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Trump wants control over Gaza, Scholz advised to renounce chancellorship, Migration policy, Ukraine security guarantee, Attacks in election campaign

published by Sigrid Arteaga
Contributor: Imogen Goodman and Ulrich Kraus

Wednesday, 05th of February, 2025
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Bild: Schröder is really that sick | So krank ist Schröder wirklich
FAZ: China announces retaliatory tariffs on American products | China kündigt Vergeltungszölle auf amerikanische Produkte an
Funke: Fence around Berlin’s Görlitzer Park will be built by the beginning of spring | Zaun um den Görlitzer Park wird zum Frühlingsbeginn gebaut
Handelsblatt: Electric car debacle in China | Elektro-Debakel in China
RND: „We will own it“: Trump wants to take control of the Gaza Strip | „Wir werden ihn besitzen“: Trump will Kontrolle über Gazastreifen übernehmen
SZ: China’s counter-strike is mild | Chinas Gegenschlag fällt mild aus
Tagesspiegel: Trump’s tariff war: EU wants to negotiate, China opts for countermeasures | Zollkrieg mit Trump: EU will verhandeln, China beschließt Gegenmaßnahmen
taz: Open letter to CDU chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz from Leon Weintraub and Evamaria Loose-Weintraub | Offener Brief an CDU-Kanzlerkandidat Friedrich Merz von Leon Weintraub und Evamaria Loose-Weintraub
Welt: The CDU is being targeted by the militant left | Die CDU wird zur Zielscheibe der militanten Linken

Top-News

SPD leader Lars Klingbeil is said to have repeatedly suggested to Chancellor Olaf Scholz that he renounce his candidacy for chancellor: According to consistent information from several sources in and around the SPD, Klingbeil approached Scholz at least twice, report Tagesspiegel and T-Online. In addition to Klingbeil, Saskia Esken and SPD General Secretary Matthias Miersch also came to the conclusion that Scholz would be unlikely to win the snap federal election. However, Scholz insisted on his candidacy. tagesspiegel.de

  • FDP faction leader Christian Dürr called on the CDU/CSU, SPD and Greens to settle their dispute over migration policy. A democratic solution is needed. Populists and radicals must not be allowed to emerge as victors. The contents of the CDU and CSU’s so-called influx limitation law should be combined with the law to reform the European asylum system. It is possible to adopt a compromise before the federal election. zdf.de
  • The Greens signal willingness to talk about migration policy. The Greens are in favor of a European migration policy, not a national one, as the CDU wants, Greens faction leader Katharina Dröge told DLF. In addition, it needs to be made clear that the CDU won’t seek further majorities with the AfD if talks falter. n-tv.de, faz.net
  • The CDU/CSU is willing to consider a compromise proposal from the FDP regarding migration policy. Parliamentary secretary Thorsten Frei said that the CDU/CSU would not rule out talks that could contribute to a speedy solution to the migration crisis.

US President Donald Trump wants the US to take control of the Gaza Strip: The US would take over the coastal area and develop it economically, Trump said after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. This decision was not taken lightly. Trump also advocated permanently resettling the population. Gaza is a demolition area and has been a „catastrophe“ for decades, he said. The US would, among other things, ensure that all unexploded bombs and other weapons were removed from the area. Netanyahu called Trump the best friend Israel has ever had in the White House. tagesspiegel.de, zeit.de, n-tv.de, zdf.de, spiegel.de

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky would accept nuclear weapons as an alternative security guarantee to joining NATO: The US could offer an alternative security guarantee in the form of nuclear weapons if it is not willing to support Ukraine’s NATO membership, Zelensky said on Piers Morgan. Selenskyj admits that Ukraine’s path to NATO membership could take „years or even decades.“ faz.net

Polls

RTL/ntv Trendbarometer by Forsa: CDU/CSU 28 percent (-2), SPD 16 percent, Greens 15 percent (+1), FDP 4 percent, AfD 20 percent, Left Party 5 percent (+1), BSW 4 percent (+1), others 8 percent. n-tv.de

  • Direct election of the Chancellor: Olaf Scholz 16 percent, Friedrich Merz 22 percent, Robert Habeck 22 percent, Alice Weidel 16 percent. None of the above 24 percent. n-tv.de
  • Cooperation between the CDU/CSU and AfD: 59 percent wrong, 36 percent right. n-tv.de

Sunday poll in the Thuringia state election by Insa for TA, OTZ and LTZ: CDU 25 percent, SPD 7 percent, Greens 4 percent, AfD 35 percent (+1), Left Party 11 percent (-1), BSW 13 percent (-1), others 5 percent. (compared to December 10, 2024) tlz.de

