published by Sigrid Arteaga
Contributor: Imogen Goodman and Ulrich Kraus
Bild: The big deportation flop | Der große Abschiebe-Flop
FAZ: Sharper tones on migration policy | Schärfere Töne zur Migrationspolitik
Funke: One hundred thousand Berlin tenants have to pay additional heating costs | Hunderttausend Berliner Mieter müssen Heizkosten nachzahlen
Handelsblatt: Weidmann’s warning | Weidmanns Warnung
RND: Wagenknecht attacks Weidel: AfD stands for „Upgrading for Donald“ | Wagenknecht attackiert Weidel: AfD steht für „Aufrüsten für Donald“
SZ: Greens call chancellor „irresponsible“ | Grüne nennen Kanzler „verantwortungslos“
Tagesspiegel: ‘Don’t adopt the AfD’s language’ – FDP leader Lindner calls for strict demarcation | „Nicht die Sprache der AfD übernehmen“ – FDP-Chef Lindner fordert strikte Abgrenzung
taz: ‘Hefty resistance” | Gepfefferter Widerstand
Welt: AfD emphasizes guiding principle: ’Father, mother, as many children as possible” | AfD betont Leitbild: „Vater, Mutter, möglichst viele Kinder“
Top-News
Olaf Scholz officially SPD candidate for chancellor: The delegates backed Scholz with only five votes against. In his speech, he declared that the SPD would fight for victory in the federal election on February 23. Scholz used his speech to clearly distance himself from the CDU. He said that the SPD stands for ordinary people who want to get things done but also have concerns. For these people, there would be bitter cutbacks in care and pensions if the CDU’s plans were implemented. The election is about a decision on direction, it is about fair wages, affordable housing and stable pensions. The election program was also adopted; the SPD promises more investment, social justice and stable pensions. faz.net, spiegel.de, zeit.de
CDU board approves security concept and economic policy: The CDU wants to contain security threats with additional investigative tools and a tougher line on migration policy. In addition, legally convicted criminals are to lose their right of residence. Merz linked his adherence to the firewall with the AfD to his office as party leader. The „Agenda 2030“ for the economy includes, among other things, proposals for tax reform; the income tax burden is to be reduced, the top tax rate is to apply only from 80,000 euros, and the basic tax-free allowance is to rise annually. Pensioners who voluntarily continue to work should receive up to €2,000 per month tax-free. The solidarity surcharge is to be abolished altogether, and the citizen’s income is to be converted into a so-called „new basic income“. rnd.de (security concept) faz.net, spiegel.de (economic policy)
AfD chose Alice Weidel as chancellor candidate: In the event of an election victory, Weidel announced an end to the current migration and climate policy; she promised closed borders and large-scale repatriations. The controversial term „remigration“ was not included in the original draft of the election program, but was added to the final election program by the party conference through an amendment; the delegates also tightened up the migration policy section in other places. The program includes mandatory military service, an exit from the euro, and less climate protection. It also states that a family consists of a father, mother, and children and that it is important to present the German Empire and Prussia in a positive light. spiegel.de, derstandard.at, fr.de, n-tv.de, handelsblatt.com
BSW decides on election manifesto: At the party conference in Bonn, the delegates approved the draft almost unanimously. In its energy policy, the BSW is calling for the reintroduction of Russian gas imports. Germany does not need cheap election promises, but it does need cheap energy again, said Wagenknecht. She criticized the sanctions against Russia and called for an unconditional ceasefire in the war in Ukraine. In terms of migration policy, the BSW demands that asylum procedures be carried out outside the EU in so-called safe third countries. In terms of social policy, the BSW advocates a minimum pension and a minimum wage of 15 euros per hour. The delegates also voted in favor of setting up their own party-affiliated foundation. spiegel.de, zdf. de, faz.net
BamS Sunday trend by Insa: Union 30 percent (-1), SPD 16 percent, Greens 13 percent, FDP 4 percent, AfD 22 percent (+2), Left 3 percent, BSW 6 percent (-1), others 6 percent. bild.de
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announces further aid at international Syria conference: Political dialogue between all population groups is necessary, Baerbock said at a meeting of foreign ministers in Saudi Arabia. Baerbock announced that Germany would provide a further 50 million euros for food, emergency shelter and medical care. She also held out the prospect of easing certain sanctions to make life easier for the people. However, punitive measures against the Assad clan and his henchmen would have to be maintained. Baerbock discussed the situation in Syria with her colleagues from several Western and Arab countries in Riyadh. The government of the new ruler Ahmed al-Sharaa was represented by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani. tagesschau.de, zeit.de, handelsblatt.com
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with US President Joe Biden about hostage negotiations in Qatar: Netanyahu reportedly informed Biden about progress in Qatar and the mandate of the Israeli delegation. Netanyahu is said to have thanked Biden and US President-elect Donald Trump „for their cooperation in this holy mission“. The White House said Biden stressed the urgent need for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and called for increased humanitarian aid. The US, Qatar and Egypt are mediating in the indirect negotiations in Doha between Israel and Hamas. handelsblatt.com
