Bild: 15-euro minimum wage | 15 Euro Mindestlohn
FAZ: EU Commission wants to tighten deportation rules | EU-Kommission will Abschieberegeln verschärfen
Funke: City working group calls for an end to restrictions on shop opening hours | Arbeitsgemeinschaft City fordert Abschaffung des Ladenschlussgesetzes
Handelsblatt: Stock market breaks with Trump | Börse bricht mit Trump
RND: Kiev ready to accept ceasefire, USA to resume military aid to Ukraine | Kiew bereit zu Waffenruhe, USA geben Militärhilfe für Ukraine wieder frei
SZ: EU presents stricter deportation law | EU stellt strengeres Abschiebegesetz vor
Tagesspiegel: Repatriation centers permitted: EU wants to tighten rules for deportations to third countries | Erlaubnis für Rückführzentren: in Drittländern EU will Abschieberegeln verschärfen
taz: The smallest common money-burner | Kleinster gemeinsamer Geldverbrenner
Welt: BSW sues for recount in Bundestag election | BSW klagt auf Neuauszählung der Bundestagswahl
SPD open to Green defense bill: Following Monday’s meeting between the CDU/CSU, SPD and Greens, the SPD signaled its willingness to negotiate the Greens‘ latest proposal. SPD deputy faction leader Dirk Wiese said it made sense to look at defense not only in the narrow sense, but also to take a closer look at internal security and civil protection. Thorsten Frei, parliamentary secretary of the CDU/CSU, said on Deutschlandfunk that broadening the concept of defense could run into legal limits. ksta.de, n-tv.de
CDU politician Thomas Heilmann does not believe legal challenges will succeed: Two years ago, the Constitutional Court upheld a complaint by the CDU because the consultation period for MPs on the Heating Act was too short at two weeks. Now the consultation period for the special defense and infrastructure funds is set to be even shorter. Nevertheless, Heilmann is skeptical that the urgent applications from opposition parties will be granted. Today, unlike two years ago, there is an urgent need for action because of the military threat, and there is a risk of „impossible voting“ because the 20th Bundestag will no longer exist on March 25. n-tv.de
Israel and Lebanon discuss disputed land border: The talks focused on the five strategic points where Israel’s army continues to be stationed in Lebanon despite the ceasefire, as well as Lebanese citizens detained by Israel. This was announced by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. At the meeting of representatives from Israel, the United States, France and Lebanon in the Lebanese city of Nakura, the establishment of three joint working groups was agreed to address the issues. The goal is to stabilize the region. n-tv.de
USA and Ukraine offer Russia 30-day ceasefire: The offer, which was conveyed to Moscow, includes a willingness to enter into direct negotiations with Russia. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and senior Ukrainian officials released a joint statement after an eight-hour meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Rubio said he hoped for a quick agreement. US President Trump said in Washington that he expects to have a direct conversation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin this week. Russia’s Foreign Ministry said through the state-run RIA news agency that Moscow did not rule out making contact with US representatives in the coming days. spiegel.de, n-tv.de; faz.net (explanation in the wording)
RTL/ntv Insa trend barometer: CDU 28 percent, AfD 22 percent, SPD 15 percent, Greens 11 percent, Left Party 11 percent (-1), BSW 3 percent, FDP 4 percent (+1), others 6 percent. n-tv.de
- USA still reliable? Yes 15 percent, No 82 percent. n-tv.de
- Fear of a Russian attack on a NATO state: Yes 50 percent, No 45 percent.
- Friedrich Merz a good chancellor: Yes 38 percent, No 52 percent.
