Daily Briefing 25.08.2026, 14:56 (CEST)

Germany's Merz vows response to summer of heat and drought

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz vowed to take concrete action in response to this summer's heatwaves and drought, after touring the western region hit by recent wildfires.

Müller and Hummels acquire shares in Portuguese club Estrela Amadora

Former Germany players Thomas Müller and Mats Hummels have acquired shares in Portuguese club Estrela Amadora.

Germany deports 23 Afghan men in latest flight to Kabul

Germany deported 23 Afghan men to their country of origin on a charter flight early Tuesday, carrying out the latest repatriations despite criticism from opposition lawmakers and rights gro...

German economy grows 0.3% in second quarter, beating estimate

The German economy grew 0.3% in the second quarter from the previous three months, slightly more than the initially estimated 0.2%, the Federal Statistical Office said.

Nearly one in 12 German long-distance trains cancelled in first half

Almost one in 12 long-distance trains operated by Germany's national rail company Deutsche Bahn were cancelled entirely or for part of their route in the first half of 2026, according to go...

Study: Germans swap friends for screens as classic socializing fades

Traditional socializing is losing ground in Germany, with the share of people regularly spending time with friends falling from 37% to 19% over the past 40 years, according to a new survey ...

German media outlets demand support from Merz over new US visa rules

Several major German media companies and publishers' associations have called on Chancellor Friedrich Merz for support as the United States plans to restrict the validity period for visas f...

EU, UK step up military aid as Ukraine celebrates Independence Day

European leaders including British Prime Minister Andy Burnham gathered in Kiev to mark 35 years of Ukrainian independence, as the EU and Britain pledged fresh military support for the coun...

Klopp to announce his first Germany squad on September 17

New coach Jürgen Klopp is to announce his first Germany squad on September 17.

Eight injured as German school trip coach crashes on Dutch motorway

Eight people were injured on Monday when a coach carrying dozens of German schoolchildren was involved in an accident in the Netherlands, police said.