Green Party Seeks 1.1‑Promille Alcohol Limit for Cyclists
The Green Party is openly supportive of tightening the blood‑alcohol threshold for cyclists.Swantje Michaelsen, the traffic spokesperson for the party’s Bundestag faction, told the “Rheinische Post” on Saturday that they would, in principle, back an additional alcohol limit of 1.1 ‰ for riders. The current German limit of 1.6 ‰-defined as absolute inability…
January 23, 2026
Bavarian Education Minister Stands Firm Against Proposal to End Teacher Civil Service Positions
Bavarian Minister of Culture and new president of the Education Ministers Conference, Anna Stolz of the Free Voters, dismissed proposals to abolish the nationwide appointment of teachers as civil servants. “I am firmly committed to the civil service status of teachers in Bavaria-as a key pillar for quality, stability and the attractiveness of the profession”…
January 23, 2026
Laschet Urges Europe to Talk with Russia as Abu Dhabi Talks Offer Hope for Ukraine Peace
Armin Laschet, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the German Bundestag and a member of the CDU, welcomed the fact that representatives from Ukraine, the United States and Russia are meeting in Abu Dubai to discuss a possible end to the Ukraine war. “Russians and Ukrainians speaking again in the United Arab Emirates is a good signal. It hasn’t happened for…
January 23, 2026
Union Urges Stricter Blood Alcohol Limits for Cyclists and Higher Fines
The Union (CDU) argues that cyclists should be subject to a stricter blood‑alcohol limit and also calls for higher fines.Traffic politician Christoph Ploß told the “Rheinische Post” on Saturday that it must not be possible to ride a bicycle while completely drunk without facing consequences.He added that such riding endangers pedestrians and other road users, and…
January 23, 2026
DAX Opens Cautiously as Earnings Season Gains Focus
The DAX opened the trading day on Friday in a cautious mood. By 9:30 a.m. it stood at about 24,850 points, slightly below the previous day’s closing level. Consorsbank’s chief market analyst, Jochen Stanzl, described the current situation as a neutral balance between the year’s low and the record high. He pointed out that the main factors of the still‑young…
January 23, 2026
Construction Contracts Soar 8.5 Percent in November 2025
Price‑adjusted orders in the main construction sector rose by 8.5 percent in November 2025 compared with October 2025 after calendar‑ and season‑adjustment. According to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Friday, the November 2025 orders increased by 7.2 percent in building construction and by 10.1 percent in civil engineering. On a less volatile three‑month basis,…
January 23, 2026
Germany Taxes 66.4 Billion Cigarettes in 2025 Up 0.1 Billion Over 2024
In 2025 German authorities collected taxes on 66.4 billion cigarettes, a rise of about 0.1 billion items-roughly 0.2 percent-over the 2024 total, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reported on Friday. Yet, when the figures are compared with 1991, the year in which more than 146 billion cigarettes were taxed, the volume has fallen by more than half. Per‑capita…
January 23, 2026
German Wealth Managers Slam Govt Pension Policy Demand More for Early Retirees
The CEOs of two leading German asset managers – Union Investment and Lupus Alpha – have openly criticised the federal government’s pension policy. Ralf Lochmüller, Managing Director of Lupus Alpha, told the business magazine “Capital” that the “early‑starter pension” (Frühstartrente) does not deliver enough benefit. “Ten euros…
January 23, 2026
Radovan Seeks Strategic Alliances With Gulf Nations
German Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan (SPD) said she will forge “strategic alliances” with Gulf states. “It is about targeted cooperation around shared interests – for example in the reconstruction of Gaza or in Syria” she told the weekend edition of the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”. Alabali Radovan stresses that…
January 23, 2026
Greens Warn Government Over Heating Law Cost Risks From Gas Dependence
The Green Party has warned that the German government is proposing too many changes to the heating law. Michael Kellner, spokesperson for the Greens’ Energy Policy Group, told the “Rheinische Post” (Friday edition) that abolishing the current 65‑percent renewable‑energy requirement would deepen the country’s dependence on fossil fuels and trap…
January 22, 2026
Roma Triumphs Over Stuttgart 2-0 in Europa League Thanks to Pisilli’s Double
On the seventh day of the Europa League group stage, AS Roma secured a 2-0 victory over VfB Stuttgart at the Stadio Olimpico, displaying remarkable efficiency despite the visitors’ possession advantage. In the 40th minute, Niccolò Pisilli capitalized on a precise midfield pass, burst into the box, and outmaneuvered goalkeeper Alexander Nübel with a composed finish to…
January 22, 2026
US Stock Markets Rise While Gold Prices Surge
U.S. stock markets finished higher on Thursday. At the close in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was at about 49 384 points, up roughly 0.6 % from the prior day. A few minutes earlier, the broader S&P 500 had risen to around 6 913 points, also up 0.6 %, while the Nasdaq 100 was near 25 518, up 0.8 %. Investors were relieved by President Donald Trump’s…