Military Commissioner Eva Högl against return to compulsory military service: This would overburden the Bundeswehr; there is a lack of accommodation and training personnel, said Högl at the presentation of her annual report. She advocates a compulsory year of social service for young women and men, which could also be served in the Bundeswehr. Högl also spoke out in favor of the military service model proposed by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. He is in favor of selection based on aptitude and motivation, and above all, on a voluntary basis. web.de, n-tv.de
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock believes that supporting other countries is the best protection in the fight against terrorism: Terrorists recruit in areas with low prospects, Baerbock said at a remembrance event for the victims of terrorist attacks. She also emphasized that a global security network is necessary because terror does not stop at borders. tagesschau.de
Ministry of Finance to advocate rounding rule for cash payments: One- and two-cent coins in payment transactions are once again being reviewed. The National Cash Forum, founded on the initiative of the Bundesbank, proposes rounding cash payments up or down to five-cent amounts. This is already common practice in several European countries, such as Finland and the Netherlands. The aim is to make cash payments more attractive and efficient. rp-online.de
State prime ministers discuss care sector and the current political situation: The agenda of the first meeting after the federal election includes, among other things, hospital reform and improvements in care. The financial packages for defense and infrastructure sought by the CDU and SPD are also likely to be discussed, because a two-thirds majority in the Bundesrat is needed for this. zeit.de
Association of Judges sees more and more warning signs for an overburdened constitutional state: According to a survey conducted on behalf of the „Deutsche Richterzeitung“ among the justice administrations of the federal states, there were almost 933,000 open proceedings last year; almost 30 percent more than three years prior. Last year, the judiciary had to release more than 60 suspects from custody because their criminal proceedings could not be processed with the necessary speed. Berlin is the only federal state in which the number has fallen slightly. In Hamburg, on the other hand, the situation has worsened. lto.de, tagesschau.de, n-tv.de
BSW files suit with the Constitutional Court for a recount of the Bundestag election: The alliance Sahra Wagenknecht just missed the five-percent hurdle in the election; in the end, about 13,400 votes were missing. The party points to irregularities in the counting process. For example, votes for the BSW were incorrectly assigned to other parties in some constituencies. lto.de, sueddeutsche.de, n-tv.de
Three dead after collision between light rail and tanker in Ubstadt-Weiher in Baden-Württemberg: Several people were injured, according to the police. The two vehicles collided at an ungated level crossing and caught fire. According to the fire department, there were only a few passengers in the light rail that connects Karlsruhe with the surrounding area. spiegel.de, tagesschau.de
More Germany News:
- Saxony: Minister of Education and the Arts Conrad Clemens presents 21 measures to prevent cancelled classes in schools. faz.net
- Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: According to a report by the state court of auditors, the government is failing to digitalize. n-tv.de
- Bavaria: SPD wants to tap the Free State’s reserves. sueddeutsche.de
- Berlin: TU Berlin prepares lawsuit against the Senate due to budget cuts. rbb24.de
- Bavaria: The state parliament imposes a 1000 euro fine on AfD politician Oskar Lipp. n-tv.de
- NRW: Ford employees protest at the fence of the Cologne plant. spiegel.de
- Hamburg: Authorities will consume around 255 million sheets of paper in 2024; 210 million sheets less than in 2015. n-tv.de
EU Commission wants to speed up deportations of rejected asylum seekers: The new return regulation is intended, among other things, to make it easier to detain people awaiting deportation. In addition, the pressure on migrants who do not cooperate with their repatriation will be increased. For example, cuts to benefits are being considered. Furthermore, EU member states are to be given a legal basis for the first time to set up repatriation centers in third countries. The plans still require the approval of the member states and the EU Parliament. zeit.de, lto.de, n-tv.de, handelsblatt.com
Constitutional Court in Romania finally rules out Georgescu candidacy: The appeal against the decision of the election commission has been rejected. Several hundred supporters of Calin Georgescu protested in front of the courthouse, waving Romanian national flags and chanting that the election had been stolen. Georgescu, a right-wing extremist and pro-Russian, had unexpectedly won the first round of the presidential election in November. The Constitutional Court then annulled the result due to suspicions of Russian election interference and a lack of information on campaign financing. sueddeutsche.de
