Daily Briefing 14.04.2026, 16:49 (CEST)

Germany ramps up military support for Ukraine with missiles, drones

Germany and Ukraine agreed to deepen their military and political cooperation, upgrading their relationship to a strategic partnership with Chancellor Friedrich Merz also assuring Kiev of B...

Merz urges Netanyahu in phone call to end fighting in south Lebanon

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shortly before a historic meeting between Israeli and Lebanese representatives, government spo...

Germany moving to fast-track fuel tax cuts, finance minister says

German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said planned tax cuts for motorists to help with high fuel costs will be implemented "as quickly as possible," adding he has instructed his ministry t...

Brussels approves German state aid plans for restoration of peatland

The European Commission has approved a German state aid scheme costing €1.3 billion ($1.5 billion) to support the conversion of farmland into peatland in an effort to cut greenhouse gas emi...

'Full throttle': Marie-Louise Eta starts Union Berlin training

Marie-Louise Eta arrived with a big smile on her face for Union Berlin training as the first woman in a European top league to take charge of a men's team.

Neuer: Retirement decision will not be based on titles won this term

Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer says a decision on whether to retire at the end of the season will come soon, but will not be based on any trophies the German giants win this season.

EU top court issues guidance in decades-long Kraftwerk sampling case

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has provided guidance on when copyright-protected elements can be used in music production without the prior authorization of the copyright holders.

Major German trial opens against five in VW diesel affair

More than 10 years after the Volkswagen diesel scandal came to light, the third major fraud trial against five defendants began at the Regional Court of Braunschweig.

Berlin tourists could earn rewards by collecting rubbish

Tourists in Berlin will in future be able to earn small rewards by picking up rubbish or travelling in a sustainable fashion, according to the Visit Berlin tourism agency.

Merz says he was 'not surprised' by outcome of US-Iran talks

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said he did not expect the US-Iran talks held in Pakistan over the weekend to produce positive results.