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A first-half header from Nick Woltemade was enough as Germany edged a dogged Northern Ireland 1-0 in Belfast on Oct 13 to stay top of their 2026 World Cup qualifying group, Reuters reported.

Woltemade put the visitors in front with a header after 31 minutes, scoring his first goal in Germany colours.

“It was a very important three points for us,” Woltemade told Germany’s RTL, adding “in this atmosphere and in a bit of an ugly game, you have to win and we did well”.

Nepal and Germany today signed a technical and financial cooperation agreement on 41 million euros in grant.

German Ambassador to Nepal Udo Volz and Joint Secretary and the head of the Foreign Aid Coordination Division at the Ministry of Finance Dhani Ram Sharma signed the agreement on behalf of their respective governments, reads a statement issued by the German Embassy in Kathmandu.

The agreement builds upon the commitments made during the government-to-government negotiations held in Berlin on September 4-5, 2024, in accordance with international law.

The agreement encompasses several projects in the areas of energy, sustainable economic development and health, according to the statement.

One is the Power Distribution Strengthening Program (PoDiSP)which aims to enhance electricity distribution and consumption in and around the cities of Pokhara, Butwal, and Bharatpur. 

An additional 20 million euros has been allocated for this initiative to a previously granted 10 million euros. 

The agreement also includes an additional 12 million euros to strengthen the GRAPE (Green Resilient Agricultural-centeredPrivate Sector Economic Development) project. Another notable project is the Strengthening of Quality Infrastructure for the Health System, with a budget of 1.5 million euros.

The projects will be implemented by the German Implementing Agencies – Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), GMBH, Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), and Physikalisch- Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB).

During the agreement signing ceremony, German Ambassador Udo Volz expressed his appreciation of the longstanding German-Nepal Development Cooperation. “With these new commitments, we further deepen our cooperation with the country and the people of Nepal in the areas of Energy, Sustainable Economic Development and Health,” the ambassador said. 

Joint Secretary Sharma stated that the agreements reflect the strength of Nepal-German relations and demonstrate the shared commitment to inclusive and sustainable development. "We are deeply grateful for Germany’s continued support in key sectors that matter most to the people of Nepal," he noted, the statement further reads.

The agreement signing ceremony was held at the Ministry of Finance at Singha Durbar. 

Representatives from GIZ, KfW and PTB, and from relevant Nepali line ministries were also present on the occasion.

Four-time world champions Germany struggled for more than an hour against Northern Ireland before scoring twice in three minutes in the second half to earn a 3-1 victory in their 2026 World Cup qualifier on Sunday, Reuters reported. 

With the score level at 1-1, a tap-in by substitute Nadiem Amiri in the 69th minute and a free kick from Florian Wirtz made sure of Germany's first win in Group A.

It was also the first victory for Julian Nagelsmann's team in their last five matches and followed their shock 2-0 loss to hosts Slovakia on Thursday -- their first ever away defeat in a World Cup qualifier -- in their opening group match, according to Reuters.

Four-time world champions Germany suffered their first away loss in a World Cup qualifier after their shock 2-0 defeat by hosts Slovakia in their opening qualifier for the 2026 tournament, Aljazeera reported.

The Germans, who have set a goal of winning the 2026 World Cup, had never before lost a World Cup qualifier on the road, and they have now lost their last three consecutive matches, following defeats by Portugal and France in the Nations League in June.

“We did not show any emotionality in our game today. In terms of emotions, the opponents were miles ahead of us,” Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said after Thursday’s defeat. “We want to go to the World Cup, but today we were miles away from that, according to Aljazeera.

Four-time world champions Germany have set their sights firmly on winning the 2026 World Cup, coach Julian Nagelsmann said on Wednesday ahead of their first qualifier against Slovakia on Thursday, Reuters reported.

Germany kick off their World Cup Group A qualifying campaign in Bratislava before next hosting Northern Ireland on September 7 in Cologne.

Nagelsmann said they were eager to make a winning start in their bid to qualify for the tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico next year, according to Reuters.

EU foreign ministers are divided over how to respond to Israel’s war in Gaza amid rising civilian casualties and worsening humanitarian conditions. Some countries, including Spain and Ireland, want stronger measures, while Germany and Hungary favor minimal action. Proposals such as suspending funding to Israeli start-ups or imposing sanctions lack the majority needed to pass.

Denmark signaled readiness to push for sanctions, while EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas acknowledged deep divisions within the bloc. The debate comes as a UN-linked report confirmed famine in Gaza, a finding Israel disputes, and ahead of the UN General Assembly, where France stressed unrestricted access for Palestinian representatives, according to Al Jazeera.

At the 25th Franco-German Council of Ministers in Toulon, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron urged tougher secondary sanctions on countries aiding Russia’s war in Ukraine, Al Jazeera reported.

