published by Sigrid Arteaga
Contributor: Imogen Goodman and Ulrich Kraus
Bild: Now it’s our turn to talk! | Jetzt reden wir!
FAZ: AfD announces approval of CDU/CSU motions | AfD kündigt Zustimmung zu Anträgen der Union an
Funke: A100: Shutdown of freeway lighting stopped | A100: Abschaltung der Autobahn-Beleuchtung gestoppt
Handelsblatt: VW subsidiaries consider US production | VW-Töchter erwägen US-Produktion
RND: AI competition from China: What does DeepSeek mean for ChatGPT, the US and Europe? | KI-Konkurrenz aus China: Was bedeutet DeepSeek für ChatGPT, die USA und Europa?
SZ: Red-Green coalition accuses Merz of breaking his word | Rot-Grün wirft Merz Wortbruch vor
Tagesspiegel: Asylum showdown: AfD wants Merz to help them achieve a majority in parliament | Asyl-Showdown: AfD will Merz im Bundestag zur Mehrheit verhelfen
taz: Made with help from Germany | Made with help from Germany
Welt: German economy demands radical policy change | Deutsche Wirtschaft fordert radikale Politikwende
Top-News
Majority wavers – BSW and FDP do not want to vote for all of the CDU/CSU’s proposals: On Wednesday, the CDU and CSU want to introduce two proposals to tighten asylum policy; so-called motions for resolution are not legally binding, but they are politically significant because they call on the government to introduce new laws. Among other things, it calls for the rejection of those seeking protection at the borders. According to Thorsten Frei, the parliamentary managing director of the CDU/CSU, the party intends to put forward a draft for an „Influx Limitation Act“ for voting on Friday; among other things, it proposes ending the subsequent immigration of family members of people with only subsidiary protection until further notice. spiegel.de
RTL/ntv Trendbarometer by Forsa: CDU/CSU 30 percent (-1), SPD 16 percent, Greens 14 percent (+1), FDP 4 percent, AfD 20 percent (+1), Left Party 4 percent, BSW 3 percent, others 9 percent. n-tv.de
Ipsos Sunday poll: CDU 30 percent, SPD 16 percent, Greens 14 percent (+1), FDP 4 percent, AfD 19 percent, Left 3 percent, BSW 6 percent (-1), others 8 percent. (compared to the previous month) ipsos.com
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invited to the White House next Tuesday: „Netanyahu will be the first foreign leader in US President Donald Trump’s second term to be invited to the White House“, Netanyahu’s office said. The US government has not yet confirmed the meeting. spiegel.de
The EU and the US have agreed on „maximum pressure“ on Russia, according to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. The US and the EU are in agreement on how to deal with Russia, Brussels announced after the first telephone conversation between Kallas and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The EU Commission proposed punitive tariffs on further agricultural products from Russia; these must be decided by the EU member states and the EU Parliament. zeit.de
Chancellor Olaf Scholz warns of the dangers posed by the Russian shadow fleet: The latest incident shows what a threat Moscow poses, Scholz said after talks with Denmark’s head of government Mette Frederiksen. NATO’s „Baltic Sentry“ operation is now improving protection of the Baltic Sea and the critical infrastructure on the seabed. Scholz emphasized that the European NATO states and EU countries must further increase their defense spending. Frederiksen called for a strong and determined Europe that is able to defend itself. n-tv.de, welt.de
Afghan Aschaffenburg killer apparently not deported due to Bamf overload: The deportation letter from the Federal Office for Migration was not sent to the responsible immigration office until July 26, 2023 – more than a month after the asylum application was rejected. This was reported by the Bild newspaper, citing a confidential paper from the interior ministry. This means that the deadline for the return, which expired on August 3, was too short. The delay could no longer be explained, but was probably due to the high workload caused by the large number of new arrivals at the time.
Suspect in custody after violent crime in Beelitz: The 23-year-old man from Guinea is said to have killed a man two weeks ago and seriously injured a woman last Sunday. He has confessed to both crimes, said Brandenburg’s interior minister, Katrin Lange. He had not previously been charged with criminal offences. According to current knowledge, he is not subject to deportation. The man killed was a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU); however, political motivation is not apparent from the information so far. The woman attacked is from Ukraine. The investigations into the background to the crimes are ongoing. stern.de, n-tv.de
More regional news:
Investigations against Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Justice Minister Carlo Nordio: The public prosecutor’s office is investigating the release of a Libyan general wanted by the International Criminal Court. Meloni said in a video that she is suspected of aiding and abetting a crime and embezzlement in the case. The general was arrested in Turin on Sunday following a tip-off from the criminal court, but was released on Tuesday and immediately flown to Tripoli in Libya. tagesschau.de
US government issues comprehensive spending freeze: The order to the federal authorities applies to government grants and loans. Among other things, programs for the transition to a climate-friendly energy supply and foreign aid are affected. The government wants to examine which of these expenditures will be continued and which will be permanently eliminated. The billions in funding for social assistance and the state health insurance Medicare for people with disabilities and seniors are excluded from the block. The website for Medicaid payments is currently unavailable, the White House confirmed; allocations to the states would continue to be processed and the portal would be back online shortly. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called the spending freeze illegal and unconstitutional. n-tv.de, web.de, spiegel.de
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has secured the backing of her European partners in the face of threats by US President Trump to take control of Greenland: „The territories and sovereignty of states must be respected,“ Frederiksen said after meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. She later met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels. In the morning she had discussed the situation with Chancellor Olaf Scholz. faz.net, n-tv.de
Russian delegation arrives in Damascus: The delegation includes Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Russia’s Syria envoy. Russia was one of the most important allies of the overthrown Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian civil war and intervened militarily in the conflict in 2015. Moscow is particularly interested in maintaining its military bases in Syria. n-tv.de
More news:
Business
German economy expects wants politicians to signal a new start after the election: Economic output will shrink by 0.1 percent this year, the BDI predicts. In the event of the new tariffs threatened by US President Donald Trump, there is a risk of an even sharper decline. In contrast, the global economy is expected to grow by 3.2 percent. BDI President Peter Leibinger said the mood in the German economy is miserable. The industry association Gesamtmetall is calling for a signal of a fresh start after the federal election; the future government should present a 100-day program and quickly implement improvements. faz.net, n-tv.de
Almost one in eight continues to work shortly after retirement: According to the Federal Statistical Office, 13 percent continue to work in the first six months after they first receive their pension. Thereafter, the figure corresponds to the EU average. 55 percent of those surveyed stopped working after retirement and 33 percent were not in employment even before they started receiving their first retirement pension, for example due to partial retirement, illness or unemployment. tagesspiegel.de, faz.net
More from the worlds of business, technology and science:
ASK A GERMAN WEDNESDAY: Why don’t Germans think you’re sincere when you ask, „how are you“ ? This fascinating phenomenon highlights the differences in how cultures communicate and express themselves. In the United States, it is customary to use „Hi, how are you?“ as a standard conversation opener, often without expecting a detailed response. In Germany, however, the phrase „Wie geht’s?“ is interpreted and used quite differently depending on the relationship’s context and nature. In a professional setting, Germans often respond with a concise and matter-of-fact answer that might briefly touch on how their day has been going so far. The brevity and neutrality of the answer are not a sign that they doubt your sincerity, but rather a reflection of cultural norms around professionalism and privacy. In more personal settings, however, the situation changes. When you ask a close friend or family member how they are, you are likely to receive a more heartfelt and honest answer.
„Karls Erlebnis-Dorf“ in Loxstedt: amusement park plans „Pipikakaland“. t-online.de