“With today’s cabinet resolution, we are ensuring that the German film industry will become a global player in film production,” Germany’s Culture and Media Minister Wolfram Weimer said on Wednesday. He described the coalition government’s draft bill, which still needs to be voted on by parliament, as a “film booster.” According to Weimer, never before has so much money been allocated to the domestic film industry. In fact, it will be almost double anything previously allocated, totaling €250 million ($291 million). Along with other funding programs, the government is reportedly committing more than €300 million to film productions. Additional funding from Germany’s federal states is expected to be added to this total. That being said, government funding alone will not bring about major changes. That’s why streaming services like Netflix, Amazon and Disney would be required under the bill to make investments on par with private and public German broadcasters. With nearly 84...

Skip next section Taco Bell to open first restaurants in Germany 06/05/2026June 5, 2026 Taco Bell to open first restaurants in Germany The US fast food chain Taco Bell will open its first locations in Germany, according to its local franchise owner. Contracts for the chain’s first two locations in Munich have been signed. Christian Lehmann, the German franchise owner, said that 15 locations are set to open in Munich, Nuremberg, and Passau. Taco Bell already has locations in the United Kingdom, Romania, Greece, and Sweden. However, its arrival in Germany, originally planned for summer 2025, was delayed. Taco Bell operates over 8,000 restaurants in the US, and its parent company, Yum! Brands, also owns Pizza Hut and KFC. https://p.dw.com/p/5EuPC Skip next section CDU cancels event in Magdeburg ahead of key election 06/05/2026June 5, 2026 CDU cancels event in Magdeburg ahead of key election The Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Chancellor...

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz initially appeared taken aback by the US and Israel’s attack on Iran on February 28. The first strikes killed key figures in the Iranian leadership, including the spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as numerous civilians. No prominent legal scholar has since claimed that these attacks are covered by international law, nor has any member of the German federal government. Yet the phrase “violation of international law” has not yet crossed Merz’s lips. Instead, he referred to the Iranian government as a “terrorist regime,” and said “categorizing the events under international law will have relatively little effect,” adding that the US and Israel had “good reasons” for the attacks. “I believe that (initially) Merz was convinced that the Israelis and Americans are doing things in Iran that Europeans are not capable of doing themselves, but that the political goals are correct,” Johannes Varwick, a political scientist at the...

Since the beginning of June, everything quiets down in German Ikea stores on Wednesdays between 5 and 7 p.m. — with no music to be heard, dimmer lights and no announcements over the PA system (except in the case of an emergency). All in all, customers and staff are experiencing less of a strain on their senses — and that’s the whole idea behind the Quiet Hour. The concept stems from an initiative by the German association Gemeinsam Zusammen (Together Together). “We want the Quiet Hour to provide relief for people with invisible disabilities. Their nervous systems are often permanently overwhelmed, which is why we’d like to provide them with moments of relief, with low sensory stimulation,” Rebecca Lefevre, the association’s spokesperson, told DW. The Quiet Hour is meant to break down the kind of barriers that often prevent sensory sensitive individuals from even leaving the house to avoid overload, which can hamper...

Around 1.78 million people in Germany were classified as high-net-worth individuals or people who have at least $1 million in liquid assets. DW has the latest. Deutsche Welle

What does a human being need to survive with dignity while they await asylum and to be transferred from one European country to another? That was the question before the judges of European Court of justice (ECJ) as they delivered a ruling on whether benefits provided by Germany fell short of the EU’s expectations. The ECJ was asked to interpret the rights of an Afghan asylum-seeker, identified as FB, whose asylum application had been rejected by Germany and who was due to be deported to Romania, where he first claimed asylum in 2021. While FB waited to be transferred he was provided food, heated accommodation, and hygiene and healthcare, but received no assistance for clothing and other household items. A law in Germany slashed benefits for rejected asylum-seekers in what activists described as “bed, bread, and soap” subsistence.  FB sued the Bavarian district of Schweinfurt after his benefits were cut in 2022, but the...

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul accepted the result with a solemn expression: The UN General Assembly had just elected Portugal and Austria as non-permanent members of the Security Council for 2027 and 2028 — not Germany. Wednesday’s decision in New York was the most severe foreign policy defeat yet for the coalition government made up of the center-right Christian Democrats/Christian Social Union(CDU/CSU) and the center-left Social Democratic Party, in office for just over a year. Speaking with ARD television several hours later, Wadephul acknowledged as much. He even revealed that he had considered resigning in the event of a defeat, but ultimately dismissed the idea. “I have nothing to blame myself for,” said the CDU politician. He conceded, however, that the decision was “a real disappointment,” and promised to conduct a “thorough analysis” of the reasons for Germany’s failure. How Germany’s aid cuts may have cost it support After the United...

A Boeing 787 jetliner operated by Lufthansa experienced a nose gear collapse while parked at a gate at Frankfurt Airport on Thursday.  Lufthansa said several staff members were injured in the incident. Passengers had not yet boarded the flight bound for Los Angeles.  “Several employees were injured and are currently receiving medical attention,” Lufthansa said in a statement. The German flag-carrier said the incident involving the Boeing plane took place shortly after noon, adding that authorities were investigating the incident. Only Lufthansa crew members and ground staff were onboard.  This is a breaking news update. Please check back for updates. Edited by: Sean Sinico Deutsche Welle

Naturalizations have increased for the fifth year in a row. Automotive industry firms turn a bit less pessimistic. And Germany is aiming for a seat on the UN Security Council. Follow DW for more news from Germany. Deutsche Welle

In 2025, more people than ever before turned to Germany’s Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency for advice. Ferda Ataman, the independent federal commissioner for anti-discrimination, believes these people need better legal protections and more support services. It’s not just about protecting minorities, Ataman emphasized during the presentation of the agency’s 2025 annual report on Tuesday. “Anyone could experience discrimination at some point in their lives,” she said. What matters to her is that “all people in Germany” receive adequate protection. According to the report, the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency received 13,067 requests for counseling last year — 1,662 more than in 2024, and more than three times as many as in 2019, the last year before the COVID-19 pandemic. Ataman said this number is only the tip of the iceberg, highlighting the comprehensive findings from the German Socio-Economic Panel presented a few months ago. According to its report, more than 13% of people in Germany reported having experienced discrimination in the...