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Here’s your quick update on what’s happening around the city on Thursday, September 25 - from urgent alerts to stories in the subreddit. Today we went through 100+ articles, posts and events so you don't have to.

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🇩🇪 From October: These Berliners can be exempt from the broadcasting fee

Germany will expand exemptions to its public broadcasting fee on Oct. 1, 2025, allowing more low-income residents—including BAföG-funded students living away from their parents—to be excused from the €18.36 monthly charge.

The reform removes a rule that BAföG recipients had to receive additional social benefits to qualify, a requirement that previously forced many students to pay in full despite limited incomes.

From October, eligible students and other low-income groups can apply for exemptions, with broadcasters expected to update application procedures; successful applicants will avoid the monthly fee. (Berliner Zeitung, 1 minute read)

🇩🇪 Gunnar Schupelius: Mass naturalization leaves questions unanswered

Berlin approved about 97% of citizenship applications in the first half of 2025, finalizing 20,734 naturalizations and rejecting 674, after streamlining procedures with an online system and dropping mandatory in-person interviews.

City officials say prechecks ensure only complete, eligible applications are filed, and aim to naturalize at least 40,000 people this year to clear a backlog. Processing shifted from district offices to the state immigration authority, accelerating decisions.

The federal interior minister has urged states to require in-person interviews; Berlin’s response and any policy adjustments, as well as data on fraud controls, will shape whether procedures change while the city works toward its 2025 target. (BILD, 2 minute read)

🇩🇪 Alcohol consumption in Germany: every third adult drinks alcohol in harmful quantities

A new RKI analysis of 2019/20 survey data, using updated risk thresholds, finds one-third of German adults drink at health-harmful levels; 44.2% of men and 21.4% of women face at least moderate risk.

The reassessment follows last year's updated risk thresholds from the German Nutrition Society, which says no safe level of alcohol exists. The data come from a 2019/20 phone survey of 22,708 adults and show higher-risk drinking is more common in higher education groups.

Officials will monitor trends as updated thresholds are applied to newer surveys and may adjust guidance and interventions accordingly. (DIE ZEIT, 2 minute read)

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