Bild: I only want to drive like this | Ich will nur SO Autofahren
FAZ: Vienna insists on compliance with Schengen rules | Wien pocht auf Einhaltung der Schengen-Regeln
Funke: SPD leader Esken accuses Merz of attempted blackmail | SPD-Chefin Esken wirft Merz versuchte Erpressung vor
Handelsblatt: The AI shock | Der KI-Schock
RND: Competition for US corporations: What’s behind the Chinese AI start-up DeepSeek | Konkurrenz für US-Konzerne: Was hinter dem chinesischen KI-Start-up DeepSeek steckt
SZ: Merz puts pressure on SPD and Greens | Merz setzt SPD und Grüne unter Druck
Tagesspiegel: 80 years after the liberation of Auschwitz: Steinmeier acknowledges German responsibility | 80 Jahre nach der Befreiung von Auschwitz: Steinmeier bekennt sich zu deutscher Verantwortung
taz: On the brink of war (Congo) | An der Grenze des Krieges (Kongo)
Welt: Merz plan on migration: The hurdles are high | Merz-Plan zur Migration: Die Hürden sind hoch
Auschwitz survivors warn of new anti-Semitism: 80 years after the liberation of the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, survivors have warned of new threats. On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the former concentration and extermination camp, they called on the heads of state and government present at the Auschwitz-Birkenau memorial to stand up to it. Tova Friedman said that anti-Semitism is rampant and spreading between nations. Leon Weintraub called on young people to be tolerant and vigilant. Marian Turski, President of the International Auschwitz Committee, called on politicians to take action against anti-Semitism and the denial of the Holocaust. faz.net, freiepresse.de, zdf.de, tagesschau.de
- Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that remembrance knows no end and therefore neither does responsibility. Germany’s responsibility arising from the Nazi atrocities is never-ending. spiegel.de
- Chancellor Scholz said in several interviews that it is depressing how little many people in Germany still know about the Holocaust. He said that as many young people as possible should be given the opportunity to talk to the surviving eyewitnesses.
- Polish Prime Minister Andrzej Duda emphasized that today the Poles are the ones who remember history. handelsblatt.com
- Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said it was up to each individual to prevent evil from winning in the world.
- AfD not invited to Brandenburg state commemoration at the Sachsenhausen memorial. rbb24.de
- Speech by Michel Friedman disrupted: AfD member Josef Dörr causes scandal at Holocaust memorial event at Saarland state parliament. n-tv.de
- Berlin AfD member of parliament Marc Vallendar relativizes Nazi crimes. welt.de
- On the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz: the „Tagesschau“ begins very differently than usual. t-online.de
Bild-Sonntagstrend by Insa: Union 30 percent (+1), SPD 15.5 percent (-0.5), Greens 12.5 percent (-0.5), FDP 4.5 percent (-0.5), AfD 22 percent (+0.5), Left 4.5 percent, BSW 6 percent (-1), Others 5 percent. bild.de
Eight of the 33 Israeli hostages to be exchanged are dead: Israel’s government said that a list with these numbers, sent by the terrorist organization Hamas, matches Israeli intelligence information. The eight hostages were killed by Hamas. The families have been informed. The remaining 25 are said to be alive, according to Israeli government spokesman David Mencer. Seven women had already been released by Hamas over the past two weekends in exchange for convicted Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody. The next exchange is scheduled for Thursday, followed by another on Saturday. zdf.de, rnd.de, n-tv.de
CDU/CSU announces additional bill to turn back asylum seekers: In addition to the motions already announced, Friedrich Merz, the CDU/CSU candidate for Chancellor, has announced a bill on migration policy. According to the parliamentary group, the bill includes changes to asylum and residence law to enable the direct rejection of asylum seekers at the German border. Merz emphasized that the far too high numbers of illegal immigrants coming to Germany must be drastically reduced. The CDU and CSU had previously submitted proposals that included permanent border controls and the consistent implementation of detention pending deportation for those required to leave the country. sueddeutsche.de, n-tv.de
- Union Chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz reiterated that his faction would not allow the SPD and the Greens, nor the AfD, to dictate which motions it would bring before the Bundestag; a right thing does not become wrong by the wrong people agreeing to it.
- The AfD parliamentary party has decided to agree to Merz’s plans. spiegel.de
- Sahra Wagenknecht alliance signals support.
- FDP leader Christian Lindner told Deutschlandfunk that the measures were a step in the right direction to limit illegal migration and reaffirmed his party’s willingness to agree to the CDU/CSU’s proposals; he said that whether the AfD would also agree was irrelevant. Lindner wants to link development aid in the future to the willingness of countries to accept deported refugees. zdf.de
- Development Minister Svenja Schulze warns against linking aid to poor countries to the return of rejected asylum seekers. rnd.de
- SPD General Secretary Matthias Miersch warned Merz against accepting AfD votes and spoke of an unprecedented breach of taboo.