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offers exchange of North Korean prisoners of war: The soldiers could be handed over to Kim Jong Un if he organizes an exchange for Ukrainian prisoners of war in Moscow. Ukrainian troops captured two North Korean soldiers in the Russian oblast of Kursk over the weekend. Like all prisoners of war, the men received the necessary medical attention. According to the United States and South Korea, about 10,000 North Korean soldiers are fighting for Russia against Ukraine. spiegel.de, zdf.de, n-tv.de
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius warns of the dangers of hybrid attacks by Russia in the Baltic Sea: These happen every day, Pistorius said during a visit to the naval aviation base in Nordholz, Lower Saxony. He criticized the fact that there are some in Germany who still do not want to admit it. Such attacks are not only carried out in the Baltic Sea, but they are also carried out there. He therefore very much welcomes the fact that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte wants to further strengthen the presence of the alliance there. Germany will also make a strong contribution, Pistorius announced. tagesspiegel.de
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius sees no blocking of new military aid for Ukraine by Chancellor Olaf Scholz: The internal coordination of the German government is not yet complete, Pistorius told the Tagesspiegel. tagesspiegel.de
Ministry of Economics expects export difficulties after outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease: Exports of milk, dairy products, meat and meat products to non-EU countries will hardly be possible. The FMD virus has been detected in water buffalo in Hönow near Berlin. It is the first outbreak in Germany in more than 30 years. According to the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut in Greifswald, there are suitable vaccines against the virus type found in several dead water buffaloes. These could be produced within a few days. zeit.de, tagesspiegel.de, zdf.de
German army sets up division for military homeland security: The large unit will be responsible for securing infrastructure and important facilities in Germany, including ports, railways, pipelines, roads, bridges and digital infrastructure. A division consists of about 20,000 men and women, including reservists and active soldiers. So far, the army has three such large units. tagesschau.de, spiegel.de
Significantly more visas issued for skilled workers in 2024: According to initial projections, around 174,000 so-called „visas for employment purposes“ were issued, the WamS reports, citing government circles. That would be an increase of ten percent and a new high. IW Cologne economist Wido Geis-Thöne said that although the increase shows that Germany is becoming increasingly successful in attracting skilled workers from outside Europe, by no means all visa holders actually come to Germany to join its labor market. The reasons for this are the long duration and lack of transparency of the procedures. welt.de, zeit.de
Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach warns of high cost increases and calls for further structural reforms in the health care system: Without changes, costs would „mercilessly“ increase, said Lauterbach at Web.de. Among other things, he called for better preventive medicine, since it does not work in Germany. Far too little has been done to prevent diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases. The minister also hopes that electronic patient records will have a positive effect. A patient could then exchange information with a doctor via video, who could see all the medical findings. A visit to a doctor’s office would then no longer be necessary. web.de, tagesspiegel.de
Police union demands survivor benefits for life partners: In a letter to Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser, GdP leader Jochen Kopelke asks that the federal government’s survivor benefits also be extended to include non-registered life partners, thus ending the „discrimination against unmarried families“ in the pension law. The background to this is a case in Saxony, where a police officer was killed during an operation against car thieves. He leaves behind a daughter. According to media reports, the 32-year-old’s partner will not receive a survivor’s pension because she was not married to him. businessinsider.de
Government wants to allow the Bundeswehr to shoot down drones: A draft amendment to the Aviation Security Act stipulates that the armed forces could also use armed force against unmanned aerial vehicles to prevent a particularly serious accident, reports the DPA. In Germany, there are regular illegal flights of unmanned drones over critical infrastructure facilities – that is, energy, telecommunications, transport or industrial facilities. These are allegedly carried out by a state actor for sabotage and possibly terrorist purposes. The bill is to be presented to the cabinet on Wednesday. spiegel.de
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier calls for responsible voting: At the New Year’s reception at Bellevue Palace, Steinmeier called for a democratic future in which understanding, cooperation and compromise remained possible. He said that at a time when liberal democracies were under attack from both within and without, all voters bore responsibility for the common good. boerse.de
More than 200 lawyers demand initiation of AfD ban proceedings: All the conditions for this are met, according to an open letter to MPs and the government. The MPs would finally have to live up to their responsibility, said initiator Felix Dengler. In November, 17 constitutional law experts had also certified the prospect of success of a corresponding application to the constitutional court in a legal opinion to the Bundestag.
