Daily Briefing 10.08.2026, 10:10 (CEST)

Rhine could be split in two for shipping amid record low water levels

German inland waterway operators are sounding the alarm due to the persistently low water levels on the Rhine, which are threatening to divide the river into two navigable regions. 

German economy minister sees potential in industrial AI

Germany is unlikely to win the race to develop large language models but has a strong chance of becoming an international leader in industrial artificial intelligence (AI), Economy Minister...

German transport minister to tie Deutsche Bahn bonuses to punctuality

Germany's new transport minister, Steffen Bilger, is stepping up pressure on the leadership of the national railway operator Deutsche Bahn, announcing plans to tie bonuses for management to...

Social Democrats calls Germany's refugee rules on families too strict

A measure restricting family reunification for refugees, which was passed by Germany's coalition government more than a year ago, was criticized as too restrictive from the junior coalition...

Berlin's Altes Museum up for refurbishment after Pergamon Museum

Berlin's Altes Museum, housing the antiquities collection on Museum Island in the centre of the city, is in need of refurbishment, the head of the organization that runs many of the German ...

Shots fired in Berlin amid rise in gun crime in German capital

Berlin police were on Sunday investigating two incidents involving gunshots, following a recent rise in shooting incidents in the German capital.

Four German states suspend Sunday lorry ban amid low river levels

Lorries were permitted on the roads in parts of Germany on Sunday after four states temporarily eased restrictions on Sunday lorry traffic in response to transport problems on the country's...

World Naked Bike Ride makes its Berlin debut

The World Naked Bike Ride set off in Berlin for the first time on Sunday, with hundreds of people cycling naked, or partially so, through the capital's streets on a very sunny day with temp...

Freigang 'optimistic' things will turn out well in doping saga

Germany and Eintracht Frankfurt forward Laura Freigang is "optimistic that everything will turn out well" amid allegations of doping.

'Chickening out' no option for Rheinmetall boss Papperger amid threats

The head of German arms giant Rheinmetall is refusing to be intimidated despite round-the-clock security due to a litany of threats to his safety.