German police said Tuesday they have arrested a 20-year-old suspect in the case of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/german-cyber-defence-agency-defends-handling-of-data-breach-188455">private data stolen from hundreds of politicians</a>, including Chancellor Angela Merkel, and published online.

"The prosecutor's office in Frankfurt, the Central Office for Fighting Internet and Computer Crime and the Federal Police Office (BKA) searched the apartment of a 20-year-old suspect on January 6 and took him into custody," the BKA said in a statement.

It announced a press conference at midday to give further details on the probe into the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/data-of-politicians-leaked-including-of-chancellor-merkel-german-government-188289">remarkable breach of cybersecurity</a>, which has piled political pressure on the government.

The information, which comprised home addresses, mobile phone numbers, letters, invoices and copies of identity documents, was first released via Twitter in December but its spread gathered pace last week.

Among the estimated 1,000 people affected were members of the Bundestag lower house of parliament and the European Parliament as well as regional and local assemblies.

Deputies from all parties represented in the Bundestag were targeted with the exception of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), the largest opposition group in parliament.

Although the leak was sweeping, there is no evidence that sensitive information reached the public, investigators and the interior ministry has said.

The case has nevertheless been deeply embarrassing for the political class, and increased pressure on the unpopular interior minister, Horst Seehofer.

Beyond politicians, the leak also exposed the private data of celebrities and journalists, including chats and voicemail messages from spouses and children of those targeted.

The information derived both from social media and private "cloud" data.

The Twitter account @_0rbit published the links every day last month, along the lines of an advent calendar with each link to new information hidden behind a "door".

The account, which calls itself G0d and has now been suspended by Twitter, was opened in mid-2017 and purportedly has more than 18,000 followers.&nbsp;

It described its activities as "security researching", "artist" and "satire and irony" and said it was based in Hamburg.

German police said Tuesday they have arrested a 20-year-old suspect in the case of private data stolen from hundreds of politicians, including Chancellor Angela Merkel, and published online.

German police said Tuesday they have arrested a 20-year-old suspect in the case of private data stolen from hundreds of politicians, including Chancellor Angela Merkel, and published online. "The prosecutor's office in Frankfurt, the Central Office for Fighting Internet and Computer Crime and the Federal Police Office (BKA) searched the apartment of a 20-year-old suspect on January 6 and took him into custody," the BKA said in a statement. It announced a press conference at midday to give further details on the probe into the remarkable breach of cybersecurity, which has piled political pressure on the government. The information, which comprised home addresses, mobile phone numbers, letters, invoices and copies of identity documents, was first released via Twitter in December but its spread gathered pace last week. Among the estimated 1,000 people affected were members of the Bundestag lower house of parliament and the European Parliament as well as regional and local assemblies. Deputies from all parties represented in the Bundestag were targeted with the exception of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), the largest opposition group in parliament. Although the leak was sweeping, there is no evidence that sensitive information reached the public, investigators and the interior ministry has said. The case has nevertheless been deeply embarrassing for the political class, and increased pressure on the unpopular interior minister, Horst Seehofer. Beyond politicians, the leak also exposed the private data of celebrities and journalists, including chats and voicemail messages from spouses and children of those targeted. The information derived both from social media and private "cloud" data. The Twitter account @_0rbit published the links every day last month, along the lines of an advent calendar with each link to new information hidden behind a "door". The account, which calls itself G0d and has now been suspended by Twitter, was opened in mid-2017 and purportedly has more than 18,000 followers. It described its activities as "security researching", "artist" and "satire and irony" and said it was based in Hamburg.

20-year-old suspect held over massive German politician data hack

Germany's BSI cyber defence agency on Saturday defended its role in responding to a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/data-of-politicians-leaked-including-of-chancellor-merkel-german-government-188289">far-reaching data breach</a>, saying it could not have connected individual cases it was aware of last year until the entire data release became public.

The government said on Friday that personal data and documents from hundreds of German politicians and public figures had been published online, in what appeared to be one of Germany's most far-reaching data breaches.

The story has shocked the establishment and prompted calls for security agencies to clarify whether any security deficiencies they were aware of had been exploited.

The BSI said in a statement that it had been contacted by a lawmaker in early December about suspicious activity on their private email and social media accounts.

"Only by becoming aware of the release of the data sets via the Twitter account 'G0d' on Jan&nbsp;3, 2019, could the BSI in a further analysis on Jan. 4, 2019 connect this case and four other cases that the BSI became aware of during 2018," it said.

"At the beginning of December 2018, it was not foreseeable that there would be more cases."

Investigations so far showed the data breaches predominantly concerned private and personal accounts, the BSI said, adding: "The BSI is responsible for the operational protection of government networks."

Germany's BSI cyber defence agency on Saturday defended its role in responding to a far-reaching data breach, saying it could not have connected individual cases it was aware of last year until the entire data release became public.

Germany's BSI cyber defence agency on Saturday defended its role in responding to a far-reaching data breach, saying it could not have connected individual cases it was aware of last year until the entire data release became public. The government said on Friday that personal data and documents from hundreds of German politicians and public figures had been published online, in what appeared to be one of Germany's most far-reaching data breaches. The story has shocked the establishment and prompted calls for security agencies to clarify whether any security deficiencies they were aware of had been exploited. The BSI said in a statement that it had been contacted by a lawmaker in early December about suspicious activity on their private email and social media accounts. "Only by becoming aware of the release of the data sets via the Twitter account 'G0d' on Jan 3, 2019, could the BSI in a further analysis on Jan. 4, 2019 connect this case and four other cases that the BSI became aware of during 2018," it said. "At the beginning of December 2018, it was not foreseeable that there would be more cases." Investigations so far showed the data breaches predominantly concerned private and personal accounts, the BSI said, adding: "The BSI is responsible for the operational protection of government networks."

German cyber defence agency defends handling of far-reaching data breach

The US&nbsp;government has approved integration of the US&nbsp;Patriot PAC-3 MSE missile into a next-generation German missile defence system, a spokesman said on Friday, a key step toward completion of a long-delayed multibillion-dollar arms sale.

The decision followed high-level talks by German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen and US&nbsp;Defense Secretary Jim Mattis this summer, two sources familiar with the issue said.

Germany selected the Medium Extended Air Defence System (MEADS) built by Lockheed Martin Corp and European missile maker MBDA over Raytheon's Patriot air and missile defence system in 2015, but it has taken years to move forward on the new defensive system called TLVS.

US&nbsp;Air Force Colonel&nbsp;Mike Andrews, the Pentagon spokesman, confirmed the use of the MSE missile had been approved for use in the German programme, but gave no further details.

"This is a significant step forward. The impasse has been solved," said one of the sources, who was not authorised to speak publicly.

Lockheed, the top US&nbsp;weapons maker, and MBDA gave no details, but said they were upbeat that the programme was moving forward. MBDA is jointly owned by Airbus, Britain's BAE Systems and Italy's Leonardo.

A spokesman at the German defence ministry gave no details, but said both the US&nbsp;and German sides were committed to signing a contract. "There is new momentum. Both sides are clearly committed to successful completion of the TLVS programme," the spokesman said.

Germany's defence ministry in August asked Lockheed and MBDA to submit a best and final offer for the programme, but that required US&nbsp;government approval of the integration of the PAC-3 MSE missile, one of the sources said.

Lockheed, which developed the MEADS programme together with MBDA, also builds the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement missile, but needed approval for its integration into German programme since the missile was developed separately from MEADS.

The MEADS system was developed with US $4 billion in funding from Germany, Italy and the United States, although the US&nbsp;Army later ended its participation in the programme.

