Bild: Trump, Merz and the billion-dollar bang | Trump, Merz und der Milliarden-Knall
FAZ: Union and SPD agree on massive debt deal | Union und SPD einig über hohe neue Schulden
Funke: Union and SPD put together a huge financial package | Union und SPD schnüren riesiges Finanzpaket
Handelsblatt: Europe arms itself | Europa rüstet auf
RND: Black-red exploratory talks: How Friedrich Merz is sweeping away the debt brake | Schwarz-rote Sondierungsgespräche: Wie Friedrich Merz die Schuldenbremse abräumt
SZ: A historic package | Ein historisches Paket
Tagesspiegel: „Whatever it takes“ – Union and SPD agree on reform of the debt brake and 500 billion special fund | „Whatever it takes“ – Union und SPD einigen sich auf Reform der Schuldenbremse und 500-Milliarden-Sondervermögen
taz: Left in the lurch | Im Stich gelassen
Welt: CDU and CSU want to quickly return to compulsory military service | CDU und CSU wollen schnell zur Wehrpflicht zurückkehren
Zelenskyi ready for peace negotiations – raw materials agreement on the way: US President Donald Trump has hinted at a rapprochement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi in his speech to Congress. He said he had received a letter from Zelenskyi stating that Ukraine is ready to negotiate peace with Russia under US leadership. Trump also stated that it would be possible again to conclude a commodities agreement with Kiev. It was time to end the war, Trump said – as he again accused Europe of not providing enough support. Trump asked Congress to finance a missile defense shield for the United States called „Golden Dome“. Trump also announced further counter-tariffs for April 2. These will benefit the US auto industry. It is expected that the EU will also be affected. In the speech, Trump reiterated his desire to take over the Panama Canal and Greenland. He praised his administration’s efforts to cut spending and emphasized the great job Special Advisor Elon Musk is doing with his Department of Government for Efficiency. Trump declared war on equality and diversity. welt.de, tagesspiegel.de
CDU and SPD agree on multi-billion package for defense and infrastructure before government formation: The parties are planning an exception to the debt rules when it comes to financing the military; defense spending above one percent of gross domestic product (GDP) is to be exempt from the debt brake, which otherwise caps borrowing at 0.35 percent of GDP. This would theoretically allow for unlimited borrowing. In addition, there are plans for a debt-financed special fund for the economy and infrastructure of 500 billion euros over the next ten years. 100 billion euros are to go to the federal states. The federal states will be allowed to take on more debt; accordingly, the debt brake for the federal states is to be relaxed. The Bundestag is expected to discuss the plans as early as next week. A two-thirds majority is required for passing the reform, meaning the FDP or the Greens will have to vote in favor of this in the current Bundestag. A reform of the debt brake is then to be advanced in the newly elected Bundestag by the end of the year. A commission of experts is to be set up for this purpose. spiegel.de, n-tv.de, tagesschau.de, web.de, rnd.de, faz.net
Exploratory talks continue: The talks are to be continued on Thursday and Friday. The goal is to „complete the deliberations promptly,“ said CDU leader Friedrich Merz. On Wednesday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz will talk to Friedrich Merz, SPD leaders Lars Klingbeil and Saskia Esken, and CSU state group leader Alexander Dobrindt about the Ukraine conferences in London and Brussels, among other things.
