Bild: Huge rock hits Laura on the head | Riesengroßer Stein traf Laura am Kopf
FAZ: Israeli Foreign Minister: We will not be intimidated | Israels Außenminister: Wir lassen uns nicht einschüchtern
Funke: Spranger demands almost half a billion euros annually from the federal government | Spranger fordert fast eine halbe Milliarde jährlich vom Bund
Handelsblatt: Inside Grünheide | Inside Grünheide
RND: Dahlmeier’s rope partner: Laura was hit by a huge rock | Dahlmeiers Seilpartnerin: Laura wurde von riesengroßem Stein getroffen
SZ: Wadephul’s messages for Netanyahu | Wadephuls Botschaften für Netanjahu
Tagesspiegel: Criticism of Israel: Wadephul calls for rejection of the course of “expulsion” and “annexation” | Kritik an Israel: Wadephul ruft zu Absage an Kurs der „Vertreibung“ und „Annexion“ auf
taz: The climate doesn’t take a vacation | Das Klima macht keine Ferien
Welt: The trend reversal in private electric cars | Die Trendwende bei privaten Elektroautos
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul urges Israel to abandon expulsion and annexation in the Gaza war: Wadephul met with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar in Jerusalem to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip. He urged that the civilian population be provided with adequate supplies and that more border crossings be opened. The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is beyond imagination, Wadephul said. A fundamental improvement in the situation for the people is needed. Israel runs the risk of becoming increasingly isolated internationally, and he wants to prevent that. spiegel.de, sueddeutsche.de, tagesschau.de
- Aid organizations call for crisis summit at the Chancellery. Aid supplies and infrastructure for large-scale provision of the Palestinian population are available; what is lacking is the political will to end the blockade by the Israeli government.
- Hanover plans to take in up to 20 children from the Gaza Strip and Israel who are particularly vulnerable or traumatized, announced Mayor Belit Onay.
- US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee will visit the Gaza Strip on Friday to assess the situation on the ground. The two want to work out a plan for further aid deliveries. Witkoff met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday.
n-tv.de
Hamas makes willingness to negotiate conditional: The radical Islamist organization said that this included, above all, an improvement in the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories. Under the current circumstances, talks are pointless and ineffective. Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas in the Qatari capital Doha, in which Qatar, the US, and Egypt are acting as mediators, had recently stalled. The warring parties blame each other for this. However, neither side has yet declared the talks a failure. focus.de, nau.ch
Israel launches air strikes on Hezbollah facilities in Lebanon: The targets included factories for the production of explosives and an underground facility for the manufacture and storage of weapons. According to Lebanese security sources, there were at least ten air strikes in remote mountainous regions in the east and south of the country. No information on damage or casualties was initially available. n-tv.de
Israeli settlers attack Palestinian villages: According to Palestinian sources, one man was killed. Settlers set fire to twelve vehicles and a house in the village of Silwad. Cars were also set on fire in other villages near Ramallah. Israel’s army said troops were dispatched overnight after reports of arson in the Silwad area. Palestinians threw stones at the soldiers, who responded with riot control measures.
EU welcomes new anti-corruption law in Ukraine: The law aims to restore the independence of the two anti-corruption agencies. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President Antonio Costa said in a joint statement that this was a positive step. They also called for further reforms, which they said remained crucial for Ukraine’s progress on its path to EU membership. sueddeutsche.de, spiegel.de
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky calls on his Western partners to take stricter action against the sale of banned electronic components to Russia. zdfheute.de
- Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, asks for German investment in the Ukrainian defense industry. This would involve the production of reconnaissance drones, long-range combat drones, drone interception systems, and FPV drones by Ukrainian companies, supplemented by joint German-Ukrainian ventures.
US President Donald Trump has called Russia’s actions “disgusting” and announced new sanctions. zeit.de - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has described former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev as “not a relevant actor in Russian politics.” Rubio expressed doubts that Medvedev’s words reflect Russia’s official position. It is unlikely that they are “a factor,” he said. spiegel.de
- An early indication has emerged in the archives of the German Foreign Office that the current Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin does not recognize Russia’s borders. According to Der Spiegel, Putin said in January 1994, as deputy mayor of St. Petersburg, that Crimea, eastern Ukraine, and northern Kazakhstan would never be foreign territory for Russia. tagesspiegel.de
At least 15 dead and many injured in Russian air strikes on Kyiv: More than 140 people were injured in heavy rocket and drone attacks. In addition to residential buildings, schools and hospitals were also damaged. Russia had recently massively expanded its attacks on Ukraine.
- The Russian army reported the capture of the small town of Chasiv Yar in eastern Ukraine; the Ukrainian army denied this. The town has been contested for over a year and is considered strategically important. faz.net
- Ukrainian drones have struck a Russian radio electronics factory in the western city of Penza. Military equipment was manufactured there, according to a source speaking to the Kyiv Independent.
