Bild: Schumi: Granddaughter should now give him strength | Schumi: Enkelin soll ihm jetzt Kraft geben
FAZ: China welcomes exemptions from tariffs for electronic devices | China begrüßt Ausnahmen bei Zöllen auf Elektrogeräte
Funke: Easter vacations: Numerous cancellations in public transportation | Osterferien: Zahlreiche Ausfälle im öffentlichen Nahverkehr
Handelsblatt: Merz’s warning | Merz‘ Warnung
RND: Five mistakes in the tariff dispute: How Trump is harming America | Fünf Fehler im Zollstreit: So schadet Trump Amerika
SZ: Merz sparks new dispute with the SPD | Merz entfacht neuen Streit mit der SPD
Tagesspiegel: Pensions, care, health – experts warn of significantly rising contributions | Renten, Pflege, Gesundheit – Experten warnen vor deutlich steigenden Beiträgen
taz: „‘Nature conservation is not about endangered frog species, it’s about our own backsides’“ (Steffi Lemke) | „‚Es geht beim Naturschutz nicht um bedrohte Froscharten, es geht um unseren Allerwertesten’“ (Steffi Lemke)
Welt: A dispute over minimum wage looming between Union and SPD | Zwischen Union und SPD droht Streit über Mindestlohn
Middle-class income tax cuts not yet decided: CDU leader Friedrich Merz told the BamS that the reduction of income tax for small and medium incomes was not yet „fixed“. They would have liked to have arranged this with the Social Democrats from the outset, but there were differences of opinion. Income tax should be lowered if the public budget allows it. SPD Secretary-General Matthias Miersch emphasized that, of course, individual projects in the coalition agreement are subject to financing. But the CDU/CSU knows how important the relief of small and medium incomes is to the SPD. zdf.de, faz.net
- Saxony’s Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer is convinced that the planned measures to limit migration will significantly reduce the numbers. Common sense has returned in asylum policy, Kretschmer said on DLF.
- CDU leader Friedrich Merz wants to push the number of asylum applications below 100,000 per year. tagesspiegel.de
- Ates Gürpinar, deputy leader of the Left Party, called the coalition government’s migration policy „an accelerant for even more votes for the AfD“. fr.de
- Poland’s commissioner for Germany, Krzysztof Ruchniewicz, urged cooperation; he said it was more important to protect the external borders together than to turn back asylum seekers.
New government to start work on Tuesday, May 6: CDU leader Friedrich Merz told Handelsblatt that the CDU and SPD want to implement several resolutions in the two months before the parliamentary summer break. National borders must be better protected, more deportations must be carried out; Merz also mentioned the abolition of the supply chain law and reducing bureaucracy. handelsblatt.com
Deputy parliamentary leader Jens Spahn wants a new approach to the AfD: Spahn told BamS that the AfD should be treated the same as other opposition parties when it comes to organizational matters in the Bundestag. Politicians must recognize that millions of Germans voted for this party. faz.net, sueddeutsche.de
Israel expands military operation in Gaza: Israel’s army confirmed it had carried out an attack on a hospital building in the north of the Gaza Strip. It said the target a Hamas command center in the Al-Ahli Hospital. One person was killed. A warning had been issued in advance. According to Palestinian reports, seven people were killed in an Israeli air strike on a car in the center of the Gaza Strip. Israel had previously announced it would move into the corridor that separates the cities of Rafah and Khan Yunis. zdf.de, handelsblatt.com
Missile attack on Sumy kills more than 30 and sparks international outrage: Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the international community to take decisive action in response to the Russian missile attack. At least 80 people were injured in the attack, including many children. Two Russian missiles hit the center of Sumy as worshippers gathered for Palm Sunday celebrations. Buildings and numerous vehicles went up in flames. Zelenskyi spoke of a „devastating missile attack“ that hit „perfectly normal streets, perfectly normal lives“ in the city. „Russia wants exactly this kind of terror and is dragging out this war. Without pressure on Russia, peace is impossible. Talks have never stopped ballistic missiles and aerial bombs,“ Zelenskyi said. tagesschau.de, zdf.de
ZDF Politbarometer by Forschungsgruppe Wahlen: CDU/CSU 26 percent (-1), AfD 24 percent (+2), SPD 15 percent (-1), Greens 12 percent, Left Party 10 percent, BSW 4 percent, FDP 3 percent, other 6 percent. (changes compared to March 21) presseportal.zdf.de
BamS Sunday trend by Insa: CDU 25 percent (+1), AfD 24 percent, SPD 16 percent, Greens 11 percent, Left Party 10 percent (-1), BSW 5 percent (+1), FDP 3 percent (-1), others 6 percent. bild.de
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius surprised by reports of problems with German weapons in Ukraine: He had noted the reports with astonishment, Pistorius said on the sidelines of the meeting of the Ukraine contact group. He is in regular contact with the Ukrainian partners, and he is not aware of reports like this or complaints about the material. stern. de, mdr.de
