<p>German lawmaker and deputy leader of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Beatrix von Storch was smeared with faeces during an event, she and the police said, on Saturday (August 26), reported German news outlet Deutsche Welle (DW).&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>About the attack</strong></h2>

<p>The alleged attack took place on Friday (August 25) at an event hall in the town of Daun in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, as per media reports. According to the police, around 80 to 85 people were participating in the AfD event.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, around 120 people outside the venue held a counter-protest, said the police in a statement issued on Saturday. During this time, a man aged 35 entered the event hall and asked to take a picture with the German lawmaker. Subsequently, he proceeded to smear her with dog faeces.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/climate-activists-in-germany-accused-of-580-offences-after-crackdown-603137">Climate activists in Germany accused of 580 offences</a></strong></p>

<p>He “briefly” resisted arrest, said the police and is currently in custody and under investigation. Officers also said they had spoken with organisers of both events before they were held in order to ensure participants’ right to assembly and freedom of speech.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>How did the German lawmaker react to the incident?</strong></h2>

<p>Von Storch told the German news agency dpa that she has filed a complaint against the 35-year-old man whose name was not revealed&nbsp;by the police. “Yesterday there was another disgusting attack on me (and) the AfD in Rhineland-Palatinate,” said the German lawmaker, in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter).&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-appoints-boris-pistorius-as-new-defence-minister-averts-government-crisis-553579">&nbsp;Germany appoints Boris Pistorius as new defence minister, averts government crisis</a></strong></p>

<p>She added, “We fight with arguments; AfD-haters fight with feces.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>“No matter what despicable means they resort to, we will fight unwaveringly and now more decisively for the spiritual and moral renewal of our nation,” said von Storch, as quoted by DW.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Von Storch (52), is known for her anti-immigration and anti-green policies. She has been the AfD’s deputy leader since 2015 and a member of the Bundestag parliament since 2017.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


German lawmaker and deputy leader of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Beatrix von Storch was smeared with faeces during an event, she and the police said, on Saturday (August 26), reported German news outlet Deutsche Welle (DW).

German lawmaker and deputy leader of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Beatrix von Storch was smeared with faeces during an event, she and the police said, on Saturday (August 26), reported German news outlet Deutsche Welle (DW). About the attack The alleged attack took place on Friday (August 25) at an event hall in the town of Daun in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, as per media reports. According to the police, around 80 to 85 people were participating in the AfD event. Meanwhile, around 120 people outside the venue held a counter-protest, said the police in a statement issued on Saturday. During this time, a man aged 35 entered the event hall and asked to take a picture with the German lawmaker. Subsequently, he proceeded to smear her with dog faeces. ALSO READ | Climate activists in Germany accused of 580 offences He “briefly” resisted arrest, said the police and is currently in custody and under investigation. Officers also said they had spoken with organisers of both events before they were held in order to ensure participants’ right to assembly and freedom of speech. How did the German lawmaker react to the incident? Von Storch told the German news agency dpa that she has filed a complaint against the 35-year-old man whose name was not revealed by the police. “Yesterday there was another disgusting attack on me (and) the AfD in Rhineland-Palatinate,” said the German lawmaker, in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter). ALSO READ | Germany appoints Boris Pistorius as new defence minister, averts government crisis She added, “We fight with arguments; AfD-haters fight with feces.” “No matter what despicable means they resort to, we will fight unwaveringly and now more decisively for the spiritual and moral renewal of our nation,” said von Storch, as quoted by DW. Von Storch (52), is known for her anti-immigration and anti-green policies. She has been the AfD’s deputy leader since 2015 and a member of the Bundestag parliament since 2017. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

‘Disgusting attack’: Man smears dog faeces on German lawmaker, detained

A terrifying image of a strange naked "wolf man," who authorities think has lived in the woods for at least five years, was taken on Tuesday by hikers in Germany's Harz Mountains.

