Bild: 16 DEAD! Terror attack against Jews on dream beach / 16 TOTE! Terror gegen Juden am Traumstrand
FAZ: Israel accuses Australia of inaction after Sydney attack / Israel wirft Australien nach Anschlag in Sydney Untätigkeit vor
Funke: Former finance senator criticizes budget: “Key tasks remain unresolved” / Ex-Finanzsenator kritisiert Haushalt: “Zentrale Aufgaben bleiben ungelöst”
Handelsblatt: The fiber-optic crisis / Die Glasfaserkrise
RND: US delegation sees major progress in talks in Berlin / US-Delegation sieht große Fortschritte bei Gesprächen in Berlin
SZ: Talks on the fate of Ukraine / Gespräche über das Schicksal der Ukraine
Tagesspiegel: Peace talks in Berlin: Zelensky gives up Ukraine’s NATO ambitions / Friedensgespräche in Berlin: Selenskyj gibt Nato-Ambitionen der Ukraine auf
taz: Once again / Schon wieder
Welt: “Absolute hell on earth” / “Absolute Hölle auf Erden”
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BONDI BEACH
Shock after attack in Sydney: Following the terrorist attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, the death toll has risen to 16. Around 40 people are still being treated in hospital, according to police. Two attackers, a father and his son, opened fire on the celebrants on Sunday evening local time. According to police, more than 1,000 people were present at the time. One of the perpetrators was killed by security forces, the other arrested. Politicians praised the actions of a man whose intervention likely prevented worse; fruit vendor al-Ahmad disarmed one of the attackers in the massacre. zeit.de, spiegel.de, spiegel.de, tagesspiegel.de
- Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the attack a targeted act of terror against Jewish citizens and spoke of an „act of evil.“ The crime had struck the country at its core and was an expression of deeply rooted antisemitism.
- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the attack and spoke of a despicable act against Jewish families. He expressed his solidarity with the Jewish community worldwide.rnd.de
- Israeli President Isaac Herzog accused Australia of failures in dealing with antisemitic violence and referred to repeated warnings from his country; Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made similar remarks. The Conference of European Rabbis expressed deep shock over the murderous attack that destroyed the Festival of Lights in Sydney. n-tv.de
- The president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, warned that attacks on Jewish institutions and celebrations are increasing worldwide in both number and brutality.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the act as an attack on shared values. Education Minister Karin - Prien wrote of „grief and despair over the sprouting seeds of antisemitic hatred that strike innocent, unsuspecting people while celebrating Hanukkah.“ Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul expressed his shock and spoke of an „act of hatred.“
UKRAINE
Talks on US peace plan in Berlin: On Sunday, consultations took place at the Chancellery on the peace plan for Ukraine proposed by Washington. President Volodymyr Zelensky met there with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The talks at the Chancellery were led by security policy adviser Günter Sautter. Chancellor Friedrich Merz briefly welcomed the delegations but did not take part himself. The talks are to continue on Monday with representatives of other EU states; among those announced are French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. zdfheute.de, spiegel.de
- Steve Witkoff spoke of „major progress.“ The group held intensive discussions on the 20-point peace plan and on economic issues.
- Shortly before the meeting at the Chancellery, Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine was no longer seeking NATO membership. Instead, he proposed EU and US security guarantees as a compromise to respond to Russian demands. n-tv.de
- Defense Minister Boris Pistorius described the US-led round of talks on Ukraine as „not ideally structured,“ but nevertheless assessed it as a positive signal. At the same time, he expressed skepticism on ZDF that Russian President Vladimir Putin would engage with peace offers. zdfheute.de
- The Kremlin expects „hardly anything good“ from the Berlin talks between Ukrainians, Europeans, and US representatives. Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said the contributions of the Europeans and Ukraine would „hardly be constructive,“ while at the same time praising the fact that the US side understood Russia’s position. tagesschau.de
Transatlantic coordinator Metin Hakverdi is pressing for an EU decision on Russian assets: around 210 billion euros are currently frozen, mostly in Belgium. It would be a strong signal of Europe’s ability to act if the continent were to put this leverage on the table in the Ukraine negotiations, Hakverdi said on ZDF. Most member states want to use the funds as collateral for long-term loans to Ukraine. A political decision is expected at the EU summit on Thursday. zdfheute.de
- The EU has decided to freeze Russian assets worth 210 billion euros for an indefinite period. This removes the previous requirement for semiannual extensions and the risk of a blockade by individual member states.
- Russia’s central bank has sued the Belgian financial services provider Euroclear in a Moscow court over the frozen assets.