Germany hopes to sign a contract for TLVS in 2019 and field the system in 2025.

MBDA and Lockheed executives have said progress on the German deal could fuel interest by other countries in the system, which will offer the ability to knit together a variety of different systems, including Patriot.

Initially slated to cost about 4 billion euros ($4.56 billion), sources say the final cost of the TLVS system is likely to be several billion euros higher.

The US government has approved integration of the US Patriot PAC-3 MSE missile into a next-generation German missile defence system, a spokesman said on Friday, a key step toward completion of a long-delayed multibillion-dollar arms sale.

The US government has approved integration of the US Patriot PAC-3 MSE missile into a next-generation German missile defence system, a spokesman said on Friday, a key step toward completion of a long-delayed multibillion-dollar arms sale. The decision followed high-level talks by German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen and US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis this summer, two sources familiar with the issue said. Germany selected the Medium Extended Air Defence System (MEADS) built by Lockheed Martin Corp and European missile maker MBDA over Raytheon's Patriot air and missile defence system in 2015, but it has taken years to move forward on the new defensive system called TLVS. US Air Force Colonel Mike Andrews, the Pentagon spokesman, confirmed the use of the MSE missile had been approved for use in the German programme, but gave no further details. "This is a significant step forward. The impasse has been solved," said one of the sources, who was not authorised to speak publicly. Lockheed, the top US weapons maker, and MBDA gave no details, but said they were upbeat that the programme was moving forward. MBDA is jointly owned by Airbus, Britain's BAE Systems and Italy's Leonardo. A spokesman at the German defence ministry gave no details, but said both the US and German sides were committed to signing a contract. "There is new momentum. Both sides are clearly committed to successful completion of the TLVS programme," the spokesman said. Germany's defence ministry in August asked Lockheed and MBDA to submit a best and final offer for the programme, but that required US government approval of the integration of the PAC-3 MSE missile, one of the sources said. Lockheed, which developed the MEADS programme together with MBDA, also builds the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement missile, but needed approval for its integration into German programme since the missile was developed separately from MEADS. The MEADS system was developed with US $4 billion in funding from Germany, Italy and the United States, although the US Army later ended its participation in the programme. Germany hopes to sign a contract for TLVS in 2019 and field the system in 2025. MBDA and Lockheed executives have said progress on the German deal could fuel interest by other countries in the system, which will offer the ability to knit together a variety of different systems, including Patriot. Initially slated to cost about 4 billion euros ($4.56 billion), sources say the final cost of the TLVS system is likely to be several billion euros higher.

US approves key step towards German missile defence deal

April 30, 1993,&nbsp;will be remembered as the&nbsp;darkest day in history of tennis as former world number one women's tennis player, Monica Seles, was&nbsp;stabbed in the back during a quarter-final match in Hamburg.

She had received a 1.5 cm deep wound and was immediately rushed to the hospital. The doctors said that she was very lucky as the weapon did not hurt her lungs and shoulder blades.

As per some media reports,&nbsp;the attack was politically motivated as she belonged to Serbia, the reports also mentioned that she used to receive death threats in connection with the Yugoslav conflict.

It was later revealed by Hamburg police after investigating the case that the attacker was a 38-year-old man who belonged to East Germany.

The police also mentioned that the convict looked very confused and appeared a mentally unstable person. There were speculations that he was a fan of Seles' rival Steffi Graf and did the terrible incident over Monica-Steffi rivalry.

Watch the video of the tragic incident here:

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Following the&nbsp;incident, Seles did not return to the court for almost next two years and meanwhile, her rival, Steffi Graf overtook her.

Monica Seles won nine Grand Slam singles titles, eight of them while representing Yugoslavia, and the final one while representing the United States.&nbsp;

She played her last professional match at 2003 French Open but officially retired in the year 2008.&nbsp;

Seles' attacker was a 38-year-old man from the former East Germany

April 30, 1993, will be remembered as the darkest day in history of tennis as former world number one women's tennis player, Monica Seles, was stabbed in the back during a quarter-final match in Hamburg. She had received a 1.5 cm deep wound and was immediately rushed to the hospital. The doctors said that she was very lucky as the weapon did not hurt her lungs and shoulder blades. As per some media reports, the attack was politically motivated as she belonged to Serbia, the reports also mentioned that she used to receive death threats in connection with the Yugoslav conflict. It was later revealed by Hamburg police after investigating the case that the attacker was a 38-year-old man who belonged to East Germany. The police also mentioned that the convict looked very confused and appeared a mentally unstable person. There were speculations that he was a fan of Seles' rival Steffi Graf and did the terrible incident over Monica-Steffi rivalry. Watch the video of the tragic incident here: × Following the incident, Seles did not return to the court for almost next two years and meanwhile, her rival, Steffi Graf overtook her. Monica Seles won nine Grand Slam singles titles, eight of them while representing Yugoslavia, and the final one while representing the United States. She played her last professional match at 2003 French Open but officially retired in the year 2008.

On this day: Ex-world no. 1 Monica Seles was stabbed in 1993, allegedly by a Stefi Graf fan

Karolina Pliskova and Petra Kvitova won their opening singles matches to give Czech Republic a commanding 2-0 lead in their Fed Cup semi-final against Germany in Stuttgart on Saturday.

Kvitova powered past German number one Julia Goerges 6-3 6-2 before Pliskova produced a sublime display to record a 7-5 6-3 victory over Angelique Kerber.

Pliskova, who had lost in her previous three encounters with Kerber, fired 15 aces and faced no break points as she subdued the home fans in Stuttgart."No one expected it," Pliskova said after the German failed to win a set on day one.

Kvitova recorded her 29th Fed Cup victory on the back of a strong serve and a string of blistering groundstrokes.

World number 11 Goerges was stronger in the opening exchanges and raced to a 3-1 lead in the first set before Kvitova rediscovered her rhythm to level things up.

The 28-year-old Czech claimed nine of the last 11 games and dropped just two points on her serve to seal the victory on the stroke of an hour.

The 10-time champion Czechs are looking to reach the Fed Cup final after a one-year absence. The last time Germany won the Fed Cup title was in 1992 in Frankfurt.

Kvitova powered past German number one Julia Goerges

Karolina Pliskova and Petra Kvitova won their opening singles matches to give Czech Republic a commanding 2-0 lead in their Fed Cup semi-final against Germany in Stuttgart on Saturday. Kvitova powered past German number one Julia Goerges 6-3 6-2 before Pliskova produced a sublime display to record a 7-5 6-3 victory over Angelique Kerber. Pliskova, who had lost in her previous three encounters with Kerber, fired 15 aces and faced no break points as she subdued the home fans in Stuttgart."No one expected it," Pliskova said after the German failed to win a set on day one. Kvitova recorded her 29th Fed Cup victory on the back of a strong serve and a string of blistering groundstrokes. World number 11 Goerges was stronger in the opening exchanges and raced to a 3-1 lead in the first set before Kvitova rediscovered her rhythm to level things up. The 28-year-old Czech claimed nine of the last 11 games and dropped just two points on her serve to seal the victory on the stroke of an hour. The 10-time champion Czechs are looking to reach the Fed Cup final after a one-year absence. The last time Germany won the Fed Cup title was in 1992 in Frankfurt.

Pliskova and Kvitova give Czechs commanding lead over Germany

German auto maker Volkswagen (VW) today said it has initiated a programme in India under which it plans to target professionals from IT, banking and other industries, to push sales in the country.

Under the Volkswagen corporate sales program, the company plans to target individuals from across sectors like information technology (IT), consultancy and banking, Volkswagen India said in a statement.