Mysterious naked 'wolfman' spotted in Germany's Harz mountains

<p>The Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) in Germany's Bavaria state has declared a suspension of researchers holding scholarships from the China Scholarship Council (CSC), a Chinese government entity. This move, effective from June 1, has been made due to concerns about the potential for industrial espionage. The university cited conflicts between the CSC contract and Germany's Basic Law, asserting that such agreements limit academic freedom and freedom of expression.</p>

<h2><strong>China Scholarship Council and allegiance pledges</strong></h2>

<p>The CSC, overseen by China's Ministry of Education, awards scholarships to students who pledge allegiance to the Chinese state, maintain ties with the Chinese embassy, and commit to returning to China post-studies. The FAU's internal message revealed that these commitments contradict Germany's principles of academic freedom, raising fears of potential spying risks.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/with-massive-compensation-for-flyers-saudi-arabia-brings-new-aviation-rules-to-combat-flight-disruptions-629394">With massive compensation for flyers, Saudi Arabia brings new aviation rules to combat flight disruptions</a></p>

<p>It said, “The political landscape has changed significantly in recent times and topics such as protection against scientific and industrial espionage, data security and safeguarding intellectual property also post a challenge for our FAU.”</p>

<h2><strong>Huawei concerns</strong></h2>

<p>The university highlighted the evolving political climate and concerns regarding protection against espionage, data security, and intellectual property safeguarding.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/second-aircraft-reportedly-linked-to-prigozhin-not-linked-to-wagner-629402">Second aircraft linked to Prigozhin had no connection to Wagner: Report</a></p>

<p>The FAU noted its previous collaboration with Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei as a cause for international apprehension. Consequently, the FAU pledged not to enter into further research or partnership agreements with Huawei in the future.</p>

<p>While the FAU's decision is currently a singular instance, it has sparked discussions about potential future restrictions on Chinese-funded scholars in Germany. Other German universities are wary of taking similar steps due to financial considerations, but the evolving political situation is making institutions more cautious about potential espionage risks.</p>

<p>European universities, including those in Sweden and Denmark, are also reconsidering their partnerships with CSC-funded scholars.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Ex-French president faces corruption charges</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ex-french-president-faces-corruption-charges-629414/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Germany's stance on China is evolving, as evidenced by its recently unveiled China Strategy. This strategy prioritises minimising risks in the relationship with China and involves measures to prevent the acquisition of technological knowledge, expertise, and patents by China.</p>

<p>Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has labeled China a significant threat in terms of economic and scientific espionage.</p>

<p>Bettina Stark-Watzinger, the German education minister, supported FAU’s decision and reportedly said,&nbsp;“Research institutions and universities in Germany have a responsibility to safeguard themselves against espionage activities conducted by students receiving scholarships from the Chinese government."&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) in Germany's Bavaria state has declared a suspension of researchers holding scholarships from the China Scholarship Council (CSC), a Chinese government entity.

The Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) in Germany's Bavaria state has declared a suspension of researchers holding scholarships from the China Scholarship Council (CSC), a Chinese government entity. This move, effective from June 1, has been made due to concerns about the potential for industrial espionage. The university cited conflicts between the CSC contract and Germany's Basic Law, asserting that such agreements limit academic freedom and freedom of expression. China Scholarship Council and allegiance pledges The CSC, overseen by China's Ministry of Education, awards scholarships to students who pledge allegiance to the Chinese state, maintain ties with the Chinese embassy, and commit to returning to China post-studies. The FAU's internal message revealed that these commitments contradict Germany's principles of academic freedom, raising fears of potential spying risks. Also Read | With massive compensation for flyers, Saudi Arabia brings new aviation rules to combat flight disruptions It said, “The political landscape has changed significantly in recent times and topics such as protection against scientific and industrial espionage, data security and safeguarding intellectual property also post a challenge for our FAU.” Huawei concerns The university highlighted the evolving political climate and concerns regarding protection against espionage, data security, and intellectual property safeguarding. Also Read | Second aircraft linked to Prigozhin had no connection to Wagner: Report The FAU noted its previous collaboration with Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei as a cause for international apprehension. Consequently, the FAU pledged not to enter into further research or partnership agreements with Huawei in the future. While the FAU's decision is currently a singular instance, it has sparked discussions about potential future restrictions on Chinese-funded scholars in Germany. Other German universities are wary of taking similar steps due to financial considerations, but the evolving political situation is making institutions more cautious about potential espionage risks. European universities, including those in Sweden and Denmark, are also reconsidering their partnerships with CSC-funded scholars. Watch | Ex-French president faces corruption charges × Germany's stance on China is evolving, as evidenced by its recently unveiled China Strategy. This strategy prioritises minimising risks in the relationship with China and involves measures to prevent the acquisition of technological knowledge, expertise, and patents by China. Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has labeled China a significant threat in terms of economic and scientific espionage. Bettina Stark-Watzinger, the German education minister, supported FAU’s decision and reportedly said, “Research institutions and universities in Germany have a responsibility to safeguard themselves against espionage activities conducted by students receiving scholarships from the Chinese government." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

