Germany news: UK's Burnham visits Berlin for talks with Merz

Germany news: UK's Burnham visits Berlin for talks with Merz Published October 8, 2026last updated October 8, 2026What you need to know - The 'Kensington Treaty' between the UK and Germany comes into force amid Burnham's trip to Berlin - The UK leader and Chancellor Friedrich Merz held one-on-one talks as part of the visit - In Berlin, the Left Party, Greens and Social Democrats have agreed to begin exploratory coalition talks after resolving differences over antisemitism and organized crime - President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is to be welcomed with military honors at the Arc de Triomphe at the start of a state visit to France - The German parliament is to discuss a planned reform of the tax system that has caused heated debate within the coalition government - And a wax döner kebab is now on show at Berlin's Madame Tussauds, visitors are advised not to try to taste it This is a roundup of the top news from and about Germany on Thursday, October 8, 2026: Tired of missing our real-time updates? Click here to add DW as a Preferred Source on Google. Merz, Burnham inaugurate new German-British friendship treaty Chancellor Friedrich Merz received relatively new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham with military honors in Berlin. During Burnham's visit, the new Treaty on Friendship and Bilateral Cooperation between the UK and Germany — signed last year by previous Prime Minister Keir Starmer — officially comes into force. Aslo known as the Kensington Treaty, the 27-page document lays out a 17-point action plan for closer cooperation in the post-Brexit era, with the UK no longer a part of the EU. Merz called it a historic day and said the deal opened up new opportunities for bilateral cooperation, particularly for students and young people. "That's what we're doing this for," Merz said. "So that the young generation also notices when it comes to bilateral relations between Germany as part of the EU and the UK, how well we Europeans work together and how much we belong together, too." Burnham said that the Kensington Treaty would improve security in Europe, help both economies grow and improve people's living standards. "In challenging times, and these are challenging times, we need the strongest possible cooperation with our closest partners and Germany really is one of our closest partners," the former mayor of Manchester said. Burnham also said that he was open to Germany joining the GCAP program, a partnership between Britain, Italy and Japan to build a next-generation multirole combat aircraft. "I've indicated to the chancellor ... our openness to Germany joining GCAP," he said at a press conference. "That is something that we seek to progress in the coming period, working with our other partners, Italy and Japan." A rival Franco-German plan to build a next-generation military jet, FCAS, collapsed in June. The GCAP project has been set up to allow for different levels of involvement. It expanded in July when Canada signed up as an observer, and Saudi Arabia had also been touted as a potential interested party. Germany already works with the UK and Italy on the joint Eurofighter Typhoon project. Italy and Japan would need to join Burnham in indicating a willingness for Germany participating in this project. Left-leaning parties in Berlin to begin talks on forming new government Germany's Left Party, Greens and Social Democrats (SPD) have agreed to begin exploratory talks on forming a coalition government in Berlin, two and a half weeks after the city's state election. The breakthrough follows an agreement on combating antisemitism and organized crime, issues that had threatened to derail negotiations before they began. The parties said they would protect Jewish life in Berlin and reaffirmed that Israel's right to exist was "non-negotiable." They also agreed to strengthen the police and domestic intelligence services in their efforts to protect Jewish communities. Party and parliamentary group members who violate the agreed principles could face expulsion, with the relevant parliamentary group responsible for deciding and publicly explaining any disciplinary measures. The three parties also pledged to maintain a clear distance from individuals and groups associated with organized crime. The Greens and SPD had made agreements on antisemitism, racism and organized crime conditions to open talks with the Left Party. Those demands followed controversy over positions on Israel and the Palestinians held by some members of Berlin's Left Party. Concerns intensified after an election-night gathering organized by the Left's Neukölln branch was attended by a figure associated with a partly criminal clan and a controversial pro-Palestinian activist. The activist is alleged to have links to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which the European Union designates as a terrorist organization. The Left Party emerged as the strongest party in Berlin's September 20 election, winning 25.7% of the vote. It hopes to form a coalition with the Greens and SPD, potentially making its parliamentary co-leader Elif Eralp Berlin's first mayor from the Left Party. Waxwork döner kebab put on the menu at Berlin Madame Tussauds The latest exhibit at Madame Tussauds in Berlin would surely taste just as dire as all the others, but the wax replica of a döner kebab is at least supposed to look appetizing. The kebab — obviously stuffed "with everything" or "mit alles/mit allem," depending on your level of German grammatical exactitude — is complemented by a recreation of the popular snack stop Mustafa's Gemüse Kebap in Berlin's Kreuzberg district. Tarik Kara, who owns the restaurant, was present in the flesh for Thursday's unveiling. The Turkish specialty has long been a mainstay of the fast food culture in Berlin and beyond, given Germany's vast and long-established Turkish diaspora, estimated at around 3 million people. Iranian intelligence eying US bases in Germany — report Iranian intelligence services have set their sights on US military bases in Germany, such as