FAZ: Grief over the death of Pope Francis | Trauer um Papst Franziskus
Funke: „A special head of the Church“: Berlin mourns Pope Francis | „Besonderes Kirchenoberhaupt“: Berlin trauert um Papst Franziskus
Handelsblatt: Call for help from the German Armed Forces | Hilferuf der Bundeswehr
RND: Pope dies on Easter Monday: Some of his predecessors also died on symbolic days | Papst-Tod am Ostermontag: Auch einige seiner Vorgänger starben an symbolträchtigen Tagen
SZ: Pope Francis is dead | Papst Franziskus ist tot
Tagesspiegel: „Germany is ready“ – Politicians from the CDU and SPD want a female federal president | „Deutschland ist reif dafür“ – Politiker aus Union und SPD wollen eine Bundespräsidentin
taz: See Vance and die | Vance sehen und sterben
Welt: The world mourns Pope Francis | Die Welt trauert um Papst Franziskus
Vatican begins rituals after the death of Pope Francis: On Monday evening, thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square. After a speech by Italian Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, the crowd prayed the rosary. The death of the pope was then confirmed in a traditional ritual. The Vatican announced that the 88-year-old had died in the morning from the effects of a stroke and subsequent irreversible heart failure. On Easter Sunday, the head of the Catholic Church gave the Urbi et Orbi blessing. Believers are expected to be able to pay their last respects to Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica from Wednesday onwards, when his coffin will lie in state. The pope wished to be buried in a tomb in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in the center of Rome. A simple plaque bearing the inscription „Franciscus“ is to be placed over the tomb. On Tuesday, several cardinals are expected to gather in the Vatican to discuss the funeral and the election of a new pope. Usually, a pope is buried within four to six days of his death; after 20 days at the latest, the conclave begins, in which the cardinals elect a new pope. zdf.de, derstandard.at, n-tv.de, tagesschau.de, faz.net
Death of Pope Francis triggers worldwide sympathy: Representatives of states and churches paid tribute to the life’s work of the head of the Catholic Church. spiegel.de
Catholic churches lay out books of condolence: The German Bishops‘ Conference announced that starting Tuesday, mourners will be able to write their thoughts in a books placed at a number of locations. Starting Friday, a book of condolence will also be laid out at the Apostolic Nunciature in Berlin. Written condolences can also be left in other Catholic dioceses, including Cologne Cathedral and Bonn Cathedral. de.nachrichten.yahoo.com
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted personal loyalty, according to dismissed intelligence chief Ronen Bar: The former Shin Bet director testified under oath that Netanyahu had demanded personal loyalty from him. It had been clear that in the event of a constitutional crisis, Bar would have had to follow Netanyahu and not the Supreme Court. In the document published by the Attorney General’s Office, Bar also stated that Netanyahu had expected the secret service to take action against demonstrators critical of the government. Netanyahu’s office rejected the allegations and accused Bar of making false statements under oath. spiegel.de
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announces further international meeting: Another conference with representatives from the UK, France, and the US is planned for Wednesday in London. The goals are a ceasefire without preconditions and „genuine and lasting peace.“ The four countries met in the same configuration last Thursday in Paris. stern.de
BamS Sunday trend from Insa: Union 25 percent, AfD 24 percent, SPD 16 percent, Greens 11 percent, Left 10 percent, BSW 5 percent, FDP 4 percent, others 5 percent. bild.de
CDU joins criticism of Julia Klöckner after her comments on the role of the churches: Klöckner, who recently became Bundestag President, is facing opposition within her own party over statements criticizing the church’s involvement in politics. CDU social wing leader Dennis Radtke told the Taz newspaper it was „extremely irritating“ to reprimand the churches and push them back to their supposed core tasks in their communications. SPD member of parliament Ralf Stegner said Klöckner’s comments amounted to an „authoritarian reprimand“; the voice of the churches for peace and justice should be heard more often and more loudly. Green Party faction leader Britta Haßelmann told the Tagesspiegel newspaper that it was a matter of existential questions of life when the churches spoke out on injustices in the world and on social cohesion. Klöckner had called on the churches to provide more spiritual guidance and pastoral care and to make fewer statements on current issues. spiegel.de, sueddeutsche.de; taz.de (Radtke) tagesspiegel.de (Stegner+Haßelmann)
Debate over conscription for the German Armed Forces: Union faction vice chairman Johann Wadephul referred to the statement by German Armed Forces Inspector General Carsten Breuer that 100,000 reservists would need to be trained in order to have an army capable of defending the country. Wadephul told FAS said that by the end of the year, it would be necessary to review whether this could be achieved without compulsory military service. SPD leader Lars Klingbeil told Funke newspapers that he was certain that enough volunteers could be found if the Bundeswehr were made more attractive; he mentioned the possibility of obtaining a driver’s license free of charge while serving in the Bundeswehr. waz.de, zdf.de
SPD resists sending Taurus deliveries to Ukraine: The delivery of the missiles would not contribute to ending this war, SPD foreign policy spokesman Ralf Stegner said on DLF radio. He also did not believe that these medium-range missiles would increase Ukraine’s defensive capabilities. There are concerns that attack targets in Russia could be hit with these weapons, but also about German soldiers having to be involved in targeting. SPD foreign policy expert Michael Roth recently called for Ukraine to be supported with cruise missiles. CDU leader Friedrich Merz has promised Ukraine Taurus deliveries in consultation with allies if he becomes chancellor. deutschlandfunk.de, rp-online.de