German university suspends acceptance of Chinese state-funded researchers over espionage concerns

A mysterious 'wolf man' was seen roaming around the forests in central Germany's Harz mountains by some hikers, reported Bild. The man, who is said to have lived for five years in the forest, was captured by two hikers on the camera, who as per reports saw him naked, without a piece of cloth on his body, and carrying a wooden spear at the foot of a ruined castle. In the blurry photos, the man is looking either covered in dirt or extremely hairy while he is sitting on the ground and playing with the sand.

Naked and mysterious 'wolf man' seen roaming in Harz mountains of Germany

<p>A mysterious 'wolf man' was seen roaming around the forests in central Germany's Harz mountains by some hikers, reported Bild.<br />
<br />
The man, who is said to have lived for five years in the forest, was captured by two hikers on the camera, who as per reports saw him naked, without a piece of cloth on his body, and carrying a wooden spear at the foot of a ruined castle.<br />
<br />
In the blurry photos, the man is looking either covered in dirt or extremely hairy while he is sitting on the ground and playing with the sand.</p>

<h2><strong>Capturing the forest man</strong></h2>

<p>31-year-old Gina Weiss and her 38-year-old friend Tobi were taking a walk in Blankenburg in the state of Saxony-Anhalt on Tuesday evening when they clicked the picture.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-announces-billions-in-annual-aid-to-ukraine-after-supply-of-air-defence-system-627294">Germany announces billions in annual aid to Ukraine after supply of air-defence system</a></p>

<p>Speaking to German newspaper Bild, Weiss said, “When we reached the sand caves, we saw the wolf man. He stood up high on one of the caves and held a long wooden stick like a lance in his arm.”<br />
<br />
“He wouldn’t take his eyes off us, said nothing. He looked dirty like a Stone Age man from a history book,” he added. The pair stated that they had 10 minutes of encounter with the 'wolf man' who is believed to be in his 40s.<br />
<br />
This is not the first time they have spotted the supposed 'wolf man' in the Blankenburg region. Authorities stated that multiple reports have been submitted to them over the last half-decade of someone appearing in a wolf costume or wearing wolf fur in the forest.</p>

<h2><strong>Police receive calls for help</strong></h2>

<p>Head of Blackburn Fire Brigade Alexander Beck said, “Someone clearly knows how to live outside and adapt to the changing seasons.” In March, police had received calls from hikers saying, “Help, there’s a wolf man running around here.”<br />
<br />
The call was taken seriously by the fire brigade and the police and the area was searched around, however, they only found old fire sites.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Heavy rainfall ravages North and Western areas of Germany</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/heavy-rainfall-ravages-north-and-western-areas-of-germany-623267/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>As per the regional public broadcaster MDR, the fire brigade's members had also claimed to have seen some forest dweller wearing fur but stated that he ran off.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, a volunteer with the local fire service, said that the most recent sighting reported was 'nonsense' and claimed that the photos were 'a prank'.<br />
<br />
Dense forests cover nearly a third of Germany and hence, legends and myths of people living off the land tend to develop. Many fairy tales and stories have been inspired by the dense woodland, including those created by the German Brothers Grimm.</p>

<p>You can&nbsp;<strong>now write for&nbsp;wionews.com</strong>&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong><br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<main>
<section>
<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" data-gtm-yt-inspected-18="true" data-gtm-yt-inspected-24="true" data-gtm-yt-inspected-34="true" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="lazy" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=0" title="live tv" width="100%"></iframe></p>
</section>
</main>


A mysterious 'wolf man' was seen roaming around the forests in central Germany's Harz mountains by some hikers, reported Bild. The man, who is said to have lived for five years in the forest, was captured by two hikers on the camera, who as per reports saw him naked, without a piece of cloth on his body, and carrying a wooden spear at the foot of a ruined castle.