Damaged oil tanker „Eventin“ towed to off Sassnitz: The ship, loaded with around 99,000 tons of oil, is to be held in position about five kilometers off the coast by two tugs until a decision is made on how to proceed. It is not yet known when and where the 274-meter-long tanker will be repaired. According to official statements, there is no danger for the environment. The ship was en route from Russia to Egypt when the electricity on board failed during the night from Thursday to Friday. It drifted for several hours in the Baltic Sea, unable to maneuver. The ship is assigned to the Russian shadow fleet, which is used by Moscow to circumvent sanctions. faz.net
Government wants to financially support those affected by the attack at the Christmas market in Magdeburg: Minister of Justice Volker Wissing plans to use the so-called hardship benefit of the federal government for this purpose. According to the law, victims of terrorist attacks are entitled to up to 30,000 euros if they lose a parent, for example. This regulation has already been applied in the NSU murders or in the attack on Berlin’s Breitscheidplatz. tagesschau.de
Sports facilities often in poor condition: As reported by Funke Medien, citing a study by the German Institute of Urban Affairs, individual sports events can no longer take place in 40 percent of the municipalities surveyed due to the structural condition of the facilities. More than half of the cities and municipalities described the investment backlog as „serious“ or „significant“ for sports halls; for indoor swimming pools, the figure was as high as 62 percent. tagesschau.de
Violence at the commemoration of former communist leaders Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht in Berlin: During the traditional demonstration on the anniversary of the murders, there were clashes between demonstrators and the police. 17 officers were injured, more than 20 participants were arrested. According to the police, participants had chanted pro-Palestinian slogans from the group. Liebknecht and Luxemburg were killed on January 15, 1919 by right-wing Freikorps soldiers. spiegel.de
EU Digital Commissioner Henna Virkkunen announces consistent enforcement of the rules for online networks: She wants to ensure that citizens‘ rights are respected and laws are obeyed. The EU is concerned with creating a level playing field and a safe environment for all. The background to this is the latest statements by the heads of X and Meta, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. Zuckerberg had accused the EU of „censorship“ and said he would discontinue the fact-checking program on the Facebook and Instagram services because fact-checkers had been politically biased. Musk repeatedly attacks the EU over the Digital Services Act, which, among other things, requires online platforms to delete misinformation, terror glorification or depictions of sexual violence within 24 hours if possible. derstandard.at, faz.net
More regional news:
- Thuringia: According to the state court of auditors, 150 million euros are needed for personnel. thueringer-allgemeine.de
- Hamburg: Sawed-off AfD candidate Iris Vobbe wants high compensation from party. abendblatt.de
- Hessen: Cities will stick with X and Facebook for the time being. fr.de
- Brandenburg: Potsdam’s mayor Mike Schubert wants to campaign for trust despite the motion of no confidence. tagesspiegel.de
- Berlin: Arrests and charges following Palestine protest with over 400 people at Alexanderplatz. tagesspiegel.de
Social Democrat Zoran Milanovic remains president of Croatia: After counting almost all of the votes, Milanovic received 75 percent of the vote. His challenger, Dragan Primorac, received 25 percent of the vote; he is supported by the conservative ruling party HDZ. Milanovic had already won the first round of the presidential election in late December by a wide margin. He served as the country’s prime minister from 2011 to 2016 and was first elected president in 2020. As president, he has cultivated a populist rhetoric and a style that is close to the people. This has allowed him to appeal not only to his traditional left-wing voters, but also to right-wing and ultra-right voters. spiegel.de, tagesschau.de, zdf.de, faz.net, n-tv.de
Italy has released detained Iranian: Italy has stopped the extradition of an Iranian to the USA and released him: Justice Minister Carlo Nordio applied to the court in Milan to lift the man’s detention. He had been arrested in Italy in December at the request of the United States. He is accused of supplying drones that were used to kill US soldiers in Jordan. According to the Iranian government, the man has already returned to Tehran. Just a few days ago, Italian journalist Cecilia Sala was released in Iran. She had been held in the notorious Evin prison for 20 days. It was speculated that the journalist had been arrested in Iran to force an exchange. spiegel.de, n-tv.de