In a joint statement, they pledged to step up pressure on Moscow’s war machine, send additional air defence systems to Kyiv, and open a strategic dialogue on nuclear deterrence.

Both leaders questioned Vladimir Putin’s commitment to talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, despite President Donald Trump’s mediation efforts, warning the war could continue for months.

Germany has advised its nationals to leave Iran and avoid travel there, warning of possible retaliatory actions from Tehran. The alert follows Berlin’s decision, along with Britain and France, to trigger a 30-day process to reinstate UN sanctions on Iran over its disputed nuclear program, according to Reuters.

The German Foreign Ministry said Iranian officials have threatened consequences, raising risks for German citizens and interests in the country. It also noted that the German Embassy in Tehran is operating with limited capacity to provide consular support.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron aim to decide on the future of the Franco-German fighter jet program FCAS by year-end. Merz said the issue would not be discussed in upcoming government consultations but stressed Europe’s need for a new fighter jet, Reuters reported.

The €100bn project faces delays over leadership and work-share disputes, with France’s Dassault seeking dominant control while Germany favors a balanced consortium including Airbus and Indra. The disagreement threatens the start of FCAS’s second phase: developing airworthy demonstrators.

Merz will meet Macron Thursday, with ministers joining talks Friday, according to Reuters.

German Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said on Monday that Berlin will participate in providing security guarantees for Ukraine alongside European partners, emphasizing that any decisions must be led by Kyiv. Speaking in Ukraine’s capital during his first visit, Klingbeil stressed that strengthening the Ukrainian army and boosting domestic arms production are key to deterring Russian attacks, Reuters reported.

He noted that negotiations must begin with a ceasefire and cautioned that Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to show willingness for serious peace talks. Klingbeil’s remarks come amid US calls for a quick resolution to the conflict, which Kyiv and its allies fear could favor Russian terms.

Russia has requested an urgent UN Security Council meeting on August 26 to discuss the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions, following the arrest of Ukrainian national Serhii K. in Italy, Xinhua reported.

Germany accuses him of coordinating the sabotage, but he denies involvement and refuses extradition. The blasts severely damaged three Nord Stream lines, including the unused Nord Stream 2.

Russia has called the attack an act of international terrorism and alleged US involvement, while criticizing Germany’s investigation as “protracted and non-transparent.”

Netherlands will send 300 troops and Patriot air defense systems to Poland to bolster NATO’s eastern flank and secure supply routes to Ukraine, Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said Wednesday. He stressed the forces will operate only in Poland, not Ukraine, Al Jazeera reported.

The announcement came after a suspected Russian drone struck eastern Poland, causing damage but no casualties. Warsaw called it a provocation.

Germany has also deployed Eurofighter jets and troops to Poland and Romania, with some jets responding to Russian air strikes near Ukraine this week, according to Al Jazeera.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Monday urged stronger pressure on Russia and increased support for Ukraine, saying it was key to securing a “just and lasting peace.”

Speaking in Tokyo, Wadephul stressed that Ukraine must receive firm security guarantees to defend itself even after any ceasefire. His remarks came as President Donald Trump prepares to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and other European leaders in Washington, following Trump’s recent talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, according to Reuters.

On Sunday, Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with Zelenskiy to strengthen Kyiv’s position. They backed US discussions on security guarantees but insisted that Ukraine be included in territorial negotiations and that its remaining territory be protected.

Germany has halted arms exports to Israel in response to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and growing public pressure. Chancellor Friedrich Merz, once a firm Israel ally, said the military campaign is unlikely to meet its goals against Hamas or secure hostages, Reuters reported.

This marks a rare shift in Germany’s long-standing support rooted in Holocaust responsibility, as public opinion turns critical of Israel’s actions. While Germany continues humanitarian aid to Gaza, calls for tougher measures, including sanctions, are rising within the government.

Despite tensions, Germany remains Israel’s second-largest arms supplier, highlighting the complexity of balancing moral concerns with strategic ties, according to Reuters.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday announced a suspension of all military equipment exports that could be used in Gaza, following Israel’s approval of operations to occupy the territory, according to Xinhua.

Merz urged Israel to avoid further moves toward annexing the West Bank and voiced concern over the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza. He called on Israel to grant full access for aid deliveries and to take sustained steps to improve conditions for civilians.

Germany’s top court has ruled that police can use spy software to monitor phones and computers only in cases involving serious crimes, Reuters reported.

The court found a 2017 law too broad, warning it could impact people who aren’t under suspicion. It said that surveillance of encrypted chats and devices is a serious intrusion and must be strictly limited.

Investigations into lesser crimes—those carrying a maximum sentence of three years—can no longer involve such monitoring. While parts of the law remain temporarily in effect, they must be revised to meet constitutional standards, according to Reuters.