A mysterious 'wolf man' was seen roaming around the forests in central Germany's Harz mountains by some hikers, reported Bild. The man, who is said to have lived for five years in the forest, was captured by two hikers on the camera, who as per reports saw him naked, without a piece of cloth on his body, and carrying a wooden spear at the foot of a ruined castle. In the blurry photos, the man is looking either covered in dirt or extremely hairy while he is sitting on the ground and playing with the sand. Capturing the forest man 31-year-old Gina Weiss and her 38-year-old friend Tobi were taking a walk in Blankenburg in the state of Saxony-Anhalt on Tuesday evening when they clicked the picture. ALSO READ | Germany announces billions in annual aid to Ukraine after supply of air-defence system Speaking to German newspaper Bild, Weiss said, “When we reached the sand caves, we saw the wolf man. He stood up high on one of the caves and held a long wooden stick like a lance in his arm.” “He wouldn’t take his eyes off us, said nothing. He looked dirty like a Stone Age man from a history book,” he added. The pair stated that they had 10 minutes of encounter with the 'wolf man' who is believed to be in his 40s. This is not the first time they have spotted the supposed 'wolf man' in the Blankenburg region. Authorities stated that multiple reports have been submitted to them over the last half-decade of someone appearing in a wolf costume or wearing wolf fur in the forest. Police receive calls for help Head of Blackburn Fire Brigade Alexander Beck said, “Someone clearly knows how to live outside and adapt to the changing seasons.” In March, police had received calls from hikers saying, “Help, there’s a wolf man running around here.” The call was taken seriously by the fire brigade and the police and the area was searched around, however, they only found old fire sites. WATCH | Heavy rainfall ravages North and Western areas of Germany As per the regional public broadcaster MDR, the fire brigade's members had also claimed to have seen some forest dweller wearing fur but stated that he ran off. Meanwhile, a volunteer with the local fire service, said that the most recent sighting reported was 'nonsense' and claimed that the photos were 'a prank'. Dense forests cover nearly a third of Germany and hence, legends and myths of people living off the land tend to develop. Many fairy tales and stories have been inspired by the dense woodland, including those created by the German Brothers Grimm. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Germany's Federal Minister for Digital and Transport Volker Wissin used India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to make a payment. The German Embassy in India hailed India's success in digital infrastructure. Why is the West reluctant to take lessons from India? Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas: German minister buys groceries with UPI | Is US afraid to learn from India?

<p>In the latest,&nbsp;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's arrival in the Netherlands took place on Sunday, August 20, and he landed at a Dutch air force base located in Eindhoven. This visit coincides with the approval from Washington for the transfer of F-16 fighter jets from the Netherlands and Denmark to Ukraine. It aligns with Kyiv's ongoing efforts to strengthen the war-torn nation's air defence capabilities. In other news,Russia's Luna-25 spacecraft collided with the Moon after it unexpectedly entered an uncontrollable orbit, as reported by the Roscosmos space agency on August 20.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Click on the headlines to read more.</strong></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zelensky-arrives-in-netherlands-in-push-to-boost-air-defences-for-ukraine-peace-summit-on-agenda-627256">Netherlands, Denmark commit to supply F-16s to Ukraine, says Dutch PM during Zelensky's visit</a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/08/20/374357-wion-images-2023-08-20t165337936.png?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in the Netherlands, on Sunday (August 20) at a Dutch air force base in Eindhoven, a Dutch government spokesperson told AFP. The visit also comes after Washington approved the transfer of F-16 fighter jets from the Netherlands and Denmark to Ukraine and amid Kyiv’s ongoing push to boost the war-torn country’s air defences.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russias-luna-25-probe-crashes-on-moon-627203">Luna-25 crashes into moon; Russia’s lunar mission ends</a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/08/11/372487-untitled-design-2023-08-11t080703002.png?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>A day after developing technical difficulties, Russia's Luna-25 probe has crashed into the Moon, informed&nbsp;Russia's space agency Roscosmos on Sunday (August 20). The Luna-25 probe was the first Russian Moon mission in nearly 50 years.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pm-modi-heads-to-south-africa-this-week-with-focus-on-brics-expansion-africa-engagement-627280">PM Modi heads to South Africa this week with focus on BRICS expansion, Africa engagement</a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/08/20/374372-wion-images-2023-08-20t190451722.png?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a significant diplomatic journey this week, as he travels to South Africa to participate in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-key-facts-about-the-brics-2023-summit-626490">15th BRICS summit</a>&nbsp;in Johannesburg. Set to take place from August 22 to 24, the summit marks a key diplomatic engagement of this year, given it is the first in-person BRICS Summit since 2019.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ecuador-election-citizens-vote-for-new-president-amid-spiralling-violence-economic-troubles-627221">Ecuador election: Polling begins as spiraling violence, economic troubles bother voters</a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/08/20/374338-2023-08-20t060456z1lynxmpej7j01brtroptp4ecuador-election.JPG?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>Ecuadoreans on Sunday (August 20) began&nbsp;voting in the presidential election.</p>