- SPD faction vice-Dirk Wiese on Merz’s approach: „We will oppose it with all our might“. web.de
- Heads of government of the seven SPD-led federal states warn against ending the firewall around the AfD. spiegel.de
- Green Party leader Felix Banaszak called on Merz to clearly reject any cooperation with the AfD.
SPD wants to present its own asylum and security laws: A decision by the federal executive committee envisages accelerating asylum procedures and concluding agreements with countries of origin. In addition, dangers posed by people with mental illnesses are to be better recognized and recorded. The Social Democrats also want to put the parts of their security package that have been blocked by the CDU and CSU, as well as the Federal Police Act, to a vote in parliament. tagesschau.de, web.de
Germany fails to return refugees under ‚Dublin‘ agreement: In tens of thousands of cases, immigration authorities in 2023 and 2024 failed to transfer asylum seekers to the responsible EU partner country. This was reported by the DPA, citing statistics from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. In 2023, Germany had requested a total of around 75,000 cases to be transferred to another EU country, and in more than 55,000 cases, the partner countries also agreed. However, only just under 5,000 people were actually transferred. The figures were similar in 2024. tagesschau.de, shz.de
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock spoke on the phone with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Baerbock assured Rubio that Germany wants to work closely with the US government. Both states have close economic ties and shared interests. Europe wants to take more responsibility for its own security. The topics of the conversation were the importance of a strong NATO, Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, and the situation in Syria, the Gaza Strip and the Middle East. spiegel.de, sueddeutsche.de
Enquete Commission on Afghanistan identifies significant shortcomings: Committee chairman Michael Müller said that Germany and its international partners had strategically failed in Afghanistan. Furthermore, almost no coordination took place within the government during the almost 20-year mission. The Enquete Commission proposes the establishment of a cabinet committee to improve interdepartmental planning and implementation of future military operations; operational objectives would have to be clearly defined and realistic. In addition, an exit strategy coordinated with allies is needed from the outset. Both were lacking in Afghanistan. zeit.de, welt.de
More politics:
- Berlin Administrative Court: Face veils banned at the wheel. spiegel.de
- Police union calls for 30 km/h speed limit in towns to protect pedestrians and cyclists. t-online.de
- Health Minister Karl Lauterbach irritates with „Nazi comparison“ in Merz’s asylum plan; CDU calls for his dismissal. n-tv.de
No all-clear after outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Brandenburg: The Ministry of Agriculture in Potsdam has announced that animals are still being tested for the virus. A total of 200 samples are being taken in the so-called surveillance zone around the outbreak in Hönow in the district of Märkisch-Oderland; wild animals are also being tested. However, there have been no further cases of the animal disease so far. tagesspiegel.de
EU foreign ministers agree roadmap for easing sanctions against Syria: The measures were imposed during the civil war and were directed against the government of the now-overthrown President Bashar al-Assad and against large parts of the Syrian economy. The agreed approach is to give the new rulers incentives to build a real democracy in Syria. It is also hoped that hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees in the EU will one day be able to return to their homeland. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas emphasized that the plan also includes reversing any relaxation of sanctions if the EU believes the new rulers are moving in the wrong direction. spiegel.de, euronews.com, tagesschau.de
More regional news:
- Hamburg: SPD extends lead in poll on state election. zeit.de
- North Rhine-Westphalia: Numerous offenses investigated after major raid for social abuse. wdr.de
- Bavaria: Family of Aschaffenburg victim criticize political instrumentalisation. n-tv.de
- Saxony: Police register significantly fewer unauthorized entries. n-tv.de
- Lower Saxony: Unknown persons smear CDU office with blue paint. n-tv.de
- Hamburg: SPD and Greens call for extremism check for civil servants. hamburg.t-online.de
- Bremen: Education authority reorganizes school supervision. butenunbinnen.de
- Thuringia: 20 million euros in funding approved for the expansion of the Hermsdorf industrial area. mdr.de
- Hessen: Ministry denies AfD claims of foiled terrorist attack in Hanau. n-tv.de
- Brandenburg: Arrest after homicide and serious violence in Beelitz. rbb24.de
Lithuania calls for new navigation rules after new cable damage in the Baltic Sea: Ships of the so-called Russian shadow fleet are suspected of being responsible. Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said that there have been so many incidents recently that one can no longer believe in accidents. The rules of navigation in the Baltic Sea would have to be reviewed, particularly with regard to the use of anchors. Meanwhile, Sweden’s coast guard has inspected a ship suspected of damaging a data cable in the Baltic Sea. The Maltese-flagged freighter was detained on Sunday; Sweden’s prosecutor’s office is investigating possible serious acts of sabotage. faz.net