- The Czech Republic and Hungary do not want to join a planned EU loan package for Ukraine. Future Czech prime minister Andrej Babis and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced that they would not assume guarantees for the funds.
- EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos is pushing for accession talks with Ukraine to begin soon and praised Kyiv’s reform progress. Speaking on Deutschlandfunk, she criticized Hungary for blocking the start of negotiations for political reasons, calling it „not fair and not European.“
BamS Sunday trend by Insa: CDU/CSU 24 percent (-1), AfD 26 percent, SPD 14 percent (-1), Greens 11 percent (+1), Left Party 11 percent, BSW 4 percent, FDP 4 percent, Others 6 percent. bild.de
FAZ Sunday poll by Allensbach: CDU/CSU 27 percent, AfD 25 percent (+1), SPD 14 percent (-1.5), Greens 12.5 percent (+1.5), Left Party 9 percent (-1), BSW 3 percent (-1), FDP 4.5 percent (+1), Others 5 percent. (comparison with previous month)
Citizen’s income reform to take effect mid-2026: According to Chancellery head Thorsten Frei, the cabinet plans to adopt the reform of the citizen’s income on Wednesday. Implementation is planned for mid-2026, as extensive transition processes are required, he told BamS. Previously, there had been objections from the economics and interior ministries.n-tv.de
Germany takes in Belarusian opposition figures: Civil rights activist Maria Kolesnikova and former presidential candidate Viktor Babariko were released as part of an amnesty in which strongman Alexander Lukashenko said he freed 123 political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski. Bialiatski announced he would continue his fight for democracy in Belarus from exile. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt emphasized on ARD that Berlin wanted to send a signal of support for the Belarusian democracy movement. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul reacted with relief to the release and thanked the United States for its engagement. According to accounts from Minsk, the release took place as part of an agreement with the US, apparently linked to the lifting of sanctions on the potash industry. rnd.de, tagesschau.de, zdfheute.de
- Deal between the US and Belarus: „Lukashenko can now work with Trump against the EU.“ tagesspiegel.de
- Maria Kolesnikova: „Inside, I was always free.“ tagesschau.de
Chancellor Friedrich Merz puts economic growth ahead of climate protection: At the CSU party conference in Munich, Merz announced that reviving the German economy would take priority over climate policy goals. He warned against pushing environmental protection so far that the country’s industrial core suffers damage. Germany faces the task of fundamentally modernizing the „house of the Federal Republic“ in order to secure its competitiveness. Merz spoke of a structural growth weakness and called for innovation boosts and relief on taxes as well as energy and labor costs. At the same time, he asked for patience and expressed confidence that the black-red coalition could implement the necessary reforms from the political center. tagesschau.de
CSU leader Markus Söder re-elected party leader with 83.6 percent: Söder was confirmed as CSU leader for the fifth time, and with his weakest result to date. He was first elected in 2019. Söder said the lower level of support reflected general uncertainty among the population and political compromises at the federal level. In his speech, he defended the abolition of the family allowance and the planned expansion of the mothers’ pension. Local elections will be held in Bavaria in three months.zdfheute.de, handelsblatt.com
Family Minister Karin Prien wants to link federal funding for daycare centers to quality standards: Prien sees the declining birth rate as an opportunity to strengthen early childhood education in Germany. She is calling for state funds freed up to be invested specifically in improving daycare quality rather than budget consolidation. Federal funds should in future only flow if binding educational goals and standards are met.faz.net
German Red Cross President Hermann Gröhe warns of consequences of cuts to humanitarian aid: Gröhe criticized the halving of funds for international humanitarian aid in the federal budget. The government had thus failed to meet its own goal of expanding humanitarian support, he told the Augsburger Allgemeine. Gröhe described the austerity course as short-sighted and warned of serious consequences for people in crisis regions. Insufficient aid could trigger additional migration movements and new conflicts. augsburger-allgemeine.de, welt.de
Health Minister Nina Warken defends the results of the federal-state working group on care reform: The body’s task had been to create a basis for the further legislative process, she told the Rheinische Post. Expectations that the financing of long-term care insurance could already be comprehensively clarified were unrealistic, as the federal government, states, and municipalities naturally do not make clear commitments on cost sharing. Social associations and insurance funds had criticized the paper as vague, particularly for lacking statements on financing. Approval came only from the professional association for nursing professions, which welcomed the stronger emphasis on preventive measures. augsburger-allgemeine.de, welt.de