those in Ramstein and Spangdahlem, according to news outlet WirtschaftsWoche. Israel recently warned US and German partners of a potential threat likely to focus on bases supporting US military operations and logistics with a connection to the conflict with Iran, the report said The German Defense Ministry and the US forces in Germany have so far not commented on the report. Low-cost carrier Ryanair cuts flights in Germany, with Berlin hardest-hit Irish airline Ryanair says it will be offering 700,000 fewer seats on flights in Germany this winter season, citing the "astronomical" cost of various charges, including for air traffic control and security. This represents a reduction of 10%. Ryanair said Berlin Brandenburg Airport, which it has dubbed "Europe's least successful airport," would be affected the most, losing around half of its current services from the airline. Among the 12 routes to be axed in Berlin are those to Gran Canaria, Palermo, Marseille and Thessaloniki. The Ryanair base at the airport is set to close on October 24. Seven aircraft and their crews are to be relocated to more competitive airports in other European countries, the company said. Passengers in the German capital will now have much less choice and considerably higher fares, according to the airline's chief executive Eddie Wilson. Hamburg will see a cut of 5%, but Memmingen and Cologne will have their capacity expanded. Ryanair's winter schedule also adds regional airports in Saarbrücken and Friedrichshafen. Sick leave for mental illnesses on the rise — health insurer The number of days of sick leave in Germany on grounds of psychological problems has risen some 42% in the last 10 years, the AOK health insurance company says. According to AOK, there were 284 days of sick leave per 100 members in 2015, compared with 403 per 100 members in 2025. Although absences from work are much more frequently due to respiratory illnesses, those prompted by mental illness tend to be much longer, AOK said. It said that on average, employees took 28.5 days off on grounds of psychological problems last year compared with 5.7 days because of respiratory illnesses. However, the AOK said there had been a slight reduction in the average number of days of sick leave taken by employees, from 23.9 in 2023 and 2024 to 23.3 in 2025. The highest level, 24.5 days, was reached in 2022 during the coronavirus pandemic. Berlin leftist parties agree to hold exploratory coalition talks — media The Berlin chapters of the socialist Left Party, the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) and the environmentalist Greens have agreed to hold exploratory coalition talks , media reports said on Thursday. The news come 2 1/2 weeks after the election for the city-state's parliament, which saw the Left Party emerge as strongest party with 25.7% of the vote. The Greens and the SPD received 14.3% and 12.1% respectively, both below the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) on 18.8%. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) came in third, with 16.3%. The announcement follows preliminary talks held by the three leftist parties to clarify positions amid accusations leveled at the Left Party that it was antisemitic and had alleged links to organized criminality. According to reports, those talks have ended with an agreement satisfactory to all three parties. Suspected Russian hacker extradited from Japan to Germany Japan extradited on Thursday one of the suspected leaders of the Russian hacking group Qilin, which has extorted hundreds of millions of dollars, to Germany, officials said. Herbert Reul, Interior Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), said at a press conference that the unnamed suspect was arrested in Japan while on vacation. The Qilin group, one of the most "aggressive" cybercrime organizations according to auhtories, has extorted about $2.9 billion from some 4,000 companies and institutions worldwide since 2024. At least 30 companies in the German state of NRW have been affected. Hacking the hackers German police infiltrated the Qilin group and monitored its members for several months. NRW Justice Minister Benjamin Limbach said that payments and cryptocurrency transactions were traced to individuals linked to the organization. The Russian group is also blamed for an attack on Britain's National Health Service (NHS) that disrupted more than 10,000 medical appointments. Last year, shares of Japanese brewer Asahi fell after Qilin carried out a cyberattack that disrupted the company's ordering and delivery systems. According to authorities, Russian cyberattacks against Germany have increased since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. My lifelong Pokemon collection is worth around €400,000, Christoph Kramer estimates Retired midfielder and 2014 World Cup winner Christoph Kramer — now a TV presenter, podcaster and novelist — discusses another of his longstanding passions in an interview with the dpa news agency published on Thursday. He may not have caught them all in more than a quarter of a century hunting Pokemon cards, but he's corralled a collection of creatures capable of dropping the jaw of a typical 10-year-old. "I've been collecting pokemon cards since 1999, I have the complete first edition in English and would not give up my collection for any price," the 36-year-old said. Nevertheless he said he saw the collection as a "real investment," and said he'd estimate its value at roughly €400,000 (roughly $450,000). "I'm wholly convinced that our generation won't be hanging classical paintings on the walls aged 50 or 60 any more, but instead will prefer to frame their Pokemon cards behind glass," he said. Kramer, who might be best known as the World Cup winner with no memory of his finest hour on the pitch because of a concussion sustained during the 2014 final against Argentina, has quickly graduated to a senior broadcasting and punditry role since quitting football. He's currently promoting his second novel, called "Wolkenberührpunkt," which one could perhaps translate as "the point touching the clouds." As he told dpa, he's always had