Hamas does not want to disarm: The militant Islamist terrorist organization rejects the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip demanded by Israel as a red line. Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar had said that Israel was ready to move to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas if they released all hostages and demilitarized the Gaza Strip completely. The second phase of the agreement provides for an end to the war and the withdrawal of Israeli troops. It was supposed to begin in early March. However, the two warring parties have not yet negotiated the details. handelsblatt.com
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyi seeks rapprochement with the US and proposes a „ceasefire“: After the suspensions of military aid imposed by the White House, Zelenskyi struck a conciliatory tone in his evening video message and underlined the importance of his country’s relations with the US. Although Ukraine is prepared for the current situation and can defend itself, Zelenskyi said that „normal, cooperative relations with America“ are important to end to the war. n-tv.de, welt.de, tagesschau.de
RTL/ntv Trendbarometer by Forsa: CDU/CSU 28 percent (-0.6), SPD 15 percent (-1.4), Greens 11 percent (-0.6), FDP 3 percent (-1.3), AfD 22 percent (+1.2), Left Party 12 percent (+3.2), BSW 3 percent (-2), others 6 percent. (compared to the election result) n-tv.de
CDU foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter believes conscription could be reintroduced by the end of the year: Military conscription was suspended in the Bundestag by a simple majority vote, so it could also be reinstated by a simple majority. The crucial factor, said Kiesewetter on RTL/ntv, was to ensure that sufficient accommodation and instructors were available. He spoke out in favor of a change in the law so that both men and women can be drafted. welt.de
Appeal for a citizen-oriented and effective state: Former ministers Thomas de Maiziere and Peer Steinbrück, together with local politicians and business representatives, have stated that if no action is taken, the enemies of democracy will further weaken the state. They say the next federal government must make democratic reform a central project. Specifically, the initiative proposes developing laws from the outset with a view to their practical implementation and linking financial resources to verifiable goals. State services should become more service-oriented. web.de
Investigations in Hamburg against 15 active and retired police officers for right-wing chats: The officers are said to have exchanged xenophobic and proto-Nazi content. As part of the investigation, the apartments of several suspects were searched and data carriers were confiscated as evidence. Disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against all 15 police officers. n-tv.de, handelsblatt.com
More Germany News:
- Baden-Württemberg: Mannheim car-ramming suspect remanded in custody on two counts of murder and several of attempted murder. spiegel.de
- NRW: Significantly more people seeking to enter the country were turned away at North Rhine-Westphalia’s borders and airports last year. waz.de
- Schleswig-Holstein: AI method improves North Sea coast protection. shz.de
- Saxony: Dresden’s Carola Bridge is to disappear by summer. n-tv.de
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presents a plan to strengthen European defense spending: The plan aims to mobilize up to 800 billion euros. Europe’s security is under threat in a very real way, von der Leyen said; this is an era of rearmament, and Europe is ready to massively increase its defense spending. The plan includes a new fund of €150 billion to increase defense spending in the EU, including military aid for Ukraine. The funds will be available in particular for air and missile defense, artillery systems, drones, and cybersecurity. In addition, the escape clause of the Stability and Growth Pact is to be activated, which allows member states to take on new debt for defense spending without having to fear EU deficit proceedings. tagesschau.de, dw.com, n-tv.de
Opposition throws smoke grenades in Serbian parliament: The political crisis continues in Serbia despite the announced resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic. The governing coalition approved an agenda without confirming the resignation of Vucevic and his government. In response, opposition politicians threw smoke grenades and sprayed tear gas. Three MPs were injured. One female politician is reported to have suffered a stroke and is in a critical condition. tagesschau.de, sueddeutsche.de
Mayor of the opposition party CHP arrested and dismissed: The local politician from the Beykoz district of Istanbul is accused of influencing tenders, the Turkish interior ministry said. CHP leader Özgür Özel described the investigation as politically motivated. Turkish authorities have been increasingly cracking down on the opposition for weeks. Several mayors and local politicians from the CHP and the pro-Kurdish Dem Party have been dismissed and in some cases replaced by politicians close to the government; several proceedings are also underway against the Mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu. sueddeutsche.de
