A Belgian festival has canceled a performance by the Munich Philharmonic, citing concerns about its Israeli conductor's political attitude amid the war in Gaza The number of asylum-seekers receiving welfare payments sank in 2024, along with the total number of asylum applications, new figures show Power has been restored to thousands of homes in southeast Berlin two days after an arson attack The perpetrator of last year's Solingen terror attack has appealed his guilty verdict Chancellor Friedrich Merz calls for stronger spy service to face security threats These live updates have been closed. Read below for an overview of stories concerning Germany from Thursday, September 11: Skip next section Berlin power restored two days after alleged arson attack 09/11/2025September 11, 2025 Berlin power restored two days after alleged arson attack Germany Berlin 2025 | Large power outage in southeast BerlinGermany Berlin 2025 | Large power outage in southeast Berlin Berlin's Interior Minister said investigations to identify the alleged arsonists are ongoingImage: Jens Kalaene/dpa/picture alliance Electricity was restored Thursday to thousands of homes in southeast Berlin that were affected by a massive power outage. The interruption was caused by an suspected arson attack by left-wing extremists on Tuesday, authorities said. A letter claiming responsibility, signed by "anarchists," was published on a leftist platform online, which said the attack targeted the "military-industrial complex" in a science park in Berlin's Adlershof district. The area is home to a variety of firms and research institutes involved in IT, robotics, biotech, aerospace, artificial intelligence (AI) security and the weapons industry. The blackout was the longest to affect the German capital in a quarter of a century. Some 50,000 homes and businesses were affected. Public transport, shopping centers and nursing homes were also affected, as were several schools which were closed on Wednesday. Grid operator Stromnetz Berlin said complications had delayed repair work until Thursday. https://p.dw.com/p/50MFq Copy link Skip next section WATCH: Could remigration blow up the AfD's plan for power? 09/11/2025September 11, 2025 WATCH: Could remigration blow up the AfD's plan for power? Matthew Moore in Berlin Germany's far-right AfD is the second largest party in parliament, and gaining support in the polls. But one word — remigration — risks dividing the party. Featuring exclusive interviews, this deep dive reveals the internal battles, extremist ties, and constitutional risks that could make or break the AfD's future. Could 'remigration' blow up the AfD's plan for power? 15:24 https://p.dw.com/p/50MAY Copy link Skip next section Solingen attacker appeals guilty verdict 09/11/2025September 11, 2025 Solingen attacker appeals guilty verdict Issa Al H (L) arrives at court in Düsseldorf, western Germany, for his sentence at the end of his trial over a deadly knife attack that killed three people in August 2024 in SolingenIssa Al H (L) arrives at court in Düsseldorf, western Germany, for his sentence at the end of his trial over a deadly knife attack that killed three people in August 2024 in Solingen Issa Al H. has asked for the case to be reviewedImage: Ina Fassbender/AFP A Syrian national who was sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of a terror attack at a street festival in Solingen, western Germany, has appealed the verdict. Issa Al H. was given the maximum sentence on Wednesday for killing three people and injuring eight others in a stabbing attack during the Solingen Festival of Diversity on August 23, 2024. He was also found guilty of being a member of the so-called Islamic State terror organization. His defense team appealed for the case to be reviewed for potential legal errors, the court in Düsseldorf said. The defendant turned himself into police the day after the attack. He admitted to carrying out the knife attack on the first day of his trial, which began in May. Should Germany change its migration policy?