The automaker is also eyeing doctors, lawyers, architects, chartered accountants, teachers and government employees, with benefits that will extend to immediate family members as well, it added.

The program offers benefits on purchase, servicing of the vehicle, accessories as well as loyalty benefits, the company said.

The initiative covers the entire model range from Volkswagen India, including premium products like ? Tiguan and Passat.

"Through such initiatives, we continue to heighten the accessibility of our globally-acclaimed products, while extending the reach of our comprehensive suite of sales and after sales services to the country's distinctive car buyer," Volkswagen

Passenger Cars Director Steffen Knapp said.

The German automaker, which has been struggling to make its presence felt in India, has now set an aim to almost double its market share in the country to 3 per cent over the next five years.

As part of this ambition, the company has introduced various initiatives, with the Volkswagen Corporate Sales Program being the first step in that direction.

During the last fiscal, the company sold 45,329 units, down 9.41 per cent from 2016-17 where it sold 50,042 units.

Under the Volkswagen corporate sales program, the company plans to target individuals from across sectors like information technology (IT), consultancy and banking

German auto maker Volkswagen (VW) today said it has initiated a programme in India under which it plans to target professionals from IT, banking and other industries, to push sales in the country. Under the Volkswagen corporate sales program, the company plans to target individuals from across sectors like information technology (IT), consultancy and banking, Volkswagen India said in a statement. The automaker is also eyeing doctors, lawyers, architects, chartered accountants, teachers and government employees, with benefits that will extend to immediate family members as well, it added. The program offers benefits on purchase, servicing of the vehicle, accessories as well as loyalty benefits, the company said. The initiative covers the entire model range from Volkswagen India, including premium products like ? Tiguan and Passat. "Through such initiatives, we continue to heighten the accessibility of our globally-acclaimed products, while extending the reach of our comprehensive suite of sales and after sales services to the country's distinctive car buyer," Volkswagen Passenger Cars Director Steffen Knapp said. The German automaker, which has been struggling to make its presence felt in India, has now set an aim to almost double its market share in the country to 3 per cent over the next five years. As part of this ambition, the company has introduced various initiatives, with the Volkswagen Corporate Sales Program being the first step in that direction. During the last fiscal, the company sold 45,329 units, down 9.41 per cent from 2016-17 where it sold 50,042 units.

Volkswagen eyes IT, banking professionals in India to drive sales

Former world number two Tommy Haas officially announced his retirement from tennis at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells on Thursday, ending a career that spanned more than two decades.

The 39-year-old German, a tournament director at the event, announced his decision in an emotional speech shortly after his close friend Roger Federer`s quarter-final victory over South Korea`s Chung Hyeon.

&quot;I consider myself extremely fortunate that I was able play professional tennis for a living for more than two decades,&quot; Haas said to an appreciative crowd that included retired greats Rod Laver and Pete Sampras.

&quot;The sport gave me cherished friendships, an ability to travel the world, and opportunities to create incredible memories. It also taught me a lot about what it means to face challenges, battle back, and overcome them.

&quot;To my parents, family, wife and children, thank you for all the love and support that you gave me over the years. And, to the fans, thank you for cheering me on throughout my career.&quot;

The German won 15 titles on the ATP Tour, the last two coming in 2013 when he triumphed in Munich and Vienna. He reached a career-high ranking of number two in 2002 and made a total of 28 final appearances.

Haas, who turned professional in 1996, reached the Australian Open semi-finals three times -- in 1999, 2002 and 2007 -- as well as the last-four at Wimbledon in 2009.

A tough fighter who always bounced back from injury adversity, Haas underwent a total of nine surgeries in his career and won ATP Comeback Player of the Year awards in 2004 and 2012.

Haas, who won the silver medal for Germany at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, finishes his career with 569 wins -- the last of which was a memorable victory over Federer at Stuttgart last year.

Haas' career has spanned more than two decades

Former world number two Tommy Haas officially announced his retirement from tennis at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells on Thursday, ending a career that spanned more than two decades. The 39-year-old German, a tournament director at the event, announced his decision in an emotional speech shortly after his close friend Roger Federer`s quarter-final victory over South Korea`s Chung Hyeon. "I consider myself extremely fortunate that I was able play professional tennis for a living for more than two decades," Haas said to an appreciative crowd that included retired greats Rod Laver and Pete Sampras. "The sport gave me cherished friendships, an ability to travel the world, and opportunities to create incredible memories. It also taught me a lot about what it means to face challenges, battle back, and overcome them. "To my parents, family, wife and children, thank you for all the love and support that you gave me over the years. And, to the fans, thank you for cheering me on throughout my career." The German won 15 titles on the ATP Tour, the last two coming in 2013 when he triumphed in Munich and Vienna. He reached a career-high ranking of number two in 2002 and made a total of 28 final appearances. Haas, who turned professional in 1996, reached the Australian Open semi-finals three times -- in 1999, 2002 and 2007 -- as well as the last-four at Wimbledon in 2009. A tough fighter who always bounced back from injury adversity, Haas underwent a total of nine surgeries in his career and won ATP Comeback Player of the Year awards in 2004 and 2012. Haas, who won the silver medal for Germany at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, finishes his career with 569 wins -- the last of which was a memorable victory over Federer at Stuttgart last year.

Tommy Haas announces retirement from tennis

Opponents of a renewed German &quot;grand coalition&quot; took to the road on Saturday, hoping to persuade members of their Social Democratic Party (SPD) to vote against governing with Chancellor Angela Merkel&#39;s conservatives for another four years.

The party&#39;s rank-and-file, bruised after seeing the SPD&#39;s previous stint as Merkel&#39;s junior partner lead to its worst election result since 1933, is wary of its leaders&#39; calls for the party to step up for the sake of Germany&#39;s stability.

Leaders of the SPD and the conservative camp thrashed out a 28-page blueprint for a possible &quot;GroKo&quot; grand coalition government this week, recommending that their parties hold formal coalition talks.

But meeting in Wernigerode, a medieval town of half-timbered buildings at the foot of the thickly forested Harz hills, delegates at a regional party meeting wrestled with the issue, which has split the party down the middle.

&quot;Important demands that the SPD made ahead of the elections are simply not in the document,&quot; said Kevin Kuehnert, leader of the SPD&#39;s Jusos youth wing, who will spend the next week criss-crossing the country arguing for delegates to vote &quot;No&quot; to coalition talks at a special party congress next Saturday.

&quot;We Jusos aren&#39;t going to make ourselves the servants of a Black (conservative) government that demands deportations or a refugee camp,&quot; said Florian Luedke, a local youth delegate wearing a &quot;NoGroKo&quot; badge, to applause.

The slump in the SPD vote in the Sept. 24 national election has left the membership in a contrary mood, with many calling for the party to reinvent itself in opposition rather than attempt to implement what they see as thin gruel in the coalition blueprint.

The document is sprinkled with pledges - on strengthening the European Union, on supporting refugees, on tax and pensions - designed to appeal to the more radical membership.

But most fall far short of what the SPD campaigned for in the election. A tax hike for the wealthy or the establishment of parity between private and public healthcare were absent from the document thrashed out with Merkel&#39;s Christian Democrats (CDU) and her still more conservative Bavarian CSU allies.

&quot;DAMNED LONELY&quot;

The Jusos are angered particularly by the document containing an aspiration that migration not exceed 220,000 a year, dismissing it as an &quot;asylum cap by another name&quot;.

The SPD&#39;s branch in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany&#39;s largest state, also opposes a repeat of the coalition. Hit by the decline in the heavy industry that had provided its traditional voter base, it was toppled in the regional government by Merkel&#39;s CDU last year.