- Ukrainian anti-corruption investigators have ordered a search of the home of a former adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky in Germany. Bavarian investigators searched a property belonging to Rostyslav Shurma, former deputy head of the presidential office, in Starnberg near Munich on July 15, Der Spiegel reports. n-tv.de
- Russia is further restricting its citizens‘ freedom of information. Head of state Vladimir Putin signed a law that makes it a criminal offense to search for content classified as extremist on the internet. In addition to alleged terrorist groups, political opponents and religious movements are also considered extremist. spiegel.de
Russia and Syria want to strengthen relations: Syria is interested in having Russia on its side, said Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani at a meeting in Moscow with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. It was the first visit by a high-ranking Syrian representative to Russia since the fall of the Assad regime in December. According to observers, the talks also focused on the future of the two Russian military bases in Syria. It is unclear whether the Syrian transitional government will allow Moscow to keep the bases. tagesspiegel.de
Budget committee approves €1.1 billion for renovation of bridges, roads, and tunnels: The approval follows the preliminary decision by the federally owned Autobahn-GmbH not to put any new construction projects out to tender this year. Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil announced that the new funds could be used for roads, bridges, and tunnels before the end of this year. Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder emphasized that no time should be lost in the renovations. sueddeutsche.de, n-tv.de
White-collar crime on the rise: According to the BKA, there was an increase of 847.6 percent in billing fraud in the healthcare sector alone. An extensive investigation in Schleswig-Holstein contributed to the rise in the number of cases. According to the BKA in Wiesbaden, a total of 61,358 economic crimes were recorded last year, almost 58 percent more than in the previous year. The clearance rate in 2024 was around 89 percent. tagesschau.de
Constitutional protection and BKA develop situation report on hybrid threats: It is intended to summarize “operational findings” by the authorities on “hybrid threats,” i.e., sabotage, espionage, disinformation, and state terrorism by countries such as Russia. Initial findings are to be presented at the Conference of Interior Ministers in the fall. This is according to a response to an inquiry by the Green Party. Green Party interior policy expert Konstantin von Notz does not consider this sufficient; in his view, an “overall assessment” must include information from both the federal and state governments as well as from civilian and military agencies. spiegel.de
Economics Minister Katherina Reiche wants to review social welfare systems: Social welfare systems are under pressure. After visiting a company in Essen, Reiche said that a comprehensive and critical review of social welfare systems is due in the fall. „They must deliver what citizens expect from them: security and reliability. But we also know that reforms are needed,“ said Reiche; Chancellor Friedrich Merz was right to speak of a ”reform autumn.“ spiegel.de, t-online.de
German Armed Forces report success in recruiting new personnel: The Ministry of Defense announced that the armed forces have grown by around 2,000 personnel compared to last year. There are now around 183,000 soldiers, a relatively large number of whom are voluntary conscripts. Their number rose by 15 percent to more than 11,000. The ministry attributes the rising numbers to advertising campaigns by the Bundeswehr on the one hand, but also to the tense international security situation on the other. tagesspiegel.de, n-tv.de
Poland intends to extend its border controls with Germany: According to the Polish news agency PAP, citing a draft regulation from the Ministry of the Interior, the controls will remain in place until October 4 for the time being. Warsaw introduced the border controls on July 7 in response to tighter controls on the German side, with which the German government aims to restrict illegal immigration. tagesspiegel.de
More Regional News:
- NRW: Düsseldorf-Duisburg railway line closed until at least Friday afternoon after fire in cable duct; letter claiming responsibility from „Kommando Angry Birds.“ n-tv.de
- Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Right-wing extremist attacks left-wing politician Michael Noetzel in Güstrow. n-tv.de
- Baden-Württemberg: “Querdenken” founder Michael Ballweg acquitted of fraud charges; found guilty of tax evasion. zdfheute.de
- Hesse: Mobile network expansion to take priority over nature conservation. faz.net
- Saxony: Third fatality recovered after German army helicopter crash. rnd.de
- Berlin: Capital city demands federal government triple security funding. tagesspiegel.de
More News:
- Poland: Strasbourg court condemns neighboring country for arresting journalist. stern.de
- Spain: Corruption swamp in the government. tagesspiegel.de
- France: Government presents bill on stolen cultural property to Council of Ministers. deutschlandfunkkultur.de
- Hungary: Controversial excavation work amid drought. de.euronews.com
- Iceland: Fear of isolation drives the country into the arms of the EU. diepresse.com
- Syria: Situation in Suwaida calms down according to the UN. nau.ch
- Myanmar: Junta lifts state of emergency and calls elections in December. faz.net
USA News
New US tariffs postponed by one week: The postponement is intended to give US border and customs authorities time to implement the new rules. A flat-rate levy of 15 percent will now apply to many imports from the EU, including cars. The higher US tariffs are likely to have an impact on industry in Europe. Economists also expect higher prices for consumers in the United States. Japan and South Korea had concluded trade agreements similar to those of the EU in order to avoid higher rates. Meanwhile, tariffs of 25 percent will be imposed on Indian products after negotiations failed to reach an agreement.