<p>The eight presidential hopefuls of the South American nation have pledged to fight huge spurt in crime, which the current government blames on drug gangs, and improve the struggling economy.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistani-christians-pray-at-churches-which-were-attacked-by-mob-627286">Pakistani Christians pray at churches which were attacked by mob</a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/08/20/374377-jaranwala.jpg?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>Pakistani Christians in the city of Jaranwala on Sunday (August 20) preayed at chueches that were vandalised and burnt by the mobs earlier this week. The riots broke out after alleged desecration of the Holy Quran. Two Christian brothers have been accused of the deed.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-announces-billions-in-annual-aid-to-ukraine-after-supply-of-air-defence-system-627294">Germany announces billions in annual aid to Ukraine after supply of air-defence system</a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/08/20/374383-untitled-design-2023-08-20t194908557.png?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>Around 5 billion euros ($5.44 billions) will be provided to Ukraine annually as financial aid by Germany, the German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said on Sunday, August 20.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Germany remains one of the key benefactors to Ukraine and has repeatedly said it will continue to offer support as long as necessary.</p>

<p>In May,&nbsp;Germany announced 2.7 billion euros of military aid to Ukraine in a package that included tanks and drones.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/baghdad-cracks-down-advertising-screens-shut-down-following-porn-screening-627268">Baghdad cracks down, orders closure of all advertising screens after porn screening</a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/08/20/374363-the-battle-for-kyiv-2023-08-20t173926410.jpg?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>Iraqi authorities issued an order to shut down LED advertisement screens throughout Baghdad following a brazen hack that displayed explicit content. The incident occurred at the heart of the Iraqi capital, Uqba bin Nafia Square, where a hacker managed to project a pornographic film for several minutes before being halted by security forces. This scandalous act, shared widely on social media, forced the authorities to take immediate action.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-arrests-former-pti-secretary-general-in-us-cipher-case-627272">Pakistan arrests former PTI secretary-general in US cipher Case</a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/08/20/374365-the-battle-for-kyiv-2023-08-20t180655998.jpg?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Pakistan has taken a significant step in the ongoing investigation into the controversial US cipher case by arresting former Secretary-General of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Asad Umar.</p>

<p>This arrest follows the earlier apprehension of PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, both of whom were linked to the cipher investigation.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-political-deadlock-most-thais-oppose-plans-of-pheu-thai-military-coalition-govt-poll-627301">Amid political deadlock, most Thais oppose plans of Pheu Thai-military coalition govt: Poll</a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/08/20/374387-wion-images-2023-08-20t195704426.png?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>Most Thai people disagree with the plan of a coalition government that includes military-backed groups, as shown in a recent opinion poll, on Sunday (August 20). This comes as Thailand has been amid a political deadlock since the general elections that took place in May.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/german-minister-hails-indias-digital-transformation-after-buying-vegetables-using-upi-627319">German minister hails India's digital transformation after buying vegetables using UPI</a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/08/20/374400-div-classvideowrapper-trancodevideoiframe-srchttpswwwwionewscomvideosindias-upi-to-get-three-new-features-payments-likely-to-be-more-efficient-after-update-624538embed-width560-height350-stylewidth100.png?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>Germany's Federal Minister for Digital and Transport, Volker Wissing, had a firsthand experience of the convenience of using India's digital payment interface UPI (Unified Payments Interface) during his recent visit to Bengaluru in southern India for G20 Digital Ministers Meeting. The German mission in India took to X, formerly known as Twitter, as the minister from Berlin expressed great fascination with the sheer convenience of using digital payment service popular in India.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


In the latest, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's arrival in the Netherlands took place on Sunday, August 20, and he landed at a Dutch air force base located in Eindhoven.