Even some senior party figures are not completely sold on the idea.

&quot;There is a great deal of scepticism,&quot; Manuela Schwesig, SPD state premier in the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, told NDR Info radio.

Across the country, voters have deserted the SPD for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party or the Left party, formed from the ashes of the former East German Communist party.

Addressing the regional congress in Wernigerode, Social Democrat Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel urged delegates to resist the temptation to lick their wounds in opposition, urging them to use power to give people a reason to vote for them.

&quot;If you never make compromises you&#39;ll end up damned lonely, pretty quickly,&quot; Gabriel said. Only in power can the SPD advance policies that would win it votes, he added.

He praised the deal&#39;s commitment to strengthening the EU and tackling youth unemployment across the bloc, saying that in a world where U.S. President Donald Trump was an increasingly unreliable partner and China ever more powerful, social democracy was hard to achieve &quot;by national means&quot;.

On this, at least, the radical youth wing agreed with him.

&quot;There was lots of social democracy in the first bit on Europe, but after that it stops,&quot; Luebke said of the coalition blueprint. &quot;Vote against the Grand Coalition, and look for ways to renew our party.&quot;

The party's rank-and-file, bruised after seeing the SPD's previous stint as Merkel's junior partner lead to its worst election result since 1933, is wary of its leaders' calls for the party to step up for the sake of Germany's stability.

Opponents of a renewed German "grand coalition" took to the road on Saturday, hoping to persuade members of their Social Democratic Party (SPD) to vote against governing with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives for another four years. The party's rank-and-file, bruised after seeing the SPD's previous stint as Merkel's junior partner lead to its worst election result since 1933, is wary of its leaders' calls for the party to step up for the sake of Germany's stability. Leaders of the SPD and the conservative camp thrashed out a 28-page blueprint for a possible "GroKo" grand coalition government this week, recommending that their parties hold formal coalition talks. But meeting in Wernigerode, a medieval town of half-timbered buildings at the foot of the thickly forested Harz hills, delegates at a regional party meeting wrestled with the issue, which has split the party down the middle. "Important demands that the SPD made ahead of the elections are simply not in the document," said Kevin Kuehnert, leader of the SPD's Jusos youth wing, who will spend the next week criss-crossing the country arguing for delegates to vote "No" to coalition talks at a special party congress next Saturday. "We Jusos aren't going to make ourselves the servants of a Black (conservative) government that demands deportations or a refugee camp," said Florian Luedke, a local youth delegate wearing a "NoGroKo" badge, to applause. The slump in the SPD vote in the Sept. 24 national election has left the membership in a contrary mood, with many calling for the party to reinvent itself in opposition rather than attempt to implement what they see as thin gruel in the coalition blueprint. The document is sprinkled with pledges - on strengthening the European Union, on supporting refugees, on tax and pensions - designed to appeal to the more radical membership. But most fall far short of what the SPD campaigned for in the election. A tax hike for the wealthy or the establishment of parity between private and public healthcare were absent from the document thrashed out with Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) and her still more conservative Bavarian CSU allies. "DAMNED LONELY" The Jusos are angered particularly by the document containing an aspiration that migration not exceed 220,000 a year, dismissing it as an "asylum cap by another name". The SPD's branch in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's largest state, also opposes a repeat of the coalition. Hit by the decline in the heavy industry that had provided its traditional voter base, it was toppled in the regional government by Merkel's CDU last year. Even some senior party figures are not completely sold on the idea. "There is a great deal of scepticism," Manuela Schwesig, SPD state premier in the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, told NDR Info radio. Across the country, voters have deserted the SPD for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party or the Left party, formed from the ashes of the former East German Communist party. Addressing the regional congress in Wernigerode, Social Democrat Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel urged delegates to resist the temptation to lick their wounds in opposition, urging them to use power to give people a reason to vote for them. "If you never make compromises you'll end up damned lonely, pretty quickly," Gabriel said. Only in power can the SPD advance policies that would win it votes, he added. He praised the deal's commitment to strengthening the EU and tackling youth unemployment across the bloc, saying that in a world where U.S. President Donald Trump was an increasingly unreliable partner and China ever more powerful, social democracy was hard to achieve "by national means". On this, at least, the radical youth wing agreed with him. "There was lots of social democracy in the first bit on Europe, but after that it stops," Luebke said of the coalition blueprint. "Vote against the Grand Coalition, and look for ways to renew our party."

No Grand Coalition! Opponents of Merkel alliance hit the road

The German economy grew 2.2 per cent in 2017, enjoying its fastest rate of expansion since 2011, official data for Europe`s top economy showed Thursday.

The expansion, which was in line with forecasts from leading economic think-tanks and the OECD, was driven by big increases in the rate of growth in investments and exports, officials from statistics authority Destatis said at a Berlin press conference.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, expansion in private and government consumption slowed compared with 2016.

Growth was also almost one percentage point higher than the 1.3-per cent average recorded over the past 10 years.

And Germany notched up a record government budget surplus of 1.2 percent of GDP, Destatis said.

It was &quot;a strong performance by an economy firing on all cylinders,&quot; commented ING Diba bank economist Carsten Brzeski.

&quot;The same fundamentals which have supported growth in 2016 and 2017 should still be in place in 2018,&quot; he added.

Strong growth and bulging state coffers have stoked demands from politicians and unions to put some of the country`s wealth to work, whether by offering voters tax cuts, boosting public spending and investment, or increasing wages.

Thursday`s growth data come on the same day that Chancellor Angela Merkel`s conservatives enter a final round of talks with the centre-left Social Democrats to explore renewing their left-right &quot;grand coalition&quot;.

And the figures follow on the heels of days of strikes by powerful metalworkers` union IG Metall, which is pushing for a big salary increase and the option of working a 28-hour week.

The expansion, which was in line with forecasts from leading economic think-tanks and the OECD, was driven by big increases in the rate of growth in investments and exports, officials from statistics authority Destatis said at a Berlin press conference

The German economy grew 2.2 per cent in 2017, enjoying its fastest rate of expansion since 2011, official data for Europe`s top economy showed Thursday. The expansion, which was in line with forecasts from leading economic think-tanks and the OECD, was driven by big increases in the rate of growth in investments and exports, officials from statistics authority Destatis said at a Berlin press conference. Meanwhile, expansion in private and government consumption slowed compared with 2016. Growth was also almost one percentage point higher than the 1.3-per cent average recorded over the past 10 years. And Germany notched up a record government budget surplus of 1.2 percent of GDP, Destatis said. It was "a strong performance by an economy firing on all cylinders," commented ING Diba bank economist Carsten Brzeski. "The same fundamentals which have supported growth in 2016 and 2017 should still be in place in 2018," he added. Strong growth and bulging state coffers have stoked demands from politicians and unions to put some of the country`s wealth to work, whether by offering voters tax cuts, boosting public spending and investment, or increasing wages. Thursday`s growth data come on the same day that Chancellor Angela Merkel`s conservatives enter a final round of talks with the centre-left Social Democrats to explore renewing their left-right "grand coalition". And the figures follow on the heels of days of strikes by powerful metalworkers` union IG Metall, which is pushing for a big salary increase and the option of working a 28-hour week.

German economy grew 2.2% in 2017: Official data

German exports fell unexpectedly in October while vibrant domestic demand pushed up imports, narrowing its trade surplus and adding to evidence that Europe&#39;s biggest economy started the fourth quarter on a weak footing, data showed on Friday.

