Bild: Fear of death | Todesangst
FAZ: Authorities knew about threats from Magdeburg rampage driver | Behörden wussten von Drohungen des Magdeburger Amokfahrers
Funke: Magdeburg attacker had previously made terror threats | Magdeburg-Attentäter drohte bereits früher mit Terror
Handelsblatt: Risk of an election campaign run on fear | Risiko Angst-Wahlkampf
RND: Calls grow: security authorities should be given more powers | Forderungen nehmen zu: Sicherheitsbehörden sollen mehr Befugnisse erhalten
SZ: The attacker was known to the authorities | Attentäter war den Behörden bekannt
Tagesspiegel: Authorities received information about the Magdeburg perpetrator: Faeser promises quick investigation | Behörden erhielten Hinweise auf Täter von Magdeburg: Faeser verspricht schnelle Aufklärung
taz: Perplexed mourning | Ratlose Trauer
Welt: Attack on a symbol of Christianity | Angriff auf ein Symbol des Christlichen
Top-News
Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser sees the culprit as not fitting into any existing pattern: In Magdeburg, police continue to investigate the attack at the Christmas market with five dead and more than 200 injured. Taleb A. had acted like an Islamist terrorist, although ideologically he is apparently an Islamophobe. The task now is to bring together all the information about him from the authorities and the judiciary, said Faeser. The Federal Criminal Police Office is involved in the investigation. The public prosecutor’s office in Magdeburg has applied for an arrest warrant for the 50-year-old on charges of murder and multiple attempted murder. The motives of the man, who comes from Saudi Arabia, remain unclear. zdf.de, tagesschau.de
Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser calls for new laws on internal security to be passed quickly: Faeser mentioned in Spiegel, for example, the strengthening of the federal police or the biometric surveillance of foreigners. She said that everything must be done to protect people in Germany from such acts of violence. spiegel.de
BamS Sunday trend from Insa: Union 32 percent (+1), SPD 16 percent (-1), Greens 12 percent (+1), FDP 5 percent, AfD 20 percent, Left 3 percent, BSW 8 percent, others 4 percent. bild.de
New rulers in Syria want to place all weapons under state control: After a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa said that all militias in Syria would have to disband and join the Syrian army. The weapons of the Kurdish fighters would also be placed under state control. The Kurdish militia YPG controls large parts of the north of the country. Turkey regards the YPG as an offshoot of the banned labor party PKK. tagesschau.de
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warns of escalation in Kurdish areas: The security of the Kurds is essential for a free and secure future for Syria, Baerbock said, adding that her Turkish interlocutors had rightly warned of the dangers of terrorism, which endangers Turkey’s security interests. This is a legitimate concern. It goes without saying that north-eastern Syria must not pose a threat to Turkey. Baerbock met with her Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan and intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin. sueddeutsche.de, spiegel.de, n-tv.de
Numerous deaths due to air strikes in Gaza: Eight people, including children, are reported to have been killed in Gaza City when a school that was housing refugee families was bombarded. According to the Israeli military, the building was a command center for the terrorist organization Hamas. Further deaths were reported in Rafah and Khan Yunis. In the city of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza, the Israeli army has called for the evacuation of a clinic, according to Palestinians. handelsblatt.com
Russia once again hit Ukraine with drone attacks late Sunday evening: the Ukrainian air defense reported the entry of drone swarms from multiple directions. The targets of the combat drones were not visible due to the constantly changing flight directions during the initial approach. With this tactic, the Russian military is trying to overload the Ukrainian air defense. According to the military in Kiev, about 50 out of 100 drones were destroyed. Details about targets or possible victims were not given. welt.de
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico for talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin: It is the first trip to Russia by an official representative of the Slovak Republic since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. There was no official information about the content of the talks. The conversation with Putin may have been about Russian gas supplies. Fico is one of the few European leaders still to maintain close ties with Moscow. When he returned to the premiership in 2023, he rejected further military aid for Ukraine. Fico, like his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban, is also calling for peace talks with Russia. tagesspiegel.de, stern.de, welt.de
