Tuesday's top story: Germany's Chancellor turns 70 years old
Chancellor Joachim-Friedrich Martin Josef Merz was born on this day 70 years ago (November 11th, 1955).
Reportedly, Merz said that the day should be just a "normal working day", but his birthday was celebrated on Monday evening, first with a reception in the Bundestag and then among a small circle including with his wife Charlotte, his children and grandchildren.
Merz has so far managed to keep his age out of the spotlight as he campaigned for, and then achieved the role of Germany's top leader, but he is the first Chancellor over 70 since Konrad Adenauer.
Adenauer was the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, stepping into the role at the age of 73 in 1949. He then remained in the position until the age of 87.
In the circle of the 27 heads of state and government of the European Union, Merz is the oldest.
But among the leaders of the world's largest nations there are a few who are older than him: China's President Xi Jinping is 72, Russia's head of state Vladimir Putin is 73 and US President Donald Trump is 79.
READ ALSO: After six months, Germany's Merz faces mounting woes
Uyghur woman deported to China in bureaucratic bungle
Germany deported a Uyghur woman back to China rather than to Turkey after a bureaucratic mix-up, government sources said Monday, with critics slamming a "huge blunder" that endangered her life.
The woman, Reziwanguli Baikeli, was only in Beijing for a short time after her deportation last week, and managed to quickly leave again for Turkey, news magazine Der Spiegel reported.
But the fact she was sent to China -- despite an immigration order to deport her to Turkey, where she had lived previously, and official guidance to protect Uyghurs -- sparked condemnation.
"It's a blatant human rights violation and greatly endangered the lady," Adrian Zenz, an expert on China's north-western region of Xinjiang, home to the mostly Muslim Uyghurs, told AFP.
"It's just out of luck she survived this and made it back out of China," he said, adding it was a "huge blunder".
Baikeli had left Xinjiang in 2017 with her daughter, according to Der Spiegel, which first reported the case, at a time when allegations were emerging that China was detaining Uyghurs, in a network of facilities and committing rights abuses.
China denies the allegations.
Property prices continue to rise in Germany
Recent reports confirm that Germany's real estate prices are continuing to rise significantly in 2025.
Key data from sources such as the Kiel Institute and ImmobilienScout24 indicate that property prices for apartments and single-family homes increased by around 3.8 percent in the third quarter compared to the previous year, with large city centres like Berlin, Munich, and Frankfurt experiencing particularly sharp gains.
Meanwhile, rental prices are also climbing; new lease agreements in multi-family buildings rose by approximately 3.7 percent across the country and up to five percent in some metropolitan areas.
READ ALSO: DĂĽsseldorf and Leipzig - The surprising German cities where rents are rising fastest
Despite increased construction efforts an ongoing housing shortage persists, especially in major cities, and experts suggest the situation may continue for several years.
Market activity has also surged, with transaction levels approaching boom-time figures, signalling a cautious recovery after years of decline.
Young activists protest against planned reintroduction of conscription
Environmental activists from Greenpeace's youth division protested against the planned reintroduction of compulsory military service in Germany on Monday.
Their demonstration took place in front of the Bundestag building in Berlin, where about 150 pairs of old Bundeswehr army boots were placed on the steps as a symbolic refusal to "put on those boots."
The slogan Diese Stiefel ziehen wir uns nicht an – Nein zur Wehrpflicht! ("We're not putting on those boots – No to compulsory military service") was prominently displayed.
The protest highlighted serious issues within the Bundeswehr, including outdated barracks, poor digital infrastructure, rigid hierarchies, problems with right-wing extremism and sexual violence.
Greenpeace and young activists emphasised that mandatory service is not the answer to these problems.Â
The activists urged the government to remove controversial clauses from the draft military service law and reject the return to conscription. Instead, they called for a fundamental reform of the armed forces to make voluntary service more attractive and address institutional shortcomings.
Crack and fentanyl use are increasingly a problem in German cities
The German Centre for Addiction Issues (DHS) has warned that there are increasing problems with crack and fentanyl use in many cities.
Both substances have a high potential for addiction and can be extremely dangerous. Fentanyl in particular is known to be sometimes lethal in small quantities.
"The substances pose considerable health risks for consumers," warned the DHS.Â
According to the DHS, a total of around ten million people in Germany are affected by an addiction disorder, across all age groups and social classes.
READ ALSO: What's the penalty if you're caught with cocaine in Germany?
Of course, many of this group have issues with other substances, including legal drugs such as nicotine and alcohol.
"Addiction is not a marginal issue, but affects the whole of society," emphasizes the DHS in the run-up to the nationwide day of action on Thursday. Hundreds of associations and self-help groups then want to draw attention to their free advice and support.
With reporting by AFP, DPA and Tom Pugh.Â
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