Portuguese conservative minority government overthrown by parliament: The centre-right coalition lost the vote of confidence put to it by Prime Minister Luis Montenegro. The opposition had accused the head of government of abusing his position for profit. Montenegro is said to have a conflict of interest due to a family business he founded. It is expected that early parliamentary elections will be called in May. sueddeutsche.de, n-tv.de, tagesschau.de
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who has been arrested, is being brought to The Hague. He is wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Duterte is accused of crimes against humanity in connection with his violent crackdown on drug-related crime in the country. According to the police, thousands of people have been killed in drug-related operations during his term in office from 2016 to 2022. Human rights activists believe the real figure is much higher. Duterte was arrested at Manila airport. n-tv.de
US President Donald Trump leaves tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum at 25 percent: Initially, Trump had doubled tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 50 percent because Canada had raised prices for electricity exports to the US by 25 percent. Canada then withdrew the increase. Starting Wednesday, tariffs on steel and aluminum imports will be 25 percent for all suppliers worldwide. The U.S. government’s tariff policy triggered further price losses in the financial markets. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said the falling prices were only a snapshot; the U.S. was in a phase of economic transition. handelsblatt.com, faz.net, spiegel.de
More news:
- Italy: Elon Musk wants to talk to President Sergio Mattarella about Starlink deal. handelsblatt.com
- Italy: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni increasingly frustrated with her US friends Trump and Musk. derstandard.at
- Poland: From 2027, 100,000 volunteers are to be trained annually with weapons. spiegel.de
- Bosnia-Herzegovina: Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik continues to escalate the situation in Bosnia. derstandard.de
- Kosovo: Albin Kurti needs the support of other parties to form a government. derstandard.de
- Turkey: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offers Europe a security alliance. rnd.de
- Austria: Government wants to permanently halt family reunification. derstandard.de
- Sudan: Fear of a new civil war in South Sudan. faz.net
- Afghanistan: Taliban push for diplomatic recognition from Germany. n-tv.de
- Pakistan: Separatists ambush train and take more than 100 passengers hostage. n-tv.de
More new students in Germany: Last year, more people began a course of study than in 2023. The number of new students rose by about two percent to around 491,000, according to the Federal Statistical Office; the increase is mainly due to new students from abroad. Their share has risen by about ten percent. Overall, almost a third of new students did not have a German passport. There are currently around 2.8 million students at universities and colleges in Germany. spiegel.de
More news:
- VW software subsidiary Cariad wants to cut 1600 jobs. handelsblatt.com
- AOK evaluation: Sick leave remains at a high level. tagesschau.de
- Puma still lagging behind Adidas – Puma expects decline in profits. handelsblatt.com
- 5.5 billion euros were spent on video games in 2024; six percent less than in 2023. deutschlandfunk.de
- Fibre optics: Expert puts forward fixed shutdown date for copper networks. heise.de
- Car sharing is also growing in smaller communities. heise.de
- Study: US steel tariffs would hurt Europe less than the US. manager-magazin.de
- Boom in German tourism continues at the beginning of the year. wiwo.de
- Cultural change under Jeff Bezos: Longtime Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus resigns in protest. spiegel.de
- The three best-paid media managers by far: Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner, Bertelsmann CEO Thomas Rabe, and Ströer CEO Udo Müller. kress.de
- Massive streaming figures for ARD’s „Tagesschau“ in the week after the election. meedia.de
- Archdiocese of Paderborn plans memorial to sexual abuse: He has invited eight artists to create designs for a memorial. wdr.de
- Ed Sheeran: There are increasing signs that a new album is on the way – he has repeatedly fed his fans with clues about new music, hinted that a new album could be called PLAY. musikexpress.de
- „It’s nice that I have time“: Sebastian Vettel likes to go camping. n-tv.de
- Triathlon training accident on Fuerteventura: Tagesschau newsreader Thorsten Schröder suffers collarbone injury. vip.de
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- Football fans: The new bogeymen? Researchers advise politicians and police to exercise more restraint sportschau.de
- „Decision in the next few days“: Kimmich hints at contract extension at Bayern rnd.de
- Space for 100,000 spectators: Manchester United wants to build a new stadium sportschau.de
- Ski jumping: FIS launches investigation into suit scandal sportschau.de
- Despite world-class average: German darts star falls just short of surprise win against Littler sport.de
Russia: Teacher accidentally shows porn film on class projector n-tv.de