In the latest, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's arrival in the Netherlands took place on Sunday, August 20, and he landed at a Dutch air force base located in Eindhoven. This visit coincides with the approval from Washington for the transfer of F-16 fighter jets from the Netherlands and Denmark to Ukraine. It aligns with Kyiv's ongoing efforts to strengthen the war-torn nation's air defence capabilities. In other news,Russia's Luna-25 spacecraft collided with the Moon after it unexpectedly entered an uncontrollable orbit, as reported by the Roscosmos space agency on August 20. Click on the headlines to read more. Netherlands, Denmark commit to supply F-16s to Ukraine, says Dutch PM during Zelensky's visit Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in the Netherlands, on Sunday (August 20) at a Dutch air force base in Eindhoven, a Dutch government spokesperson told AFP. The visit also comes after Washington approved the transfer of F-16 fighter jets from the Netherlands and Denmark to Ukraine and amid Kyiv’s ongoing push to boost the war-torn country’s air defences. Luna-25 crashes into moon; Russia’s lunar mission ends A day after developing technical difficulties, Russia's Luna-25 probe has crashed into the Moon, informed Russia's space agency Roscosmos on Sunday (August 20). The Luna-25 probe was the first Russian Moon mission in nearly 50 years. PM Modi heads to South Africa this week with focus on BRICS expansion, Africa engagement Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a significant diplomatic journey this week, as he travels to South Africa to participate in the 15th BRICS summit in Johannesburg. Set to take place from August 22 to 24, the summit marks a key diplomatic engagement of this year, given it is the first in-person BRICS Summit since 2019. Ecuador election: Polling begins as spiraling violence, economic troubles bother voters Ecuadoreans on Sunday (August 20) began voting in the presidential election. The eight presidential hopefuls of the South American nation have pledged to fight huge spurt in crime, which the current government blames on drug gangs, and improve the struggling economy. Pakistani Christians pray at churches which were attacked by mob Pakistani Christians in the city of Jaranwala on Sunday (August 20) preayed at chueches that were vandalised and burnt by the mobs earlier this week. The riots broke out after alleged desecration of the Holy Quran. Two Christian brothers have been accused of the deed. Germany announces billions in annual aid to Ukraine after supply of air-defence system Around 5 billion euros ($5.44 billions) will be provided to Ukraine annually as financial aid by Germany, the German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said on Sunday, August 20. Germany remains one of the key benefactors to Ukraine and has repeatedly said it will continue to offer support as long as necessary. In May, Germany announced 2.7 billion euros of military aid to Ukraine in a package that included tanks and drones. Baghdad cracks down, orders closure of all advertising screens after porn screening Iraqi authorities issued an order to shut down LED advertisement screens throughout Baghdad following a brazen hack that displayed explicit content. The incident occurred at the heart of the Iraqi capital, Uqba bin Nafia Square, where a hacker managed to project a pornographic film for several minutes before being halted by security forces. This scandalous act, shared widely on social media, forced the authorities to take immediate action. Pakistan arrests former PTI secretary-general in US cipher Case The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Pakistan has taken a significant step in the ongoing investigation into the controversial US cipher case by arresting former Secretary-General of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Asad Umar. This arrest follows the earlier apprehension of PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, both of whom were linked to the cipher investigation. Amid political deadlock, most Thais oppose plans of Pheu Thai-military coalition govt: Poll Most Thai people disagree with the plan of a coalition government that includes military-backed groups, as shown in a recent opinion poll, on Sunday (August 20). This comes as Thailand has been amid a political deadlock since the general elections that took place in May. German minister hails India's digital transformation after buying vegetables using UPI Germany's Federal Minister for Digital and Transport, Volker Wissing, had a firsthand experience of the convenience of using India's digital payment interface UPI (Unified Payments Interface) during his recent visit to Bengaluru in southern India for G20 Digital Ministers Meeting. The German mission in India took to X, formerly known as Twitter, as the minister from Berlin expressed great fascination with the sheer convenience of using digital payment service popular in India.

