Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Germany of wanting to start a war after Berlin expelled the consulate general from Bonn and closed the Russian cultural centre. This comes after the German government on Tuesday (Sep 1) blamed Moscow for a drone attack on Leipzig airport last month. The explosive-laden drone was discovered in the secure cargo operations area at the strategic airport, near a Ukrainian cargo plane.In an interview published on Sunday (Sep 6), Lavrov said, “This is, by and large, the start of a real war. They expelled the consulate general from Bonn. They’re closing the Russian House (cultural centre) in Berlin. I remember that before the start of the Second World War... They want war again.”Lavrov also accused Germany of Nazism, adding that “the Russian leadership will draw the appropriate conclusions.”<h2>Germany blames Russia over drone incident</h2>On Tuesday (Sep 1), the German government said that Russia sent “low-level agents” for an attempted “hybrid attack” involving an explosive-laden drone at the strategic airport in eastern Germany.In response, Germany shut down the Russian consulate in Bonn and ended the contract for the Russian House, a cultural centre in Berlin.After examining the drone technology used and other intelligence, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said that “the government concludes that Russia is responsible for the hybrid attack in Leipzig on August 4.”“The drone configuration – various components, explosives and ignition systems – are known to us from other hybrid operations by Russia and its war against Ukraine,” he added.“We do not view the Leipzig incident in isolation, but rather see it in the context of other hybrid actions,” he said. “We assume that Germany is the target of further hybrid attacks by Russia.”“We are not at war, but we are a daily target of hybrid warfare,” Dobrindt said.<h2>EU summons Russian envoys</h2>On Wednesday (Sep 2), the EU nations summoned Russia’s envoys and discussed fresh sanctions over the incident.“It is clear that it has all the hallmarks of state-sponsored terrorism,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said. “The question is, what do we do about this?”

Lavrov accused Germany of preparing for war after Berlin blamed Russia for a drone attack on Leipzig airport and closed Russian diplomatic and cultural facilities. The EU has also discussed sanctions over the incident.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Germany of wanting to start a war after Berlin expelled the consulate general from Bonn and closed the Russian cultural centre. This comes after the German government on Tuesday (Sep 1) blamed Moscow for a drone attack on Leipzig airport last month. The explosive-laden drone was discovered in the secure cargo operations area at the strategic airport, near a Ukrainian cargo plane. In an interview published on Sunday (Sep 6), Lavrov said, “This is, by and large, the start of a real war. They expelled the consulate general from Bonn. They’re closing the Russian House (cultural centre) in Berlin. I remember that before the start of the Second World War... They want war again.” Lavrov also accused Germany of Nazism, adding that “the Russian leadership will draw the appropriate conclusions.” Germany blames Russia over drone incident On Tuesday (Sep 1), the German government said that Russia sent “low-level agents” for an attempted “hybrid attack” involving an explosive-laden drone at the strategic airport in eastern Germany. In response, Germany shut down the Russian consulate in Bonn and ended the contract for the Russian House, a cultural centre in Berlin. After examining the drone technology used and other intelligence, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said that “the government concludes that Russia is responsible for the hybrid attack in Leipzig on August 4.” “The drone configuration – various components, explosives and ignition systems – are known to us from other hybrid operations by Russia and its war against Ukraine,” he added. “We do not view the Leipzig incident in isolation, but rather see it in the context of other hybrid actions,” he said. “We assume that Germany is the target of further hybrid attacks by Russia.” “We are not at war, but we are a daily target of hybrid warfare,” Dobrindt said. EU summons Russian envoys On Wednesday (Sep 2), the EU nations summoned Russia’s envoys and discussed fresh sanctions over the incident. “It is clear that it has all the hallmarks of state-sponsored terrorism,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said. “The question is, what do we do about this?”

Lavrov accused Germany of preparing for war after Berlin blamed Russia for a drone attack on Leipzig airport and closed Russian diplomatic and cultural facilities. The EU has also discussed sanctions over the incident.