The German economy, which is expected to grow by more than 2 percent this year, is enjoying a consumer-led upswing, propelled by record-high employment, rising real wages, moderate inflation, and ultra-low borrowing costs.&nbsp;

Seasonally adjusted exports edged down by 0.4 per cent on the month while imports jumped by 1.8 per cent, data from the Federal Statistics Office showed. The exports figure confounded expectations for a 1.0 per cent rise while imports beat a forecast for a 1.1 per cent increase.

&quot;German industry has gone through a small roller coaster ride since the start of the summer&quot;, ING economist Carsten Brzeski said, adding that disappointing numbers had been followed by impressive rebounds.&nbsp;

&quot;Behind the vacation and weather-driven white noise of monthly data, however, there is a clear upward trend. The export sector has once more become an important growth driver in 2017&quot;, Brzeski&nbsp;continued.

A breakdown of unadjusted figures showed that German imports from other European Union countries surged by 10.1 per cent while those from countries outside the bloc rose by 4.8 per cent.&nbsp;The seasonally adjusted trade surplus narrowed to 19.9 billion euros from an upwardly revised 21.9 billion euros in September. The October reading was lower than the Reuters consensus forecast for 21.8 billion euros.

Germany&#39;s wider current account surplus, which measures the flow of goods, services, and investments, fell to 18.1 billion euros after an upwardly revised reading of 25.8 billion euros in September, unadjusted data showed.&nbsp;

The trade figures followed economic data released on Thursday that showed industrial output fell unexpectedly in October - a drop economists linked to public holidays that let workers take long weekends.

The weak figures came after data on Wednesday showed that industrial orders had risen unexpectedly in October, suggesting that output could bounce back in the coming months.&nbsp;Rising exports and business investment in equipment helped the German economy to shift into a higher gear in the third quarter - it expanded by 0.8 per cent on the quarter, up from 0.6 per cent in the previous three months.

&quot;This week&#39;s industrial data show that even the German economy can have weaker moments&quot;, Brzeski said, adding that the fourth quarter could bring a slowdown in overall growth.&nbsp;For 2017 as a whole, the Ifo Institute for Economic Research predicts economic growth of 2.3 per cent which would translate into a calendar-adjusted expansion rate of 2.6 per cent - the fastest pace in six years.

Europe's second-biggest economy - Germany - takes a hit as it sees an unexpected decline in exports sector

German exports fell unexpectedly in October while vibrant domestic demand pushed up imports, narrowing its trade surplus and adding to evidence that Europe's biggest economy started the fourth quarter on a weak footing, data showed on Friday. The German economy, which is expected to grow by more than 2 percent this year, is enjoying a consumer-led upswing, propelled by record-high employment, rising real wages, moderate inflation, and ultra-low borrowing costs. Seasonally adjusted exports edged down by 0.4 per cent on the month while imports jumped by 1.8 per cent, data from the Federal Statistics Office showed. The exports figure confounded expectations for a 1.0 per cent rise while imports beat a forecast for a 1.1 per cent increase. "German industry has gone through a small roller coaster ride since the start of the summer", ING economist Carsten Brzeski said, adding that disappointing numbers had been followed by impressive rebounds. "Behind the vacation and weather-driven white noise of monthly data, however, there is a clear upward trend. The export sector has once more become an important growth driver in 2017", Brzeski continued. A breakdown of unadjusted figures showed that German imports from other European Union countries surged by 10.1 per cent while those from countries outside the bloc rose by 4.8 per cent. The seasonally adjusted trade surplus narrowed to 19.9 billion euros from an upwardly revised 21.9 billion euros in September. The October reading was lower than the Reuters consensus forecast for 21.8 billion euros. Germany's wider current account surplus, which measures the flow of goods, services, and investments, fell to 18.1 billion euros after an upwardly revised reading of 25.8 billion euros in September, unadjusted data showed. The trade figures followed economic data released on Thursday that showed industrial output fell unexpectedly in October - a drop economists linked to public holidays that let workers take long weekends. The weak figures came after data on Wednesday showed that industrial orders had risen unexpectedly in October, suggesting that output could bounce back in the coming months. Rising exports and business investment in equipment helped the German economy to shift into a higher gear in the third quarter - it expanded by 0.8 per cent on the quarter, up from 0.6 per cent in the previous three months. "This week's industrial data show that even the German economy can have weaker moments", Brzeski said, adding that the fourth quarter could bring a slowdown in overall growth. For 2017 as a whole, the Ifo Institute for Economic Research predicts economic growth of 2.3 per cent which would translate into a calendar-adjusted expansion rate of 2.6 per cent - the fastest pace in six years.

Unexpected decline in German exports narrows trade surplus

As a Syrian migrant arriving in Berlin, Munzer Khattab could barely say a word in German, let alone fill out a pile of forms in the language. So over the past year, Khattab has not only learned German but also worked with five other Syrian refugees or asylum seekers to design a smartphone app to make forms less daunting. 
 
The app, called &#39;Bureaucrazy&#39;, to be launched in January, will translate various forms into Arabic and English for newcomers facing a pile of paperwork ranging from registering with authorities to opening a bank account. It will also provide them with a map with Berlin offices that all newcomers need to navigate and deal with other questions about red tape that can leave asylum seekers in knots. 
 
Khattab, 23, who fled his coastal hometown of Latakia last year to avoid military service in Syria, said the inspiration came as he ploughed through more than a dozen registration forms in German after arriving in Berlin. 
 
&quot;Even when we asked Germans they had problems understanding the forms,&quot; Khattab told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a telephone interview. 
 
&quot;If the Germans found them unreadable, how could we [migrants] read them?&quot; The app&#39;s name stemmed from Khattab, whose first language is Arabic, being caught out mispronouncing the word &#39;bureaucracy&#39;. &quot;Someone heard it and said &#39;Bureaucrazy? What did you say? That&#39;s a cool name&#39;,&quot; said Khattab. 
 
Khattab and his partners developed the app as part of a program in computer-coding they are taking at ReDI, a Berlin non-profit school with a mission to integrate refugees. It won a local software development contest and later drew praise at the Startup Europe tech conference earlier this year. 
 
The developers believe it will help migrants fleeing violence and poverty, more than a million of which have entered Germany in the past year. 
 
&quot;Everyone has the same problem: they come to Berlin as newcomers from Spain to Italy, and they have the same problems that we had,&quot; Khattab said. 
 
(Reuters)

The app, developed by Khattab, will translate various German forms into Arabic and English for newcomers facing a pile of paperwork

As a Syrian migrant arriving in Berlin, Munzer Khattab could barely say a word in German, let alone fill out a pile of forms in the language. So over the past year, Khattab has not only learned German but also worked with five other Syrian refugees or asylum seekers to design a smartphone app to make forms less daunting. The app, called 'Bureaucrazy', to be launched in January, will translate various forms into Arabic and English for newcomers facing a pile of paperwork ranging from registering with authorities to opening a bank account. It will also provide them with a map with Berlin offices that all newcomers need to navigate and deal with other questions about red tape that can leave asylum seekers in knots. Khattab, 23, who fled his coastal hometown of Latakia last year to avoid military service in Syria, said the inspiration came as he ploughed through more than a dozen registration forms in German after arriving in Berlin. "Even when we asked Germans they had problems understanding the forms," Khattab told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a telephone interview. "If the Germans found them unreadable, how could we [migrants] read them?" The app's name stemmed from Khattab, whose first language is Arabic, being caught out mispronouncing the word 'bureaucracy'. "Someone heard it and said 'Bureaucrazy? What did you say? That's a cool name'," said Khattab. Khattab and his partners developed the app as part of a program in computer-coding they are taking at ReDI, a Berlin non-profit school with a mission to integrate refugees. It won a local software development contest and later drew praise at the Startup Europe tech conference earlier this year. The developers believe it will help migrants fleeing violence and poverty, more than a million of which have entered Germany in the past year. "Everyone has the same problem: they come to Berlin as newcomers from Spain to Italy, and they have the same problems that we had," Khattab said. (Reuters)

Bureaucrazy: The smartphone app created by Syrian refugees to cut through German bureaucracy

The German company Goal Control has questioned UEFA&#39;s decision to award the goal-line technology contract for the Euro 2016 soccer championships to Hawk-Eye, a Sony subsidiary, citing it as a breach of antitrust regulations. 
 
