Peter Altmaier

Germany is facing calls for a second lockdown before Christmas after recording 585 deaths and 29,875 new infections in one day - the highest numbers since the pandemic began.

"We have to act urgently. We have to do more than was previously planned," warned Economy Minister Peter Altmaier.

Russia and Ukraine also reported record numbers of fatalities on Friday.

The European Council on Monday adopted a decision on the conclusion of the agreement between the European Union and China on cooperation on and protection of geographical indications (GIs) of 100 products from each side.

The list of 100 EU products includes Greece's feta cheese, Samos wines, Lasithi olive oil, Kalamata olives and Chios masticha, as well as Cyprus' zivania brandy.

German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier tries to calm and to address students and pupils who staged a potest as part of the "Fridays for Future", on Jan. 25 in front of the Economy Ministry in Berlin where the coal commission met with the minister. Banner behind reads "meet climate goals".

German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier has sharply criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs and sanctions policies, saying such measures were destroying jobs and growth and that Europe would not bow to U.S. pressure regarding Iran.

German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier has called for a new European Union trade deal with the United States that would focus on the industrial sector and result in an overall reduction in tariffs.

Turkish Energy Minister Berat Albayrak and his German counterpart Peter Altmaier have vowed to improve relations between their countries after months-long tensions.

Joining the chorus of regulators calling for a crackdown on cryptocurrencies, the French and German finance ministers said digital tokens "could pose substantial risks for investors" and potentially long-term financial stability.

The finance ministers and central bank governors of France and Germany called for the policy and monetary implications of crypto-currencies to be placed on the agenda of the upcoming G20 meeting of the largest advanced and developing economies.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives and the Social Democrats (SPD) negotiated through the night into Wednesday in a marathon final push to nail down a new coalition agreement, according to Reuters. 

Negotiators from the two blocs remained locked in talks at the headquarters of Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), where they began meeting at 10 a.m. (0900 GMT) on Tuesday.

Germany has frozen all arms deliveries to Turkey, a newspaper reported on July 21, amid a row between the NATO partners that has sharply worsened since the arrest of several rights activists in Istanbul.