The German government has sharply rejected claims by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that it sidelined patient autonomy during COVID-19.

German lawmakers have approved a government plan to liberalize rules on cannabis, paving the way for the country to decriminalize limited amounts of marijuana and allow members of “cannabis clubs” to buy it for recreational purposes.

Germany’s Cabinet has approved a plan to liberalize rules on cannabis, setting the scene for the European Union’s most populous nation to decriminalize possession of limited amounts and allow members of “cannabis clubs” to buy the substance for recreational purposes.

Pope Francis has urged governments to do more to fight climate change and protect “our common home” as improving weather conditions help firefighters contain wildfires in Greece, Italy and other countries in southern Europe.

The German government says it is launching a campaign against deaths from heat waves that are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change.

Germany's government has presented scaled-back plans to liberalize the country’s rules on cannabis.

Germany's health minister says the country will soon drop a mask mandate on long-distance trains and buses.

An expert panel has unveiled a proposal for a major overhaul of Germany’s system for funding hospitals that it says will promote quality over quantity.

Four German regions plan to scrap rules requiring people infected with the coronavirus to isolate at home, arguing that the pandemic has evolved and it’s time for a different approach.

Germany’s health minister has unveiled plans to decriminalize the possession of up to 30 grams (about 1 ounce) of cannabis and allow the sale of the substance to adults for recreational purposes in a controlled market.

Germany’s health minister warned Friday that the country is seeing a steady rise in COVID-19 cases as it goes into the fall and urged older people to get a second booster shot tweaked to protect against new variants.

The German government plans to drop a requirement for people to wear masks on flights to and from the country.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Cabinet has approved legislation that ensures protective measures against the coronavirus pandemic are continued during the fall and winter when more virus cases are expected.

Germany’s health minister says European Union drug regulators may authorize the use of vaccines that are effective against two variants of the coronavirus.

The German government is setting in motion plans to legalize the sale of cannabis for recreational purposes, aiming to have legislation ready in the year’s second half.

Germany’s health minister says the government plans to suspend a pandemic rule requiring people to show proof of vaccination, a negative test result or recent recovery from COVID-19 to enter the country over the summer.

Germany’s health minister is warning that the coronavirus pandemic is not over yet.

Germany's health minister says the government plans to spend another 830 million euros ($872 million) to buy new coronavirus vaccines that will allow the country to deal with a series of possible variants this fall.

German authorities say four people have been arrested and have been weapons seized in an investigation of suspected anti-government extremists who allegedly planned to cause a long nationwide blackout and kidnap well-known figures including the country's health minister.

Germany’s health minister has backed off a decision to end compulsory isolation for people who test positive for COVID-19, declaring that it was a mistake and sent the wrong signal.

Germany’s health minister says it’s too soon to declare a ‘freedom day’ from COVID-19 as the virus continues to run rampant, claiming hundreds of lives each day.

Lawmakers in Germany have voted to abolish most of the country’s coronavirus pandemic restrictions despite a surge in infections, with almost 300,000 new daily cases reported.

Germany’s health minister warned Friday that the coronavirus pandemic isn’t over yet, noting that the country is still seeing record infections and high numbers of deaths.

Germany's health minister says a coronavirus surge fueled by the omicron variant remains “under control” despite a string of new infection records.

Germany’s health minister expects the number of coronavirus infections in the country to keep rising for several weeks reaching hundreds of thousands of cases a day.

German news agency dpa has reported that police are investigating thousands of cases of suspected forgery of coronavirus vaccine certificates.

Germany’s ruling parties are hitting the brakes on plans for compulsory coronavirus vaccinations, saying it may take months for lawmakers to properly debate the contentious measure in parliament.

Germany’s biggest governing party says it aims for a final decision by the end of March on the introduction of a universal vaccine mandate against COVID-19.

Germany’s health minister says the country’s coronavirus infection rate is likely two to three times higher than statistics currently show.

Germany’s health minister says the government has reached its goal of 30 million additional immunizations against COVID-19 by year's end.

Germany’s health minister says the proportion of coronavirus infections with the new omicron variant will increase sharply in the days ahead.