Berlin – October 28, 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.

Cologne – October 28, 2026 -- The WDR Funkhausorchester will play around 50 concerts across the Lippe district from November 9 to 14, 2026, and the concerts at host venues are free. Under the banner "Deine Region – dein Orchester!", the orchestra brings seven formats to daycare centers, schools, senior facilities, companies and unconventional venues.

Unterföhring -- Table tennis goes prime time on December 12, 2026: "Die Promi Tischtennis WM" airs live on ProSieben from 8:15 p.m. and streams on Joyn, with Germany's most successful player, Timo Boll, leading a celebrity team.

Four teams, each led by a pro captain

The live show takes place on Saturday, December 12, at the CASTELLO Düsseldorf. Four teams compete, and each consists of a professional captain and three celebrity players. Boll, an eight-time European champion and former world No. 1, returns to the table for the event.

Munich – October 28, 2026 -- Paulaner Cola Zero goes on sale across Germany in January 2027, giving shoppers a sugar-free version of the brewer's cola in supermarkets, beverage retailers and restaurants.

Zero variants already take about 36 percent of German cola sales

The Paulaner Brauerei Gruppe is adding the new drink to its classic Paulaner Cola. That cola launched in spring 2026 and, within a few months, became the number 2 seller in the German cola can market.

Düsseldorf – October 28, 2026 -- Infrared heaters deliver warmth at the push of a button and are easy to install, but running them for long periods can drive up electricity costs, according to energy provider Grünwelt Energie.

Infrared heaters work best as a supplementary heat source

Infrared heaters warm rooms with direct thermal radiation. Grünwelt Energie says they are strongest as an add-on heater, for example in a bathroom or guest room. The devices are relatively cheap to buy, usually need no regular maintenance and stir up little dust.

Koblenz – October 28, 2026 -- If household income suddenly stops, 51 percent of adults in Germany (excluding retirees) could cover their running costs for three months at most. For 22 percent, the savings would not last even one month. That is the finding of a representative Civey survey commissioned by insurer Debeka.

Hamburg – October 28, 2026 -- Shoppers hunting Black Friday deals can save up to 10 percent on gaming gear, audio products and smartwatches, but some categories cost more than in the month before. That is the result of a price analysis by comparison portal guenstiger.de of last year's Black Friday.

More than two-thirds of the items analyzed were cheaper on the sale day than in October. Across all categories, the average discount was 4 percent.

Munich – October 28, 2026 -- German broadcaster RTLZWEI is turning October 30 and 31 into a Halloween event, with four episodes of "#CoupleChallenge - Halloween Edition" each night from 8:15 p.m. The episodes are already streaming on RTL+.

Six couples compete for up to 66,600 euros in a spooky camp

The spin-off sends six couples to a dark camp in Saxony. They face Halloween-themed challenges, scare moments and strange curses. Mistakes or unfinished tasks reduce the prize pool, which tops out at 66,600 euros.

Berlin – October 28, 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.

Frankfurt am Main – October 28, 2026 -- Managers who lose their jobs at 40 or 50 don't have to start from zero, according to career adviser Dr. Hans-Peter Luippold, who says the key is repositioning existing experience for a changed job market.

Companies such as Volkswagen and Bayer have been cutting management positions for months. For executives with 15 or 20 successful years behind them, that can mean a sudden restart.