FAZ: EU Commission threatens Trump with countermeasures in tariff dispute | EU-Kommission droht Trump im Zollstreit mit Gegenmaßnahmen
Funke: Mood in Berlin’s business community continues to deteriorate | Stimmung in der Berliner Wirtschaft wird immer schlechter
Handelsblatt: Opportunity for Germany | Chance für Deutschland
RND: How soldiers in Ukraine continue to fight despite amputations | Wie Soldaten in der Ukraine trotz Amputationen weiterkämpfen
SZ: Ukraine attacks Russians in the heartland | Ukraine greift Russen im Landesinneren an
Tagesspiegel: Airports in Russia attacked: Ukraine launches massive drone attack on Putin’s air force | Flughäfen in Russland attackiert: Ukraine greift Putins Luftwaffe massiv mit Drohnen an
taz: Oil friends | Ölf Freunde
Welt: High expectations for Merz’s visit to Washington | Hohe Erwartungen an Merz‘ Besuch in Washington
Contradictory reports of casualties near a distribution center in Rafah: Israel’s military denies firing on civilians, saying a preliminary investigation has found this to be the case. In addition, footage from camera drones shows several masked individuals firing into the crowd. The civil defense service controlled by the militant Islamist Hamas had stated that Israeli soldiers had fired into the crowd from vehicles. zdfheute.de, tagesschau.de, handelsblatt.com
US mediator Steve Witkoff criticizes Hamas‘ response to proposal for ceasefire in the Gaza Strip: Hamas‘ behavior is undermining his efforts and is „completely unacceptable,“ Witkoff complained; the terrorist organization had demanded changes to his draft. The issues at stake are the timing of the release of hostages, aid deliveries and the withdrawal of Israeli troops, a senior Hamas official told AP. Israel’s government had responded positively to the new US proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. At the same time, Hamas said it was prepared to release ten living hostages and hand over 18 bodies. In return, Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli custody would be released. n-tv.de, zdfheute.de
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul hints at differentiation in arms exports to Israel: Wadephul emphasizes Germany’s support and special responsibility for Israel, but at the same time announces a review of arms exports. In principle, it is clear that Israel receives weapons from Germany, he told the Süddeutsche Zeitung. The country faces serious threats to its security and existence – for example, from the Houthis, Hezbollah, or Iran. Another question is whether what is happening in the Gaza Strip is compatible with international humanitarian law. zeit.de
Kiev and Moscow to resume ceasefire talks in Istanbul on Monday: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the delegation would again be led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov; at short notice, the delegation was expanded to 14 people. The goal is a complete and unconditional 30-day ceasefire, the release of more prisoners, and the return of abducted children. Zelensky also demanded that the meeting be prepared at the highest level. Russia has announced that it will present a paper in Istanbul setting out conditions for a ceasefire. Russia is sending the same delegation of low-ranking officials with no decision-making authority as it did to the first talks a few weeks ago. According to US Special Representative Keith Kellogg, security advisers from the US, the UK, France, and Germany will also participate. spiegel.de
Ukraine has attacked four Russian air bases with drones: More than 40 aircraft were destroyed, including at a military base in eastern Siberia around 4,300 kilometers away. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised General Vasyl Malyuk and the Ukrainian secret service for Operation Spider’s Web, saying it took a year, six months, and nine days from planning to execution. 117 drones were reportedly used. Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed the attacks. Several suspects have been arrested. In the Russian regions of Bryansk and Kursk, near the border with Ukraine, two bridges collapsed within a short period. faz.net, zdfheute.de, rnd.de, spiegel.de, faz.net
BamS Sunday trend from Insa: Union 26 percent (-1), AfD 24 percent, SPD 17 percent (+1), Greens 10 percent (-1), Left 11 percent (+1), BSW 4 percent, FDP 4 percent, others 4 percent. bild.de
Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil introduces tax cuts for companies: The relief measures would increase over several years and amount to €17 billion by 2029. Klingbeil wants to implement several measures agreed upon by the CDU/CSU and SPD in their coalition agreement. These include special write-offs for companies on investments made in 2025, 2026, and 2027. Later, corporate income tax will be reduced from 15 to 10 percent in several steps. A special write-off is also planned for companies that purchase electric cars. handelsblatt.com, zdfheute.de, welt.de, n-tv.de
Federal Police President Dieter Romann gives positive assessment of stricter border controls: Around 14,000 federal police officers are now deployed at the borders, Romann told the BamS. In the past three weeks, almost 3,400 illegal entry attempts have been recorded, and around 2,600 migrants have been turned away. Romann rejected criticism from the police union that officers are overworked. He said it goes without saying that with significantly more federal police officers today, it is possible to do what used to be done by just 10,000 officers. faz.net