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius sees a role for Germany in the ceasefire in Ukraine: It is clear that Germany, as the largest NATO country in Europe and the largest economy in Europe, cannot stand by uninvolved, Pistorius told the Funke newspapers. At the same time, he made it clear that there would be no German soldiers on Ukrainian soil as long as the war was ongoing. He also called for better protection against the hybrid threats from Russia. Putin knows Germany very well and knows how to carry out acts of sabotage. This concerns attacks on infrastructure and energy supply. But it is also about campaigns in social media and influencing election campaigns. n-tv.de, zdf.de, tagesschau.de
Wind farm operators believe more surveillance at sea is necessary: Stefan Thimm, head of the German Offshore Wind Association, says wind turbines in the North and Baltic Seas should be better protected against sabotage and espionage. He believes that the police mission proposed by Poland is a step in the right direction. He said that it must be ensured that state-authorized forces monitor the seas and thus increase security; the operators themselves could not do this. haz.de, handelsblatt.de
Thuringia’s Prime Minister Mario Voigt calls for repatriation of non-integrated Syrians: There are many Syrians in Thuringia who are trying hard and want to participate; these people are very welcome. However, there are also Syrians who, after years, have not integrated into society. Voigt emphasized that after the fall of the Assad regime, there is no reason why they should be here. zeit.de
Billions in claims against defaulting child-maintenance payers: The Ministry for Family Affairs announced that the state is owed around 5.2 billion euros by people who are obliged to pay child maintenance. The relevant state authorities had recorded the claims by the end of last year. The state steps in with the advance maintenance payment if someone does not pay maintenance to their children, or not enough. The state can reclaim the benefit if it turns out that the person liable for maintenance would actually be able to pay. handelsblatt.com
Finance Minister Jörg Kukies considers changes to debt brake to be inevitable: The debt brake has had positive effects in the Corona crisis, but now a large investment backlog has built up that everyone can see, Kukies told the Rheinische Post. Bridges, kindergartens and schools have suffered from decades of underinvestment. That is why a „targeted“ reform is needed. Although changes would not provide unlimited funds either, it is illusory to want to generate the necessary funds through savings alone. The regulation enshrined in the German constitution only allows new borrowing within a narrowly defined framework. rp-online.de, zeit.de
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier announces decision to call new election after Christmas: Steinmeier had discussed the matter with the leaders of all the parliamentary parties. They are aiming for February 23 as the date for the new election. It has become necessary because Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a vote of confidence in parliament at the beginning of last week, as he had aimed to do. The Bundestag cannot dissolve itself. According to Article 68 of the Basic Law, the decision on this lies with the Federal President. He is not obliged to do so. lto.de
BSW presents a short manifesto: In the eight-page paper entitled „Our country deserves more!“, It focuses on social policy with a rent freeze and a minimum pension. It also calls for a reversal of the ban on cars with combustion engines and of the heating law. In foreign policy, it opposes Ukraine’s accession to the EU. In migration policy, the BSW calls for a change of course with asylum procedures outside the EU in safe third countries. tagesspiegel.de, tagesschau.de
Saarland’s Prime Minister Anke Rehlinger in favor of accelerated expansion of the Moselle locks: More speed is needed in view of the second chambers that still have to be built. This has become all too clear with the accident at the Müden lock. There is a bottleneck there. tagesschau.de
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has described the collective agreement at Volkswagen as a good and socially responsible solution: the compromise reached by the collective bargaining partners ensures that the group and its employees will have a secure future despite all the hardships. Volkswagen and IG Metall had agreed to cut 35,000 jobs by 2030; there will be no plant closures and no layoffs. zdf.de, heise.de
EU reaches agreement with Switzerland for more intensive cooperation: Swiss President Viola Amherd expressed relief that the last points of contention could be resolved. The agreement replaces over 120 individual regulations. It covers, among other things, free travel, food safety and equal competition conditions. Switzerland will get improved access to the EU single market as well as funding. At the same time, it has committed to long-term contributions to an EU fund. The agreement still needs to be ratified by both sides before it can come into force. In Switzerland, a referendum is required for this. faz.net, web.de, spiegel.de
