Monday's top story:Berlin police officer leads German charge at record marathon
A Berlin police officer emerged as Germany’s fastest female marathon runner as more than 55,000 athletes from 162 countries took part in the 52nd Berlin Marathon, one of the world’s most prestigious road races.
Anna Langerwisch, 25, was the first German woman across the finish line, clocking a personal best of 2:27:31 to finish 16th overall in the women’s race. The officer described herself as “super satisfied and happy” after improving her previous best time by five minutes.
At the front of the field, Ethiopia dominated. Guye Adola won the men’s race in a time of 2:02:50, while compatriot Tigst Assefa claimed victory in the women’s event despite suffering a cramp shortly before the finish. She crossed the line in 2:11:04, still comfortably ahead of her rivals.
The race, which started near the Brandenburg Gate under sunny skies, drew elite athletes, amateur runners and colourful characters. More than 82,000 people took part in marathon weekend events overall, underlining the Berlin Marathon’s status as one of the largest and most celebrated races on the global sporting calendar.
Tens of thousands rally against Germany's welfare reforms
Around 175,000 people joined demonstrations across Germany at the weekend to protest against the federal government’s proposed social reforms, according to the German Trade Union Federation (DGB).
Rallies were held in 15 major cities, including Berlin, Hanover, Bremen, Frankfurt and Essen, under the slogan “Hard-earned! Your Work. Your Health. Your Pension”.
Trade unions accused the government of weakening the welfare state through measures they say would reduce social protections, undermine labour rights and place a greater burden on workers, pensioners and their families.
DGB president Yasmin Fahimi argued that economic growth cannot be achieved by cutting social security, insisting that investment, innovation and secure employment offer a more sustainable path.
The protests have intensified pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government, with several senior SPD figures and regional leaders calling for changes to the reform package. Particular opposition has centred on plans affecting pensions, including proposals linked to retirement after 45 years of contributions.
Employers’ groups defended the reform agenda, arguing that demographic pressures, labour shortages and international competition make changes to Germany’s welfare system unavoidable.
READ ALSO: Think tanks urge German Chancellor to stick with reforms after election defeatsMore solar power produced in Germany by September than in all of 2025
Germany has generated more solar electricity by late September than it did in the entirety of 2025, marking a milestone for the country’s renewable energy sector.
According to figures cited by the German Solar Industry Association (BSW-Solar), solar installations had already produced 90.2 terawatt-hours of electricity by Sunday, surpassing the 90.0 terawatt-hours generated during the whole of last year.
The data, provided by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, means the previous annual record has been broken with more than three months of the year still remaining.
BSW-Solar chief executive Carsten Körnig hailed the achievement as a source of national pride. Industry experts attribute the record largely to a combination of unusually sunny weather and the continued expansion of Germany’s photovoltaic capacity.
Data from the German Weather Service and the Federal Network Agency indicate that both increased sunshine hours and the rapid installation of new solar systems have contributed to the surge in output.
Munich chosen to lead Germany’s bid for future Olympic Games
Munich has been selected as Germany’s candidate city to host a future Summer Olympics after defeating the Cologne/Rhine-Ruhr bid in a vote by the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB).
The decision was announced by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the DOSB’s special assembly in Baden-Baden, marking a major step in Germany’s long-running efforts to bring the Games back to the country. Munich will now represent Germany in the race to host either the 2036, 2040 or 2044 Summer Olympics.
Bavarian Premier Markus Söder hailed the result as a victory for the whole country, stressing that the bid should unite Germany “from north to south and from east to west”. The proposal centres on Munich’s Olympic Park, originally built for the 1972 Games and extensively modernised in recent years.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz also welcomed the decision, declaring that “Germany is ready for the Olympics”.
Munich’s bid was strengthened by a 2025 referendum in which nearly two-thirds of voters backed hosting the Games. The campaign now enters a crucial phase of discussions with the International Olympic Committee, which is expected to select a host in 2029.
Germany has not staged a Summer Olympics since Munich 1972 and has seen seven unsuccessful bids since then.
READ ALSO: Germany selects Munich for Olympics host bidThe Left Party files complaint against interior minister over antisemitism row
Berlin’s Left Party has filed a criminal complaint against German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, accusing him of defamation after he appeared to endorse a television host’s mistaken description of senior Left politician Elif Eralp as an antisemite.
The dispute centres on an exchange during the ZDF talk show Maybrit Illner. Host Maybrit Illner misspoke when referring to Eralp, briefly saying that the Berlin politician described herself as an antisemite before immediately correcting the remark. Dobrindt then responded: “Well, she is.”
Eralp and the Berlin branch of Die Linke argue that the comment amounted to a false and damaging allegation. Their lawyer claims the interior minister adopted the host’s slip of the tongue as his own statement, harming Eralp’s reputation and potentially affecting her political standing.
The controversy comes just days after the Left Party emerged as the strongest party in Berlin’s state election, with Eralp seeking to form a coalition government with the SPD and Greens.
Dobrindt has repeatedly criticised the party over alleged tolerance of antisemitic and extremist views within parts of the party. Eralp, however, has publicly rejected antisemitism and violence and has reaffirmed Israel’s right to exist, while insisting the accusations against her are unfounded.
READ ALSO: What does Die Linke's election win mean for foreigners in Berlin?Klopp suffers first defeat as Germany fall to Greece
Jürgen Klopp’s first home match as Germany manager ended in disappointment as Greece secured a historic 1-0 victory in Augsburg, handing the former Liverpool coach his first defeat in charge.
After an encouraging 1-1 draw away to the Netherlands in his debut game, Klopp’s side struggled to replicate the same intensity and creativity. Germany dominated possession for long periods but found it difficult to break down a disciplined Greek defence and created few clear-cut opportunities.
The decisive moment came in the 74th minute when Dimitrios Kourbelis scored from a counter-attack, his effort taking a deflection off Germany captain Joshua Kimmich and wrong-footing goalkeeper Alexander Nübel.
The defeat marked Greece’s first-ever win against Germany, ending a record of seven defeats and three draws stretching back to 1960.
Despite the setback, Klopp sought to play down the significance of the result, describing defeat as valuable information from which the team could learn. Germany captain Kimmich echoed that view, stressing the need for players to adapt to the new manager’s demands.
READ ALSO: 'New one' Klopp promises fresh approach as Germany reign begins
With reporting by AFP.