Bild: Should Germany fear Trump? | Muss Deutschland vor Trump zittern?
FAZ: Scholz calls Habeck’s 3.5 percent proposal half-baked | Scholz nennt 3,5-Prozent-Vorstoß Habecks unausgegoren
Funke: Scholz to Trump: Borders are inviolable | Scholz an Trump: Grenzen sind unverletzlich
Handelsblatt: Scholz criticizes Trump | Scholz kritisiert Trump
RND: Los Angeles in flames: Five dead and 150,000 people displaced in the inferno | Los Angeles in Flammen: Schon fünf Tote im Feuerinferno, 150.000 Menschen auf der Flucht
SZ: Scholz rejects Trump’s claims | Scholz weist Trumps Ansprüche zurück
Tagesspiegel: Greenland, Canada and the Panama Canal: Scholz rejects Trump’s territorial claims | Grönland, Kanada und der Panama-Kanal: Scholz weist Trumps Gebietsansprüche zurück
taz: The new 5 percent hurdle | Die neue 5-Prozent-Hürde
Welt: Nato reacts calmly to Trump’s demand | Nato reagiert gelassen auf Trumps Forderung
Top-News
CDU leader Friedrich Merz and CSU leader Markus Söder emphasize unity: The CSU stands one hundred percent behind chancellor candidate Merz and its sister party, the CDU, Söder said at the CSU state group meeting in Seeon, Bavaria. Merz emphasized that they are aware of the dimension of the challenges in the areas of economic, migration and foreign policy. His inner distance to the Greens has increased even more, Merz emphasized. tagesschau.de, welt.de, faz.net, n-tv.de
FDP leader Christian Lindner wants to end Germany’s current course in climate policy: Climate policy is partly responsible for the weakness of the economy; in Germany, people risk accelerating deindustrialization for ideological reasons alone, the FDP leader said at the campaign launch in Potsdam. Lindner warned that this could damage democracy. One way to defend democracy is to ensure that people have no concerns about their economic future. tagesspiegel.de
North Rhine-Westphalia’s Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann opposes cuts to sick pay. As a member of the Bundestag, he once voted in favor of the introduction of a waiting day, which equates to no sickness pay on the first day of illness, Laumann told the Rheinische Post. However, trade unionists, with the approval of employers, would have rescinded the regulation through collective agreements. Labor Minister Hubertus Heil also rejects the proposal; limiting sick pay will not happen with him and his SPD. rnd.de (Heil)
IW Director Michael Hüther sees little room for maneuver for promised tax relief: In particular, the plans of the CDU and FDP cannot be implemented within the framework of the debt brake, said the head of the employer-related German Economic Institute to the Süddeutsche Zeitung. Some savings could be made on the citizen’s income and on refugee costs, but the volume was not in the order of 90 billion, which the CDU, for example, promised as relief. In this context, Hüther also pointed to necessary state investments in the coming years, including in roads, railways and other infrastructure. n-tv.de
Security situation in Syria has improved, according to UN: The UN was able to resume its humanitarian aid to millions of people in need on an increasing scale, said emergency aid coordinator Tom Fletcher to the UN Security Council in New York. However, Fletcher called for more humanitarian goods to be imported and for a nationwide assessment of need. After almost 14 years of civil war, Syria’s public infrastructure is in tatters.
Israeli army has recovered the body of at least one Hamas hostage in the Gaza Strip. It is a 53-year-old man. The army also spoke of the discovery of his kidnapped son, whose life was „seriously at risk“. There is no reliable information about the whereabouts or condition of the 22-year-old. Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz had previously spoken of two dead. zdf.de, stern.de, n-tv.de
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot considers Ukrainian support to be crucial for peace in Europe: Strengthening the Ukrainian side is the best way to enable Ukraine to enter into peace negotiations with Russia. „It is impossible to find a solution to this conflict, which primarily affects Ukraine, without the Ukrainians,“ Barrot said at a press conference with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Paris. There can be no discussion of European security without Europeans. Nor can there be a solution to this crisis that is unfavorable to Ukrainians but favorable to Europeans and Americans. An unjust peace would undermine the security of Europe and the world.
