published by Sigrid Arteaga
Contributor: Imogen Goodman and Ulrich Kraus
Bild: Schweini’s new girlfriend is a young mother | Schweinis Neue ist junge Mutter
FAZ: Trump wants to “let Russia and Ukraine fight for a while” | Trump will Russland und Ukraine „eine Weile kämpfen lassen“
Funke: Trump sees Merz at his side in the Ukraine war | Trump sieht Merz im Ukraine-Krieg an seiner Seite
Handelsblatt: Apple in the Al-trap | Apple in der Kl-Falle
RND: US reactions to the chancellor’s visit: “He’s still standing on his own two feet” | US-Reaktionen auf den Kanzler-Besuch: „Er steht immer noch auf seinen Beinen“
SZ: Pistorius: Up to 60,000 more soldiers | Pistorius: Bis zu 60 000 Soldaten mehr
Tagesspiegel: Test passed | Test bestanden
taz: Who is this man? (Thomas Mann) | Wer ist dieser Mann? (Thomas Mann)
Welt: Israeli foreign minister laments anti-Semitism in Germany | Israels Außenminister beklagt Antisemitismus in Deutschland
Chancellor Friedrich Merz satisfied after meeting with US President Donald Trump: Merz spoke on ARD of a very good atmosphere during the talks. He said that many topics had been discussed. The visit began with an open discussion in the Oval Office. Trump, who praised himself frequently, did most of the talking. Merz presented Trump with a replica of his grandfather’s birth certificate from Germany as a gift. He emphasized that Trump’s origins provided a good basis for close cooperation. Merz began by expressing his gratitude for the hospitality and accommodation in the guest house. rnd.de, faz.net, tagesschau.de
Israel has activated local clans in the Gaza Strip in the fight against Hamas: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the move, saying it was done on the advice of senior security officials and would save the lives of Israeli soldiers. The opposition had criticized Netanyahu for arming unofficial Palestinian groups in the Palestinian territories. According to Netanyahu, the groups are clans that reject Hamas. Aid organizations accuse them, among other things, of stealing aid supplies from trucks. rnd.de
Israeli army recovers bodies of two hostages in Khan Yunis: The military, in cooperation with the Shin Bet secret service, recovered the bodies during a special operation in the city of Khan Yunis before transferring them to Israel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. The bodies are believed to be those of an elderly couple who were kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the attack by the Hamas terrorist organization on October 7, 2023. The man and woman were pronounced dead shortly thereafter. Both are also believed to have been US citizens. There are still about 20 living hostages and the bodies of around 30 hostages in the Gaza Strip. welt.de
Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distributes aid again: Two new distribution centers are said to have opened on Thursday in the Rafah area in the south of the Gaza Strip. The aid centers had remained closed on Wednesday due to repair work. The GHF is a private organization supported by the US and approved by Israel; it bypasses aid organizations of the UN and other initiatives. It has been accused of endangering civilians and violating established standards of neutral aid. Israel, on the other hand, says it wants to prevent the Islamist Hamas from appropriating the aid supplies.
Dead after attacks on Al-Ahli Hospital: Three journalists are among the dead, according to the health ministry controlled by the militant Islamist Hamas. Several people were injured. Israel’s military said the attack targeted an Islamic Jihad terrorist operating from a command center in the hospital courtyard.
Israel reports attacks on Hezbollah south of Beirut: Lebanese state media report three attacks. Reuters video footage shows columns of smoke rising after the first attacks on the Hezbollah stronghold in over a month. Earlier, an army spokesman had called on residents of the suburbs known as Dahiya to leave several buildings. According to the army, the targets are “underground Hezbollah facilities” used by the militia to manufacture drones.