More Regional:
- Berlin: CDU faction leader Dirk Stettner calls for custody pending deportation at Tegel airport. n-tv.de
- Berlin: The state office for the protection of the constitution is investigating more than 230 undercover profiles on social media platforms. rbb24.de
- Bremerhaven: Police arrest man after threat against Christmas market. t-online.de
- Saxony: Left-wing local politicians in Görlitz brutally attacked. spiegel.de
- Bremen: Art gallery seeks dialog with heirs of looted art. butenunbinnen.de
- Hamburg: 42 fines for cannabis violations. ndr.de
- Schleswig-Holstein: According to Environment Minister Tobias Goldschmidt, the majority of the dikes have been repaired since the storm surge. n-tv.de
France’s nuclear reactor in Flamanville connected to the grid: President Emmanuel Macron called it a great moment for the country. Nuclear power will strengthen France’s competitiveness and protect the climate, he said. The construction time was a total of 17 years. The reactor in Flamanville was originally supposed to go online as early as 2012, but completion was delayed due to technical problems and mishaps. The total costs were recently estimated at 13.2 billion euros, about four times more than planned. France has a total of 56 nuclear reactors and plans to build 14 more. golem.de
Court in Palermo acquits Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini in trial over his handling of migrants in the Mediterranean: In August 2019, the then interior minister had refused to allow the rescue ship „Open Arms“, with around 150 refugees on board, to enter the port of Lampedusa for weeks. The crew reported untenable conditions on the completely overcrowded ship. The public prosecutor had called for a six-year prison sentence for Salvini, who was charged with false imprisonment and abuse of office. tageblatt.lu, rheinpfalz.de, dw.com
Poland recalls ambassador to Hungary: Tensions have arisen between the two countries after Hungary granted asylum to a politician wanted in Poland on corruption charges. Poland summoned Hungary’s ambassador and handed him a note of protest. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also criticized Hungary for its actions. The country had granted asylum to Marcin Romanowski, a former member of the PiS government; Polish prosecutors are investigating Romanowski on various criminal charges. A European arrest warrant has been issued for him. fr.de, orf.at
EU agrees on agreement with Switzerland for more intensive cooperation: Swiss President Viola Amherd expressed relief that the last points of contention could be resolved. The agreement replaces over 120 individual regulations. It covers, among other things, free travel, food safety and equal competition conditions. Switzerland will get improved access to the EU single market as well as funding. At the same time, it has committed to long-term contributions to an EU fund. The agreement still needs to be ratified by both sides before it can come into force. In Switzerland, a referendum is required for this. faz.net, web.de, spiegel.de
Chinese Foreign Ministry protests against US military aid to Taiwan worth around 570 million dollars: This represents a serious violation of the sovereignty and security interests of the People’s Republic, the Foreign Ministry in Beijing stated. They would defend themselves against this step, it was stated. The White House in Washington had announced the military aid for Taiwan a few days ago; no further details of the package were given. zeit.de, focus.de
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could fall at the end of January: the main allies of the „New Democrats“ announced that they would table a motion of no confidence against Trudeau after the parliamentary winter break. If all opposition parties support the motion, he would lose his office after about nine years and new elections would have to be held. Polls predict that the Liberals would lose to the opposition right-wing conservatives if this were to happen. rnd.de
President-elect Donald Trump threatens to take the Panama Canal away from Panama: He criticized what he sees as excessive user fees and wrote that the United States had given the canal to Panama out of generosity and would demand it back if legal principles were not observed. Trump also hinted that the canal should not fall into Chinese hands. The United States built most of the canal and managed it for a long time. Twenty-five years ago, the US government handed over complete control to Panama. faz.net, zdf.de
More News:
- EU: Brussels suspends visa exemption for Georgian diplomats in the face of ongoing protests. euronews.com
- EU: Proceedings against EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen postponed until January 6; suspicion of corruption. grenzecho.net
- Iceland: Social Democrat Kristrun Mjöll Frostadottir becomes Iceland’s prime minister. zeit.de