More than half a million people in Germany without permanent housing: According to the second report on homelessness, the majority of these were placed in emergency housing facilities or found temporary accommodation with relatives or acquaintances. Around 47,300 people live on the street or in makeshift shelters. About 41 percent of them are registered in small to medium-sized communities with up to 100,000 inhabitants. Construction Minister Klara Geywitz said this shows that homelessness in Germany is by no means a problem that only affects large cities. spiegel.de, tagesschau.de
Cases of age discrimination have increased sharply: The number of reports rose by 70 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year, said Family Minister Lisa Paus at the presentation of the age report. Discrimination must be punished legally and socially. In financial terms, the majority of pensioners are satisfactorily provided for; retirement incomes have developed positively overall. According to the report, the number of very old people in need of care will rise sharply. spiegel.de, faz.net
Cabinet paves the way for a law to better protect women from violence: A so-called wording aid for the parliamentary groups was adopted. Among other things, the possibility of electronic ankle monitors and mandatory anti-violence training for offenders is planned. The number of registered acts of violence against women has recently increased. It is unclear whether this and other laws can still be passed in the current legislative period. mannheimer-morgen.de, spiegel.de
Youth welfare offices see child protection in Germany at risk. The reason for this is a lack of experienced staff, money and accommodation. According to a report by WDR, a nationwide survey of 300 youth welfare office directors showed that those affected by violence or abuse sometimes have to stay in their families longer than is appropriate. The lack of accommodation for children in need means that the search for a place takes so much time that employees have to postpone other tasks. More than half of the offices surveyed stated that they did not always feel they could guarantee child protection under the current conditions. In some cases, minors have already had to spend the night in offices. wdr.de
Berlin police investigate within their own ranks after the disclosure of lists of names from the New Year’s Eve riots: A right-wing populist portal stated that a list from security circles had been leaked to it; the majority of first names suggest a migration background. The police called the publication unacceptable and inadmissible. This not only violates data protection, but also fuels a disproportionate and discriminatory approach to explaining individual criminal behavior. t-online.de
More regional news:
- Saxony-Anhalt: Magdeburg sets up memorial in city hall. n-tv.de
- Schleswig-Holstein: Greens tighten security after vandalism at Flensburg district office. shz.de
- Lower Saxony: CDU sees unanswered questions in the case of the arrested public prosecutor. n-tv.de
- Hamburg: SPD and Greens want lobby register for Hanseatic city. n-tv.de
- Berlin: Jewish journalist attacked on the street in Kreuzberg. faz.net
- North Rhine-Westphalia: Police in many cities are enforcing bans on carrying knives. rp-online.de
- Hamburg: Barracks in Osdorf and Iserbrook will be preserved. ndr.de
- Bavaria: AfD member of parliament Ramona Storm from Aschaffenburg files an objection against a summary penalty order for using the symbols of unconstitutional organizations. sueddeutsche.de
- Berlin: Queer community plans „Winter CSD“ before the federal election. rbb24.de
President-elect Donald Trump’s statements on the appropriation of Greenland have met with criticism in the EU:
- Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned against violent border shifts. The Europeans must stand together, he said in Berlin. zdf.de
- The French government condemned Trump’s plans as „a form of imperialism“. yahoo.com
- The EU Commission dismissed Trump’s comments as hypothetical with regard to autonomous Greenland, which belongs to Denmark. derstandard.at
- Outgoing US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the discussion a waste of time; annexing Greenland was not a good idea and would not happen. spiegel.de
Meta will probably keep fact checks on Facebook and Instagram in Europe for the time being: In a report submitted by Meta to the EU Commission, it is stated that Meta would first examine its legal obligations under current EU rules before making any changes. The Commission in Brussels has already warned the US company against breaking European laws after Meta announced that it would no longer carry out independent fact-checking in the US. zdf.de, tagesspiegel.de
Finland hosts Nato security summit after sabotage in the Baltic Sea: Germany and other Nato countries bordering the Baltic Sea have been invited to Tuesday’s meeting in Helsinki on security in the Baltic. Participants will discuss „strengthening the Nato presence in the Baltic and responding to the threat of the Russian shadow fleet“. In addition to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Chancellor Olaf Scholz is also expected to attend the meeting. stern.de
Presidential election in Romania will be repeated in May: The dates set are May 4 for the first round and May 18 for a possible run-off. The result of the vote last fall was declared invalid by the Romanian Supreme Court. Before the repeat election, the Constitutional Court must re-examine and re-approve all candidates. faz.net
Presidential election in Poland set for May 18: Andrzej Duda, who is close to the right-wing populist PiS, is not allowed to run again after serving two terms. Warsaw’s mayor Rafal Trzaskowksi is running for the Civic Coalition of Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The 52-year-old stands for progressive politics. The largest opposition party, PiS, has nominated the historian Karol Nawrocki, who has not yet made a political appearance. If no candidate wins an absolute majority, there will be a runoff election on June 1. Poland’s president has influence on foreign policy and can block laws, which is why the election is considered crucial for the government’s ability to act. taz.de