&quot;The awarding (of the contract) to Sony Hawk-Eye for Euro 2016 and other European club tournaments, i.e. Champions League and Europa League mean that in most stadiums of the major leagues in Europe the system Sony Hawk-Eye can be found. That means that they monopolise the market,&quot; the lawyer for the German company Goal Control, Wolfgang Kau, told Reuters on Tuesday. 
 
Ligue 1 chose the Goal Control system back in 2015, so with it already installed in all the stadiums being used for Euro 2016, Kau said that it would have been better and cheaper to use Goal Control rather than Hawk-Eye. 
 
&quot;And we know from the world championship and the use in the French league that the Goal Control System works at least as well as the Sony Hawk-Eye System. And both are licensed by FIFA. So that cannot be the problem.&quot; 
 
Kau hinted that there might be some other influences in the decision by the UEFA, like the &quot;sponsorship contract between Sony and UEFA&quot; and that the other two competitors had no equal chance. 
 
In April, UEFA decided to use Hawk-Eye technology for its Euro 2016 goal-line technology to determine whether the ball has crossed the goal-line. The British company&#39;s camera-based system, used in tennis and cricket and at the 2014 World Cup final, is installed in all 10 stadiums hosting the tournament in France and also used in the Premier League and Bundesliga. 
 
The system uses seven cameras to track the flight of the ball, indicating to the referee&#39;s radio-controlled watch within one second with a vibration and visual signal whether a goal has been scored. Referees are still be helped by additional assistant referees. 
 
UEFA&#39;s cooperation with Hawk-Eye will continue, as goal-line technology is to be used in the UEFA Super Cup match in Trondheim and the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League, from the play-offs onwards. A decision concerning its implementation in the UEFA Europa League, from the group stage onwards in 2017/18, will be made at a later stage. 
 
(Reuters)

UEFA's cooperation with Hawk-Eye will continue and the technology is to be used in the UEFA Super Cup and the 2016//17 UEFA Champions League

The German company Goal Control has questioned UEFA's decision to award the goal-line technology contract for the Euro 2016 soccer championships to Hawk-Eye, a Sony subsidiary, citing it as a breach of antitrust regulations. "The awarding (of the contract) to Sony Hawk-Eye for Euro 2016 and other European club tournaments, i.e. Champions League and Europa League mean that in most stadiums of the major leagues in Europe the system Sony Hawk-Eye can be found. That means that they monopolise the market," the lawyer for the German company Goal Control, Wolfgang Kau, told Reuters on Tuesday. Ligue 1 chose the Goal Control system back in 2015, so with it already installed in all the stadiums being used for Euro 2016, Kau said that it would have been better and cheaper to use Goal Control rather than Hawk-Eye. "And we know from the world championship and the use in the French league that the Goal Control System works at least as well as the Sony Hawk-Eye System. And both are licensed by FIFA. So that cannot be the problem." Kau hinted that there might be some other influences in the decision by the UEFA, like the "sponsorship contract between Sony and UEFA" and that the other two competitors had no equal chance. In April, UEFA decided to use Hawk-Eye technology for its Euro 2016 goal-line technology to determine whether the ball has crossed the goal-line. The British company's camera-based system, used in tennis and cricket and at the 2014 World Cup final, is installed in all 10 stadiums hosting the tournament in France and also used in the Premier League and Bundesliga. The system uses seven cameras to track the flight of the ball, indicating to the referee's radio-controlled watch within one second with a vibration and visual signal whether a goal has been scored. Referees are still be helped by additional assistant referees. UEFA's cooperation with Hawk-Eye will continue, as goal-line technology is to be used in the UEFA Super Cup match in Trondheim and the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League, from the play-offs onwards. A decision concerning its implementation in the UEFA Europa League, from the group stage onwards in 2017/18, will be made at a later stage. (Reuters)

Goal Control complain to UEFA for using Hawk-Eye for goal-line technology at Euro 2016

Switzerland winger Xherdan Shaqiri said he hoped sportswear maker Puma &quot;doesn&#39;t make condoms&quot; after several Swiss players ended their Euro 2016 match with France with shredded jerseys. 
 
The German company blamed a material flaw after four Swiss players -- Admir Mehmedi, Breel Embolo, Blerim Dzemaili and Granit Xhaka -- had to change their shirts in the first half of the goalless draw in Lille on Sunday. 
 
Recent Arsenal recruit Xhaka had to change his shirt again in the second half. 
 
&quot;I hope Puma doesn&#39;t make condoms,&quot; Shaqiri told Switzerland&#39;s SRF broadcaster. 
 
Former England striker Gary Lineker took the opportunity to poke fun on Twitter, writing: &quot;Swiss team&#39;s Puma shirts tearing like paper. Adidas ball bursting. You can never rely on German efficiency!&quot; 
 
During the same match, the Adidas ball used burst in a tackle by Swiss midfielder Valon Behrami. 
 
In a statement, Puma said that &quot;our five Puma teams have played 10 games at Euro 2016 before this without experiencing this problem&quot;. 
 
It later followed up to say that, in all, seven jerseys were ripped Sunday in &quot;grabbing and tugging by French opponents&quot; in the European Championship match. 
 
It said its investigation had found that &quot;there was a faulty batch of material in which the yarn was damaged during production&quot;. 
 
It blamed incorrect application of heat and pressure in the manufacturing process in a workshop in Turkey and promised that &quot;there will not be a repetition&quot; of the flaw. 
 
Puma is also the supplier for the teams of Austria, Czech Republic, Italy and Slovakia. 
 
All of them had &quot;confirmed that they had no problems of this kind and are very satisfied with the quality, functionality and design of the shirts,&quot; said the company. 
 
&quot;Puma regrets the incident and apologises to the Swiss Football Association and its players,&quot; it added. 
 
The Swiss shirts will be needed for at least one more match as the team has qualified for the second round. 
 
Puma&#39;s German rival Adidas said today that it had agreed a four-year deal to remain kit supplier to Germany until 2022, worth more than 50 million euros ($56.5 million) a year. 
 
