World Cup Politics: Germany’s Rudi Völler urged players to keep politics “somewhat separate” at the 2026 tournament, pointing to lessons from Qatar and saying there won’t be specialist media training this time. NATO Eastern Flank: Germany’s defence ministry said the NATO German-Netherlands Corps will become a tactical headquarters for Estonia and Latvia mid-year, aimed at strengthening deterrence. Energy & Industry: Germany’s coalition is moving to loosen the heating law, with new systems needing only 10% renewable energy (down from 65% in the original rules), while oil and gas options could last longer in existing buildings. Aviation Costs: The EU is set to expand emissions rules to international flights from Europe, raising pressure on Germany’s aviation industry as airlines face new costs from 2027. LNG Deal Watch: Canada and Germany are advancing a major liquefied natural gas supply agreement tied to the Ksi Lisims project, framed as a boost for Europe’s energy security. Tech & Media: Germany saw TV piracy losses estimated at €2.4bn in 2025, up 33%, while a new German law could mean fewer shows and movies. Business & Finance: KPN launched a sovereign cloud service for the Netherlands with Germany’s StackIT, and Klarna partnered with Arrive to bring flexible parking payments to 15 markets.