Berlin Today

Finnish Cell Biologist Sara Wickström Receives €1 Million Körber Science Prize

Sara Wickström received the Körber European Science Prize in Hamburg for research showing how physical forces influence cellular behavior and gene regulation, with potential applications in cancer, fibrosis and regenerative medicine.

U.S. and Denmark Reach Greenland Security Agreement Without Transfer of Sovereignty

Washington, Copenhagen and Greenland agreed to deepen Arctic security cooperation while Danish and Greenlandic leaders maintained that the arrangement does not transfer sovereignty over the territory.

Berlin SPD Candidate Steffen Krach Faces Investigation Over €9,900 Donation

Prosecutors are investigating Steffen Krach over allegations linked to a procurement process and a €9,900 donation to Berlin’s Social Democrats, while Krach and the party deny wrongdoing and say the money was returned.

Russia Holds Parliamentary Election With Major Anti-War Opposition Excluded

Voting for Russia’s State Duma is proceeding under wartime restrictions after the anti-war Yabloko party was removed from the party ballot and independent political competition remained heavily constrained.

Latest Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Poll Shows SPD Narrowly Ahead of AfD

A September 17 survey put the governing Social Democrats at 37% and the AfD at 36% ahead of the state election, highlighting a closely contested race with a significant share of the political landscape in flux.

Berlin Poll Puts Left Party Ahead of CDU and Greens

A BerlinTrend survey placed the Left Party at 22%, ahead of the CDU and other major parties as the capital approaches its state election campaign.

EU Data Act Expands Access to Information Generated by Connected Devices

European rules give consumers and businesses broader rights to access and share data generated by connected products such as cars, smart appliances and industrial machinery, requiring manufacturers to support greater data portability.

Ukraine Seeks Further Air-Defence Support Ahead of Possible Zelensky-Trump Meeting

President Volodymyr Zelensky is preparing for diplomacy around the UN General Assembly as Ukraine seeks additional air-defence assistance and a possible meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Resistance Grows Within Conservative Bloc Over German Income-Tax Reform

Lawmakers from the CDU and CSU are pressing for changes to the government’s income-tax package, including greater relief from the effects of inflation, complicating passage of a major coalition fiscal measure.

AfD Files Criminal Complaint Against Chancellor Merz Over Bundestag Remarks

The Alternative for Germany parliamentary group filed a criminal complaint against Chancellor Friedrich Merz after he linked the party’s use of the term “remigration” to ethnic cleansing during a Bundestag speech.

Bundestag Lifts AfD Lawmaker Stephan Brandner’s Immunity

Germany’s parliament authorized criminal proceedings against AfD lawmaker Stephan Brandner after approving a recommendation from its immunity committee, with the AfD voting against the measure.

Extreme Heat and Low Rhine Water Levels Disrupt German Industry

German manufacturers and logistics operators are facing production and transport disruptions as extreme heat affects workplaces and low river levels constrain freight movement along the Rhine.

Kiel Institute Says German Economic Recovery Is Underway but Weaknesses Persist

The Kiel Institute forecasts German gross domestic product growth of 1.3% in 2026, describing the economy as recovering while warning that underlying weaknesses remain.

German Health Insurers Face €1.1 Billion in Potential Real-Estate Fund Losses

More than 20 statutory health insurers are exposed to troubled property investments that could generate losses of about €1.1 billion, adding pressure to a healthcare financing system already facing rising costs.

Russia Orders Goethe-Institut Operations to Close Across the Country

Russian authorities instructed Goethe-Institut staff in Moscow, St Petersburg and Novosibirsk to cease work, effectively ending the German cultural organization’s physical operations in Russia.

Russian Drone Strikes Near Polish Border as NATO Downs Drone Over Lithuania

A Russian drone hit a train near Ukraine’s border with Poland and another strike damaged a nearby truck, while a NATO fighter separately shot down an unauthorized drone over Lithuania amid heightened security concerns on the alliance’s e...

Germany Cuts Fuel Taxes by 17 Cents a Litre and Plans Temporary Price Cap

The federal government agreed tax relief worth about 17 cents per litre for petrol and diesel and plans talks with the oil industry on introducing a temporary fuel-price cap by January 2027.

UAE Announces €40 Billion Investment Package for Germany

The United Arab Emirates unveiled €40 billion in planned German investments spanning advanced digital infrastructure and other industrial sectors, deepening economic ties between Berlin and Abu Dhabi.

European Central Bank Raises Interest Rates by 25 Basis Points

The European Central Bank increased all three key policy rates by a quarter percentage point as higher energy costs and Middle East tensions added to inflation pressure across the euro area.