Politics

Hamburg CDU partially suspends election campaigning at information stands: The verbal attacks have intensified since last Friday, a party spokesman said; election campaigners are subjected to massive insults. In addition, numerous CDU posters have been smeared and destroyed. The Hamburg state association has now decided to cancel campaign stands in Ottensen, Altona-Altstadt, St. Pauli and St. Georg. For events in the other districts, stricter security measures are in place. tagesspiegel.de

More regional news:

  • Berlin: Masked demonstrators try to disrupt CDU meeting. n-tv.de
  • Berlin: CDU politician Burkard Dregger calls for the construction of deportation centers. rbb24.de
  • Rhineland-Palatinate: Prime Minister Alexander Schweitzer asks federal government for help with deportations. n-tv.de
  • Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Investigations committee wishes Gerhard Schröder a quick recovery; former Chancellor undergoing clinical treatment for burnout. spiegel.de
  • Brandenburg: Ministry of Agriculture wants to set a cull quota for wolves. tagesspiegel.de
  • Bavaria: CSU terminates cooperation with SPD in Erlangen town hall because of statements made by SPD mayor Florian Janik at a demonstration against right-wing extremism. br.de
  • Hessen: Economics Minister Kaweh Mansoori wants to present a legislative package on residential construction soon. n-tv.de
  • Lower Saxony: Former RAF terrorist Daniela Klette to stand trial from March. derstandard.de
  • Lower Saxony: Public prosecutor’s office investigates Franconian AfD member of parliament Martin Sichert. infranken.de
  • Bremen: State population passes 700,000 mark again. butenunbinnen.de
  • Hessen: 20-year-old sentenced to jail time for right-wing extremist attack plans. n-tv.de
Around the World

At least 11 people have been killed in a shooting at an adult education center in the Swedish city of Örebro: The alleged perpetrator is among the dead, police said. In addition, five people were injured. Police did not initially comment on a possible motive for the attack. At midday, a large-scale police operation took place after shots were fired on the campus of the Risbergska School. The school is for students over the age of 20. It offers courses for upper secondary education, Swedish language courses for immigrants, vocational training and programs for people with intellectual disabilities. spiegel.de

EU has offered US President Donald Trump negotiations: Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that the EU is prepared to negotiate hard. She said the EU would protect its own interests, but at the same time approach the talks openly and pragmatically. The goal is a stronger partnership between the EU and the US. n-tv.de, tagesschau.de

Rejection of EU debt for armaments: After Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejected joint European debt for armaments investments at the EU summit, CDU foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter agreed with his stance. He told DLF radio that European debt would not work because there are a number of heavily indebted EU states that would not be able to repay the money. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is counting on a more flexible application of the common debt rules to enable member states to invest more in defense. faz.net

Refugees may be required to attend integration courses and take a final exam: Judges at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg emphasize the importance of language skills for integration. However, personal circumstances such as age, level of education, financial situation and state of health must be taken into account. A fine may only be imposed in exceptional circumstances, for example if a person is persistently unwilling to integrate. evangelische-zeitung.de

Belgium’s government backs nuclear power: The law passed in 2003 with the support of the Green Party to phase out nuclear power is outdated, said right-wing nationalist Prime Minister Bart De Wever in his government statement on the day after taking office. The operating times of existing power plants with a capacity of four gigawatts are to be extended. In addition, further reactors are to be built to achieve a capacity of eight gigawatts. Energy Minister Mathieu Bihet said the aim is to help households and businesses move away from carbon-intensive energies such as gas and oil. t-online.de

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier hands over medical supplies for Gaza during his visit to Jordan: These are mainly neonatal respirators, hospital beds and medicines. They will be used by the Jordanian health service in two field hospitals in the Gaza Strip. Speaking at the Al-Asrak airbase, Steinmeier said the aim was to alleviate the endless suffering of the people in Gaza. Germany plans to deliver a total of around 18 tons of medical supplies worth 1.5 million euro. yahoo.com

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan assures Syrian President of his support: During talks in Ankara, he discussed steps against Kurdish fighters in north-eastern Syria with Syria’s transitional president Ahmed al-Scharaa. Erdogan stated that Turkey is ready to support the new Syrian leadership in the fight against the Islamic State and the Kurdish fighters. Erdogan added that he believed the voluntary return of Syrian migrants would accelerate as Syria becomes more stable. Turkey would work to lift the sanctions. zeit.de, faz.net

Australia bans Chinese AI software DeepSeek on government devices: Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke called DeepSeek an unacceptable risk. DeepSeek remains allowed on private devices in Australia. Last week, DeepSeek caused established technology stocks to plummet in the US. The Chinese manufacturer claims that its AI applications require significantly less computing power than those of its competitors. tagesspiegel.de