Germany restricts development aid to Rwanda: The reason for this is the role the country played in the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In agreement with its partners, Germany will further restrict bilateral cooperation with Rwanda, the BMZ announced. New financial commitments will be suspended and existing cooperation with the Rwandan government in the area of development aid will be reviewed. The Rwandan government had been informed of the decision in advance. tagesschau.de, spiegel.de
US President Donald Trump is threatening to cut funding and make arrests in the event of „illegal protests“ at universities: The measure would also affect schools and all other educational institutions in the US, Trump wrote on his online platform Truth Social. Those who incite violence will be arrested or, if they are not US citizens, deported. diepresse.com
Hong Kong operator wants to sell ports on both sides of the Panama Canal to US consortium: 90 percent of the shares in the Panama Ports Company as well as large shares in other ports outside of China are to be sold by the Hong Kong company Hutchison to a consortium led by the investor Blackrock for 19 billion dollars. n-tv.de, tagesschau.de
More news:
- Austria: New government wants to examine the possibility of English-language court proceedings. derstandard.de
- France: Rassemblement National leader Marine Le Pen rejects extension of nuclear umbrella. spiegel.de
- Poland: Researchers believe GPS jammers were placed on ships in the Baltic Sea. heise.de
- Turkey: People who reject traditional gender roles are to be punished with several years in prison. n-tv.de
- Great Britain: Elon Musk remains a member of the British Royal Society despite fierce protests. spiegel.de
- Belgium: Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot wants to strengthen relations with India; no longer exclusively focused on the United States. grenzecho.net
- France: Ten tons of cocaine seized in the port of Dunkerque. spiegel.de
- Spain: No more mummies in museums due to ethical questions. zdf.de
- China: Annual session of the National People’s Congress begins in Beijing. zdf.de
- Chile: Former sect settlement Colonia Dignidad is to be expropriated. faz.net
Internet users are better prepared for cyber attacks: In a representative survey by the Bitkom association, 61 percent of respondents stated that they had personal experience with the issue. A year ago, 67 percent said they had been victims of cybercrime, compared to 75 percent two years ago. The declining figures suggest that people are paying more attention and protecting themselves better, explained Bitkom. handelsblatt.com
More news:
- Household income for couples: Just one in ten women is the main breadwinner. zdf.de
- Bafin imposes a million-dollar fine on Deutsche Bank. faz.net
- Merger of petrochemical subsidiaries: OMV and Adnoc create a new industry giant. n-tv.de
- Around 1.65 million electric cars registered in Germany; an increase of more than 17 percent compared to the previous year. n-tv.de
- Mercedes-Benz reaches agreement with the Central Works Council on a comprehensive package of cost-cutting measures. spiegel.de
- Wage agreement at DHL subsidiary: Postal workers receive only a small pay rise. n-tv.de
- USA: A wave of layoffs is sweeping through the tech industry – In Silicon Valley, the drastic measures taken by Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg are setting a precedent. Laid-off employees have a harder time finding a new job. wiwo.de
- Germany as a travel destination at risk? Tourism association warns perception of racism could frighten away guests. rnd.de
- Important US official warns against restrictions on freedom of expression through DSA kress.de
- Memory gap: Why China’s artists are avoiding the theme of coronavirus table.media/china
- Right-wing shift and austerity measures: Why democracy desperately needs artists monopol-magazin.de
- Shakira expresses regret: Superstar cancels concerts in Chile due to technical problems rnd.de
- Migration, racism and cultural identity: Tahsim Durgun does satire on TikTok about immigration – Now he has written a book about integration but above all about his love for his mother spiegel.de
- „Stranger Things“ star: Millie Bobby Brown defends herself against criticism of her appearance spiegel.de
- Statement from prison: Adrien Brody thanks Harvey Weinstein’s children – The producer is visibly moved n-tv.de
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- Who will succeed Thomas Bach? – The IOC faces a presidential election wdr.de
- Before the CL clash against Bayer: Good news for FC Bayern – Kimmich makes a comeback after injury sport.de
- Police investigate students: Berlin tennis club party shocks with „foreigners out“ slogans n-tv.de
- EU Parliament calls for cancellation of Cycling World Championships in Rwanda over support for conflict in DR Congo kicker.de
- Abuse of power in gymnastics: The Károlyi’s reign of terror faz.net
- Nordic Skiing World Championships: Hennig makes the top ten – Next drama surrounding Johaug sportschau.de
- Para-sport at the Nordic Ski World Championships: A trail for everyone sueddeutsche.de
- Shot-putter is favorite: Olympic champion Ogunleye aims for indoor European gold sportbuzzer.de
Rio de Janeiro: Thieves steal portable toilet from roadside with a well-practised system web.de