Bild: The sadist network „764“ | Das Sadisten-Netzwerk „764“
Funke: Police announce massive security presence during fence construction in Görlitzer Park | Polizei kündigt massiven Schutz beim Zaunbau im Görlitzer Park an
RND: Hoping for the fall of the mullahs: An emperor without an empire on standby | Hoffen auf den Sturz der Mullahs: Ein Kaiser ohne Reich in Wartestellung
Tagesspiegel: Federal and state governments move closer: Merz promises compensation for tax revenue losses | Bund und Länder nähern sich an: Merz sagt Ausgleich für Steuerausfälle zu
taz: Faster housing | Schneller Wohnen
Welt: SPD ministers promise a „construction turbo“ | SPD-Minister versprechen einen „Bau-Turbo“
Europeans plan to speak with Iran about its nuclear program: Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and his colleagues from France and the UK want to help out in the Middle East conflict. They plan to meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday in Geneva. The aim is to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict with Israel. However, Tehran must take urgent action to achieve this, for example, by convincing the international community that it is not seeking to develop nuclear weapons, said Wadephul. tagesschau.de, handelsblatt.com
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz wrote on X that he supports the efforts. They have been coordinated with the US. Iran is now called upon to quickly negotiate an agreement that will dispel serious concerns about its nuclear program.
- Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier still sees opportunities for a diplomatic solution despite the mutual missile attacks between Israel and Iran; he said it was now important to return to negotiations.
Israel continues attacks on Tehran: Iran’s state media reported further attacks on the capital Tehran. Israel’s army attacked buildings near the police headquarters, injuring several officers. Israel reported attacks on missile launch sites and missile silos in western Iran. tagesschau.de
- Iran“s Revolutionary Guards say they used modern „Sejil“ missiles in their latest attack on Israel. This type of missile is one of the most advanced in Iran“s arsenal. spiegel.de
- Iran’s security apparatus has largely shut down the internet, and telephone connections into the country are currently impossible. Only state media can continue to broadcast news. However, state television is said to have become the target of hacker attacks. heise.de
Criticism of Chancellor Friedrich Merz“s statement on Israel“s „dirty work“ in Iran: The German ambassador in Tehran has been summoned. The Iranian government protested against the „offensive remarks.“ The chancellor’s choice of words was also criticized in Germany, with opposition coming from the Greens, the Left Party, and the BSW. SPD foreign policy expert Adis Ahmetovic said the quote had caused irritation within the parliamentary group. zdfheute.de
Russian President Vladimir Putin would also meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky: Putin said in St. Petersburg that he could meet with the Ukrainian head of state in the final phase of negotiations. The important thing, he said, is who signs the documents on the Ukrainian side and that the country’s next president does not question such an agreement. stern.de
YouGov Sonntagsfrage: Union 28 Prozent (+1), AfD 23 Prozent (-2), SPD 14 Prozent (-1), Grüne 12 Prozent, Linke 8 Prozent (-1), BSW 5 Prozent (+1), FDP 3 Prozent, Sonstige 5 Prozent. (Veränderung gegenüber Vormonat) yougov.de
States and municipalities are to receive relief from the federal government for tax shortfalls: An agreement was reached during talks between state leaders and Chancellor Friedrich Merz, said Saxony“s Minister President Michael Kretschmer at a joint press conference. This is initially an interim step. Further negotiations will be held in the coming days. However, he can already assure local authorities that relief will be forthcoming. zdfheute.de, handelsblatt.com
Cabinet:
- Government wants to tighten gun laws: The possession of weapons with potentially lethal ammunition is to be restricted. The draft law provides for a permit requirement for certain air rifles. This is intended to close a loophole in gun laws that has opened up as a result of new technical developments. evangelisch.de
- Law for simplified housing construction passed: In the future, municipalities will be able to deviate from the specified development plans. The changes to the Building Code are intended to speed up construction, redensification, and expansion. The regulation is set to expire at the end of 2030. The new law proposed by Construction Minister Verena Hubertz also includes a so-called experimental clause that allows residential buildings to be added to or vacant office buildings to be converted. zdfheute.de, handelsblatt.com
- Former ambassador to Kiev Martin Jäger becomes new head of the BND: The cabinet appointed the 60-year-old as successor to the former president of the foreign intelligence service, Bruno Kahl. Jäger is considered one of Germany“s most experienced diplomats. n-tv.de
- CDU politician Michael Brand is the new anti-gypsyism commissioner: The cabinet appointed the 51-year-old on the recommendation of Family Minister Karin Prien. Brand is parliamentary state secretary in the ministry and will take on the new role in addition to his current duties. taz.de
Chancellor Friedrich Merz gives positive assessment of G7 summit: The meeting was far more successful than he had initially thought, Merz said. He pointed out that agreement had been reached on statements on several issues. taz.de
Education Minister Karin Prien welcomes debate on smartphone ban: She will set up a commission of experts with the participation of the federal states before the summer break, she said on DLF radio. This commission would then develop a strategy for implementing a ban. At the same time, she spoke in favor of regulations for young people up to the age of 14, such as a legally mandated age verification for the use of TikTok, Instagram, and other applications.