USA has brought detained migrants to Guantanamo: The first flights have taken off, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox Business. Trump had instructed the departments of defense and homeland security to prepare a camp for 30,000 people. For decades, migrants who entered the country illegally had been held in Guantanamo before being deported to their home countries or to other countries; however, only a small number of people have been housed there in recent years. zeit.de, spiegel.de

More news:

  • EU: EU Commission wants to propose „repatriation centers“ for migrants. euronews.com
  • EU: EU plans fee on bargain products from China. handelsblatt.com
  • France: Right-wing populists unwilling to support motion of no confidence. tagesspiegel.de
  • France: Significantly more deportations. handelsblatt.com
  • Turkey: PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan is said to be preparing a „historic appeal“. n-tv.de
  • Spain: Government adopts bill for 37.5-hour week; approval by parliament still pending. faz.net
  • Austria: Thousands take to the streets against shift to the right. tagesschau.de
  • Portugal: Booming cannabis business for medical use. zdf.de
  • Denmark: Greenland brings forward parliamentary elections to March 11 due to concerns about Trump. rnd.de
  • Turkey: Actress Melisa Sözen arrested for „terrorist propaganda“ for playing a militant Kurdish woman. faz.net
  • Norway: Former NATO Secretary General and Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg becomes Minister of Finance; MSC job postponed. sueddeutsche.de

Business

Negative interest rates on savings deposits and call money inadmissible according to BGH ruling: It is contrary to good faith for savings balances to be reduced by negative interest rates. On this point, the action brought by the consumer advice centers was successful. However, the judges consider negative interest rates on current account balances to be fundamentally permissible. However, the judges ruled that the banks‘ clauses on this had been too incomprehensible in the past. Therefore, these were also declared invalid. lto.de, zeit.de, handelsblatt.com

More from the worlds of business, technology and science:

  • Verdi calls further warning strikes at Deutsche Post; Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, North Rhine-Westphalia and Saarland were affected. handelsblatt.com
  • Musk is suing Nestlé and other corporations for no longer advertising on X. sueddeutsche.de
  • Cosmetics group Estee Lauder wants to cut 7,000 jobs. handelsblatt.com
  • Vodafone is losing fewer customers in the television business. handelsblatt.com
  • 22.6 million adults single: Only one in two Germans is married. n-tv.de
  • Putin’s shadow fleet: German companies profited from sales t-online.de
  • Cost explosion: Living in German cities is becoming increasingly expensive – tenants‘ association demands action welt.de
  • Fewer new Tesla registrations in Europe golem.de
  • Donation of millions to AfD: Proximity to AfD causes internal turmoil at Böttcher wiwo.de
  • Will KPMG lose a Dax mandate? Daimler Truck is reissuing the audit mandate from 2027 finance-magazin.de
  • Shares rise: Infineon brightens mood in chip industry manager-magazin.de
Lifestyle
  • „Intervision“: Putin wants to establish a rival to the Eurovision Song Contest derstandard.at
  • Salaries: The fear of transparency medieninsider.com
  • New key position: Bavaria Studios promotes Waheed Zamani to head of AI meedia.de
  • French film star: Juliette Binoche to be jury president at Cannes spiegel.de
  • Vampire slayer with a heart: Buffy is apparently on the verge of a comeback – including Sarah Michelle Gellar spiegel.de
  • Metropolitan Museum: Caspar David Friedrich conquers New York welt.de
  • „Smile to Vote“ art project: When AI votes for you monopol-magazin.de
  • Abuse video surfaces: Disturbing revelation weighs heavily on Mette-Marit’s son t-online.de
  • New lawsuit: Another man accuses P. Diddy of abuse promiflash.de
  • „Elephant“ in South Tyrol: Alexander Gauland no longer welcome in Bressanone hotel faz.net
Sports
  • Stuttgart is in the semi-finals of the DFB Cup – 1-0 against Augsburg spiegel.de
  • The day after Deadline Day: FC Bayern confirm return of Gabriel Vidovic sport.de
  • New head coach „a hard worker“: Kovac announces important personnel decision at BVB – Emre Can remains captain sport.de
  • FC Bayern: Italian international Caruso comes on loan sueddeutsche.de
  • BBL: Bayern cracks Alba in overtime sportschau.de
  • Qualification begins: Women’s ice hockey hot for the Olympics kicker.de
  • Basketball in the NBA: Schröder’s Warriors extend the crisis of Wagner’s Magic sportschau.de
  • Alpine Skiing World Championships 2025: DSV team out in the quarterfinals – Italy takes gold sportschau.de
Gedöns

After long-haul flight: grandmother caught with illegal fireworks battery for grandchildren at BER spiegel.de

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