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul calls for more aid deliveries to Gaza during meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar: Wadephul said in Berlin that the aid deliveries to Gaza so far have been insufficient. It is international law that sufficient aid must reach the area. At the same time, Wadephul criticized Israel’s announcement that it would allow 22 more settlements in the West Bank. This is contrary to international law and undermines the chances for a two-state solution, he said. Nevertheless, Wadephul emphasized Israel’s support and the country’s right to defend itself. faz.net, n-tv.de
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reports “demonstrative attack” by Russians: Zelensky laments the destruction in the regional capital Kherson in the south of the country. The strikes caused the regional administration building to collapse, leaving only a few walls standing. According to local reports, three glide bombs struck the building in two attacks, and a fourth hit a multi-story residential building. Despite the severe damage, only one person was reported injured. n-tv.de
Ipsos Sunday poll: Union 27 percent (+2), AfD 23 percent (-2), SPD 16 percent (+1), Greens 11 percent (-1), Left 11 percent (+1), BSW 4 percent (-1), FDP 3 percent (-1), others 5 percent. ipsos.com
160 asylum seekers turned away at the borders since Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt’s directive: The figures refer to the period from May 8 to June 4. According to the information provided, those turned away were asylum seekers who had entered from a safe third country. The federal police reported an overall increase in illegal entries last month. rnd.de
Berlin judge defamed and threatened after urgent asylum ruling: The German Judges Association, together with the Association of Administrative Judges, has complained that these personal attacks have gone too far. They are an attack “on the rule of law and thus on all of us.” The two professional associations emphasized that criticism of court decisions is protected by the right to freedom of expression. However, they said, this does not apply to personal and defamatory attacks. rbb24.de, morgenpost.de
Federal states want to reach agreement with the federal government quickly on planned tax relief: Saxony’s Minister President Michael Kretschmer and Lower Saxony’s Minister President Olaf Lies announced a joint meeting with Chancellor Friedrich Merz for the middle of the month. The aim is to clear the way for a decision in the Bundesrat in July. The states fear loss of revenue, especially for local authorities. After the meeting of state premiers in Berlin, Kretschmer emphasized that they support the reform, but that the states need financial compensation. tagesspiegel.de, faz.net
Controversial debate on rent control: In the first reading, Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig said that living in the city should not be a luxury. She announced further regulations, for example on index-linked rents and furnished accommodation. In addition to rent control, the Greens demanded stricter rules for terminating leases for personal use („Eigenbedarf“). The Left Party called for more regulation of the housing market in general and emphasized that rents had risen despite the rent-control law. welt.de
More regional news:
- Brandenburg: Refugee council criticizes conditions in Dublin center in Eisenhüttenstadt. rbb24.de
- Saxony: Controversial new mosque in Dresden increasingly unlikely. mdr.de
- Hamburg: Citizens argue over Hamburg’s Olympic plans. ndr.de
- Bremen: Staff council clears the way for mobile phone ban in schools. butenunbinnen.de
- Brandenburg: Verdict against Rheinsberg mayor Frank-Rudi Schwochow overturned. rbb24.de
- Bavaria: Whitsun congress of the “Coburg Convent”: No distancing from the AfD? tagesschau.de
- North Rhine-Westphalia: AfD member of the Bundestag Matthias Helferich wants to file criminal charges after e-mail scandal. wdr.de
- Thuringia: Thuringia’s Aufbaubank records a profit. n-tv.de
- Schleswig-Holstein: Ceremony in Lübeck to mark the 150th birthday of Thomas Mann. hl-live.de
NATO approves extensive rearmament program: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that deterrence and defense capabilities are to be significantly expanded. The focus will be on air and missile defense and the production of long-range weapons, among other things. Essentially, the countries will receive new targets for their military capabilities, which will be classified as top secret. derstandard.at, zdfheute.de, tagesschau.de
