Bild: Offside revolution / Abseits-Revolution
FAZ: Bundeswehr no longer wants to give up properties / Bundeswehr will keine Liegenschaften mehr abgeben
Funke: Senate plugs financial gap for renovation of Marzahn junction / Senat stopft Finanzloch für Sanierung des Marzahner Knotens
Handelsblatt: Bosch bets on Hartung / Bosch setzt auf Hartung
RND: Merz visit to Turkey: Why Germany is once again relying on Erdogan / Merz-Besuch in der Türkei: Warum Deutschland doch wieder auf Erdogan setzt
SZ: State capitals call for help / Landeshauptstädte rufen um Hilfe
Tagesspiegel: New coalition dispute: CDU angered by SPD resistance to citizens‘ income reform / Neuer Streit in Koalition: Union verärgert über Widerstand in SPD gegen Bürgergeldreform
taz: Crime foretold / Verbrechen mit Ansage
Welt: The Hamas problem at ZDF / Das Hamas-Problem beim ZDF
REFORM OF CITIZENS’ INCOME
SPD grassroots form resistance against Citizens’ Income reform: Within the SPD, signatures are being collected for a membership initiative to prevent tougher sanctions under the Citizens’ Income system. The reasoning is that Social Democrats should not support policies that punish poverty. The initiative was largely developed by Labour Minister Bärbel Bas. A membership initiative requires at least 20 percent support. Among the first signatories is Juso leader Philipp Türmer. An SPD spokesperson emphasized that, so far, no membership initiative has been formally submitted to the party executive. CDU parliamentary managing director Steffen Bilger stressed that the SPD is expected to adhere to the coalition agreement. Criticism also came from Junge Union leader Johannes Winkel. zdfheute.de, welt.de, tagesschau.de
GAZA
Israel continues with airstrikes. Following consultations with the Security Cabinet, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the armed forces to resume strikes in the Gaza Strip. According to eyewitnesses, the bombardment hit an area near the largest remaining hospital in Gaza City. The move comes amid accusations that Hamas has violated the ceasefire agreement made three weeks ago by attacking soldiers and delaying the handover of bodies. Hamas officials rejected the allegations, stating that they remained committed to the agreement. handelsblatt.com, zdfheute.de, spiegel.de
- The terrorist organization Hamas postponed the planned handover of a hostage’s remains, originally scheduled for Tuesday, citing Israeli violations of the ceasefire. The body handed over to Israel on Monday evening apparently does not belong to one of the still-missing hostages but to a person whose remains had already been returned in 2023.
- Return still unclear: Hamas has reportedly found two more dead hostages.
- According to Hamas civil defense, five people were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a vehicle in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza. The Israeli army is verifying the information.
- Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened Hamas with severe consequences, saying the Islamist organization would „pay a high price“ for attacks on soldiers and violations of agreements.
- U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance stated that the ceasefire in Gaza remains in effect. Although minor clashes are to be expected, he still anticipates stability in the peace process. faz.net
- During her visit to Israel, Education Minister Karin Prien called for perseverance in the peace process, saying setbacks should not be discouraging. She spoke of an opportunity to „use the drop of hope“ for greater peace.
UKRAINE
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is calling for EU financial aid for war funding over the next two to three years, saying it is the only way to secure defense against Russia’s ongoing attacks. He told European leaders that his country „will still depend on stable financial support for some time.“ Without firm commitments, he warned, all available funds could soon be consumed by weapons procurement. br.de
- According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine and several European states plan to discuss details of a ceasefire plan later this week. The goal is first to achieve a pause in fighting and then to take further diplomatic steps.
- Zelenskyy reaffirmed Ukraine’s willingness to negotiate but rejected talks in Russia or Belarus. He said discussions must genuinely aim to end the war and urged tougher U.S. sanctions against Moscow.
- Zelenskyy accused China of supporting Russia with weapons production machinery and mercenaries. Although President Xi Jinping had promised not to approve arms deliveries, Kyiv claims to have evidence of Chinese assistance in evading sanctions and providing military resources.
- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has floated the idea of a non-aggression guarantee for EU and NATO countries, stressing that Moscow has no intention of attacking European states and wants to include this in future security agreements.
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed that France plans to send 2,000 soldiers to Ukraine—an allegation for which there is no evidence. He added that Russia would „eliminate all fighters.“
Two Moscow airports suspended operations due to drone attacks: According to Russian sources, Ukraine has targeted the Moscow region with drones for the third consecutive night. The Russian Defense Ministry reported shooting down 57 Ukrainian drones in three hours, including four over the Moscow region.
RTL/ntv Trend Barometer by Forsa: CDU/CSU 25 percent (+1), AfD 26 percent, SPD 13 percent (-1), Greens 12 percent, Left Party 12 percent (+1), BSW 3 percent (-1), FDP 3 percent, Others 6 percent. n-tv.de
Chancellor Friedrich Merz sees the GlobalFoundries investment as a strategic signal for Europe’s semiconductor industry. The planned expansion of the site and the investment of 1.1 billion euros mark a forward-looking decision that extends beyond Germany as a business location, Merz said during a visit to the factory. Europe must demonstrate its own strength in developing strategic technologies. GlobalFoundries is one of the world’s largest chip manufacturers and is significantly expanding its production capacities in Saxony. handelsblatt.com
Economy Minister Katherina Reiche warns of the loss of Germany’s economic strength. At the Foreign Trade Day, she said Germany is currently not competitive with its current structures. She warned of growing dependencies and excessive regulation. Especially in global comparison with the U.S. and China, Germany faces a balancing act between open markets and geopolitical interests. Reiche made it clear that the ability to navigate these tensions will determine the preservation of economic strength. welt.de, zdfheute.de
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier calls for stronger engagement in Africa. Steinmeier encouraged German companies to continue their activities in African countries despite the tense economic situation. Speaking at a reception for scholarship holders in Berlin, he emphasized that in times of global upheaval and conflict, the response must be more networking and openness. Germany should strengthen its relations with African countries to build mutual trust and shared perspectives. deutschlandfunk.de
Chancellor Friedrich Merz on his first official visit to Turkey. At Thursday’s meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, security policy issues will be at the forefront, including Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. Ankara plays a mediating role in both conflicts. Berlin also wants to discuss closer cooperation in defense policy and migration issues, particularly the repatriation of Syrian nationals without residency rights in Germany. rnd.de
- Merz visit to Turkey: Why Germany is once again relying on Erdogan.
