Tuesday's top story: Germany to organise Gaza aid airlift
Germany will work with Jordan to airlift humanitarian aid to Gaza, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Monday after Israel promised to open secure routes amid international concern over hunger in the besieged territory.
"Defence Minister Boris Pistorius will coordinate this very closely with France and the United Kingdom, which are also prepared to conduct such an airlift for food and medical supplies," he told a news conference in Berlin.
"We know that this can only be a very small help for the people in Gaza, but nevertheless it is a contribution that we will gladly make," said Merz, who is scheduled to receive Jordan's King Abdullah II in Berlin on Tuesday.
Merz, one of Israel's staunchest supporters in its fight against Palestinian militant group Hamas in the territory, urged Israel to "immediately improve the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza in a comprehensive and sustainable manner".
Concern has escalated in the past week about hunger in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory after more than 21 months of war, with aid groups warning that "mass starvation" was spreading.
Israel bowed to international pressure at the weekend and announced a daily "tactical pause" in fighting in some areas.
After Israel promised to open secure aid routes, truckloads of food reached hungry Gazans on Monday but humanitarian agencies warned vast amounts more were needed to stave off starvation.
Car industry faces 'substantial damage' from US-EU deal
The car industry in the EU on Monday viewed the trade deal struck with the United States as a de-escalation -- but one that still puts sand in its gearbox.
German auto companies in particular were in for a great deal of export pain, as their share prices indicated.
Shares in Porsche, Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes-Benz all lost more than three percent in trading Monday.
The agreement eases "the intense uncertainty surrounding transatlantic trade relations in recent months", Europe's main auto group, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), said in a statement welcoming the deal "in principle".
But it noted that the 15 percent US tariffs imposed on EU goods including cars "will continue to have a negative impact not just for industry in the EU but also in the US".
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Monday that Europe's biggest economy will face "substantial damage" from the US tariffs agreed as part of a trade deal between Brussels and Washington.
However Merz added that "we couldn't expect to achieve any more" from the deal and that its negative effects "will not only be limited to Germany and Europe, but we will see the effects of this trade policy in America as well".
READ ALSO: German Chancellor Merz welcomes EU trade deal with US
German schools neglect children with a migrant background, says OECD Education Director
The education director of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Andreas Schleicher, says the German education system has serious shortcomings in dealing with children with a migrant background.
"It is a huge problem when an education system does not sufficiently and successfully take care of children with a migration background," Schleicher told the Stuttgarter Zeitung and the Stuttgarter Nachrichten.
Schleicher cited a lack of early childhood education and a wrong distribution of resources as the main problems.
Germany needs well-equipped Kitas with a clear educational mission to ensure that all girls and boys have a sufficient command of the language, Schleicher said.
He added that this would include mandatory language tests and early diagnosis.
Schleicher's comments come about three weeks after Germany’s Education Minister sparked a heated debate when she expressed openness to the idea of introducing limits for the number of children with a migrant background in school classes.
READ ALSO: Backlash after German minister suggests cap on immigrant students in schools
Mineral water from Edecka and Netto recalled for germs
A recall campaign is in effect for mineral water from the brands "Gut&GĂĽnstig" and "Naturalis Mineralwasser" in the 0.5 litre and 1.5 litre plastic bottle (PET) with a certain best-before date, according to the food safety warning portal lebensmittelwarnung.de.
Harmful bacteria were found in the bottles during routine checks. These could cause infections in immunocompromised people, the warning says.
The mineral water was sold at Edeka, Marktkauf and Netto. The affected products come from the Clara spring in Jessen in Saxony-Anhalt.Â
Food recalls are not unusual, but the scope is large in this case. The affected mineral water was sold virtually throughout Germany.
According to a report by SZ, Edeka and Netto have not publicised information about the recall on their websites.
With reporting by AFP and DPA.
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