Advocate General of the European Court of Justice Tamara Capeta sees Hungary’s LGBTQ law as a violation of EU law: The EU Commission’s lawsuit against Hungary is justified, Capeta stated. The 2021 law restricts or prohibits depictions of same-sex partnerships or trans identity on television and in books, for example. The Commission initiated infringement proceedings against Hungary. Among other things, it sees violations of Europe’s Charter of Fundamental Rights. Sixteen member states, including Germany, and the EU Parliament joined the lawsuit. tagesschau.de
US President Donald Trump and former advisor Elon Musk in dispute: Trump is angry with Musk and has threatened to cut billions in subsidies to Musk’s companies. The tech billionaire had campaigned against the tax and spending bill and demanded further cost cuts. He even called on Republican members of Congress to defy Trump and join him. Trump said Musk had no problem with the bill until he learned that it included cuts to subsidies for electric vehicles. Musk, meanwhile, accuses Trump of involvement in the Epstein case. zdfheute.de, n-tv.de
More news:
- France: Protests in Marseille; dockworkers refuse to load military goods bound for Israel. spiegel.de
- Romania: New President Nicusor Dan wants to use secret service to combat tax evasion. euractiv.de
- Turkey: Preliminary investigation launched against opposition leader. zeit.de
- Slovakia: Coalition under Robert Fico intends to vote against Russian sanctions in future. spiegel.de
- United Kingdom: British House of Lords votes four times against releasing protected works for AI training. heise.de
- Portugal: Conservative Prime Minister Luis Montenegro wants a minority government. zdfheute.de
- Denmark: Face veils to be banned in schools and universities. rp-online.de
- Denmark: Support from Norway for monitoring Greenland. rnd.de
- Italy: Cell phones to be banned in all schools starting in the new school year. derstandard.at
- Luxembourg: No standardized government regulation for civil servants working from home. lessentiel.lu
1.2 million job vacancies in Germany: This is a quarter less than in the previous year, according to the Institute for Employment Research in Nuremberg. In the same quarter a year ago, there were almost 400,000 more job vacancies. The institute bases its statistics on a survey of companies; these are not only jobs registered with the Federal Employment Agency. At 2.92 million, the number of registered unemployed was slightly higher in May than at the same time last year. zeit.de
More from Business, Tech, and Science:
- Real wages rose by 1.2 percent in the first quarter. n-tv.de
- According to a ruling by the Federal Court of Justice, providers of university placement services only have to be paid after students have started their studies. spiegel.de
- Siemens Energy redeems state guarantees ahead of schedule. handelsblatt.com
- Ionos joins the M-Dax, replacing Jenoptik. faz.net
- ZF is reviewing the handling of its drive business. wiwo.de
- Many companies expect job cuts due to AI. n-tv.de
- Annual report of the contribution service: Revenue from broadcasting fees declining, more exemptions. dwdl.de
- Tim Raue opens Berlin’s highest restaurant. faz.net
- Annual report from the contribution service: Broadcasting license fee revenue declining, more exemptions dwdl.de
- Why some media companies received millions from the state – and others knew nothing about the subsidies kress.de
- Carlsen publishing house gets new boss: Sandra Harzer-Kux – She wanted to become director of NDR, but now she is the publisher of Carlsen publishing house. ksta.de
- Russia: Special operation on culture sueddeutsche.de
- Festival summer and the Middle East conflict: “Viva Palestina!” chants are guaranteed sueddeutsche.de
- Upcycling: A house like a surprise bag sueddeutsche.de
- Michelle Obama: Why her daughter gave up her famous name – Malia’s desire for independence viply.de
Wahlheymat is a Berlin-based, community-driven grassroots initiative launched on the International Day of Democracy. Rooted in the belief that inclusivity is the foundation of coexistence, it brings together locals, newcomers, and citizens to co-create and co-own a more vibrant, democratic Berlin—one where diverse identities, traditions, and values are actively recognized and celebrated.
- Criticism from top-level sport – No money, no medals: Olympic training centers at a crossroads sportschau.de
- DFB defeat against Portugal: The gap behind the starting eleven spiegel.de
- Plenty of space at Club World Cup: FIFA fights embarrassing images and slashes prices n-tv.de
- After French Open exit: Zverev’s stagnation makes it too easy for Djokovic and Co. sportschau.de
- World number one doesn’t have to worry for long: Final! Sabalenka pulls the plug on Swiatek in the third set sport.de
A funny story from his schooldays: Julian Nagelsmann once won a competition for his butt – writing an essay about a body part web.de