- Deniz Yücel: Chancellor Friedrich Merz should „not become an accomplice of the regime“ when meeting with Erdogan.
Other reports:
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz rejects response to an open letter from prominent women regarding the cityscape debate. (deutschlandfunk.de)
- SPD General Secretary Tim Klüssendorf urges reform of the inheritance tax. (handelsblatt.com)
- Mayor of Duisburg Sören Link sees targeted abuse of social benefits as an isolated problem. (deutschlandfunk.de)
- The Association of Cities and Municipalities criticizes the halt in converting around 200 military sites for civilian use. (faz.net)
- Fire brigades prepare for an increase in public weapons and ammunition transports.
- The Court of Auditors criticizes the hydrogen strategy and calls for a change of course. (zeit.de)
- Detention prior to deportation must be ordered by a judge. tagesschau.de
- Amadeu Antonio Foundation: Record high in attacks on CSD parades. tagesschau.de
City hall chiefs urge Chancellor Friedrich Merz and federal states to reorganize municipal finances: In view of the precarious budgetary situation of many municipalities, the mayors of the 13 state capitals of the larger federal states are calling for a fundamental reform of the financial relations between the federal government, the states, and the municipalities. The cities warn of an impending collapse of municipal budgets and see their capacity at its limit. The gap between municipal revenues and expenditures is widening. The causes are growing social expenditures and political decisions whose costs are often not fully offset, such as the Germany ticket. rp-online.de, n-tv.de
More news from Germany:
- Bavaria: German Armed Forces want to learn lessons from the exchange of fire in Erding incident. sueddeutsche.de
- Hamburg: Fish stocks in the Elbe have declined dramatically.
- North Rhine-Westphalia: Investigators find more weapons in a raid in Remscheid.
- Lower Saxony: The Union reiterates its demand for an additional public holiday.
- Hesse: FDP sees new „era of debt-making“ beginning.
- Brandenburg: Fines loom for election posters from the mayoral campaign in Potsdam that are still hanging.
- Brandenburg: Slightly higher tax revenues expected.
- Berlin: A100 urban motorway congested; access roads closed over 1,000 times this year.
EU leaves catch quotas for German fishermen largely unchanged: EU member states have agreed on stable catch quotas for the Baltic Sea in Luxembourg. According to the German Federal Ministry of Agriculture, the permitted quantities for western herring and cod will remain unchanged in the coming year. The catch quota for plaice will be reduced slightly by three percent, while that for sprats will be increased by 45 percent. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Agriculture Minister Till Backhaus expressed his satisfaction and spoke of a success for coastal fishermen, even though their situation remains difficult. While fishing associations are satisfied, environmentalists warn of a collapse in stocks. spiegel.de, zeit.de
Further news:
- New registrations in the EU rise again, mainly thanks to electric cars. deutschlandfunk.de
- EU confirms repair loan for Ukraine despite Belgian concerns. euractiv.de
- EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib: „Hamas is not a negotiating partner for us.“ euronews.com
- EU wants to limit tsunami of cheap goods. wiwo.de
- Two-thirds of countries travel to Brazil without new climate plans. faz.net
- Bill Gates calls for a turnaround in global climate policy. . spiegel.de
More men are seeking protection from domestic violence: According to data from the Federal Coordination Center for Men’s Protection, a total of 751 victims sought help in 2024, around 41 percent more than in the previous year. 126 men were admitted to a facility. Experts assume that there are many unreported cases and see continuing social inhibitions about talking male victims of violence. The Federal Criminal Police Office recently recorded a record high in cases of domestic violence.tagesschau.de
Further business news:
- One in eight people between the ages of 65 and 74 continues to work after retirement. merkur.de
- ZDF: Slain Hamas member was not an employee and was not involved in journalistic matters. tagesspiegel.de
- Lufthansa cancels domestic flights in its 2026 summer schedule. countervor9.de
- Aviation industry in crisis: German airports continue to lose millions of passengers. zdfheute.de
- EU complaint suspended: Press publishers negotiate with ARD over texts. faz.net
- Vegan liqueur may continue to be called „liqueur without egg.“ ndr.de
Normally, we don’t include an editorial in the Morning Espresso — but today, I wanted to make a small exception. As a Mexican, I can’t let Día de los Muertos pass without a short remark.
This beautiful tradition, celebrated on November 1st and 2nd, is not about mourning but about remembering — a joyful and colorful way to honor loved ones who have passed away. Families create altars (ofrendas) decorated with marigolds, candles, photos, and the favorite foods of those they remember. It’s a celebration of life, love, and memory.
I will add in the next days, a few Día de los Muertos events taking place around Germany — in case you’d like to experience this unique blend of remembrance and festivity for yourself.
In Germany, when it’s your birthday, you’re the one who brings the cake — not your friends or colleagues! It might sound strange to outsiders, but it’s a beloved tradition rooted in the idea of personal responsibility and hospitality. If you’re celebrating, it’s your job to treat others — whether that means bringing homemade cake to the office or inviting friends for drinks. So, don’t wait for a surprise party — in Germany, you’re the host of your own celebration!