Tuesday's top story: Chancellor Merz to meet with US President Trump for second time at the White House
US President Donald Trump hosts Germany's Friedrich Merz on Tuesday for his first visit with a foreign leader since joining Israel in strikes on Iran that have dragged the Mideast into war.
The long-scheduled White House meeting was supposed to focus on the war in Ukraine and rocky EU-US trade relations, part of a wider effort to salvage frayed transatlantic ties.
But Trump's signal that airstrikes against Iran could go on for weeks has upended the global agenda, with Tehran striking back against US bases and allies in the region.
Merz, a harsh critic of the Islamic republic's leadership, said Berlin shared the Iranian people's "relief" that the "mullah regime is coming to an end".
He also declined to "lecture" the United States and Israel on the legality of the Iran strikes aimed at ending Tehran's nuclear and missile programs.
Germany, France and Britain have also said they will only assist their allies in the Gulf with "defensive action" against Iran.
That drew condemnation from US officials of a "soft" response to "Operation Epic Fury" -- potentially putting Merz in the firing line for Trump's ire.
Queues form at German petrol stations as Iran war fuels price fears
Queues were already forming at petrol stations across Germany on Monday as motorists rushed to fill up amid fears of sharp fuel price increases linked to the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
The Gas Station Interest Group said that heavy demand had been visible nationwide since the weekend and was expected to continue.
“Everyone is worried,” said Herbert Rabl, a spokesman for the association which represents around 1,000 petrol station leaseholders. Prices at the pump have already risen and operators are bracing for further increases.
Rabl warned that major oil companies were likely to raise prices by an additional two to three percent on top of higher wholesale costs driven by the conflict.
Figures from Germany’s motoring association ADAC underline the trend. The average price of a litre of Super E10 rose from €1.78 on Friday to €1.83 by Monday morning, while diesel increased from €1.75 to €1.80 over the same period. ADAC said further rises were likely.
Crude oil prices have jumped as tensions escalate around Iran, which controls the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. About one fifth of global oil production passes through the shipping route daily.
Recent attacks on vessels there have already prompted several shipping companies to suspend transit, adding to market uncertainty.
READ ALSO: Germany scrambles to rescue thousands of travellers stranded in the Middle East
Social media use rises in Germany, but remains lower than most of Europe
The use of social media in Germany has increased markedly over the past five years, according to new figures from the Federal Statistics Office. In 2025, 59 percent of people aged 16 to 74 were active on social media platforms, up twelve percentage points from 2021.
The figures do not include the use of messenger services.
Growth was recorded across all age groups, highlighting the broadening appeal of social media beyond younger users. Among 16‑ to 24‑year‑olds, usage rose from 78 to 85 percent.
Particularly strong gains were seen among older Germans, with the share of users aged 55 to 64 increasing from 29 to 42 percent, and those aged 65 to 74 from 15 to 25 percent.
READ ALSO: Will Germany ban social media for children?
Despite the rise, social media use in Germany is still lower than in many European Union countries. The EU average stood at 67 percent last year, eight points higher than Germany.
Denmark recorded the highest usage rate at 90 percent, followed by Cyprus and Malta. Only Italy, at 56 percent, had a lower share of users than Germany.
Man on trial in Germany for knife attack in Bielefeld
A 36-year-old alleged Islamist extremist has gone on trial in Germany after prosecutors said he left four people with life-threatening injuries in an unprovoked knife attack.
Mahmoud M., who was 35 at time, stabbed drinkers in a bar in the western city of Bielefeld as they celebrated the promotion of their football club last May, prosecutors said.
Allegedly motivated by Islamist beliefs and said to have been a member of the Islamic State (IS) group, prosecutors charged the man with membership of a foreign terrorist organisation as well as attempted murder.
The man joined IS in Syria, prosecutors alleged, saying he served as a fighter and administrator with the group until November 2016.
The man allegedly entered Germany in 2023 while still affiliated with the organisation and wanted to kill as many as possible in his attack, prosecutors said.
The man is said to have fled after the attack before being caught in a police search in which he resisted arrest.
The trial is scheduled to conclude in June.
The 'Kale King' is crowned in Berlin
Lower Saxony's Prime Minister Olaf Lies has been crowned the new king of kale.
"I've set myself a lot of goals. There is a lot to do," said the SPD politician when he arrived at the 67th edition of the "Defftig Ollnborger Gröönkohl-Äten" (or 'Hearty Oldenburg kale dish') event in Berlin a good half hour before midnight. He added, "It's good that we are together and happy together even in these times."
As Kale King (Kohlmajestät), Lies replaces his Schleswig-Holstein counterpart Daniel Günther of the CDU.
Günther had taken the throne after Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) a year ago.
"I was already President of the Bundesrat and Kale King. You can't achieve more in the Federal Republic," said Günther in his speech before handing over the throne.
Over the decades, the tradition of meeting for this hearty meal has developed into a witty gathering for political celebrities, first in Bonn and later in Berlin. The title is always awarded to well-known politicians.
According to the city, the kale dinner has been held since 1956, and has been held in Berlin since 1998.
The event had to be cancelled four times: in 1962 (flood disaster), 1991 (Gulf War) and 2021 and 2022 (Covid pandemic).
Part of the aim of the tradition is to promote the city and the region of Oldenburg in Lower Saxony among Berlin's top leaders.
The honour has also been bestowed on Helmut Schmidt (SPD), Helmut Kohl and Angela Merkel (both CDU).
With reporting by AFP and DPA.
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