The agreement with the world champions came in the face of competition from US giant Nike for the prestigious contract. 
(AFP)

Puma blamed for material flaw after four Swiss players had to change their shirts in the first half of the goalless draw in Lille on Sunday

Switzerland winger Xherdan Shaqiri said he hoped sportswear maker Puma "doesn't make condoms" after several Swiss players ended their Euro 2016 match with France with shredded jerseys. The German company blamed a material flaw after four Swiss players -- Admir Mehmedi, Breel Embolo, Blerim Dzemaili and Granit Xhaka -- had to change their shirts in the first half of the goalless draw in Lille on Sunday. Recent Arsenal recruit Xhaka had to change his shirt again in the second half. "I hope Puma doesn't make condoms," Shaqiri told Switzerland's SRF broadcaster. Former England striker Gary Lineker took the opportunity to poke fun on Twitter, writing: "Swiss team's Puma shirts tearing like paper. Adidas ball bursting. You can never rely on German efficiency!" During the same match, the Adidas ball used burst in a tackle by Swiss midfielder Valon Behrami. In a statement, Puma said that "our five Puma teams have played 10 games at Euro 2016 before this without experiencing this problem". It later followed up to say that, in all, seven jerseys were ripped Sunday in "grabbing and tugging by French opponents" in the European Championship match. It said its investigation had found that "there was a faulty batch of material in which the yarn was damaged during production". It blamed incorrect application of heat and pressure in the manufacturing process in a workshop in Turkey and promised that "there will not be a repetition" of the flaw. Puma is also the supplier for the teams of Austria, Czech Republic, Italy and Slovakia. All of them had "confirmed that they had no problems of this kind and are very satisfied with the quality, functionality and design of the shirts," said the company. "Puma regrets the incident and apologises to the Swiss Football Association and its players," it added. The Swiss shirts will be needed for at least one more match as the team has qualified for the second round. Puma's German rival Adidas said today that it had agreed a four-year deal to remain kit supplier to Germany until 2022, worth more than 50 million euros ($56.5 million) a year. The agreement with the world champions came in the face of competition from US giant Nike for the prestigious contract. (AFP)

?'I hope Puma don't make condoms' says Shaqiri

Germany central defender Jerome Boateng returned to training today after overcoming a muscle injury, and appeared fit for Sunday&#39;s Euro 2016 round of 16 clash against Slovakia. 
 
Boateng picked up a calf muscle injury towards the end of their 1-0 victory over Northern Ireland this week, and his participation on Sunday was in doubt. 
 
He did not train with the team on Friday, undergoing an individual session involving cycling and jogging, and seemed fit on Saturday, as Germany prepare for their departure to Lille later in the day. 
 
The 27-year-old, who has resumed his World-Cup winning partnership in central defence with Mats Hummels, has helped the world champions keep a clean sheet in all three of their group stage matches in the tournament so far. 
 
The winner of the round of 16 match will next play either Italy or Euro holders Spain in the quarter-finals. 
 
(Reuters)

Boateng injured his calf towards the end of their 1-0 victory over Northern Ireland and his participation on Sunday was in doubt

Germany central defender Jerome Boateng returned to training today after overcoming a muscle injury, and appeared fit for Sunday's Euro 2016 round of 16 clash against Slovakia. Boateng picked up a calf muscle injury towards the end of their 1-0 victory over Northern Ireland this week, and his participation on Sunday was in doubt. He did not train with the team on Friday, undergoing an individual session involving cycling and jogging, and seemed fit on Saturday, as Germany prepare for their departure to Lille later in the day. The 27-year-old, who has resumed his World-Cup winning partnership in central defence with Mats Hummels, has helped the world champions keep a clean sheet in all three of their group stage matches in the tournament so far. The winner of the round of 16 match will next play either Italy or Euro holders Spain in the quarter-finals. (Reuters)

Germany's Jerome Boateng back in training for Slovakia game

Lewis Hamilton extended his lead in the Formula One drivers championship to 19 points after winning the German Grand Prix with ease today, with Mercedes teammate and title rival Nico Rosberg only fourth. 
 
Rosberg surrendered his lead from pole to the Briton, who stormed away to claim his sixth win in seven races and strengthen his grip in the title chase. 
 
Second was Daniel Ricciardo, with Max Verstappen, his Red Bull teammate, third. 
 
Reigning world champion Hamilton took full advantage of a poor start by Rosberg, who also received a five second pit-stop penalty for an over-aggressive passing move, to deliver a flawless drive. 
 
&ldquo;Get in there, Lewis,&rdquo; said his team engineer over the radio. &ldquo;Great work, mate, a beautiful start and fantastically managed.&rdquo; 
 
The Briton responded: &ldquo;As always, thanks to you all, brilliant pit stops and now have a well-deserved summer break.&rdquo; 
 
For Rosberg, who was seeking to repeat his 2014 triumph, it ended up as a day of disappointment on home soil. 
 
The home fans at Hockenheim had another German to cheer as four-time champion Sebastian Vettel finished fifth ahead of his Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen and compatriot Nico Hulkenberg, who was seventh on home turf for Force India. 
 
Briton Jenson Button, the 2009 world champion, finished eighth ahead of Finn Valtteri Bottas of Williams and Mexican Sergio Perez of Force India. 
 
&quot;What a race,&quot; Hamilton, who started second on the grid, told the crowd from the podium. &quot;Big thank you to the team, who did an amazing job. &quot;I didn&#39;t make any mistakes. Yesterday was not perfect, but you learn from those things.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

It ended up as a day of disappointment for Nico Rosberg, who was seeking to repeat his 2014 triumph on home soil

Lewis Hamilton extended his lead in the Formula One drivers championship to 19 points after winning the German Grand Prix with ease today, with Mercedes teammate and title rival Nico Rosberg only fourth. Rosberg surrendered his lead from pole to the Briton, who stormed away to claim his sixth win in seven races and strengthen his grip in the title chase. Second was Daniel Ricciardo, with Max Verstappen, his Red Bull teammate, third. Reigning world champion Hamilton took full advantage of a poor start by Rosberg, who also received a five second pit-stop penalty for an over-aggressive passing move, to deliver a flawless drive. “Get in there, Lewis,” said his team engineer over the radio. “Great work, mate, a beautiful start and fantastically managed.” The Briton responded: “As always, thanks to you all, brilliant pit stops and now have a well-deserved summer break.” For Rosberg, who was seeking to repeat his 2014 triumph, it ended up as a day of disappointment on home soil. The home fans at Hockenheim had another German to cheer as four-time champion Sebastian Vettel finished fifth ahead of his Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen and compatriot Nico Hulkenberg, who was seventh on home turf for Force India. Briton Jenson Button, the 2009 world champion, finished eighth ahead of Finn Valtteri Bottas of Williams and Mexican Sergio Perez of Force India. "What a race," Hamilton, who started second on the grid, told the crowd from the podium. "Big thank you to the team, who did an amazing job. "I didn't make any mistakes. Yesterday was not perfect, but you learn from those things." (AFP)

Lewis Hamilton wins German Grand Prix

Dubai: Iran will press on with its missile programme &quot;with full force&quot; based on national security needs, a foreign ministry spokesman was quoted as saying on Saturday, adding that critical comments by Germany&#39;s leader were unhelpful. 
 
Chancellor Angela Merkel told the parliament in Berlin on Thursday that missile launches by Iran earlier this year were inconsistent with a UN resolution urging it to refrain for up to eight years from missile work designed to deliver nuclear weapons. 
 
Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said Merkel&#39;s remarks were &quot;not constructive&quot; and would have no bearing on the programme, according to state news agency IRNA. 
 
Reiterating Tehran&#39;s assertion that the missiles are not designed to carry nuclear weapons, he added: &quot;Iran will continue with full force its missile programme based on its defensive plans and national security calculations.&quot; 
 
On Friday, Iran rejected as &quot;unrealistic&quot; a report by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon criticising its missile launches as inconsistent with its deal with world powers to curb sensitive nuclear activity in exchange for sanctions relief. 
 
Reuters reported on Thursday that a confidential report by Ban had found the tests to be inconsistent &quot;with the constructive spirit&quot; of the July 2015 agreement. 
 
Responding to German intelligence reports that Iran has been trying to acquire nuclear technology in Germany, Berlin said on Friday that certain forces in Iran may be trying to undermine the nuclear deal. 
 
Germany&#39;s domestic intelligence agency said in its annual report that Iranian efforts to illegally procure technology, especially in the nuclear area, had continued at a &quot;high level&quot; in 2015. 
 
