Daily Briefing 17.06.2026, 17:15 (CEST)

Germany, Poland mark 35 years of post-Cold War ties at Berlin forum

Germany and Poland marked the 35th anniversary of their historic friendship treaty at a forum in Berlin on Wednesday, with several historical objects set to be returned to Warsaw decades af...

Far-right AfD can be probed in Bavaria over extremism, court rules

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) chapter in the southern state of Bavaria can be investigated by intelligence services, a court in Munich ruled on Wednesday. 

Merz invites Starmer, Macron, Meloni and Tusk to Berlin for E5 summit

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has invited his top European counterparts to a summit in Berlin next, he said on Wednesday at the Group of 7 (G7) meeting in Évian.

Milka maker appeals ruling in German chocolate bar shrinkflation case

The shrinkflation court case involving Milka chocolate bars is set for another round in Germany after an appeal by manufacturer Mondelez International.

German military expects rise in animal testing projects by 2029

Mice, rats, pigs: animals are also used in medical research by the Bundeswehr. Compared with earlier decades, the numbers have declined. That could now change.

'Every second counts' - Germany's Nagelsmann refocuses on Ivory Coast

Coach Julian Nagelsmann has ended Germany's leisure time after their flying World Cup start and says there is no time to lose ahead of Saturday's first real test against Ivory Coast in Toro...

Temperatures could hit 37 degrees as Germany awaits heatwave

Temperatures could surpass 35 degrees Celsius in Germany this week as the country bakes under an early summer heatwave. 

G7 leaders announce tougher sanctions on Russia

The United States and its fellow G7 countries have agreed to strengthen sanctions on Russia, including measures targeting the oil and gas sectors, according to a statement released early We...

Study: Cash no longer king in Germany as mobile payments gain ground

After decades of slow take-up, cashless payments now make up a majority of transactions in Germany, the country's central bank reported on Wednesday. 

Ukraine, Syria top list as Berlin counts 4m refugees and war displaced

Around 4 million refugees and displaced people were living in Germany last year, according to figures published by the Federal Statistical Office on Wednesday.