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Here’s your quick update on what’s happening around the city on Thursday, October 09 - 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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🇩🇪 What do I do if there is another coronavirus case?
Germany’s public health institute reported a seasonal uptick in acute respiratory illnesses and a low but rising level of COVID-19, with the Omicron-lineage variant “Stratus” accounting for about 80% of recent cases.
Official case rates remain low but undercount infections as fewer people get lab tests; wastewater monitoring shows increases below prior years. With mandates lifted since 2023, authorities advise symptomatic people to stay home, test twice if needed, and contact a doctor if positive.
Expect incremental increases through winter, expanded vaccination drives, and continued voluntary precautions; STIKO urges annual boosters for seniors, at-risk groups, healthcare workers, and close contacts, with COVID and flu shots allowed together, while new mask mandates are unlikely though some facilities may require masks. (rbb24, 19 minute read)
🇬🇧 German parliament votes to get rid of fast-track citizenship
Germany's Bundestag voted Wednesday to repeal the three-year fast-track citizenship route introduced in 2024, approving the measure 450–134 with two abstentions and backing from the governing coalition and the opposition AfD.
The repeal fulfills Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s campaign pledge and partially rolls back 2024 liberalizations that shortened residency to five years and expanded dual citizenship. The five-year path remains, and immigration offices reportedly saw very few fast-track applicants.
Applicants will generally need five years’ residency before applying for naturalization, as authorities end the three-year option; watch for political and business debate over impacts on recruiting skilled workers amid demographic decline. (DW, 3 minute read)
🇩🇪 Will the Taliban flag soon be flying in Berlin-Grunewald?
The Taliban government of Afghanistan plans to rename the Afghan Embassy in Berlin and replace the flag of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan with that of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
Germany’s Foreign Office opposes the move, insisting the embassy continue representing the former republic, but it may have little legal power to stop it, since Afghanistan is still recognized as a sovereign state with which Germany maintains diplomatic relations.
Meanwhile, the German government is negotiating deportations of Afghan criminals with the Taliban, despite not officially recognizing them as Afghanistan’s legitimate rulers. (rbb24, 4 minute read)
⚡ Quick Hits
🇬🇧 Germany will not support 'Chat Control' message scanning in the EU | Germany says it will oppose Chat Control, arguing mass scanning threatens privacy.
🇩🇪 Many closures announced around the Funkturm triangle | Major road closures around Dreieck Funkturm for bridge rebuild will cause widespread traffic jams.
🇩🇪 Transport: German government agrees on new rules for e-scooters | Germany sets 2027 e-scooter rules: blinkers, local parking limits, stiffer fines.
🇩🇪 BVG fails to meet targets - Berlin still pays 701 million | Berlin paid hundreds of millions despite BVG missing several key service targets.
🇩🇪 Berlin reports record number of naturalizations - already more than in the entire previous year | Berlin's record naturalizations rise amid faster digital processing and fake certificate scandal.
🇬🇧 What to do this weekend: Berlin's best events | Berlin bursts this weekend with food pop-ups, festivals, techno and markets.
🇬🇧 Germany’s Cartel Office Investigating Temu Over Merchant Price Influencing | German regulators probe Temu for allegedly steering merchants' prices, raising competition concerns.
📅 Events Today
🎟️ Tag der Clubkultur | October 03 - 12, 2025 | The Tag der Clubkultur (Day of Club Culture) takes place annually in October and makes the diversity of Berlin's clubbing and nightlife scene visible.
🎟️ Festival of Lights | October 08 - 15, 2025 | Once a year, Berlin’s world famous sights and monuments in the city centre become the canvas for spectacular light and video projections at the Festival of Lights.
🎟️ Berlin Food Week | October 06 - 12, 2025 | The Berlin Food Week offers professional chefs, home cooks and foodies a platform for enjoyment and exchange.
💬 What Berliners Are Talking About
🗣️ Need help. I got laid off today. | Community recommends a labor lawyer and warns only German contract counts, so don't sign.
🗣️ Persona desaparecida en Berlin | Supportive community offers practical steps and wary realism about finding missing adult son.
🗣️ Wie die Mail eines CDU-Abgeordneten die Kiezblocks stoppte | One politician's email stopped Berlin traffic-calming, sparking angry partisan debate.
💸 Fun Fact: Berlin’s Hotel Adlon Kempinski serves a luxury döner kebab for €37 – filled with veal loin, seasonal greens and black truffle cream – a far posher version of the city’s favorite street snack.
👋 That's a wrap! Thanks for reading Berlin News Daily!
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