- Trump wants to extend negotiations in the tariff dispute with Mexico by another 90 days. Trump had threatened Mexico with 30 percent tariffs starting Friday. A few hours before the deadline, Trump wrote on Truth Social that because of the shared border with Mexico, things were fraught with many “complexities.” spiegel.de
- US President Donald Trump has threatened Canada over its plans to recognize a Palestinian state, saying Canada’s support for a Palestinian state makes trade agreements „very difficult.“
- The US is suspending tariff exemptions for small packages from around the world.
- The US and Pakistan have agreed on a trade deal; Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the agreement, which he said had been “long awaited.” Trump said on Truth Social that the two countries would jointly develop Pakistan’s “massive oil reserves.”
- Government employees furloughed: Trump administration pays 154,000 people to do nothing. n-tv.de
- Indian refineries apparently abandon Russian oil after Trump attack. handelsblatt.com
- US stock market regulator wants to pave the way for crypto on the capital market with reform. handelsblatt.com
According to the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, companies are receiving too few suitable applications for apprenticeships: Almost half of all companies are having trouble filling apprenticeship positions. This was the result of a survey of around 15,000 companies in May. The Chamber of Industry and Commerce reported that the majority of companies complain about receiving too few suitable applications. There is a lack of basic skills such as reading, writing, and arithmetic, as well as competencies such as reliability and motivation. The Chamber of Industry and Commerce called for schools to refocus on basic skills. The economy needs well-trained personnel for a new upswing. faz.net
More from Business, Tech and Science:
- Inflation remains stable at 2.0 percent. faz.net
- Unemployment rises to 2.979 million in July. wiwo.de
- BMW profits fall by more than a quarter. zdfheute.de
- Deutsche Bahn reports €760 million loss in first half of the year. tagesspiegel.de
- E-scooter accidents resulting in personal injury rose by 26.7 percent in 2024. heise.de
- ProQuote: Proportion of women in management positions at leading media outlets declining. kress.de
- US Federal Reserve: Fed defies Trump’s demand for interest rate cut faz.net
- Plastic: Where Germany stands in terms of production and recycling table.media/esg
- Battery-powered cars are becoming more popular again: Germans are buying more electric cars for private use spiegel.de
- Tesla withdraws Model X and Model S from its range in Germany heise.de
- Amazon invests in AI streaming start-up Fable stadt-bremerhaven.de
- Bremen: Discussion about compulsory daycare table.media/bildung
- Light structures: Peacock feathers can emit laser beams winfuture.de
- New thunderstorm record over hundreds of kilometers: WMO measures the longest lightning bolt ever recorded t3n.de
- Study by the Pro Quote Association: Even fewer women in media leadership positions meedia.de
- Berlin New Year’s Eve party canceled: ZDF responds – The broadcaster is working on other programming options for the evening. digitalfernsehen.de
- 250 million euros in damages: Data protectionists plan class action lawsuit against Meta meedia.de
- US authorities criticized again for “misuse” of art deutschlandfunkkultur.de
- Oasis: Concert proceeds go to Manchester’s music scene musikexpress.de
- Inclusion at Wacken: wheelchair users allowed to crowd surf on Friday musikexpress.de
- Institute for Contemporary History gets its first female director deutschlandfunkkultur.de
- Book special: Recommended reading on China for summer and fall table.media/china
- Criticized and celebrated: J.K. Rowling turns 60 web.de
- Netflix deal falls through: Why Harry & Meghan could still cash in – Meghan’s lifestyle show “With Love, Meghan” is set to return for a third season if the mother of two agrees to film. bunte.de
- “Birth defect”? Insider certain: Princess Margaret was born with “fetal alcohol syndrome” bunte.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.
- 2025/26 season: DFL announces changes for the new season – referee decisions to be announced via stadium announcements in the 1st and 2nd Bundesliga, referee cameras to be used more frequently sportschau.de
- FC Bayern is counting on VfB to back down in the Woltemade case – player pushing for a transfer transfermarkt.de
- Serie A: SSC Napoli makes €40 million offer for Adeyemi from BVB fussballtransfers.com
- US basketball: Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas arrested for illegal poker games spiegel.de
- Formula 1: Ferrari continues with Vasseur sportschau.de
- Tour de France (F) – Le Court confidently retains yellow jersey in the Massif Central: Squiban wins the sixth stage of the Tour with a long solo breakaway radsport-news.com
- World Swimming Championships – Water diving: Pauline Pfeif wins surprise World Championship silver zdfheute.de
German has a word for „grief bacon.“
Yes, really. The word is „Kummerspeck“, and it literally means „grief bacon.“ It refers to the weight you gain from emotional overeating—especially after heartbreak, stress, or sadness.
Kummer = grief or sorrow
Speck = bacon or fat
So next time you’re reaching for the ice cream after a tough day, just tell yourself: „It’s not emotional eating—it’s cultural immersion!“