‘Germany wants war again’: Russian FM accuses Berlin after drone incident

Welcome to WION. Here are the top global and India headlines making news.

U.S. President Donald Trump shares images of the proposed White House ballroom following a Supreme Court-related development. Germany’s foreign minister sharply criticizes Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine and pledges further support for Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Israel pushes back against U.S. criticism of its strikes on Syrian military sites, while Iran announces further upgrades to its ballistic and cruise missile programs.

In India, Rahul Gandhi’s youth event gets underway in Pune, with the Congress leader engaging with students and discussing issues facing young Indians.

Elsewhere, the IMF stalls Bangladesh funding amid concerns over delayed reforms, firefighters continue battling wildfires in Spain’s Valencia region, and a Chinese humanoid robot reportedly posts an impressive 100-metre trial time.

Watch the full bulletin for the latest world news, India news, geopolitics, Ukraine war, Iran, Israel, Bangladesh, Trump and technology updates.


Trump’s White House Ballroom | Rahul Gandhi’s Pune Youth Event |  Germany Slams Putin 

Germany's military put the first Iris-T air-defence system into service on its own soil Wednesday having delivered several of them to war-torn Ukraine to intercept Russian rockets, drones and missiles.

Iris-T SLM: Here is all you need to know about Germany's new shield

German prosecutors have charged a citizen with espionage, saying he passed on data from parliament to Russian secret services.

The man, identified as Jens F, worked for a company that was contracted by the Bundestag to carry out regular checks on electric equipment in parliament. He obtained PDF files with the floor plans of the Bundestag parliament building during the course of his work, the prosecutor's office said in a statement on Thursday.

No later than late July 2017 to early September 2017, he decided to pass on the floor plans to Russian intelligence. He sent a data storage device to an employee at the Russian embassy who mainly worked for Russian intelligence agency GRU, it said. 
 
"Against this background, the defendant had access to PDF files with the floor plans of" parliamentary properties, said federal prosecutors.

"For that, he prepared a data carrier with the correspondending PDF files and sent it to an employee in the Russian embassy in Berlin, who mainly works for the Russian military secret service GRU," said prosecutors.

German intelligence services have repeatedly warned about spying attempts or cyberattacks launched by Russian hackers.

Chancellor Angela Merkel herself told parliament last May that she had concrete proof that Russia was targeting her in the attacks.

The German parliament fell victim in 2015 to a cyber assault, and local media have named the suspect in that attack as Dmitry Badin, who is also wanted by the FBI for other similar attempts.

The latest spy charges raised by prosecutors are likely to further inflame tensions between Berlin and Moscow.

Ties are already badly frayed over the poisoning and subsequent jailing of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Moscow has firmly denied any accusations of cyberattacks, or involvement in the poisoning of Navalny using the deadly Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok.&nbsp;

But Germany has pointed to 'unequivocal' proof of the Novichok murder attempt.

Navalny had received treatment in Berlin but last month returned to Moscow where he was immediately imprisoned.

(with inputs from agencies)

German prosecutors have charged a citizen with espionage, saying he passed on data from parliament to Russian secret services. The man, identified as Jens F, worked for a company that was contracted by the Bundestag to carry out regular checks on electric equipment in parliament.

