this episode, Rufruf, an international student from Pakistan, talks about her experiences with German bureaucracy, language barriers, and life in Berlin. We also discuss cultural differences when it comes to friendship and why it is sometimes difficult to make new friends here. In addition, we cover the latest news: schools are open again, Oktoberfest is just around the corner, and we look at solutions to the shortage of skilled workers and new plans for deportation to Afghanistan. We also take a look at international students and the challenge of retaining talent after graduation. In the popular “Ask a German” segment, we explain why Germany has so many public holidays and what’s behind them. It’s worth tuning in! Listen now at: plusfortyninepodcast
- Spirit and commitment: Bayern beats Chelsea zdfheute.de
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In Germany, when someone says they’ll meet you „um halb acht,“ it can be confusing for newcomers. It doesn’t mean 8:30, but rather 7:30. The phrase literally translates as „half of eight“—so it points to the half hour before eight, not after.
This small detail has tripped up many expats (imagine arriving an hour late to a dinner!). Once you get used to it, though, you’ll start to see the logic—Germans often think of time in relation to the next full hour, not the previous one.
A useful hack: when you hear „halb,“ always add 30 minutes to the previous full hour, not the next.