Good morning. Here’s a concise roundup of the main stories from Germany.
Retail survey: mounting worries
A new ifo business survey shows growing alarm among German companies about their economic survival. Nationwide, 8.1% of firms said they face a genuine risk of going under; the figure rises to 17.4% in the retail sector. Across wholesale and retail combined, 11.6% of trading firms said they feared being forced out of business. Ifopointed to weak demand, rising operating and energy costs, heavier bureaucracy and growing liquidity bottlenecks as key pressures. Klaus Wohlrabe, head of surveys at ifo, warned that geopolitical uncertainty could keep insolvency figures high in the months ahead.
Security and policing
Hamburg: A 17-year-old Syrian teenager has been arrested over an alleged terror plot in Hamburg. Prosecutors say the suspect, inspired by the so-called Islamic State, planned an attack on locations such as a shopping mall, bar or police station using explosives, Molotov cocktails or a knife. Investigators found fertilizer, firelighters, a balaclava and a knife; special police units arrested the youth after coordinated work involving domestic and foreign intelligence services, the Federal Criminal Police and state police. Investigations continue.
Freiburg: Police identified a 65-year-old suspect in a string of incidents in which pigeons were found wounded or killed, some apparently struck by needle-like projectiles or airgun pellets. One bird was reported with a needle lodged across its head. After around three weeks of inquiry involving animal welfare groups and the veterinary office, officers executed a search warrant and seized evidence; the man faces investigation for suspected breaches of animal-protection and weapons laws.
Politics and diplomacy
Germany’s defense minister Boris Pistorius made an unannounced visit to Kyiv to discuss deeper defence cooperation, including joint development of unmanned systems and “deep strike” capabilities. Pistorius also warned that recent public talk by Russia’s Vladimir Putin about negotiating an end to the war could be a deception intended to distract from military setbacks.
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, rejected Vladimir Putin’s suggestion to use former German chancellor Gerhard Schröder as a mediator in talks on Ukraine, citing Schröder’s known ties to Russian state companies and warning against giving Moscow the right to choose negotiators.
Domestic policy and economy
Federal Council vetoes relief bonus: Germany’s Bundesrat blocked a government plan to allow voluntary, tax-free employer payments of up to €1,000 to employees (through June 2027). Only four states backed the idea; opponents cited cost and distribution concerns and are pushing instead for income tax reform.
Energy: The Federal Network Agency urged consumers to use gas sparingly amid energy strains linked to the war in the Middle East, saying modest price rises could not be ruled out but stressing the situation is not comparable to the big shock after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Electricity prices, by contrast, were easing thanks to renewable generation.
Health and travel
Hantavirus: Four German passengers who were aboard the MV Hondius — a cruise ship linked to confirmed hantavirus cases and several deaths — returned to Germany and were taken to hospital in Frankfurt for observation before quarantine. The WHO lists six confirmed cases and two suspected cases from the ship; three people died. Investigators suspect the chain of infection began with a Dutch couple who may have been infected before boarding.
Local news and human interest
Wilhelma Zoo, Stuttgart: The zoo reopened its nocturnal animal section after a temporary closure following two separate incidents in which small children sustained minor injuries. Management said additional safety measures — better lighting, increased staff presence and other organisational steps — have been introduced while the probe continues.
Sporting feat: Berlin ultrarunner Arda Saatçi covered 600 kilometres across desert terrain in just over 123 hours, finishing near Santa Monica Pier. He fell short of his 96-hour target but maintained strong pacing and livestreamed the effort to hundreds of thousands of viewers.
Migration trends
Destinations: Germany’s federal statistics office reports Switzerland is the most popular European destination for Germans abroad, with about 330,000 Germans living there in early 2025 — up some 10.7% over the past decade. Austria hosted roughly 240,000 Germans, while Spain attracted older German migrants, numbering about 132,000.
Court case
Stuttgart/Ulm: Five pro-Palestinian activists known as the “Ulm 5” are on trial in Stuttgart accused of breaking into an Israeli defence company’s site in Ulm, destroying equipment and causing damage. The defendants face charges including criminal damage, trespass and alleged membership of a criminal organisation; protests have accompanied the hearings.
That’s the main update. Stay tuned for further developments.