German prosecutors have charged a citizen with espionage, saying he passed on data from parliament to Russian secret services. The man, identified as Jens F, worked for a company that was contracted by the Bundestag to carry out regular checks on electric equipment in parliament. He obtained PDF files with the floor plans of the Bundestag parliament building during the course of his work, the prosecutor's office said in a statement on Thursday. No later than late July 2017 to early September 2017, he decided to pass on the floor plans to Russian intelligence. He sent a data storage device to an employee at the Russian embassy who mainly worked for Russian intelligence agency GRU, it said. "Against this background, the defendant had access to PDF files with the floor plans of" parliamentary properties, said federal prosecutors. "For that, he prepared a data carrier with the correspondending PDF files and sent it to an employee in the Russian embassy in Berlin, who mainly works for the Russian military secret service GRU," said prosecutors. German intelligence services have repeatedly warned about spying attempts or cyberattacks launched by Russian hackers. Chancellor Angela Merkel herself told parliament last May that she had concrete proof that Russia was targeting her in the attacks. The German parliament fell victim in 2015 to a cyber assault, and local media have named the suspect in that attack as Dmitry Badin, who is also wanted by the FBI for other similar attempts. The latest spy charges raised by prosecutors are likely to further inflame tensions between Berlin and Moscow. Ties are already badly frayed over the poisoning and subsequent jailing of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Moscow has firmly denied any accusations of cyberattacks, or involvement in the poisoning of Navalny using the deadly Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok. But Germany has pointed to 'unequivocal' proof of the Novichok murder attempt. Navalny had received treatment in Berlin but last month returned to Moscow where he was immediately imprisoned. (with inputs from agencies)

German man charged for spying at parliament for Russian intelligence

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Vladimir Putin insisted Tuesday that there was no alternative to a stalled Ukraine peace plan as they struggled to mask deep rifts during a first meeting in Russia since 2015.

Merkel pushed Putin at a frosty encounter to ensure a ceasefire in war-torn east Ukraine, but the Russian leader laid the blame on Kiev for a European-brokered peace deal hitting a dead end.&nbsp;

The rare visit also saw the German chancellor confront Putin over rights issues in Russia, including the alleged persecution of gay men in the North Caucasus region of Chechnya.&nbsp;

&quot;I think we have differences but international politics means to always keep looking for dialogue,&quot; Merkel said at a press conference in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi.&nbsp;

The meeting was meant to focus on preparations for the G20 summit in Hamburg in July, and no major breakthroughs were expected on mending the deep divisions caused by the conflict in Ukraine.&nbsp;

The German leader has strongly backed EU sanctions on Russia for seizing Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and for supporting a pro-Kremlin separatist insurgency in the east of the country.

Merkel said she hoped some of the sanctions could be lifted if a flatlining peace plan brokered by her and French President Francois Hollande in 2015 was fulfilled.

And both leaders admitted there was no choice but to stick to the process despite its running into a brick wall amid recriminations from all sides.&nbsp;

&quot;We cannot think about any alternative and we should not have to think of it,&quot; Putin said at a press conference.&nbsp;

&quot;It is impossible to create new plans without achieving elementary results for what we outlined in previous years.&quot;

Gay rights

Merkel last visited Russia in May 2015 when she met Putin in Moscow, and the two leaders have scaled back contacts as the Ukraine crisis has driven ties to a post-Cold War low.&nbsp;

Putin talked up economic ties between the two countries, insisting that &quot;our cooperation makes a significant contribution to stabilising the world economy.&quot;

But it was clear that despite pledges to talk there remain deep gulfs between the German leader -- seen as a major bulwark of the Western liberal order -- and the Kremlin strongman, who many accuse of trying to undermine it.&nbsp;

At the press conference Merkel said she raised recent high-profile accusations of rights abuses in Russia, including allegations the authorities in Chechnya were rounding up gay men.&nbsp;

&quot;We received very negative reports about how homosexuals are treated in Chechnya,&quot; Merkel said. &quot;I asked President Putin to use his influence to guarantee the rights of minorities.&quot;

Ramzan Kadyrov, the Putin-loyalist and strongman leader of Chechnya, has fiercely denied claims of a crackdown in the socially conservative region, and after a delay Russian investigators said they are probing the allegations.&nbsp;

Putin was also forced to deny that Russia was planning to meddle in German elections that Merkel is competing in later in the year after claims that Moscow interfered with the US presidential vote.&nbsp;

&quot;We never interfered in the political life or the political processes of any other country,&quot; Putin said.&nbsp;

Trump talk, Erdogan meeting

The meeting with Merkel comes ahead of a busy diplomatic push for Putin.