Acting German government blocks arms deliveries to Turkey: According to Handelsblatt, the arrest of Turkish opposition leader Ekrem Imamoglu is cited as an important reason for the decision against the export license. Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu has been in custody since March 19. He rejects the corruption allegations against him. Imamoglu is considered President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s most important rival. The arrest of the popular opposition politician has triggered the largest wave of protests in Turkey since 2013. handelsblatt.com
Tens of thousands take part in Easter marches: Compared to last year, there was a slight increase in participation in the approximately 120 events, according to the „Peace Cooperative Network.“ In Stuttgart alone, 4,500 people gathered for a demonstration on Saturday. At the end of the five-day Easter marches, rallies were held on Monday in Frankfurt am Main and at the Büchel air base in the Eifel region, among other places. The main themes this year were the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as the planned major rearmament of Germany and Europe. Demonstrators also rejected the deployment of US medium-range weapons in Germany. web.de, zdf.de
More News:
- Berlin: CDU members give coalition agreement a grade of 3. sueddeutsche.de
- Brandenburg: Number of canceled classes drops only slightly. rbb24.de
- Brandenburg: Two potential cases of extremism uncovered so far in constitutional checks for civil servants. rbb24.de
- Rhineland-Palatinate: Millions spent on expert opinions. n-tv.de
- Hamburg: Red-Green coalition wants to ease financial and bureaucratic burdens on associations. n-tv.de
- Brandenburg: Hitler salute in front of state parliament; police arrest 26-year-old. n-tv.de
According to BDI boss Peter Leibinger, the US is dependent on Europe in some areas of the economy: Leibinger told Funke newspapers that there are basically no American manufacturers of machine tools left. Instead, around 70 percent of the precision parts produced in the US are made on German or European machines. Another area in which the US is dependent on Europe is process sensor technology. This is needed in every refinery and every pharmaceutical plant. Germany has a number of companies that specialize in this field. handelsblatt.com
IMF and World Bank spring meeting begins: Numerous politicians and business representatives from around the world are attending the six-day conference in the US capital Washington, including Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel, Finance Minister Jörg Kukies, and Development Minister Svenja Schulze for Germany. IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva recently warned against protectionism and a global slowdown in growth in light of US President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff policy. orf.at
Arrest of opposition figures and critics of the president in Tunisia: Among those arrested was prominent lawyer Ahmed Souab. He is considered a critic of President Kais Saied and was one of the lawyers representing opposition leaders who were sentenced on Saturday to prison terms for conspiracy. According to the authorities, the defendants attempted to destabilize the country and overthrow President Saied. The opposition describes the charges as fabricated and say the trial is symbolic of the head of state’s authoritarian rule. dw.com, zdf.de
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi confident after nuclear talks between US and Iran: Both sides are ready to discuss concrete issues, Grossi told Italian newspaper La Repubblica after the second round of talks in Rome. It has become clear that progress is possible. The negotiations are set to continue on Saturday, again in Oman, which is acting as mediator. The West accuses Iran of developing nuclear weapons, which the leadership in Tehran denies. brf.be
US President Donald Trump stands behind Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth despite new security allegations: Trump said Hegseth is doing a great job. The minister himself rejected reports of another security-related chat incident, accusing the media of spreading lies. The New York Times reported that Hegseth had shared details of an attack on the militant Islamist Houthi militia in another Signal chat group that included his wife, brother, and lawyer. According to the report, Hegseth shared the same information about the March 15 attack that was already made public last month by The Atlantic magazine. Public broadcaster NPR reports that the White House has begun searching for a replacement for Hegseth. zdf.de, spiegel.de, n-tv.de, handelsblatt.com
More news:
- United Kingdom: Thousands demonstrate for transgender rights in London following a Supreme Court ruling. spiegel.de
- Lithuania: Supreme Court declares ban on same-sex partnerships unconstitutional. taz.de
- Netherlands: Pieter Omtzigts steps down as leader of the New Social Contract Party. nzz.ch
- Serbia: Russians circumvent EU entry restrictions with Serbian passports. merkur.de
- Slovenia: Former Prime Minister Janez Jansa acquitted of corruption charges. derstandard.at
- North Macedonia: Former ministers under investigation after club inferno leaves 62 dead. lessentiel.lu
- Belgium: Rail traffic paralyzed again. aachener-zeitung.de
- Denmark: Increasing number of Germans moving to the Nordic country. n-tv.de
- Greece: Upgraded to BBB by rating agency S&P. rnd.de
- Austria: Border controls were illegal according to the Munich Administrative Court. rnd.de
- Poland: Long waits for doctor’s appointments; suddenly Ukrainians are to blame. welt.de
- Liechtenstein: Daily newspaper launches radio station „Radio Vaterland.“ digitalfernsehen.de
- DR Congo: Party of former ruler Joseph Kabila dissolved; party allegedly supported rebel group M23. faz.net
- Syria: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visits Damascus for the first time in 16 years; meets with interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa.
