Daily Briefing 04.01.2026, 17:20 (CET)

German SPD chief critical of US approach in Venezuela

German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil on Sunday said the United States' intervention in Venezuela is "very worrying," after Chancellor Friedrich Merz refused to be drawn on what he consider...

Asylum requests halved in 2025 in Germany

Ever fewer people are applying for asylum in Germany, according to data issued by the Interior Ministry on Sunday, which put first-time applications at 113,236 in 2025.

German president to move out of palace for renovation works

The official residence of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Bellevue Palace, is due for major renovation works, although months before the planned start date neither the costs nor t...

Arson attack on property of German anti-Semitism commissioner

A property belonging to the anti-Semitism commissioner of the German state of Brandenburg was targeted in a suspected arson attack, the official, Andreas Büttner, told dpa on Sunday.

German bank hit by elaborate vault heist to remain closed

The German bank targeted in a spectacular burglary in which thieves made off with tens of millions of euros worth of cash and goods will remain closed for several more days as repair work c...

German railway delays worse in 2025; little improvement for 2026

Germany's notoriously poor railway punctuality declined further last year, with just 60.1% of long-distance trains arriving on time, Bild am Sonntag newspaper reported on Sunday.

Power restored to 7,000 Berlin homes after suspected arson attack

Thousands of households in south-west Berlin affected by Saturday's power outage have had their electricity restored since the early hours of Sunday, the provider reported.

Zverev seals victory over the Netherlands in United Cup

Alexander Zverev earned double wins to propel Germany past the Netherlands 3-0 on Sunday at the United Cup.

Germany expresses 'greatest concern' on Venezuela

Germany is following the US military operation in Venezuela "with the greatest concern," a Foreign Office source said on Saturday after US forces bombed targets in the country and seized Pr...

German police publish photos of masked robbers after major bank heist

Police in Gelsenkirchen have published images taken by security cameras of the masked burglars who broke into a savings bank in the western German city and raided thousands of safety deposit boxes.