Berlin’s Senator for Economic Affairs Franziska Giffey criticizes the distribution of the costs of the tax relief planned by the federal government: These should not be borne solely by the federal states, Giffey said on DLF radio. According to a survey by the Süddeutsche Zeitung, resistance is forming in the Bundesrat against the planned increase in the commuter allowance and the reduction in VAT in the catering industry. With regard to the debt-financed special fund for public investment, Giffey called for a law on the use of the money to be presented quickly. Lower Saxony’s Minister President Olaf Lies also called for the measures to be made visible very quickly. Of the 500 billion euros, 100 billion are to go to the states. deutschlandfunk.de
Saxony’s Minister President Michael Kretschmer calls for climate target to be postponed to 2050: It is enough for Germany to become climate neutral by 2050, Kretschmer told Wirtschaftswoche magazine. If the country wants to get back on track for growth, energy security and energy prices are particularly important. What has been done so far is destroying prosperity. wiwo.de, sueddeutsche.de, welt.de
Memorial service for police officer Rouven Laur, killed a year ago: The family of the slain police officer had written personal words, which were quoted by Mannheim’s mayor Christian Specht; they still hope that Rouven Laur’s death was not in vain. Baden-Württemberg’s Interior Minister Thomas Strobl said at the memorial service in Mannheim that the crime would not remain without consequences. Everything must continue to be done to prevent such crimes in the future. However, there is no such thing as 100% security. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt also attended. mannheimer-morgen.de
More regional news:
- Hamburg: 72-year-old patient arrested after a fire at the Marienkrankenhaus hospital. ndr.de
- North Rhine-Westphalia: Economics Minister Mona Neubaur of the Green Party in favor of soldiers in schools. waz.de
- Thuringia: Court of Auditors warns of skyrocketing pension payments for civil servants. n-tv.de
- Saxony: CDU and SPD argue over austerity plans for gender equality. mdr.de
- Saxony: Interior Minister Armin Schuster wants to revive trainer education in Leipzig starting in the fall. mdr.de
- Saxony: Green Party faction in state parliament wants youth check for laws. freiepresse.de
- Saxony: Leipzig University returns 19 skulls of Black Americans to the US. spiegel.de
- Berlin: 400 people demonstrate against a march of around 65 right-wing extremists. rbb24.de
- Saxony: Dresden police investigate right-wing scene for displaying prohibited runes at a protest rally against CSD.
- Schleswig-Holstein: Queer people demand more legal protection against hate and incitement. ndr.de
EU regrets US President Donald Trump’s announcement that he will double tariffs on steel and aluminum: The decision further contributes to uncertainty for the global economy and increases costs for consumers and companies on both sides of the Atlantic. The announcement also undermines efforts to find a negotiated solution. Donald Trump announced in an online post that the new rates would take effect on Wednesday. handelsblatt.com, faz.net, n-tv.de
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warns of real threat from China in the Indo-Pacific region: Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore, Hegseth said it was well known that Chinese President Xi Jinping had ordered his military to be ready to invade Taiwan by 2027. Hegseth suggested that European allies should focus on security on the European continent. This would allow the US to focus on the threat posed by China in the Indo-Pacific, with greater involvement from Asian allies. Hegseth called on them to increase defense spending, citing European countries such as Germany as positive examples. spiegel.de
Neck-and-neck race in Poland’s presidential runoff election: According to updated projections, right-wing nationalist Karol Nawrocki is narrowly ahead of pro-European politician Rafal Trzaskowski. The final results are not expected until Monday morning. Projections are not common in Poland. Voter turnout was just under 72 percent. Both politicians expressed confidence that they would emerge victorious from the election. zeit.de
Thousands protest in Hungary against restrictions on media and non-governmental organizations: They criticize that a new regulation could ban foreign media and organizations. Hungary’s opposition accuses the government of wanting to control opponents of the government, following Russia’s example. The EU Commission has already called on the right-wing nationalist government in Budapest to withdraw the draft law. The parliamentary vote on the law is scheduled for the middle of the month. Approval is considered certain due to the majority held by Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party. n-tv.de, spiegel.de
Supreme Court paves the way for mass deportations: US President Donald Trump may revoke the residence permits of around 500,000 migrants; no reason was initially given for the urgent decision announced in Washington. Those affected are people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who have been allowed to stay in the US legally under a so-called „humanitarian probation status.“ This residence permit dates back to the term of Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden. The current US administration wants to revoke these residence permits and deport those affected.