- Syria: Banned books return. n-tv.de
- India: US Vice President J.D. Vance meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi; economic and trade issues. tagesschau.de
- South Korea: Ousted President Yoon Suk-yeol appears in court for the first time. spiegel.de
- El Salvador: President Nayib Bukele offers Venezuela prisoner exchange. zdf.de
Founder Klaus Schwab steps down as chairman of the World Economic Forum: The 87-year-old economist had announced his retirement, which took effect immediately on Monday, in advance. He spoke of turbulent times and a necessary realignment of the organization. The World Economic Forum is primarily known for its annual meeting of the same name in Davos. Schwab founded a foundation in 1971 that developed into a global communication platform for business and politics. faz.net, spiegel.de, tagesschau.de
Just under 600 cases of coronavirus vaccine harm in Germany: By the beginning of April, the authorities had recognized harm in at least 573 cases following a coronavirus vaccination, reports the FAZ, citing the federal states‘ pension offices. However, the pension offices have received more than 14,000 applications in total. According to the research, the recognition rate is thus 6.2 percent. According to the federal states, more than 2,000 appeals against the rejections are still pending nationwide. faz.net, tagesschau.de
More news:
- Calls for a quick change in management at Deutsche Bahn. n-tv.de
- 35 percent of companies plan to cut jobs in 2025. zdf.de
- Insurance companies report fewer bicycle thefts but higher damages. zdf.de
- Soyuz capsule brings two Russians and one American safely back to Earth. tagesschau.de
- Women who explain the world – Female experts are much less likely to be quoted in the media than their male counterparts. Not so at Apotheken Umschau, where parity is the rule. uebermedien.de
- The Judy S. case: Bild and BZ to pay €150,000 in damages kress.de
- Electrifying trade fair: Dubai becomes the art market center of the Middle East tagesspiegel.de
- The Black Madonna, the Easter dress, and the doppelgänger fr.de
- London painter: Death of artist Sarah Cunningham was apparently an accident monopol-magazin.de
- Divorce rumors denied: Michelle Obama shows off her wedding ring promiflash.de
- A$AP Rocky: Spike Lee chose him due to an Instagram meme viply.de
Farmers‘ rules, housing construction, and everyday life as an expat: In the latest episode of Plus Forty Nine, we welcome Ankit, founder of the Germanpedia platform. He provides insights into life as an expat in Germany, from health insurance and sick leave to cultural differences in everyday working life. The culture segment focuses on farmers‘ rules: How reliable are the old weather sayings today? We also look at the German government’s new plans for housing construction and the discussion surrounding voluntary military service. Listen to the latest episode today at 7 p.m. on JazzRadio Berlin 106.8 or now at: https://plusfortyninepodcast.podigee.io/33-week-17-housing-market-bauernregeln-and-germanpedia
- German soccer league: „It’s over for us“ — Bayer bids farewell to the championship sportschau.de
- Departure confirmed – Tah leaves Leverkusen in the summer sportschau.de
- Kompany close to first title: Championship trophy at home? Easter gift for Bayern after goal gala sportbuzzer.de
- Draw at Schalke: „They’re starting to tremble“: Is HSV throwing away its chances of promotion yet again? sportschau.de
- Women: Ice hockey world championship final – USA defeats Canada 3–2 in „eternal“ duel sportschau.de
- Hamburger writes off the last few months: Turning point in Munich? – Tennis star Zverev returns to second place kicker.de
- WTA tournament in Stuttgart: Ostapenko pulls of surprise win against Sabalenka in the final sportschau.de
- Formula 1 in Saudi Arabia: Piastri wins and takes the lead in the World Cup sueddeutsche.de
Battery dead: Pensioner stranded on the highway with his e-bike rnd.de