Protests in Slovakia against the government’s pro-Russian course: Tens of thousands of people have once again demonstrated against the policies of Prime Minister Robert Fico. They accused him of betraying Western allies and neighboring Ukraine, which is being attacked by Russia. There were rallies in 15 cities. According to the organizers‘ estimates, 15,000 people gathered in front of the government office on Freedom Square in Bratislava alone. The trigger for the protests was Fico’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow shortly before Christmas. tagesschau.de
Sudanese military has regained control of the strategically important city of Wad Madani: The army said they had driven out the troops of the RSF militia. The RSF militia confirmed the loss of the city. Wad Madani is the capital of the federal state of Al-Jasira, south of the capital Khartoum. The RSF militia had advanced there at the end of 2023. The conquest of the area triggered a massive flight. vol.at
Mozambique’s opposition leader Venancio Mondlane calls for demonstrations against the swearing-in of Daniel Chapo as president: He called on his supporters to refrain from violence and looting. Chapo belongs to the ruling party Frelimo, which has ruled the former Portuguese colony since 1975. He is scheduled to be sworn in on January 15. Mondlane views the October presidential election as rigged. The violence caused the opposition leader to flee the country. He returned to Mozambique from exile only last week and once again declared his claim to the presidency. suedostschweiz.ch
Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai against recognition of the Taliban: The Taliban created a system of gender apartheid in Afghanistan and robbed women of all freedoms, their cruelty knows no bounds. She accused the Islamists of not considering women to be human. So far, no country in the world has officially recognized the Taliban government in Afghanistan. Although they promised a moderate form of government when they came to power in 2021, women and girls are excluded from higher education and many professions. deutschlandfunkkultur.de
Iran threatens new US administration: Hussein Salami, the supreme commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, has threatened a long war if the US makes „strategic mistakes“. Salami called Iran „militarily up to date“ and „ready for major battles“. Despite these statements, experts see Iran in a weakened position. After the developments in Lebanon and the change of power in Syria, the country is suffering from significant political and economic problems. Energy shortages and acute air pollution have forced the government to close schools, universities, banks and public institutions in recent weeks. n-tv.de
Head of South Korean presidential security forces resigns: The security service had prevented investigators from executing an arrest warrant against the suspended head of state, Yoon Suk-yeol. Interim President Choi Sang-mok explicitly justified the resignation with the events of January 3. Yoon Suk-yeol had ignored several summons to appear for questioning by the South Korean anti-corruption agency. A new attempt at an arrest is to be made soon. handelsblatt.com
California Governor Gavin Newsom expects the most expensive natural disaster in US history: One of the fires has been contained according to official reports, but three other fires are still not under control. The death toll has risen to 16. Stronger winds are hampering the fight against the fires around Los Angeles. Meteorologists do not expect the situation to ease up until the end of the week, when temperatures are expected to drop and some rain is expected. Newsom expects the fires in Los Angeles to become the most expensive natural disaster in US history. faz.net, tagesschau.de
Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro sworn in for third term: He took the oath of office in parliament in Caracas on Friday. The election commission, which is loyal to the regime, declared Maduro the winner after the controversial presidential election in July. However, it has not yet presented accurate results. The Venezuelan opposition claims victory for itself and its candidate Edmundo González. stern.de, faz.net
More news:
- EU: EU Commission – EU sees Europe’s economic attractiveness wane. handelsblatt.com
