Munich

Munich – November 03, 2026 -- Germany's Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) recommends meningococcal B vaccination for all children from two months until their fifth birthday, and health insurers across Germany cover the cost. For Stefanie, who survived meningococcal sepsis at age two, the shots did not yet exist.

A harmless-looking fever turned life-threatening within hours

Stefanie was playing in the garden that afternoon when a fever set in. Her mother assumed an ordinary infection. During the night, the child's condition became critical: her fever climbed to 41 degrees, she stopped responding, and red spots appeared on her skin.

Her mother fetched a doctor who lived nearby, and he recognized the seriousness at once. In the hospital, doctors diagnosed meningococcal sepsis. Her circulation had already begun to fail. Doctors later told her mother that 30 minutes more would have left them unable to help.

Munich – November 02, 2026 -- Xiaomi's Vision Gran Turismo hypercar concept is now part of Gran Turismo 7, and the company let guests race it virtually at a Munich event.

Xiaomi's design chief explained the hypercar concept in Munich

At the Xiaomi Vision Gran Turismo Experience Event, Jean-Arthur Madelaine, Head of Design at the Xiaomi Europe R&D and Design Center, walked guests through the vision behind the car. He described how Xiaomi is rethinking the limits of hypercar design. Guests then drove the concept in Gran Turismo 7.

Moritz Löhner won a Nürburgring experience with a 1:23.236 lap

The centerpiece was the Xiaomi VGT Hot Lap Challenge on the "Nürburgring - Sprint" track. Moritz Löhner set the best time, 1:23.236, and won an exclusive Xiaomi Racetrack Experience at the Nürburgring. Other winners received Gran Turismo 7 merchandise packages.

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.

Munich – October 30, 2026 -- A 3x2 meter triptych about birth, life and death on a farm was presented to about 80 guests at the Herrmannsdorfer bistro on Munich's Viktualienmarkt, with ham that had matured in the same room as the painting served alongside it.

Gischel witnessed birth and death in Glonn

Munich artist Rebecca Gischel spent several months on the project. In June she stayed at Herrmannsdorfer in Glonn and experienced birth and death at close range. The cycle she followed runs from piglets being born, through their lives in the woods, to their deaths and our food. She then painted the triptych. In September the work returned to Glonn for a first period of maturing.

Munich – October 30, 2026 -- A new botulinum toxin approved in the EU since July 2026 starts working within eight hours but wears off after just two to three weeks, giving first-timers a short-term preview of aesthetic treatment.

Boey acts fast and fades fast

The active ingredient is trenibotulinumtoxin E, also called botulinum neurotoxin type E, sold as Boey® by Allergan Aesthetics. Like other botulinum toxins, it blocks the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine between nerve and muscle. The treated muscle relaxes and the skin above looks smoother.

Munich – October 30, 2026 -- A new international patient film released for HPP Awareness Day follows three people living with hypophosphatasia (HPP): Antje from Germany, Mario from Brazil and Lisa from the USA.

The three describe years of symptoms, uncertainty and a long road to diagnosis. They also show how the rare inherited disease can affect social life, family and plans for the future, and what relief the correct diagnosis brought them.

HPP stems from low activity of one enzyme

The condition is caused by inherited, reduced activity of the enzyme alkaline phosphatase. Because the enzyme plays a role in many processes in the body, HPP can appear at any age and in very different ways. Symptoms range from muscle and joint pain, fatigue and limited mobility to repeated fractures. Depending on severity, physical stamina and independence can be sharply restricted.

Munich – October 30, 2026 -- Annette Dittert's "Dear Britain" has won the Bayern 2 audience award at the Bavarian Book Prize, chosen by radio listeners from five titles. The winner was announced on Thursday evening, October 29, at the ceremony in Munich's Allerheiligen-Hofkirche.

Listeners picked Dittert's book over four other bestsellers

The five nominees were bestsellers in Bavarian bookshops this year. Besides "Dear Britain", the shortlist included "Lázár" by Nelio Biedermann, "Nein sagen" by Matthias Brandt, "Die Riesinnen" by Hannah Häffner and "Pina fällt aus" by Vera Zischke. Listeners named Dittert's book their favorite for 2026.

Munich – October 29, 2026 -- Home buyers in the euro area should not expect cheaper or pricier mortgages right away: the European Central Bank (ECB) held its key interest rate at 2.5 percent, and ten-year building loan rates recently stood at around 4.4 percent.

Mortgage rates follow capital markets, not the ECB directly

Building loan rates track long-term capital market rates more closely than the ECB's key rate. Expected central bank moves can therefore already be priced into loan terms before the ECB announces a decision.

Eight in ten banks expect no change

The latest Interhyp bank panel points mostly sideways. For the next one to two months, 80 percent of the surveyed institutions expect unchanged mortgage rates, while 20 percent expect falling terms. No panel member currently expects a short-term increase.

One panelist noted that markets have already priced in several possible ECB rate hikes.

Stuttgart – October 29, 2026 -- Buying an investment property in your hometown feels safe, but familiarity does not show whether a location will pay off over the long term, says Mark Stühler, managing director of Einfach Immo GmbH.

Jobs, population and students shape rental demand

Stühler and Lucas Botschek, head of the company's Nuremberg location, check which employers are based in a region and whether jobs are spread across several industries. A region with multiple larger employers can usually absorb trouble at a single company more easily. Where many jobs depend on one company or sector, a downturn can hit many people at once. Regions shaped by the automotive industry are one example, but they are not automatically unsuitable if other strong industries exist alongside it.

Munich/Vienna – October 29, 2026 -- Shoppers in Germany and Austria can now ask an AI chatbot where to find nearby supermarket deals and whether a price is actually good. The feature, called "Frag den Guru" ("Ask the Guru"), is built into the free marktguru app for Android and iOS.

Chatbot opens with one tap and accepts text, voice or photos

A blue marktguru icon at the bottom right of the app opens the chat. Users can type a request or speak it. They can also upload a photo of their fridge contents or a handwritten shopping list to start the conversation.

From there, the chatbot picks out matching offers and links straight to the product or the relevant supermarket flyer. Suggestions follow the postcode saved in the app, so they reflect stores near the user.