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier emphasizes the necessity of immigration for Germany’s future: At a naturalization ceremony in Cologne, he said that while clearer rules for migration to Europe are needed, the truth is that Germany also depends on immigration. „Without naturalizations, our country would not only be poorer in many respects, it would also have far fewer opportunities for a good future.“ That is why it is important to naturalize people who have been living here for a long time and want to stay. t-online.de
New portal aims to better warn citizens of natural disasters: On naturgefahrenportal.de, citizens can find out about current warnings and recommendations for action. According to the weather service’s president, Sarah C. Jones, the initial focus is on hydrological hazards such as floods or storm surges. Later, natural hazards such as forest fires, droughts, avalanches or earthquakes should also be mapped. The portal was developed as a consequence of the flood in the Ahr Valley; the data from various government agencies are bundled there. tagesschau.de
Denmark extends border controls with Germany for another six months: The Ministry of Justice in Copenhagen said the decision was due to the ongoing threat of terror. Among others, militant Islamists pose a threat. This is a consequence of the conflict in the Middle East. Denmark introduced border controls at the beginning of 2016 in the wake of the refugee crisis and has used various jusifications to repeatedly extend them. tageblatt.de
More News:
- Berlin: Attacker dead after fatal knife attack at Sophie-Charlotte-Platz station; Interior Senator Iris Spranger is considering expanding weapon-free zones. zdf.de
- Bavaria: Munich public prosecutor’s office is investigating links to other crimes after a cable fire on a railway line; suspicion of arson.
- Brandenburg: Municipalities warn of the consequences of the coalition agreement at the federal level and Germany’s ‚double budget‘. tagesspiegel.de
- Brandenburg: SPD parliamentary leader Björn Lüttmann sees radicalization of the AfD. n-tv.de
- North Rhine-Westphalia: Fire brigade deployed to fight several forest fires. tagesschau.de
- Berlin: Demolition of the dilapidated Ringbahn bridge and Westendbrücke on the A100 continues. rbb24.de
- Brandenburg: Former Minister of Economics Jörg Steinbach is annoyed with Tesla boss Elon Musk. sueddeutsche.de
European Central Bank prepares for threats to financial stability due to US tariffs: The European Central Bank is monitoring the situation and is ready to use the instruments at its disposal at any time, ECB President Christine Lagarde said after talks with eurozone finance ministers in Warsaw . There have recently been strong price fluctuations in the bond and stock markets. Finance Minister Jörg Kukies said that Trump would not achieve his stated goals, such as reducing the US trade deficit, by imposing higher tariffs. He added that such tariffs were harmful to both sides.
EU finance ministers discuss defense fund: At a meeting in Warsaw, the possibilities of joint arms financing were discussed, but no decisions were taken. A common defense fund could be used to purchase weapons and ammunition, for example, and then make them available to members in return for payment. According to Poland, some member states have shown interest in the idea. However, Germany, France and Belgium told agency reports that the EU should first examine existing instruments such as the European Investment Bank before creating new models. The proposal is part of a comprehensive European effort to prepare for a potential Russian attack. faz.net, tageblatt.lu
Thousands protest on behalf of Poland’s nationalist PiS party: The organizers spoke of 100,000 participants in the capital Warsaw, the city administration of around 20,000. Many demonstrators waved Polish flags and held up posters in support of presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki. A new head of state will be elected in Poland in May. Incumbent Andrzej Duda resigned from the PiS at the beginning of his term for symbolic reasons, but since Prime Minister Donald Tusk took office in December 2023, he has blocked most of the government’s plans. euronews.com
US President Donald Trump announces statement on tariff exemptions for electronic products for Monday: The US Customs and Border Protection Agency had announced that the new additional tariffs would not be levied on smartphones, laptops, hard drives and memory chips, among other things. This applies retroactively to April 5. No reason was given. Trump has repeatedly imposed, raised, lowered, corrected and suspended tariffs in the past. The US continues to impose surcharges of 145 percent on imports from China, one of the major producers of electrical appliances. spiegel. de, faz.net
Tens of thousands take part in protests against US President Donald Trump: According to the organizer, around 36,000 people gathered in Los Angeles for a rally by US Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Sanders said the U.S. is currently realizing that a few billionaires control the economy and are rapidly transforming the country into an authoritarian form of society. tagesschau.de, spiegel.de, tagesschau.de