- Albania: Twitter banned for a year after fatal stabbing. turi2.de
- Lithuania: No evidence of sabotage in crash of DHL plane. zeit.de
- Austria: Pressure on coalition negotiators is increasing. derstandard.de
- Austria: Criticism of the revocation of asylum for Syrians before Christmas. noe.orf.at
- France: EU grants emergency aid for the overseas territory of Mayotte after the cyclone. stern.de
- Serbia: Thousands of students and schoolchildren demonstrate against the government in Belgrade around two months after the collapse of a train station roof. tagesschau.de
- Belgium: A train conductor triggers a political debate on bilingualism with a simple „good morning“. web.de
- Bosnia and Herzegovina: Sarajevo has some of the worst air quality in the world. euronews.com
- France: Those jointly responsible for the murder of Samuel Paty have been sentenced to long prison terms. spiegel.de
- Sweden: Government wants to resume uranium mining; ban to be lifted. rnd.de
- Nigeria: 67 dead in stampedes at food distribution. zdf.de
- Mozambique: Death toll from Cyclone „Chido“ rises to 94. faz.net
- USA: Elon Musk made false claims to stir up sentiment against US transition budget. handelsblatt.com
- USA: After the House of Representatives, the Senate also votes in favor of a transitional budget. spiegel.de
- USA: After mystery over absence: Reporters find US Representative Kay Granger in home for dementia care. derstandard.at
- Guatemala: 160 children rescued from extremist Jewish sect. spiegel.de
- El Salvador: Goodbye to Bitcoin; Payment method since 2021. zdf.de
Business
Deutsche Bahn boss Richard Lutz defends high ticket prices at Christmas: Those who travel spontaneously pay more for their booking, Lutz told the Tagesspiegel. He recommended planning ahead to travel cheaply. Lutz explained that the group made around 700 million euros less in long-distance transport revenue this year. In addition to the strikes in the first half of the year, this is mainly due to unpunctual trains, unplanned construction work and fewer bookings. On top of this, compensation has to be paid to passengers. In 2024, „a significant triple-digit million amount“ will be due here. zdf.de, rnd.de
More from Business, Tech and Science:
- Established industries under pressure: economic expert Veronika Grimm expects a slight increase in unemployment. n-tv.de
- 4,000 VW managers are to take a 10 percent pay cut. n-tv.de
- Austerity program for Mercedes managers. heise.de
- Irregularities at BMW in connection with exports to Russia. spiegel.de
- Christmas trade: retailers somewhat more satisfied. zdf.de
- Farmers in Germany are keeping fewer and fewer cattle. faz.net
- Air taxi company Lilium is said to be on the verge of collapse. sueddeutsche.de
- Chemicals group Covestro will soon no longer be part of the Dax. tagesschau.de
- New, highly effective technology: cannabis sprays instead of smoking flowers. tagesspiegel.de
- „A good image alone is not enough“: How „Zeit“ wooed applicants. meedia.de
- Smooth whales can live to be over 130 years old – much older than previously assumed. spiegel.de
- After Gusko’s departure to the Green Party: Correctiv reorganizes its management. kress.de
- Ipsos is allowed to take over Infas. new-business.de
- Looted art in Bremen: art gallery seeks dialog with heirs. butenunbinnen.de
- Sylt: Gerit Kling inspires with Elke Heidenreich texts. shz.de
- Macau Special Administrative Region: Lots of China, little Portugal. tagesschau.de
- Former Greek royal family: new name and Greek citizenship. stern.de
- Ed Sheeran buys beer at the World Darts Championship – and responds humorously to ridicule. spiegel.de
Dear friends,
As the year comes to a close, we’re taking a little holiday pause from tomorrow the 24th, to recharge, reflect, and prepare for the exciting things ahead. Our newsletter will be back on the 7th of January, but for now, we want to wish each of you a Merry Christmas and a joyful, magical New Year!
This is a time to cherish the moments that matter most—celebrating, connecting, and looking forward to the possibilities the new year will bring. We’re so grateful to have you as part of our community, and your support means the world to us.
If you’d like to give us a little holiday gift, we’d love for you to share this newsletter with your friends and family! Let’s grow our circle of connection and welcome even more internationals and Germans into the Plus Forty Nine family.
Thank you for being with us on this journey. Wishing you a festive, peaceful, and heartwarming holiday season. See you in the New Year!
With love and gratitude,
- Ice hockey: a double double-strike breaks Frankfurt Lions‘ necks. hessenschau.de
- BVB wins in Wolfsburg to end the year: Black and yellow hit the mark. spiegel.de
- After persecution in France – „It’s not sporting“: Biathlon stars criticize fans. t-online.de
- Quick exit at the World Darts Championship: Schindler experiences debacle. hessenschau.de
mission in Norway: firefighters save deer by „cuddling“ it to keep it warm. spiegel.de