(Reuters)

It also criticised Angela Merkel who had said the missile launches were inconsistent with a 2015 UN resolution

Dubai: Iran will press on with its missile programme "with full force" based on national security needs, a foreign ministry spokesman was quoted as saying on Saturday, adding that critical comments by Germany's leader were unhelpful. Chancellor Angela Merkel told the parliament in Berlin on Thursday that missile launches by Iran earlier this year were inconsistent with a UN resolution urging it to refrain for up to eight years from missile work designed to deliver nuclear weapons. Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said Merkel's remarks were "not constructive" and would have no bearing on the programme, according to state news agency IRNA. Reiterating Tehran's assertion that the missiles are not designed to carry nuclear weapons, he added: "Iran will continue with full force its missile programme based on its defensive plans and national security calculations." On Friday, Iran rejected as "unrealistic" a report by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon criticising its missile launches as inconsistent with its deal with world powers to curb sensitive nuclear activity in exchange for sanctions relief. Reuters reported on Thursday that a confidential report by Ban had found the tests to be inconsistent "with the constructive spirit" of the July 2015 agreement. Responding to German intelligence reports that Iran has been trying to acquire nuclear technology in Germany, Berlin said on Friday that certain forces in Iran may be trying to undermine the nuclear deal. Germany's domestic intelligence agency said in its annual report that Iranian efforts to illegally procure technology, especially in the nuclear area, had continued at a "high level" in 2015. (Reuters)

Iran says it will continue with missile programme 'with full force'

Volkswagen&#39;s former boss Martin Winterkorn is under investigation for having allegedly manipulated the market by holding back information about emissions cheating at the automobile giant, German prosecutors said today. 
 
&quot;The initial suspicion of market manipulation is directed against two former board members of the VW Group. Among them is the former chief executive of the Volkswagen group, Professor Dr Martin Winterkorn,&quot; said prosecutors in a statement. 
 
Investigators in Brunswick, in Lower Saxony state where VW is based, did not name the second suspect but said the individual was not the group&#39;s current chairman. 
 
Listed companies are required to disclose information that could affect market prices immediately. 
 
But VW complied with its disclosure obligation only on September 22, 2015, prosecutors said, four days after US regulators went public that they were charging the company for fitting devices designed to skew emissions data in their vehicles. 
 
&quot;There are sufficient indications suggesting that the obligation to make a disclosure statement could have been met at an earlier date,&quot; prosecutors said. 
 
Shares in VW plunged 17.14 percent on Monday September 21, 2015 the first trading day after the US charge was made public. 
 
They sank another 19.82 percent on Tuesday, wiping out 25 billion euros in market capitalisation in two days.

Investigators in Brunswick, in Lower Saxony state where Volkswagen is based, did not name the second suspect

Volkswagen's former boss Martin Winterkorn is under investigation for having allegedly manipulated the market by holding back information about emissions cheating at the automobile giant, German prosecutors said today. "The initial suspicion of market manipulation is directed against two former board members of the VW Group. Among them is the former chief executive of the Volkswagen group, Professor Dr Martin Winterkorn," said prosecutors in a statement. Investigators in Brunswick, in Lower Saxony state where VW is based, did not name the second suspect but said the individual was not the group's current chairman. Listed companies are required to disclose information that could affect market prices immediately. But VW complied with its disclosure obligation only on September 22, 2015, prosecutors said, four days after US regulators went public that they were charging the company for fitting devices designed to skew emissions data in their vehicles. "There are sufficient indications suggesting that the obligation to make a disclosure statement could have been met at an earlier date," prosecutors said. Shares in VW plunged 17.14 percent on Monday September 21, 2015 the first trading day after the US charge was made public. They sank another 19.82 percent on Tuesday, wiping out 25 billion euros in market capitalisation in two days.

VW ex-boss probed for market manipulation: prosecutors

Olympic skating champion Claudia Pechstein&#39;s claim damages against the International Skating Union (ISU) over a doping ban was ruled as inadmissible by a German court today. This dealt her years-long effort for compensation a crushing blow. 
 
The Federal Court of Justice decided the domestic courts should not hear her case after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), considered the highest sports tribunal, had rejected Pechstein&#39;s appeal over her ban. 
 
The five-time Olympic champion was seeking more than 4 million euros in damages from the ISU after it banned her for two years in 2009 over irregular blood results, although the German never failed a drugs test. 
 
She insisted, providing extensive scientific data, that she had a hereditary blood condition that her father also had. 
 
Her case had been seen as a litmus test, with a win potentially triggering a flood of doping cases being challenged in domestic courts around the world and eroding the position of CAS. She vowed to fight on at the Constitutional Court. 
 
The Federal Court, Germany&#39;s highest for civil and criminal jurisdiction, said an arbitration agreement between her and the ISU at the time she had tested positive, which ruled out taking the case to a domestic court, was valid. 
 
&quot;The anti-trust division of the Federal Court of Justice did not follow the argumentation of the plaintiff,&quot; it said in a statement. &quot;It decides that her suit is inadmissible as it is opposed by the defence of the arbitration agreement.&quot; 
 
The CAS rejected her appeal as did the Swiss Federal Tribunal. However, a Munich court said in 2015 that it would allow the 44-year-old skater to go ahead with a lawsuit. 
 
The skater said she would now take the case to the next stage, the Federal Constitutional Court. 
 
&quot;Despite this verdict I am not considering giving up,&quot; she wrote on her website. &quot;The battle for justice will be continued at the Federal Constitutional Court.&quot; 
 
Pechstein, who missed the 2010 Vancouver Games due to the ban, competed at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, narrowly missing out on medals in the 3,000m and 5,000m. 
 
The athlete has said she wants to compete at the 2018 winter Olympics in Pyeongchang in what would be her seventh Games.

After the International Skating Union had banned her for two years in 2009, the speed skater sought for more than 4 million euros in damages. However, she never failed a drug test

Olympic skating champion Claudia Pechstein's claim damages against the International Skating Union (ISU) over a doping ban was ruled as inadmissible by a German court today. This dealt her years-long effort for compensation a crushing blow. The Federal Court of Justice decided the domestic courts should not hear her case after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), considered the highest sports tribunal, had rejected Pechstein's appeal over her ban. The five-time Olympic champion was seeking more than 4 million euros in damages from the ISU after it banned her for two years in 2009 over irregular blood results, although the German never failed a drugs test. She insisted, providing extensive scientific data, that she had a hereditary blood condition that her father also had. Her case had been seen as a litmus test, with a win potentially triggering a flood of doping cases being challenged in domestic courts around the world and eroding the position of CAS. She vowed to fight on at the Constitutional Court. The Federal Court, Germany's highest for civil and criminal jurisdiction, said an arbitration agreement between her and the ISU at the time she had tested positive, which ruled out taking the case to a domestic court, was valid. "The anti-trust division of the Federal Court of Justice did not follow the argumentation of the plaintiff," it said in a statement. "It decides that her suit is inadmissible as it is opposed by the defence of the arbitration agreement." The CAS rejected her appeal as did the Swiss Federal Tribunal. However, a Munich court said in 2015 that it would allow the 44-year-old skater to go ahead with a lawsuit. The skater said she would now take the case to the next stage, the Federal Constitutional Court. "Despite this verdict I am not considering giving up," she wrote on her website. "The battle for justice will be continued at the Federal Constitutional Court." Pechstein, who missed the 2010 Vancouver Games due to the ban, competed at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, narrowly missing out on medals in the 3,000m and 5,000m. The athlete has said she wants to compete at the 2018 winter Olympics in Pyeongchang in what would be her seventh Games.

German court drops Claudia Pechstein's doping ban damages suit

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