Number of anti-Semitic offences recorded in Germany goes up
Since the Hamas terror attack on Israel on October 7th, the number of anti-Semitic offences in Germany has increased significantly.
A total of 680 anti-Semitic offences have been reported to the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) since this date, said BKA President Holger MĂĽnch at the agency's autumn meeting.
Of these, more than 550 are related to the current crisis in the Middle East. This number is significantly above the usual average.
A total of 3,744 crimes in connection with the escalation were reported to the BKA.
"More than 460 of these are violent crimes,” said Münch. The events in the Middle East have a direct impact on radicalisation in Germany and therefore the potential for escalation is high, warned Münch.
More offences have also been discovered on the Internet. Since October, over 300 reports of hate comments related to the conflict have been received. Half of the reports have an anti-Semitic background.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser reiterated at the conference that protesting Jewish life is part of Germany's 'reason of state'.
In her speech, Faeser also focused on the increase in violent crime in society as a whole. “Unfortunately, society has become more violent,” she said.
READ ALSO: What is Germany's 'Staatsräson' and why is it being talked about so much right now?
Germany's coalition plans to take on more debt this year
Germany plans to suspend its constitutional debt rule again this year after a shock court ruling blew a hole in the government's spending plans, Finance Minister Christian Lindner has said.
"The federal government will present a supplementary budget to constitutionally secure the expenditures made this year," Lindner said.
The proposal would include a parliamentary resolution to declare an "exceptional emergency situation", the legal basis for suspending the debt rule that limits borrowing to 0.35 percent of gross domestic product, he said.
Germany's top court last week said Prime Minister Olaf Scholz's government had broken the constitutional debt rule by transferring money earmarked for pandemic support to a fund to fight climate change.
The ruling left the government with a €60-billion hole in its budget and threw sorely needed investments into decarbonisation and the modernisation of the armed forces into doubt.
READ ALSO: Germany to seek debt rule suspension for 2023
Heated debate at the Green party conference
The German Green party's conference is taking place in Karlsruhe - and perhaps unsurprisingly, the debt crisis has shot to the top of the agenda.Â
The Israel-Hamas war in the Middle East, as well the ongoing situation in Ukraine, will also be discussed by party members.Â
Migration policy, one of Germany's most controversial issues, will be a main discussion topic on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the party's two co-leaders, Ricarda Lang and Omid Nouripour, are expected to be reelected as leaders with comfortable majorities.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Economics Minister Robert Habeck have generally high approval ratings with the public.
But tensions remain in the coalition government made up of the Greens along with the Social Democrats and Free Democrats.Â
Germany to raise VAT on meals in restaurants - what does it mean for you?
The German government has opted to raise the value-added tax on meals in restaurants and cafes from seven percent back up to 19 percent from the start of next year.
Here's how it could affect you (and your wallet).
Falling temperatures and snow forecast
It's going to feel a lot more chilly in the coming days - and there may also be some snow.Â
According to forecasters, a low pressure weather system dubbed 'Niklas' is bringing changeable and at times stormy weather over Germany, including the first snow in some areas.
"The snow line will drop from Friday morning," meteorologist Dominik Jung from wetter.net told German daily Bild.
"It will get colder from the north-east and there will be snowflakes down to the lowlands. Winter storms will then follow over many parts of the country on Friday evening."
On Friday, snow showers will move across eastern Germany and the low mountain ranges. In the west, however, there will be mostly rain with temperatures of about 3 to 5C.
According to the German Weather Service (DWD), the snow line will drop to 400 to 500 metres at the weekend.
Jung said: "When the high-altitude cold air is over us, there will be heavy snow showers with thunder and lightning. Winter thunderstorms will reach the Alps on Saturday night. However, the snow is likely to remain above 300 to 400 metres."
Meanwhile, some more snowfall is expected on Saturday and Sunday, especially in the south.
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