- EU: Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck warns US President-elect Donald Trump: Europe is prepared for a trade war. focus.de
- EU: Number of asylum applications in the EU down by twelve percent. welt.de
- Estonia: Baltic state wants to protect itself from further sabotage. rnd.de
- Moldova: Russia’s Vladimir Putin is now letting „his“ Transnistria freeze. diepresse.com
- Romania: Mass protests against the annulment of the presidential election. n-tv.de
- Denmark: Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen wants to talk to Donald Trump about Greenland. zeit.de
- Belgium: NATO maritime security operation taken over. grenzecho.net
- Belgium: Protest against pension reform. goslarsche.de
- Bosnia and Herzegovina: Republika Srpska celebrates banned anniversary. dw.com
- Austria: Interim Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg assures EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of Austria’s reliability. sn.at
- Netherlands: Police in The Hague arrest hundreds of climate activists for blocking a highway. deutschlandfunk.de
- Netherlands: Tens of thousands of data records of collaborators with the Nazis withdrawn from list due to incorrect data. spiegel.de
- Slovakia: Prime Minister Robert Fico opts for confrontation. tagesspiegel.de
- Slovakia: Protests against government’s pro-Russian course. deutschlandfunk.de
- Norway: Construction of bunkers to be mandatory again in preparation for war. web.de
- Chad: President Mahamat Déby’s ruling party wins parliamentary elections. zeit.de
- South Korea: Black box failed four minutes before accident. tagesschau.de
- China: Beijing wants to build several dams in the Himalayas; countries downstream fear the worst. faz.net
- China: Bond purchases suspended. handelsblatt.com
- USA: Judge imposes no penalty on Donald Trump, but guilty verdict in hush money trial remains. lto.de
- USA: US special prosecutor against Donald Trump Jack Smith resigned. derstandard.at
- USA: Donald Trump Jr. allegedly faked jubilation in Greenland with free steaks. thueringer-allgemeine.de
- USA: Meta becomes Trump-compatible: Mark Zuckerberg accuses Biden of censorship and cancels diversity programs. n-tv.de
- USA: Tiktok must fear a ban in the USA. faz.net
Business
- Telekom CEO Timotheus Höttges calls for a digital ministry and an expansion turbo law. heise.de
- Tens of thousands of companies are at risk of closure in the coming years because owners cannot find a successor. tagesschau.de
- Rip-off with text message packages: Thousands of complaints to Federal Network Agency. heise.de
- Health insurance: Additional contributions could rise to 20 percent by 2030. wiwo.de
- ICE rides from 10.79 euros – Travel cheap: Deutsche Bahn launches a saver price. rnd.de
- E-Auto-Markt – Absturz einer Ikone: Tesla is just one of many providers. wiwo.de
- Rising yields: alarm in the bond market – Concern over punitive tariffs and rising inflation is causing bond yields to rise worldwide. The situation is particularly dramatic in the UK. wiwo.de
- Despite shutdowns: streaming piracy is booming. teltarif.de
- Streaming: More and more customers are accepting advertising. teltarif.de
- Handelsblatt boss on the Zuckerberg turnaround: „Not everything is perfect for quality media either“. kress.de
- We don’t have any more time: Schwäbische Zeitung publisher Lutz Schumacher tears down the paywall – The pace of the decline of print is dramatic. kress.de
- Prestigious award: German sculptor Katharina Fritsch is to receive the 2025 Goslar Kaiserring. monopol-magazin.de
- Actor with financial worries: Oscar contender Djimon Hounsou has to „fight to make a living“. spiegel.de
- Mozart sounds accent-free in China, too: European classical music is a world language. nzz.ch
- After her husband’s miss: Pregnant wife of Kai Havertz receives hate messages. rnd.de
- Not Michael Douglas: Glenn Close reveals best kisser – Robert Redford. n-tv.de
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- Contract with FC Bayern expires: Neuer makes a telling suggestion about his future – „When the time comes, you will hear about it and I would just say: soon“. sport.de
- FA Cup: Tottenham have to stay behind at fifth-division Tamworth FC – 3-0 after extra time. sportschau.de
- Tennis – Australian Open: Zverev wins. faz.net
- Summer rain and keeping your nerve: Tatjana Maria wins at the Australian Open. sueddeutsche.de
- „It’s possible“: Rosberg believes in early F1 farewell for Verstappen. sport.de
- World Cup in St. Moritz: The German bobsleigh empire strikes again – Women – All three German sleds took to the podium. sportschau.de
Dutch skydiver ends up in monkey enclosure by mistake. rtl.de