To boost the retention of foreign graduates of German universities and to attract foreign degree holders to work in Germany, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, with the German Academic Exchange Service, has introduced new initiatives

Churches are being decommissioned and repurposed as the number of church members in Germany is falling rapidly; in Berlin growing Orthodox Christian congregations have taken over buildings, but they are more often sold

Black and Muslim people are highly discriminated against on the real estate market in Germany; according to a new study, even having a foreign-sounding name can lead to fewer apartment viewings

75% of respondents to a survey are in favor of a ban on individuals' use of fireworks, a habit that spikes onNew Year's Eve; Germans had already voiced discontent with the practice and fireworks-free zones have been established in densely populated areas

A 300 kilograms bronze bell of the Church of the Holy Spirit in Bremen was recovered; it was stolen from inside the church overnight on 18 November, and an earlier attempt of theft was registered two weeks ago when it was still placed on the outside