„EinfachMachen“ portal aims to speed up bureaucracy reduction: On the online portal, citizens and companies will be able to report excessive bureaucracy and submit suggestions for improvement. The submissions will be sorted by topic areas such as energy, health, or taxes, as well as by urgency and relevance. Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger spoke of a central point of contact for bureaucratic concerns, while Economics Minister Katherina Reiche emphasized the direct line to business and the public. The goal is to streamline regulations in a targeted way and create more room for investment and innovation. zdfheute.de, n-tv.de
Audit Office criticizes lack of review of mask purchases: The Health Ministry is still refusing to acknowledge excessive mask procurement during the coronavirus pandemic and is blocking a review, according to the auditors. They also criticize that no clear structures have yet been created to secure the supply of protective equipment in future crises. The criticism comes in a statement to the Bundestag’s inquiry commission, which meets on Monday. tagesschau.de
Germany accuses Russia of targeted attempts at influence: The federal government holds Moscow responsible for a cyberattack on German air traffic control in August 2024 and for a disinformation campaign during the federal election campaign. Russia’s ambassador was therefore summoned to the Foreign Office. According to the government, the attacks were carried out by the hacker group „Fancy Bear“ and the military intelligence service GRU. Berlin announced coordinated countermeasures with European partners. heise.de
Further reports:
- CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn warns Labor Minister Bärbel Bas: do not water down the citizen’s income bill. rnd.de
- Former Federal Employment Agency head Frank-Jürgen Weise likely to chair pension commission. n-tv.de
- Association of statutory health insurance physicians head Andreas Gassen in favor of higher taxes on tobacco and a practice fee. rp-online.de
- BSW founder Sahra Wagenknecht wants to block compulsory military service law in the Bundesrat. morgenpost.de
- SPD calls CSU proposal for mandatory anthem singing a distraction. spiegel.de
- CDU/CSU deputy parliamentary group leader Günter Krings wants mandatory return for all Syrians without a job. merkur.de
- Family Ministry holds talks with associations: with compulsory military service, civilian service would also return. tagesspiegel.de
Investigations into suspected terror plot in Lower Bavaria continue: After the arrest of five men for planning an attack on a Christmas market in the Dingolfing area, investigators are examining further backgrounds. According to the Munich General Prosecutor’s Office, the attack was to be carried out using a vehicle, but no specific target or date had been set. Four suspects are in pretrial detention, another has been placed in preventive custody. Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann emphasized that there had been no immediate threat to the population. The suspects include an Egyptian, a Syrian, and three Moroccans, one of whom is said to have propagated the attack as an Islamist preacher.faz.net, n-tv.de
Further news:
- Brandenburg: Repaired pipeline from Rostock to Schwedt back in operation. spiegel.de
- Brandenburg: Parliamentary group leader Niels-Olaf Lüders calls on former BSW state legislators to resign. rbb24.de
- NRW: Former federal transport ministers Andreas Scheuer and Volker Wissing before „bridge disaster“ inquiry committee. wa.de
- Rhineland-Palatinate: Ahr Valley railway resumes operations after 4.5 years. faz.net
EU agrees on fishing quotas for 2026: Catch limits were reduced for some stocks such as mackerel in the North Atlantic and sole in the Baltic Sea, while other quotas are increasing due to recovering stocks. Particularly controversial was the Commission’s proposed reduction in fishing days for trawler fishermen in the Mediterranean, which was dropped under pressure from Spain. The agreement sets catch volumes and fishing days for the Atlantic, North Sea, Mediterranean, and other waters.
EU tightens recycling rules for cars: Representatives of the European Parliament and member states have agreed on new rules to recover more raw materials from end-of-life vehicles. In future, cars must be designed so that components can be more easily replaced and recycled. The share of recycled plastics in new cars is also to increase gradually. The draft also defines when a vehicle is considered scrap to prevent illegal exports from the EU. rnd.de
Further reports:
- Trump’s support for right-wing parties divides Europe. dw.com
- A three-euro tariff on parcels with cheap imports is intended to target Shein and Temu. tagesschau.de
- France wants to stop the planned signing of the Mercosur agreement. zeit.de
- Alcohol poisoning among young people at a record low. zdfheute.de
- Majority in favor of social media ban for under-16s. heise.de
- Economists sharply criticize planned EU shift away from combustion engine phase-out. welt.de
- New Deutsche Bahn timetables take effect; more high-speed Sprinter services. n-tv.de
- FlixTrain plans to put new trains on the tracks in 2028; major expansion of routes planned. zdfheute.de
- Number of forced evictions rises again. handelsblatt.com
- Wim Wenders to become president of the Berlinale jury. deutschlandfunkkultur.de
The Adventskranz is Germany’s gentle reminder that anticipation must be properly scheduled. One candle per Sunday, no skipping ahead — because even festive excitement needs structure, patience, and a clearly defined timeline.