After meeting Merkel, he was expected later Tuesday to hold his third phone call with US President Donald Trump.

The two leaders are looking to make headway on ties in the face of deep rifts over the conflict in Syria and after claims of Russian hacking during the US elections.&nbsp;

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also due to meet Putin in Sochi on Wednesday.

Putin and Erdogan have inched closer together on Syria as Erdogan&#39;s ties with Europe have deteriorated in recent months.

(AFP)

The rare visit saw the German chancellor confront Putin over the alleged persecution of gay men in Chechnya

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Vladimir Putin insisted Tuesday that there was no alternative to a stalled Ukraine peace plan as they struggled to mask deep rifts during a first meeting in Russia since 2015. Merkel pushed Putin at a frosty encounter to ensure a ceasefire in war-torn east Ukraine, but the Russian leader laid the blame on Kiev for a European-brokered peace deal hitting a dead end. The rare visit also saw the German chancellor confront Putin over rights issues in Russia, including the alleged persecution of gay men in the North Caucasus region of Chechnya. "I think we have differences but international politics means to always keep looking for dialogue," Merkel said at a press conference in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi. The meeting was meant to focus on preparations for the G20 summit in Hamburg in July, and no major breakthroughs were expected on mending the deep divisions caused by the conflict in Ukraine. The German leader has strongly backed EU sanctions on Russia for seizing Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and for supporting a pro-Kremlin separatist insurgency in the east of the country. Merkel said she hoped some of the sanctions could be lifted if a flatlining peace plan brokered by her and French President Francois Hollande in 2015 was fulfilled. And both leaders admitted there was no choice but to stick to the process despite its running into a brick wall amid recriminations from all sides. "We cannot think about any alternative and we should not have to think of it," Putin said at a press conference. "It is impossible to create new plans without achieving elementary results for what we outlined in previous years." Gay rights Merkel last visited Russia in May 2015 when she met Putin in Moscow, and the two leaders have scaled back contacts as the Ukraine crisis has driven ties to a post-Cold War low. Putin talked up economic ties between the two countries, insisting that "our cooperation makes a significant contribution to stabilising the world economy." But it was clear that despite pledges to talk there remain deep gulfs between the German leader -- seen as a major bulwark of the Western liberal order -- and the Kremlin strongman, who many accuse of trying to undermine it. At the press conference Merkel said she raised recent high-profile accusations of rights abuses in Russia, including allegations the authorities in Chechnya were rounding up gay men. "We received very negative reports about how homosexuals are treated in Chechnya," Merkel said. "I asked President Putin to use his influence to guarantee the rights of minorities." Ramzan Kadyrov, the Putin-loyalist and strongman leader of Chechnya, has fiercely denied claims of a crackdown in the socially conservative region, and after a delay Russian investigators said they are probing the allegations. Putin was also forced to deny that Russia was planning to meddle in German elections that Merkel is competing in later in the year after claims that Moscow interfered with the US presidential vote. "We never interfered in the political life or the political processes of any other country," Putin said. Trump talk, Erdogan meeting The meeting with Merkel comes ahead of a busy diplomatic push for Putin. After meeting Merkel, he was expected later Tuesday to hold his third phone call with US President Donald Trump. The two leaders are looking to make headway on ties in the face of deep rifts over the conflict in Syria and after claims of Russian hacking during the US elections. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also due to meet Putin in Sochi on Wednesday. Putin and Erdogan have inched closer together on Syria as Erdogan's ties with Europe have deteriorated in recent months. (AFP)

Merkel pushes Putin on Ukraine, gay rights

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‘Germany wants war again’: Russian FM accuses Berlin after drone incident

Trump’s White House Ballroom | Rahul Gandhi’s Pune Youth Event | Germany Slams Putin

Iris-T SLM: Here is all you need to know about Germany's new shield

German man charged for spying at parliament for Russian intelligence

Merkel pushes Putin on Ukraine, gay rights