A roundup of the latest news on Friday

Friday’s top story: Two government officers killed in shooting during weapons check

A routine weapons check in Berngau, in the district of Neumarkt in Bavaria, resulted in two fatalities on Thursday afternoon. Both were employees of the Neumarkt district administration.

A major police operation was launched following the shooting, and police have arrested the suspect. A police spokesperson told BR that the suspect was wounded in the leg by gunshots during the arrest.

The two employees were a man and a woman. Both bodies have been recovered, and the families of both victims have been notified.

The officers had approached the suspected perpetrator in the early afternoon, and the man fired shots during the encounter.

According to a police spokesperson, the suspected shooter then barricaded himself inside a building.

According to reports, the two victims had intended to conduct a routine legal gun ownership inspection, which includes checking whether the weapons are stored correctly. But the 60-year-old allegedly opened fire on the two inspectors.

Police secure the crime scene around the suspect’s house. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Tizian Gerbing

Left Party, Greens and SPD ready to move forward with coalition talks in Berlin

Top officials of the Left Party, the Greens and the Social Democrats (SPD) in Berlin announced that they had reached agreements on joint statements regarding antisemitism and organised crime – meaning the parties are ready to move forward with coalition talks.

The Left Party described the guiding principle of the red-green-red coalition agreement as “simple yet ambitious”: “We want a city where all people can live well and safely and openly express their faith and affiliation.”

Following incidents within the Left Party, the Greens and the SPD had demanded a clear distancing of the Left Party from antisemitism.

Steffen Krach of the SPD sees the eight points now included in the joint document as representing a “clear line in the fight against antisemitism.”

Among other things, the three parties commit themselves to a “special responsibility for the protection of Jewish life in Germany” and emphasise that Israel’s right to exist is “non-negotiable.”

READ ALSO: Why is the Left Party in Berlin being accused of antisemitism?

Criticism of the Left Party on the issue had come primarily from the CDU and AfD, from Jewish organisations, but also partly from within the SPD and the Greens themselves.

“I consider equating the Left Party and the AfD to be absolutely wrong,” said Krach.

Burnham seeks new EU ties as UK and Germany deepen partnership

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham used his first official visit to Berlin to call for closer cooperation between the United Kingdom and the European Union, signalling a further thaw in relations a decade after Brexit.

Appearing alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Burnham said he was committed to strengthening ties ahead of an EU-UK summit in November, particularly in areas such as economic growth, security and tackling irregular migration.

While stopping short of discussing EU membership, he stressed the importance of exploring ways to bring Britain closer to its European partners.

READ ALSO: ‘We won’t change approach’ – EU wants actions from UK, rather than words

Defence cooperation featured prominently in the talks. Burnham expressed openness to German participation in the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), the UK-led next-generation fighter jet project involving Italy and Japan.

The leaders also announced closer collaboration against hybrid threats, including cyber and security challenges facing both countries.

A key moment of the visit was the formal entry into force of the German-British Friendship Treaty. Merz described the occasion as “historic”, highlighting new opportunities for cooperation and easier educational exchanges, including visa-free school and student stays designed to strengthen ties between younger generations in both countries.

Germany raises growth forecast as economy defies energy shock

Germany has sharply upgraded its economic outlook for 2026, citing resilience in the face of global turbulence and growing demand linked to the artificial intelligence boom.

The government now expects Europe’s largest economy to expand by 1.3 percent this year, up from the 0.5 percent growth forecast issued in April. Economy Minister Katherina Reiche said Germany had proved more robust than anticipated despite geopolitical tensions, higher energy prices, tariffs and disruption caused by the conflict involving Iran.

According to the Economy Ministry, exports have been a key driver of the recovery. Foreign buyers increased orders for German industrial products, including steel, fertiliser and aluminium, following the outbreak of the conflict, helping to bolster trade performance.

German manufacturers have also benefited from surging global investment in artificial intelligence. Rising demand for data centres has generated strong orders for specialist equipment such as semiconductor machinery, lasers and cooling systems.

The government also raised its 2027 growth forecast to 1.1 percent, arguing that increased spending on defence and infrastructure would support longer-term expansion.

But officials warned that higher energy costs continue to weigh on households. Inflation reached 3.3 percent in September, its highest level in almost three years.

‘No free lunch’, Germany warns amid French debt woes

Germany’s economy minister on Thursday urged other European countries to maintain sound public finances as worries mount about French debt levels, warning: “There is no free lunch.”

Worries about public spending in France have in recent weeks pushed government borrowing rates to levels unseen since the global financial crisis.

Asked about French public finances, German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche noted that French Finance Minister Roland Lescure was “fighting to create a budget that is constitutional and geared towards the future”.

The French government last week unveiled a 2027 budget bill that envisages spending cuts and tax increases to rein in the budget deficit.

Reiche went on to stress that public debt is “a very important indicator of sound fiscal and financial policy”.

Noting that Germany still enjoyed top-tier debt ratings from major agencies, Reiche added that the “more countries in Europe are at least close to that level, the better”.

With reporting by DPA, AFP and Tom Pugh.