More news:
- United Kingdom: London presents new defense doctrine; armed forces realigned, military capabilities expanded. faz.net
- Serbia: Thousands of students demonstrate against the Vucic government. zentralplus.ch
- Slovakia: Concerns about the course between Brussels and Moscow. tagesspiegel.de
- Greece: Housing shortage threatens political stability. handelsblatt.com
- Denmark: Scandinavians rely on Musk’s Starlink to monitor the Baltic Sea; concerns about US influence. noz.de
- Romania: President Nicusor Dan criticizes the relaxation of financial transparency rules for politicians. faz.net
- Turkey: Tailor-made constitution for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. fraenkischertag.de
- Austria: Vienna puts the brakes on climate targets with austerity package. derstandard.at
- Netherlands: China steps up espionage efforts against semiconductor industry. handelsblatt.com
- United Kingdom: Disposable e-cigarettes banned with immediate effect. faz.net
- France: Two dead in riots after PSG wins Champions League final. tagesschau.de
- France: Several Jewish institutions in Paris vandalized with green paint. deutschlandfunk.de
- Italy: Thousands demonstrate in Rome against new security law. zeit.de
- Sweden: Move into NATO headquarters in Brussels completed one year after joining the alliance. euractiv.de
- Switzerland: Global warming makes landslides more likely. taz.de
- Czech Republic: Interior Minister Vit Rakusan calls for time limit on border controls. br.de
- Czech Republic: Justice Minister Pavel Blazek resigned after a convicted drug dealer made a payment in Bitcoin. derstandard.at
- Iran: Tehran rejects IAEA report on uranium nearly suitable for weapons, calling the report „politically motivated.“ faz.net
- Saudi Arabia: Around 270,000 people denied entry ahead of the Muslim pilgrimage Hajj. spiegel.de
- Bangladesh: Trial of former head of government Sheikh Hasina Wajed begins in absentia; accused of systematic attacks on the population.
- Myanmar: Military government extends ceasefire until end of June. deutschlandfunk.de
- South Korea: Presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung strengthened by the hatred of his enemies. sueddeutsche.de
Employment agency fears deficit of up to €11.9 billion by 2029: The federal government may have to step in with liquidity assistance by 2029, according to a report to the Bundestag’s budget committee. The agency expects a shortfall of €2.3 billion for this year alone. The reason is the poor economic situation and the weak labor market. The federal agency’s new calculations are based on the government’s worsened spring forecast for economic development. faz.net
More from Business, Tech and Science:
- Inflation rate remains at 2.1 percent. zdfheute.de
- US analysts: Smartphone sales under pressure due to US tariff policy. heise.de
- SAP CEO Christian Klein speaks of double-digit AI productivity gains. n-tv.de
- Swiss solar module manufacturer Meyer Burger files for insolvency for its German subsidiaries. handelsblatt.com
- Insolvent fashion manufacturer Gerry Weber closes all stores; brand to be sold. zdfheute.de
- Spring in Germany was one of the driest since records began. welt.de
- Holocaust survivor Eva Umlauf is the new chair of the International Auschwitz Committee. zeit.de
- Gold mine: How local media in North America are using AI kress.de
- New York Times cooperates with Amazon – publisher hopes to gain some control over the correct citation and presentation of content, as well as appropriate monetization. new-business.de
- Burda wants to reach the younger generation with a new „Instyle“ spin-off meedia.de
- 20th UNESCO World Heritage Day: German World Heritage Sites attract many visitors wdr.de
- Career in Hollywood: Her mother stood with DiCaprio at the bow of the „Titanic,“ but Mia Threapleton wants to make it on her own spiegel.de
- New Banksy work discovered in Marseille deutschlandfunkkultur.de
- Waiting for the „knighthood“: King Charles denies Kate and William this milestone for the time being augsburger-allgemeine.de
- Rock star remains in battle mode: „C’est la musique de la liberté!“ – Springsteen against Trump in France rnd.de
- Rape allegation – „Diddy“ Combs Trial: Donald Trump does not rule out pardon derstandard.at
- Champions League: PSG wins the Henkelpott for the first time with a historic 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in the final sportschau.de
- „Everyone is proud“: Macron welcomes Champions League winners sport.de
- Saarbrücken too strong: Boll loses last Champions League final kicker.de
- Saarbrücken can’t believe it: Table tennis giant and Olympic champion Fan Zhendong makes a surprise move to the Bundesliga n-tv.de
- Piastri and Norris win Formula 1 race in Spain sueddeutsche.de
- Athletics: Ogunleye and Mihambo take second place at the „Golden Oval“ sportschau.de
Sydney Sweeney launches soap made from her own bath water musikexpress.de