More news:
- Italy: Asylum seekers deported to Albania for first time. tagesspiegel.de
- Greece: Debts from first rescue package to be repaid earlier; annual repayment tranches increased. n-tv.de
- Spain: Flooding on Lanzarote after heavy rainfall. wetteronline.de
- Greece: Rioters in the Exarchia district of central Athens, known as a stronghold of autonomous and extreme left-wing groups; 70 arrests. spiegel.de
- Great Britain: Parliament votes to rescue British Steel. n-tv.de
- Greece: Concern over Turkish real estate purchases in the country. dw.com
- Spain: Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visits China. faz.net
- Hungary: Government openly pursues foreign policy in its own interest. srf.ch
- Croatia: Decades after the Yugoslav Wars, the country could be mine-free by next year. spiegel.de
- Romania: George Simion, a candidate of the right-wing Alliance for the Unification of Romanians, is leading in the polls for the presidential election. taz.de
- Hungary: Thousands protest in Budapest against the ban on Pride parades. n-tv.de
- Bulgaria: Country depends on Russia for spare parts and America for new construction when building nuclear power plants. faz.net
- Denmark: Greenlandic Kenneth Høegh becomes Arctic ambassador. spiegel.de
- France: The arrest of an Algerian consular employee in Paris has caused tensions with Algeria. spiegel.de
- France: Mobile phone ban tightened at secondary schools. heise.de
- Congo: Dozens killed in fresh fighting in east of the country. welt.de
- Sudan: RSF militia claims to have taken the Samsam refugee camp, which is home to 500,000 internally displaced people. faz.net
- South Africa: Ten-party coalition wobbles. faz.net
- Japan: World Expo in Osaka opens to visitors; German pavilion focuses, among other things, on the circular economy. n-tv.de
- China: Xi Jinping removes the country’s second-highest-ranking general. faz.net
- China: Hong Kong denies British Member of Parliament Wera Hobhouse entry; Hobhouse criticized human rights violations in China. spiegel.de
- Ecuador: Incumbent Daniel Noboa declared the winner of the runoff election with around 56 percent of the vote; opponent refuses to recognize the result. tagesschau.de
- Argentina: Tough currency controls relaxed; private individuals can buy unlimited US dollars. faz.net
- Brazil: Former head of state Jair Bolsonaro undergoes further surgery. spiegel.de
Cheaper energy pushes inflation rate down to 2.2 percent in March: Goods and services became 2.2 percent more expensive compared to the same month last year, according to the Federal Statistical Office, thus confirming an earlier estimate. In February, prices rose by 2.3 percent. The decline in March is mainly due to the fact that consumers spent less on fuel and heating. t-online.de
More news:
- German Federal Cartel Office issues warning to Vodafone for hindering competitor 1&1. heise.de
- Kaufland wants to become a European alternative to Amazon and Temu. handelsblatt.com
- Bitter dispute between DHL and online retailers over special allowance. faz.net
- Company builds Iris-T defense system: Entrepreneur and patron Werner Diehl has died. n-tv.de
- An increasing number of bakeries are closing down; smaller bakeries are particularly affected. n-tv.de
- ARD Acceptance Study 2025: Less than half of Germans feel represented by ARD meedia.de
- Conflict in public broadcasting: „Right-wing populist nonsense“ – Böhmermann complains about new ARD magazine welt. de
- Protection of minors on social media: Targeted advertising during emotional crises? Whistleblower makes serious allegations against Meta meedia.de
- Obituary for Margarita Polovinko: Ukrainian artist dies on the front at 31 years old monopol-magazin.de
- Spain questions Israel’s participation in the ESC faz.net
- European television series are becoming more successful mmm.verdi.de
- Prince Harry is back from Ukraine with a gift for his family: The gift basket contains pastries from Julija Swyrydenko, 39, the Ukrainian Minister for Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture gala.de
- After a severe lung disease: Pope Francis makes surprise appearance at Palm Sunday mass spiegel.de
- Stephan Weil on his hobbies: The Prime Minister of Lower Saxony likes to iron in the garden spiegel.de
- Second-league football: FC Schalke 04 embarrasses itself against bottom-of-the-league Regensburg welt.de
- Coach misses game against Manchester – concern at Newcastle United: Coach Howe in hospital sportbuzzer.de
- Happy victory against West Ham: Van Dijk heads Liverpool towards the championship sportschau.de
- Women’s Bundesliga: 3-0 win in Frankfurt – FC Bayern takes a big step towards the championship sportschau.de
- ERC Ingolstadt in DEL semi-final against Kölner Haie: A real slog – shortened to 2:3 in series sueddeutsche.de
- Tennis – Masters in Monte Carlo: Carlos Alcaraz overtakes Zverev after win sportschau.de
- Cobblestone race: Paris-Roubaix – van der Poel triumphs ahead of Pogacar sportschau.de
- Money drives darts star Luke Littler to chase records sport.de
To drink undisturbed: Ed Sheeran has his own pub in the garden n-tv.de