a passion for collecting more generally. "I got myself an original iPhone in its original packaging and laminated. Objects like collectors' cards, rare vintage gear or retro jerseys are, for me, the real art of our era," Kramer said. "Of course it has a lot to do with nostalgia, because these are things from my childhood I simply love." Spanish and Turkish make gains among school language learners Although English remains by far the most-learned foreign language at German schools, Spanish and Turkish are becoming ever more popular, while French, Latin and Russian are losing ground, new figures show. Turkish is being learned by almost three times as many pupils as 20 years ago, with 29,230 of altogether 8.9 million school students taking the language in 2025/2026 (0.31%). That compares with some 13,000 pupils out of 9.5 million in 2005/2006 (0.13%), according to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). There are also twice as many Spanish learners at German schools compared with two decades ago. Some 549,000 of the current 8.9 million pupils took the language as a subject in 2025/2026 (6.1%), compared with 243,400 of the 9.5 million pupils back in 2005/2006 (2.56%), Destatis said. Fewer pupils are learning French than 20 years ago, even if the language is second only to English in the statistics. Some 14% of pupils learned French in the 2025/2026 school year, compared with 17% in 2005/2006. Latin and Russian are also being learned by ever fewer pupils, with the former falling from 8.1% of schoolchildren to some 6% over the 20-year period, and the latter now learned by 0.746% compared with 1.25% in 2005/2006. English remains far ahead at the top of the language-learning table, despite a small decline over the past two decades. It was learned by 81% of pupils back in 2005/2006 compared with 78% in 2025/2026. Suspected puma on the loose eludes searchers Police have so far been unsuccessful in their search for a suspicious animal sighted near Munich airport on Tuesday that is thought to possibly be a puma. Thermal imaging cameras employed in an overnight aerial search failed to detect any sign of the animal in the Notzingermoos nature reserve in the district of Erding, a police spokeswoman said. During the light hours of Wednesday, police also scoured the area with the help of a helicopter and drones in addition to officers on the ground but in vain. There was one false alarm after a security guard spotted a suspicious animal on surveillance footage, with a helicopter sent to investigate. That animal is believed to have been a domestic cat, police said. The searches began after a hunter spotted and filmed a suspicious animal using a night-vision device late on Tuesday evening, with an expert who viewed the footage later saying it was possibly a puma. However, local authorities have noted that there has so far been no definite identification of the animal. Steinmeier on 'farewell' state visit to France German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is to be welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday with military honors at one of the French capital's best-known landmarks, the Arc de Triomphe, at the start of a state visit. Following the ceremony, the German head of state is to hold talks with Macron at the Elysee Palace, with an ensuing joint press statement. Steinmeier will then be received for a state banquet at the palace, the official residence of the French president. On Friday, Steinmeier is to travel with Macron to the southwestern city of Bordeaux, where the two will visit two facilities connected with atomic deterrence. Before leaving for France, Steinmeier said he saw the trip as a kind of farewell visit to Macron, whom he described as a "committed European and a good friend." Both men took office in 2017 and both will be stepping down early next year. However, their roles are very different despite their having the same title: The German president has, in the main, ceremonial duties, while Macron holds wide-ranging executive powers. UK's Burnham to meet with Merz in Berlin British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is to visit Berlin on Thursday for his first face-to-face meeting with Chancellor Friedrich Merz, during which the two leaders will launch a new UK-Germany joint security partnership. The partnership aims to counter sabotage, cyberattacks and other hybrid threats by enhancing information-sharing and establishing coordinated monitoring, deterrence and disruption capabilities. The initiative comes as Europe is faced by a multitude of hybrid security threats from various adversaries, especially Russia. Ahead of the visit, Burnham said: "Attacks on our infrastructure, our businesses and our democracies are not a distant threat." "They reach into people's homes and workplaces, and they are designed to make us weaker and more divided," he continued. "Britain and Germany are joining forces to find, expose and disrupt this activity." The two leaders are also to discuss support for Ukraine as it faces the ongoing Russian invasion, as well as the conflict in the Middle East and the economic disruption it has caused. They will also convene a UK-Germany Regional Growth Forum. The platform aims to bring together British and German chief executives in a bid to promote investment and strengthen industrial partnerships between the two countries. Welcome to our coverage The DW newsroom in Bonn bids guten Tag to all its faithful readers! Ten years after Brexit, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is visiting Berlin to launch a joint UK-German security partnership. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is also off to the neighbors with a trip to France that he sees as a kind of "farewell visit to a really committed European and good friend," President Emmanuel Macron, who, like Steinmeier, is nearing the end of his final term in office. And the German parliament, or Bundestag, is to discuss a reform of the tax system that aims to benefit families and those on lower incomes. Read on for more on these and other stories in our updates dedicated to all things German.