Denmark wants to strengthen military presence in the Arctic after Greenland threats from US President Donald Trump: Defense Minister Lund Poulsen said in Copenhagen that three warships, two long-range drones and several surveillance satellites should be purchased for this purpose. The costs will therefore amount to around two billion euros. In addition, the defense budget is to be increased further. Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen wants to travel to Berlin, Paris and Brussels on Tuesday to discuss the situation with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte; the aim is to strengthen European unity. spiegel.de, tagesschau.de, faz.net
EU calls on Rwanda to end support for rebels and withdraw troops from eastern Congo: The EU is closely monitoring the situation in eastern Congo, said EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas; attacks on UN peacekeepers are unacceptable. Fighters of the so-called M23 militia recently took the important provincial capital of Goma and called on soldiers of the Congolese army to lay down their weapons. Members of international peacekeeping forces were also killed in the fighting. Kenya called on France and the United States to help resolve the conflict. Kenya’s President William Ruto had announced a special summit of the East African community of states. spiegel.de, zeit.de, faz.net
More news:
- EU: EU threatens Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko with sanctions. euronews.com
- Lithuania: NATO state is expanding „Baltic line of defense“ against Russia with „dragon teeth“ and mined bridges. tagesspiegel.de
- Norway: Government could collapse over relationship to the EU in the energy sector. faz.net
- Slovakia: Prime Minister Robert Fico is losing control over the country. diepresse.com
- Austria: Warning of breach of Schengen rules; acting chancellor Alexander Schallenberg criticizes CDU leader Friedrich Merz’s border plans. tagesschau.de
- Austria: The FPÖ’s shift to the right could impact the economy. sueddeutsche.de
- Turkey: Companies hope for good business in Syria. dw.com
- Luxembourg: Country considers abolishing „golden visas“ for rich investors. wort.lu
- Sweden: Secret documents left in hotel; national security adviser resigns. tagesspiegel.de
- Iran: Large-scale naval exercise carried out. web.de
- Afghanistan: Taliban want to vaccinate millions of children against polio. n-tv.de
IG Metall leader Christiane Benner criticizes Elon Musk’s totalitarian behavior as unacceptable: She has criticized the US entrepreneur’s repeated meddling in German politics. Musk is displaying totalitarian behavior and crossing boundaries. Benner also slammed Musk’s decision to support AfD leader Alice Weidel with a campaign appearance on X. Democrats and trade union members must oppose this. n-tv.de
Ifo business climate improves: The gloomy economic mood has surprisingly improved somewhat at the beginning of the year. However, this is not a reason to sound the all-clear, emphasized Ifo President Clemens Fuest. The Ifo Business Climate Index rose by 0.4 points to 85.1 points in January. Despite the slight increase, the outlook remains pessimistic. faz.net, n-tv.de
More from the worlds of business, technology and science:
- China’s AI Deepseek is putting pressure on Silicon Valley. heise.de
- Special evaluation in Pisa study: Many students have trouble recognizing fake news. tagesschau.de
- Excessive chlorate content: Coca-Cola recalls numerous products. faz.net
- Timotheus Höttges will remain CEO of Deutsche Telekom until 2028. handelsblatt.com
- Galeria is back in the black. tagesschau.de
- TV debates: ARD and ZDF stick with the duel, RTL wants a four-way round. table.media
- Sport1 is getting involved with a Swiss start-up and Sportdeutschland. TV is the new home for the Diamond League. dwdl.de
- Video streaming market: High demand for low-priced subscriptions. new-business.de
- Advertising slump: Radio station egoFM goes into insolvency proceedings. meedia.de
- Partially closed: The British Museum in London is having problems restarting its computer system. www1.wdr.de
- Shirin David postpones her album release. ksta.de
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is the most frequently performed composer in concert halls worldwide. www1.wdr.de
- Steve Aoki: DJ announces the sex of the baby on stage – a boy. stern.de
- „Pied Piper“ and „hobby fascist“: Rapper Finch mocks AfD supporters – and they love him for it. t-online.de
- „Protective instinct“: Steven Spielberg wanted to become a father because of „E.T.“. rnd.de
Will learning a new language become obsolete with AI translators? In the new episode of Plus Forty-Nine, we talk to expert Monique about the role of AI in internal communication and how AI could revolutionize second language learning.
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- Thomas Müller – „Then we’ll just play the play-offs.“ sportschau.de
- Referees to explain VAR decisions in stadium announcements: Innovation in Bundesliga soccer. faz.net
- BVB has given Sammer an ultimatum – and does not want him to comment on Borussia matches as a TV pundit. welt.de
- ATP Ranking: Kevin Krawietz sets German record as the best German doubles player in history. He is on a par with Boris Becker and Udo Riglewski in the ATP ranking. tennismagazin.de
- Alpine skiing: Dreßen on crashes in ski racing: „It’s just not on“. sportschau.de
Alpine skiing: Alexis Monney shaves off hair after podium finish in Kitzbühel. t-online.de