- Teachers‘ association against social media age limit. zdfheute.de
Berlin Honors Migrant Entrepreneurs for Outstanding Business Ideas
On Wednesday evening, the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, led by Senator Franziska Giffey, awarded prizes to migrant entrepreneurs whose businesses have made notable contributions to the city’s economy. This year, all first-place awards went to companies operating in healthcare, care services, or inclusion-focused sectors. The awards reflect Berlin’s commitment to celebrating the entrepreneurial contributions of its diverse population, particularly in sectors that address social needs and accessibility. tagesspiegel.de
- Berlin: CDU remains strongest party – Left Party gains ground, rising from 6 to 19 percent. rbb24.de
- Schleswig-Holstein: Northvolt report criticises Ministry of Economic Affairs. ndr.de
- Thuringia: German flag to fly permanently on public buildings. t-online.de
- Berlin: Administration struggles again with Windows update; only 12 percent converted so far. heise.de
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announces completion of two percent defense spending target: For the first time, all alliance members will meet the target of spending two percent of their gross domestic product on defense this year. The two percent target was agreed upon in 2014. At the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, a further step will be taken to discuss a new target. Rutte has proposed spending at least 3.5 percent of annual economic output on defense and 1.5 percent on defense-related infrastructure by 2032.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala survives a no-confidence vote in Prague: 94 members of parliament from opposition parties voted to dismiss the cabinet around three and a half months before the parliamentary elections. The required majority in the 200-member lower house was thus not achieved. The opposition had sought the no-confidence vote because of a Bitcoin affair that had already led to the fall of one minister. The Ministry of Justice had accepted Bitcoin worth the equivalent of almost 40 million euros as a gift from a convicted criminal. spiegel.de, derstandard.at, spiegel.de
US Federal Reserve keeps key interest rate steady again: The independent monetary policymakers led by Fed Chair Jerome Powell left the key interest rate in the range of 4.25 to 4.5 percent. It has been in this range since December. US President Donald Trump has been pushing Powell for a rate cut for a long time. However, the Fed expects inflation to rise to 3.0 percent. In March, it had predicted 2.7 percent. The US monetary policymakers also took a more pessimistic view of growth prospects, forecasting an increase of 1.4 percent. faz.net, n-tv.de
More news:
- Austria: Minimum age for gun buyers raised from 21 to 25. sueddeutsche.de
- Turkey: Pro-Kurdish party calls on government to take steps towards peace. zeit.de
- Slovakia: Prime Minister Robert Fico threatens to leave NATO in dispute over defense spending. n-tv.de
- Serbia: New investigation assumes sound attack on demonstration. netzpolitik.org
- Portugal: Police prevent far-right attacks on parliament in Lisbon. spiegel.de
- Polen: Warschau unterstützt laut Staatspräsident Andrzej Duda weiter ukrainische Nato-Ambitionen. polskieradio.pl
- Belgium: First doctors‘ strike in decades looms. grenzecho.net
- France: Human rights commission condemns racism in medicine. stern.de
- France: Police crack down on undocumented migrants in two-day operation at train stations. deutschlandfunk.de
AI will soon account for one percent of global electricity consumption: According to a study by the German Federal Environment Agency, AI-related energy consumption in data centers will rise to approximately 300 terawatt hours by 2028. This rapid growth carries the risk that companies could shift the associated CO2 emissions to countries with less stringent climate policies. Currently, the extent of emissions shifting is low. AI computing capacities are mainly concentrated in the US and China. However, this could change if cost pressures increase. stern.de
More from Business, Tech, and Science:
- Railway plans fewer general renovations per year; work likely to take longer. handelsblatt.com
- VW unveils its first production-ready robot taxi – ahead of Tesla. handelsblatt.com
- Significantly more parcels on the road in 2024. zeit.de
- Sales in the bicycle industry decline for the first time since the coronavirus boom. n-tv.de
- Germans reject permanently attached bottle caps. lebensmittelpraxis.de
- King Charles and Queen Camilla celebrate again at Royal Ascot web.de
- Kate takes off her hat sueddeutsche.de
- She called her ”Nonna“: Ariana Grande mourns the loss of her grandmother n-tv.de
- Congratulations on your 83rd birthday: Beyoncé thanks Paul McCartney n-tv.de
- US singer: Chappell Roan doesn’t care about hateful reactions spiegel.de
- Lawsuit against Tyler Perry: Meghan’s friend accused of sexual harassment n-tv.de
- ”Aller.Land“: Federal government funds 30 cultural projects in rural areas across Germany wdr.de
- Culture: Warning strikes at theaters and concert halls saarbruecker-zeitung.de
- “Die Frau als Mensch” (Women as Human Beings): German Non-Fiction Prize goes to comic artist Ulli Lust spiegel.de
Immersive is a Berlin-based language-learning startup founded by Eduardo Roldan and his team, designed to help expats break through the language and cultural barriers of life in Germany. Recognizing that mastering German is essential for true integration, Immersive goes beyond basic vocabulary and grammar—its app uses native content like news and media to make language learning relevant to daily life, helping users understand what’s happening around them and feel more connected to German society.
The startup was born out of the founders’ own challenges navigating Germany’s complex systems and the realization that language is key to inclusion and independence. By focusing on real-world content and cultural context, Immersive empowers expats to participate more fully in their communities, handle bureaucracy with confidence, and embrace both their new home and their own cultural roots.
- Para sports in Germany under threat – The Paralympics regularly provide a major stage for top para athletes. But in Germany, children and young people with disabilities still have to fight to be able to participate in sports. dw.com
- Clear victory: Zverev advances to second round of ATP tournament in Halle without any problems sportschau.de
- Trend sport check – padel: no sport is growing faster sport.de
- Olympic luge competitions without Russian participation sport.de
Regulation under fire: New lids annoy consumers when drinking. tagesschau.de