News from Germany on politics, society, regions and everyday issues relevant to readers in Germany and across Europe.
Around 40,000 people attended the Bundeswehr open day in Neubiberg on Saturday. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) was on site and emphasized the importance of cohesion between the military and society, as reported by BR.
After serious riots before the match between Hertha BSC and Schalke 04 at Berlin's Olympic Stadium, police have identified initial suspects. According to the Tagesspiegel, one of the suspects is believed to be a police officer himself.
Munich is set to build the world's highest beer garden atop a planned skyscraper in the west of the city, according to Euronews.
A new smoking ban in Baden-Württemberg has left residents uncertain about what exactly is prohibited. It remains unclear whether simply walking past a bus stop with a lit cigarette constitutes an offense, according to the newspaper "Welt."
The draft nursing care reform by Federal Health Minister Warken is facing sharp criticism in Bavaria. According to BR, there is particular incomprehension regarding the plan to cut pension contributions for family caregivers.
The 27-year-old daughter of an innkeeper, Sina Hochreiter, has been named the new Münchner Kindl, the traditional hostess of Munich's Oktoberfest, as reported by the Süddeutsche Zeitung. She will have to prove her suitability during the festival this autumn.
The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) have ended their advertising campaign with the right-wing populist portal Nius with immediate effect. According to the Tagesspiegel, criticism of the ads on BVG buses had been growing for days.
A 40-year-old Afghan man was stabbed to death during an altercation at a refugee shelter in Herrsching am Ammersee. A 36-year-old compatriot is in custody on suspicion of homicide.
The Bonn-Nord motorway bridge (Nordbrücke) over the Rhine is completely closed. Federal Minister Volker Schnieder has announced a swift review, as reported by Deutschlandfunk.
Brandenburg's Finance Minister Daniel Keller (SPD) plans to increase the weekly working hours for around 33,000 civil servants from 40 to 41 hours. The unions GEW and GdP have announced resistance, as reported by Tagesspiegel.
At a high school in Prenzlauer Berg, the defense state secretary and a peace activist emotionally debated military service, as Tagesspiegel reports.
Inmates at the Hahnöfersand prison in Hamburg attacked staff with table legs. The public prosecutor's office is investigating for prison mutiny, as reported by Spiegel.
Train passengers between Hannover, Wolfsburg and Berlin must expect significant delays and cancellations. According to Tagesschau, parts of the overhead line have been stolen, and the route is expected to remain closed until the evening.
The Lower Saxony Ministry of Education has approved Low German as a regular subject at a secondary school in Uplengen, East Frisia, according to Spiegel.
Starting Monday, patrol officers in Schweinfurt, Regensburg, and Augsburg will trial the use of Tasers. Previously, the electroshock devices were reserved for special units, as reported by the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
A draft for the planned nursing care reform has been presented. Its goal is to prevent an impending billion-euro hole in the nursing care funds, as reported by Tagesschau.
Germany wants to return to the UN Security Council. The UN General Assembly votes from 4 p.m., as Bavarian Broadcasting (BR) reports.
The US fast-food chain Taco Bell is opening two branches in Munich, as reported by the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
According to a forecast by the Süddeutsche Zeitung, the population in the Munich region will grow by only about three percent in the coming years – mainly on the outskirts, while some areas are even expected to see a decline.
A man shot at a police officer in Dortmund and then barricaded himself in his apartment with three children. After a hours-long operation by special forces (SEK), police gave the all-clear, as Tagesspiegel reports.
A man shot at a police officer in Dortmund and then barricaded himself in an apartment with his three children. According to Spiegel, the children were freed unharmed after a hours-long operation.
In 2025, Bavaria recorded more xenophobic crimes than ever before, according to a response from the state interior ministry to a query by the Green Party in the state parliament.
Despite tightened border controls, the Federal Police do not anticipate significant holiday traffic jams this summer. This was stated by Andreas Roßkopf, head of the police union (GdP) for the Federal Police, in an interview with Stern.
The Süddeutsche Zeitung provides an overview of current news from Munich: the price of the Maß beer has been set, the MVG is planning cost-cutting measures, and investigations are underway in the tax haven of Grünwald.
A Maß of beer at Munich's Oktoberfest will cost between 14.80 and 15.90 euros this year, the city announced on Tuesday.
A tram derailed and was torn open in Berlin on Tuesday morning. According to Bild, 20 people were injured, three of them seriously.
A shopkeeper in Flensburg displayed a sign in his window banning Jews from entering his store. The Flensburg district court has now sentenced him to a suspended prison sentence for incitement to hatred, as reported by Tagesschau.
A devastating head-on collision between a car and a truck on a country road in Thuringia claimed the lives of four people on Monday afternoon. The victims are two women and their two 18-month-old children.
A 20-year-old driver lost control on a country road in southwestern Thuringia on Tuesday afternoon, causing a head-on collision with a truck that killed four people, including two toddlers.
In May, Germany recorded the lowest number of asylum applications since the coronavirus pandemic. According to Zeit, the number of initial applications fell by around 30 percent compared to the previous year.
The German government is only partially meeting the goals of its €500 billion special fund for infrastructure and climate protection, according to a report. Implementation of the multibillion-euro program is apparently not going as planned.
Despite the closure of the Brenner Pass on May 30, feared massive traffic jams in Bavaria failed to materialize. The Red Cross, ADAC, and police had prepared for significant disruptions, as reported by the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
The Brenner Pass is closed, but the situation remains calm so far. Many travelers have already crossed the Alps or postponed their trips.
Flight operations at Munich Airport were suspended for about an hour on Tuesday morning. The reason was a drone sighting, according to the Federal Police.
For an hour on Tuesday morning, no planes could take off or land at Munich Airport. The reason was a possible drone sighting, according to Tagesschau.
Union Vice-Faction Leader Stegemann has criticized the ten-year waiting period for gifting property in connection with long-term care insurance. According to Deutschlandfunk, the Union wants to involve adult children in care costs earlier.
The Brenner Pass has been closed due to a demonstration. The blockade is expected to last at least eight hours, according to Zeit.
One day before the full closure of the Brenner Pass, traffic in the Bavarian-Austrian border region is heavy on Friday morning. According to Bavarian Broadcasting (BR), many travelers have brought their trips forward to avoid traffic jams.
Germany funded social housing construction less in 2025 than the previous year, according to a parliamentary inquiry by the Left Party.
The German government plans to require patients with statutory health insurance to obtain a referral from a general practitioner before visiting a specialist. However, a study by the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) shows that the current voluntary model of this GP referral requirement is more expensive than expected.