Today's top story: Munich court rejects challenges against water-saving rules
A Munich court has rejected legal challenges against the city's temporary water-saving order, ruling that restrictions introduced to curb water consumption during a dry, hot spell are likely to be lawful.
The case was brought by two garden owners who argued the measures lacked a legal basis and were disproportionate. The rulings are not yet final and can still be appealed.
The restrictions, introduced earlier in July, ban the watering of lawns and limit irrigation of privately used home and allotment gardens during specified times as authorities aim to reduce demand on the city's drinking water supply.
The court said the measures are supported by Germany's Water Resources Act, which requires the careful and economical use of water by everyone.
Judges also found the measures to be proportionate because they are temporary and do not affect essential household uses such as drinking, cooking, personal hygiene or cleaning.
The order remains in force until August 1st although officials have said it could be extended if dry conditions persist.
Temperatures soar as extreme heat hits
People in Germany are being urged to take care in the heat today as parts of the country are set to see temperatures up to 39C.
The German Weather Service (DWD) said the Upper Rhine region will see the highest temperatures.
In Berlin and Cologne, highs of 36C are expected. It will reach around 35C in Munich and Hamburg.
Extreme heat warnings are in place across much of the country, while forecasters also say there is a high risk of thunder storms moving in.
Wildfires, particularly in the south west, are also a concern, as are low water levels.
New leader of CDU/CSU parliamentary group elected after Spahn resignation
Thorsten Frei has been elected leader of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group with 91.9 percent of the vote.
Frei, a close ally of Chancellor Friedrich Merz and until recently head of the Chancellery, won 170 of the 185 votes cast. He replaces former Health Minister Jens Spahn who recently resigned after a scandal involving German surrogacy laws.
A meeting between MPs in the centre-right parties and the Chancellor is expected in the coming days. Lawmakers are expected to air concerns over the government's recent personnel changes.
Frei, 52, returns to the parliamentary group leadership after 15 months in the Chancellery, where he faced criticism over coordination within the governing coalition.
Deutsche Bahn reportedly makes profit for first time in seven years
In the first half of 2026, German rail operator Deutsche Bahn returned to profit in its core business for the first time in seven years, according to reports by Der Spiegel and Bild.
The state-owned company is said to have posted a surplus in the hundreds of millions from January to June. In the same period last year, Deutsche Bahn recorded a loss of €760 million.
Passenger numbers also rose significantly during the first six months of the year.
FIFA proposal 'an outright attack on football', says DFB vice-president
The vice-president of the German Football Association (DFB) on Wednesday slammed FIFA's controversial plans to sell stakes in its competitions, including the World Cup, as "an outright attack on football".
FIFA announced Tuesday it was set to create a semi-private subsidiary which would sell part of its business operations in the World Cup and other competitions, hoping to raise $4.2 billion.
The plan would still have to be approved by the 38-member FIFA council and the majority of its 211 member associations. FIFA said it intends to present the plans to the council soon.
Hans-Joachim Watzke, the DFB vice-president who is also president of Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund and a vice-president of UEFA's executive committee, joined the chorus critical of the proposal.
"Many in European football see FIFA's plans as an outright attack on football. I share this view. A line has been crossed here," Watzke told Germany's Kicker magazine.
Deutsche Bank posts record profit
Germany's top lender Deutsche Bank on Wednesday reported record second-quarter profit, boosted by a strong performance at its investment bank.
Net profit for the three months to June came in at €1.9 billion ($2.2 billion), Deutsche Bank said, well above analyst expectations of €1.4 billion in a FactSet analyst poll.
Speaking on an earnings call, Deutsche Bank finance boss Raja Akram said the result raised the prospect of the bank exceeding expectations for the year.
"We're going to be comfortably getting into our revenue target for the year," he said.
With reporting by AFP
