Berlin

Munich/Hamburg – October 31, 2026 -- Men aged 45 and older in Germany can get a prostate cancer screening once a year, and statutory health insurers cover it. AstraZeneca and MSD Sharp & Dohme are using Movember, the international men's health awareness month built around the mustache, to push that message through their "Nichts verpassen" ("Miss nothing") campaign.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in German men

The Robert Koch Institute's cancer registry data identifies prostate cancer as the most frequent cancer among men in Germany. The earlier it is found, the better the odds of successful treatment.

Former handball internationals were both diagnosed at 47

Twins Michael and Uli Roth, former Germany handball internationals, each developed prostate cancer at 47. Their message this Movember is to see a urologist early.

Berlin – October 30, 2026 -- Only 8.5 percent of Germans, roughly one in twelve, say they have done enough to protect their home against burglary, even as darker evenings arrive. That is the finding of a representative survey by ring, conducted by the polling institute YouGov.

82 percent feel safe, but 63 percent did nothing new this year

In the darker autumn and winter months, 82 percent of respondents feel safe or very safe at home. Only 3 percent feel unsafe.

Another 22 percent have taken precautions but say they could do more. Over the past twelve months, 63 percent took no concrete steps to secure their home, 18 percent did, and 14 percent plan to.

Asked why they lack protection, 23 percent said there is "nothing to steal" at their place. Another 21 percent rarely think about it, and 9 percent rely on their neighborhood.

Berlin – October 29, 2026 -- WELT TV will air the roughly 43-minute documentary "Vantara - Sein Herz für Tiere" ("Vantara - A Heart for Animals") for the first time on Sunday, 1 November 2026, at 14:50. The film goes inside an Indian rescue center where injured and formerly captive wildlife get a second chance.

One of its stories centers on the elephant Leelavati. She was left tied up when a circus tent caught fire, and burning debris fell on her body. She suffered severe burns but survived, and she now receives medical care at Vantara.

Three former German circus elephants now live in Gujarat

The film traces one story that begins in Germany. After decades of performing and traveling in a circus, the elephants could no longer stay there. Contact with Vantara came through the animal welfare groups PETA Deutschland and PETA India, and three of the former circus elephants now live at the center in the Indian state of Gujarat.

Berlin – October 29, 2026 -- Well-insulated homes can trap moist air once the heating season starts and windows get shut, according to Jay Buis, an expert at Luftentfeuchtershop. A tightly insulated house keeps heat inside, but it also lets less air escape on its own. Ventilating less on top of that can lead to moisture problems.

Cold surfaces turn indoor humidity into droplets

As outdoor temperatures fall, windows and other surfaces in the home get colder. When warm, humid room air touches a cold window or door, the water vapor condenses into visible droplets. Simon Schmidt, head of hygrothermics at the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics (IBP), says occasional condensation is usually no cause for concern. Typical examples are bedroom windows in the morning or bathrooms right after a shower.

Berlin – October 29, 2026 -- Ex-smokers gain an average of 4 to 5 kilograms in the first year after quitting, and the cause is metabolic rather than a lack of willpower.

Two effects disappear when the last cigarette goes out

Nicotine stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, which raises energy use. While smoking, the daily basal metabolic rate is estimated to be about 7 to 15 percent higher, equal to roughly 100 to 250 extra kilocalories per day. After quitting, resting energy use drops back to normal.

Nicotine also acts as an appetite brake. It works on receptors in the hypothalamus that control hunger and satiety, so appetite rises noticeably after quitting.

Berlin – October 29, 2026 -- A four-part documentary podcast called "Die Party ist vorbei" ("The Party Is Over") examines how safe sex-positive parties really are. All episodes arrive in ARD Sounds on Thursday, November 5, 2026.

One night leads from the club to the courtroom

The series follows Hannah (name changed), who goes to a sex-positive party looking forward to an evening of freedom. Her night ends in the emergency room and later in court. Her story raises wider questions: What happens when boundaries are crossed at these events? What do awareness concepts achieve, and who is responsible?

Berlin – October 29, 2026 -- Leaving fallen leaves in your garden this autumn protects soil and roots, produces free humus and gives hedgehogs, insects and birds a place to overwinter, according to German environmental group BUND. Its garden expert Corinna Hölzel urges homeowners to put the leaf blower away.

A 2-to-10-centimeter leaf layer works as mulch

Leaves should come off the lawn, Hölzel says, but they belong on beds, under hedges and around tree bases. A layer of roughly two to ten centimeters guards against drying out and erosion, keeps soil temperature stable and suppresses weeds. It also feeds earthworms and microorganisms.

As the leaves rot, they release humus and nutrients that plants use to grow, so gardeners need to fertilize less. Before mulching, loosen the soil and clear weed roots, and leave out sown seeds and young seedlings. Perennials, shrubs and fruit trees benefit most.

Berlin – October 05, 2026 -- Four U.S. college students arrived in Berlin last week as the first recipients of the Knowledge Without Borders: Democracy and Memory Fellowship, a program funded through a $55,000 gift from Karen Collias, Ph.D., founder of Knowledge Without Borders (KWB).

The scholarship, administered by the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), covers four first-generation, Pell-eligible undergraduates participating in CIEE's Berlin Open Campus program for the semester.

Students will study Germany's reckoning with Nazi history

Through coursework, site visits, and conversations with historians and civic leaders, the Fellows will examine Germany's history, including the rise of Nazism and the Holocaust, and how the country has shaped its collective memory since 1945.

Stockholm – September 29, 2026 -- Visit Sweden has launched The Introvert Travel Agency, a new service designed to help travelers plan trips with minimal social pressure and more control over solo time.

Survey data shows most travelers want optional, not expected, socializing

A YouGov survey commissioned by Visit Sweden found that 67% of travelers prefer destinations where social interaction feels optional. The same research shows 53% would pay extra for more peace, privacy or fewer crowds, while 41% of respondents identify as introverts, 45% as a mix of both, and only 14% as extroverts. Nearly half of respondents said they sometimes need a "vacation from their vacation" to recover after traveling.

Berlin – September 28, 2026 -- At IFA 2026 in Berlin, stylus maker Metapen skipped the usual spec-sheet pitch and let visitors simply pick up its pens and start writing.

A young visitor tests a stylus without instructions

At the Metapen booth, a girl picked up one of the company's styluses and began drawing on a screen while her family watched. No tutorial was given -- she started creating immediately.

Metapen builds its lineup around iPad, Surface and Chromebook compatibility

Metapen designs styluses for use with iPad, Surface and Chromebook devices, covering everyday digital writing as well as pressure-sensitive tools for drawing and creative work. The company says its focus is on accessibility through functionality, design and affordability.