Germany Receives First F-35A Fighter Jet as Luftwaffe Modernization Advances

Defence Minister Boris Pistorius formally accepted the first of 35 F-35A aircraft ordered for Germany, beginning the replacement of capabilities currently provided by the ageing Tornado fleet and strengthening interoperability within NATO.

Bayern Munich Opens European Campaign With Record Champions League Victory

Bayern Munich delivered a record-setting performance in its opening European fixture, strengthening the club’s sporting momentum and providing another high-profile showcase for German football.

Munich Tightens Security Around Oktoberfest

Bavarian authorities are deploying expanded security measures, including surveillance technology and drones, around Oktoberfest as Germany maintains heightened precautions for major public gatherings.

German Audit Office Criticises €15 Million Loss on Yemen Development Contracts

Federal auditors have criticised oversight failures at Germany’s state-owned development agency after contracts in Yemen generated losses of about €15 million, adding to scrutiny of overseas development spending.

Berlin Fintech Sector Consolidates as Late-Stage Funding Remains Scarce

Several German financial-technology companies are cutting jobs or pursuing mergers as tighter venture-capital conditions push investors to prioritise profitability over rapid expansion.

Lufthansa Reaches Cabin-Crew Wage Agreement After Months of Labour Disputes

Lufthansa has secured a long-term agreement with its principal cabin-crew union, reducing the risk of further strikes and providing greater operational stability for the winter travel season.

German Pharmacies Stage Nationwide Protest Over Reimbursement and Medicine Shortages

Thousands of pharmacies have closed temporarily in coordinated industrial action demanding higher reimbursement and reforms to address financial pressures and shortages of commonly used medicines.

German Auto Suppliers Expand China Localisation as Trade Tensions Rise

Major automotive suppliers are moving more research, development and sourcing into China as they seek to protect their Asian businesses from possible trade barriers between Beijing and Brussels.

Munich Plans Major Artificial Intelligence Research Campus

German investors and international technology companies are backing plans for a large AI research centre near Munich focused on commercial applications designed to operate within European data-protection rules.

IG Metall Warns of Industrial Action in German Manufacturing Wage Dispute

Germany’s largest industrial union has rejected employers’ latest offer and warned of strikes across automotive, engineering and manufacturing companies as negotiations over wages and working hours continue.

German Housing Industry Seeks Tax Relief as Building Permits Fall

Construction groups are pressing Berlin for tax incentives and simpler building rules as weak residential development threatens jobs and adds to housing shortages in major German cities.

Bayer Weighs Further Restructuring as US Glyphosate Litigation Persists

Bayer is examining additional corporate restructuring options as pressure from investors and continuing US glyphosate litigation weigh on the German pharmaceutical and agricultural group.

Siemens Energy Returns to Profitability After Wind-Business Restructuring

Siemens Energy has reported improved earnings following restructuring and earlier government-backed guarantees, strengthening the outlook for a company central to Germany’s power-grid and energy-equipment supply chain.

German Government Maintains Strategic Stake in Commerzbank Amid Takeover Interest

Berlin has indicated it intends to preserve its influence over Commerzbank as the lender faces continued acquisition interest from European rivals, keeping the bank’s ownership a politically sensitive issue.

Germany Maintains Opposition to New Joint EU Borrowing

Chancellor Friedrich Merz and several other European leaders have rejected additional common EU borrowing as negotiations intensify over how the bloc should finance future spending priorities.

Germany Extends Internal Border Controls Through March 2027

Germany has prolonged checks at its land borders, including those with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland, citing irregular migration, smuggling and broader security pressures.

Deutsche Bahn Begins Major Overhaul of Frankfurt-Mannheim Rail Corridor

Deutsche Bahn has started an extensive reconstruction of the heavily used Frankfurt-Mannheim route, with lengthy diversions expected as Germany works to modernise aging passenger and freight infrastructure.

Germany Debates Early-Retirement Reform as Aging Population Strains Pension System

Proposals to restrict or replace early-retirement provisions are intensifying debate among government officials, businesses and trade unions as Germany confronts labour shortages and rising pension costs.

Germany Accelerates North-South Power Grid Expansion for Offshore Wind

Regulators have approved further development of high-voltage transmission infrastructure designed to move North Sea wind power to industrial regions in southern Germany.

Germany Backs Expansion of Semiconductor Manufacturing in Dresden and Magdeburg

Federal support for additional chipmaking capacity in Dresden and Magdeburg is intended to deepen domestic semiconductor production and reduce supply risks for Germany’s automotive and engineering industries.