
AI-generated summary
Germany faces political challenges from the rising AfD, economic pressures from increasing sick leave costs, and industrial challenges at Volkswagen. Internationally, Germany is managing relations with Russia over a drone incident, managing Afghan deportations with Taliban involvement, and navigating shifting US influence under Trump's second term.
Nik Martin with AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters
Published 08/29/2026Published August 29, 2026
Former German Chancellor Merkel has weighed in on elections in Saxony-Anhalt, where the far-right AfD leads the polls. Meanwhile, German firms paid out a record sum to employees on sick leave last year. DW has more.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Jbp0
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What you need to know
Merkel calls on Germans to 'fight for this democracy'
German firms faced a record sick-leave wage bill last year of €86 billion
Lower Saxony's state premier calls for deal on Volkswagen restructuring
Hundreds of people were evacuated from a fire at a Berlin refugee shelter
A Taliban team is in Germany to facilitate Afghan deportations, according to a media report
AfD youth wing rejects party plans to leave the euro currency
Here is a roundup of top stories from and about Germany on Saturday, August 29, and Sunday, August 30.
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Germany will announce extensive sanctions against Russia for the Leipzig drone incident in the coming days
Likely · Within days
Volkswagen's supervisory board will discuss a turnaround plan on September 4
Certain · Within days
The AfD youth wing (Generation Deutschland) will adopt a position opposing euro exit at their Magdeburg conference
Likely · Within days

Voting has concluded in Iceland's referendum on whether to resume EU membership negotiations. With no exit polls available, the outcome remains uncertain as ballot counting begins, following a campaign marked by tight polling and economic concerns.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a baby-blue billboard reading 'Lake Ontario' near Hamilton to counter U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order renaming the lake 'Lake America', amid escalating trade tensions between Canada and the U.S., with Ford calling the sign a reaffirmation of the lake's name and criticizing Trump's policies.

President Donald Trump has secured a deal for majority control over 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil reserves. The agreement follows the US-backed removal of Nicolas Maduro and the installation of interim President Delcy Rodriguez, sparking international criticism.

Republican US Senate candidate Mike Rogers is under fire for a fundraising email suggesting he personally witnessed Osama bin Laden's body in Pakistan. Records confirm Rogers was in Washington DC at the time, having only viewed post-raid photographs.
Canadian officials and public figures have responded with ridicule and defiance to U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order directing federal agencies to rename Lake Ontario as 'Lake America,' unveiling a large bilingual billboard in Ontario and criticizing the move as an attempt to erase Indigenous history and subordinate Canada.
The Trump administration deported Milo Yiannopoulos, a far-right provocateur and former Breitbart editor, to the United Kingdom following his arrest in New Orleans for immigration violations. Yiannopoulos, 41, had been issued a final order of removal after failing to attend an immigration hearing. His deportation was linked to claims by Laura Loomer, a Trump adviser, who said she reported him for making threatening posts. Yiannopoulos had previously advocated for aggressive immigration enforcement and was involved in right-wing political activities, including work with Ye and Marjorie Taylor Greene.