Practical news on daily life, integration, education, housing and orientation for living in Germany.
A man has been sentenced to four years in prison in Hamburg for kicking another man in the head in the city center in October 2025. The Hamburg Regional Court handed down the sentence to the 25-year-old perpetrator, while a 22-year-old accomplice received a two-year suspended sentence.
In Frankfurt am Main, high-altitude rescue teams saved two window cleaners from a defective work gondola at the Commerzbank Tower. The men were trapped at a height of 240 meters.
Germany is introducing stricter sick leave rules: employees will now have to see a doctor in person on the first day of illness. The government aims to boost productivity, reports UNIAN citing The Telegraph.
After days of shutdown due to heat damage, Nuremberg has resumed tram service on a first section. Trams are running every ten minutes on the initial stretch.
In Zehdenick, Brandenburg, tap water is no longer safe to drink due to elevated bromate levels. The district of Oberhavel warns of potential cancer risk.
The Kroschke Research Prize for Child Protection in Medicine has been awarded to two psychologists from Hamburg. Their work highlights the role of fathers in preventing child endangerment.
At Heidesee in Germany, only people who speak sufficient German are allowed to swim. The unusual mandatory check quickly drew criticism.
The ongoing heatwave in North Rhine-Westphalia has caused temporary bottlenecks in the transport of deceased individuals, particularly in the Cologne area over the weekend.
During a joint inspection by the Neukölln district office and the job center on Wednesday morning at a homeless shelter on Bürgerstraße, almost half of the registered benefit recipients were absent. According to the Tagesspiegel, this is not an isolated case.
Germany's fertility rate dropped to 1.32 children per woman in 2025, the lowest level since the post-war period. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reported 654,241 births, the fewest since World War II.
In 2025, 30 percent of 25-year-olds in Germany still lived with their parents, with young men particularly likely to stay at home, according to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis).
Starting July 1, 2026, pharmacies in Germany will be allowed to help patients use telemedicine services, according to the German Pharmacists' Association (DAV).
After the multiple murder in Stade, violence against youth welfare workers is coming into focus. According to FAZ, many facilities lack specific protection concepts, even though assaults are common.
After the extreme heat over the weekend, joint compound melted into the tram tracks in Leipzig. Around 50 volunteers helped on Tuesday to remove the substance.
The Hamburg-Altona District Court has declared invalid a majority resolution by a homeowners' association to install a heat pump. The reason was insufficient information about the device's size and noise level.
On July 1, 2026, numerous changes take effect: pensions rise by 4.24 percent, exemption limits for wage garnishment are raised, and many must file their 2025 tax returns. Orders from discount retailers like Temu, Shein, or AliExpress will also become more expensive.
Starting July 1, the citizen's benefit will be renamed to 'basic security for job seekers.' With the reform, pressure and sanctions for employable long-term unemployed individuals will increase.
The Catholic hospital Groß-Sand in the Hamburg district of Wilhelmsburg was permanently closed on Tuesday. An internal farewell ceremony for staff took place beforehand.
Car parades are allowed in Germany, but participants must follow specific rules to ensure safety. Sitting on the roof or honking unnecessarily is prohibited.
After visiting the natural pool in Ennigerloh (North Rhine-Westphalia), dozens of children have fallen ill with vomiting and diarrhea. The health department is investigating a possible link, and the pool remains closed as a precaution.
The temporary fuel tax cut expires at the end of June. From July 1, drivers will face higher prices at the pump again.
Starting July 1, tourists will have to pay twelve euros to visit Cologne Cathedral. According to cathedral chapter spokesman Markus Frädrich, the fee has not yet triggered a rush on the last free days.
The first shooting stars of the Perseid meteor shower will appear in the night sky from mid-July. The peak of the meteor shower occurs on August 12, coinciding with a special new moon, as reported by FAZ.
Germany's DLRG reports at least 26 drowning deaths over a hot weekend, all victims male. Eight more people were hospitalized after resuscitation.
In Türkenfeld, Bavaria, schoolchildren witnessed a beaver being hit by a train. Several children required psychological support.
A 59-year-old Austrian mountaineer died on Saturday after falling on the Hoher Göll. According to police, the experienced climber was alone on the 'Alte Westwand' climbing route.
The tax relief at the pump expires on June 30. Drivers should not wait until the last minute.
A new study published in Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology reveals that beef consumption can trigger severe intestinal inflammation, while plant-based protein from peas causes only mild symptoms. The findings are linked to the interplay between the microbiome and bile acids.
Two unknown men attacked a trans woman and a non-binary person in Berlin-Kreuzberg early Saturday morning, leaving them with head wounds and abrasions. The victims were taken to a hospital for outpatient treatment, police said.
Acne is not just a teenage problem. Adults also suffer from the chronic skin condition – and society often underestimates the psychological consequences. FAZ reports on those affected who struggle with prejudice and the constant gaze in the mirror.
An eight-year-old boy has died after a drowning accident in Parksee Lohne in Isernhagen near Hanover. The child was recovered from the water after a two-hour search.
The new Siemens Mireo trains on the S5/S5X line between Halle and Leipzig are too long for several platforms, the operator Länderbahn confirmed to dpa. Passengers must move to the front section of the train.
A 32-year-old woman has been arrested in Renningen near Stuttgart on suspicion of killing her three-month-old son. Police and prosecutors also accuse her of faking the baby's abduction.
A class from the Geretsried middle school has won the prize for discrimination-sensitive reporting at the national school newspaper competition. Their publication "MS Voice" covers everyday racism, right-wing extremism, and hate speech.
The number of marriages in Germany fell to a record low in 2025, with 348,813 couples tying the knot — 403 fewer than the previous year, according to the Federal Statistical Office.
The federal government and the states have agreed on 60 measures to modernize the state, which should make many trips to the authorities unnecessary. According to dpa, these include applying for a personal ID card digitally and receiving child benefit without an application in the future.
In the kidnapping case involving Christina Block's children, the lead investigator of the Hamburg police considers the siblings' statements credible. The witness testified before the Hamburg Regional Court.
At the first digital parents' evening hosted by the F.A.Z., experts discussed how to handle teenagers' use of social media. The consensus was that an age limit alone is not the solution.
The German government plans to cut housing benefit by two billion euros. Verena Hubertz has admitted that she is reluctant to push through this reform. "It is painful not only for the people affected, but also for us as Social Democrats," the construction minister told the Rheinische Post last week.
In Gauting and at Lake Pilsensee, swimming badge action days will take place on the upcoming weekends, where children are introduced to swimming in a playful way.