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg becomes Austria’s interim head of government: the previous chancellor and ÖVP leader Karl Nehammer had announced his resignation after the coalition negotiations with the social democratic SPÖ and the liberal Neos failed. Federal President Alexander van der Bellen therefore commissioned the controversial head of the right-wing nationalist FPÖ, Herbert Kickl, to form a government. The ÖVP has accepted Kickl’s invitation to talks. tagesschau.de, zdf.de, n-tv.de
US President Joe Biden sends National Guard to forest fire areas in Los Angeles: The fire department is running out of water to fight the fires because the water pressure in the pipes is dropping more and more. 70,000 people have been ordered to evacuate their homes. Nearly 30,000 buildings are threatened by the flames. Several deaths have also been reported. spiegel.de, faz.net
More news:
- Slovakia: Confrontation with Kiev and Brussels. wort.lu
- Italy: Increase in cyber attacks on critical infrastructure. suedtirolnews.it
- Denmark: Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen goes on the offensive after Trump’s Greenland claims. rnd.de
- Spain: Baby born on refugee boat in the Atlantic. spiegel.de
- Belgium: Food agency clarifies that Christmas trees are not suitable for consumption. spiegel.de
- Czech Republic: More rights, but no marriage for gay couples. tagesschau.de
- Chad: Reports of gunfire near the presidential palace; Boko Haram gunmen are said to have entered the building. derstandard.at
- Pakistan: Islamabad deports Afghans waiting to leave for Germany. faz.net
- Thailand: Cambodian opposition member shot dead in the capital Bangkok. dw.com
- USA: Donald Trump wants to prevent the announcement of the sentence in the hush money trial and turns to the US Supreme Court. zdf.de
- USA: Trump special counsel Jack Smith wants to publish report on election manipulation proceedings. tagesschau.de
- USA: Fed minutes: monetary watchdogs see new inflation risks from Donald Trump. handelsblatt.com
- USA: Canada rejects Trump’s offer and proposes buying Alaska instead. handelsblatt.com
Business
Number of start-ups rises sharply despite crisis: Almost 2,800 growth companies were founded last year, around eleven percent more than in the previous year, according to the start-up association. The start-ups have recovered from previous declines almost nationwide. Most of the startups in 2024 emerged in metropolises such as Berlin, Munich and Hamburg – but also in research-related locations such as Heidelberg, Aachen, Darmstadt and Potsdam. n-tv.de
More from the worlds of business, technology and science:
- Retail sales increased again last year. zeit.de
- German automotive industry hopes for turnaround with new electric cars. handelsblatt.com
- Office vacancy rates are rising as the economic crisis deters companies. handelsblatt.com
- Electric cars: Northvolt can continue to manufacture batteries despite financial problems. heise.de
- Deutsche Bahn satisfied with start on Riedbahn despite disruptions. handelsblatt.com
- Fish, crabs and dragonflies: almost a quarter of freshwater animals threatened with extinction. spiegel.de
- Zu Klampen publishing house cancels publication of „Shitbürgertum“ by Welt editor Ulf Poschardt. sueddeutsche.de
- JPMorgan: Next US bank to leave Net-Zero Banking Alliance. table.media
- Labor migration: Germany urgently needs to combat the emigration of skilled workers. wiwo.de
- The great power of Immoscout: making apartment hunting a business also stirs up anger. faz.net
- Networked electricity meters: Consumers now have a right to a smart meter. heise.de
- Tesla: Vehicles are being equipped with the AI chatbot Grok. stadt-bremerhaven.de
- Investment: Many investors are becoming more cautious. wiwo.de
Italian journalist Cecilia Sala released from Iranian custody: The 29-year-old landed in Rome on Wednesday evening aboard a military plane, where she was greeted by family and friends as well as Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Sala was arrested in Tehran in December despite working on a valid journalist visa; she was never told what laws she had violated. zdf.de, spiegel.de
More from the worlds of culture, media and people:
- Ippens’s cooperation with the „Washington Post“: Like quality journalism ordered from Temu. uebermedien.de
- Lilly Becker: Participation in Jungle Camp saved – court date postponed. t-online.de
- Radio formats in the USA: Country dominates, Christian offerings are growing. radioszene.de
- Protected status: Biden designates two areas as national monuments. www1.wdr.de
- Crime in National Socialism: Cabinet approves arbitration court for Nazi loot. spiegel.de
- Bundestag election: Cultural council draws up list of demands. www1.wdr.de
- 90th birthday of Elvis Presley: Forever the King of Rock ’n‘ Roll. vip.de
- Adam Sandler: Daughter Sunny Sandler stars in Netflix production. gala.de
- One Direction singer: Second suspect surrenders to police in Liam Payne case. ksta.de
- Visiting Maremma and Siena: Elon Musk is interested in a castle in Tuscany. faz.net
- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman rejects abuse allegations. manager-magazin.de
- Jamie Foxx: Chances of survival were five percent. musikexpress.de
- Competitive sports in Germany: Just missing out – More and more fourth places instead of medals, plus failed Olympic bids and children who can’t even do somersaults anymore. zeit.de
- Salary concession: Musiala apparently demands release clause from FC Bayern. n-tv.de
- World champion as a player and coach: Deschamps is set to step down as France’s national team coach. spiegel.de
- Basketball legend Nowitzki celebrates his comeback in the NBA – as a TV pundit. spiegel.de
- ATP tournament in Auckland: Struff loses to Monfils in the round of 16. sportschau.de
- Biathlon: season over for overall World Cup winner Vittozzi. sportschau.de
- World champion creates hype: Chess boom in India – waiting for the next Gukesh. sportschau.de
In „America Mexicana“: Mexico’s president responds to Trump: Rename the southern United States. n-tv.de