Top 10 world news: Netherlands, Denmark to provide F-16s to Ukraine, Modi to head to S. Africa, and more

<p>Germany's Federal Minister for Digital and Transport, Volker Wissing, had a firsthand experience of the convenience of using India's digital payment interface UPI (Unified Payments Interface) during his recent visit to Bengaluru in southern India for G20 Digital Ministers Meeting. The German mission in India took to X, formerly known as Twitter, as the minister from Berlin expressed great fascination with the sheer convenience of using digital payment service popular in India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The German side hailed it as India's national success story.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/upi-hits-record-9-billion-transactions-in-may-worth-rs-143-trillion-599456">UPI records 9 billion transactions in May worth Rs 14.3 trillion</a></strong></p>

<p>The German mission in New Delhi showed Wissing using the UPI for purchasing groceries. The embassy described how UPI empowers millions of Indians to conduct transactions within seconds.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">One of India’s success story is digital infrastructure. UPI enables everybody to make transactions in seconds. Millions of Indians use it. Federal Minister for Digital and Transport <a href="https://twitter.com/Wissing?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Wissing</a> was able to experience the simplicity of UPI payments first hand and is very fascinated! <a href="https://t.co/I57P8snF0C">pic.twitter.com/I57P8snF0C</a></p>
— German Embassy India (@GermanyinIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/GermanyinIndia/status/1693162556918210966?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The German minister was present in Bengaluru to participate in the G20 Digital Ministers Meeting held on August 19.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Indian social media users warmly thanked him for hailing the digital economic transformation of the world's fifth largest economy and encouraged him to continue sharing his experiences.</p>

<p>One user remarked, "Thank you for playing a role in India's digital economic revolution. Keep engaging and utilising."</p>

<p>Another user pointed out, "This will undoubtedly benefit German merchants and shoppers in Germany, where cash transactions pose challenges."</p>

<p>A third user on 'X' asked, "When will Germany become a part of the UPI platform? UPI's influence is becoming global!"</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;India's UPI to get three new features, payments likely to be more efficient after update</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/indias-upi-to-get-three-new-features-payments-likely-to-be-more-efficient-after-update-624538/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>India's digital payment system UPI empowers customers to execute instant payments around the clock and has replaced need for physical currency for Indians all over the country. The projections state that the UPI will take over 90 per cent of all payment transactions in India in near future.&nbsp;The system employs a Virtual Payment Address (VPA) established by the user.</p>

<p>In recent times, countries such as Sri Lanka, France, UAE, and Singapore have joined initiatives with India to explore innovative fintech and payment solutions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In July, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the agreement between India and France to adopt the UPI payment mechanism.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Germany's Federal Minister for Digital and Transport, Volker Wissing, had a firsthand experience of the convenience of using India's digital payment interface UPI (Unified Payments Interface) during his recent visit to Bengaluru in southern India for G20 Digital Ministers Meeting.

Germany's Federal Minister for Digital and Transport, Volker Wissing, had a firsthand experience of the convenience of using India's digital payment interface UPI (Unified Payments Interface) during his recent visit to Bengaluru in southern India for G20 Digital Ministers Meeting. The German mission in India took to X, formerly known as Twitter, as the minister from Berlin expressed great fascination with the sheer convenience of using digital payment service popular in India. The German side hailed it as India's national success story. Also read | UPI records 9 billion transactions in May worth Rs 14.3 trillion The German mission in New Delhi showed Wissing using the UPI for purchasing groceries. The embassy described how UPI empowers millions of Indians to conduct transactions within seconds. One of India’s success story is digital infrastructure. UPI enables everybody to make transactions in seconds. Millions of Indians use it. Federal Minister for Digital and Transport @Wissing was able to experience the simplicity of UPI payments first hand and is very fascinated! pic.twitter.com/I57P8snF0C — German Embassy India (@GermanyinIndia) August 20, 2023 × The German minister was present in Bengaluru to participate in the G20 Digital Ministers Meeting held on August 19. Indian social media users warmly thanked him for hailing the digital economic transformation of the world's fifth largest economy and encouraged him to continue sharing his experiences. One user remarked, "Thank you for playing a role in India's digital economic revolution. Keep engaging and utilising." Another user pointed out, "This will undoubtedly benefit German merchants and shoppers in Germany, where cash transactions pose challenges." A third user on 'X' asked, "When will Germany become a part of the UPI platform? UPI's influence is becoming global!" Also watch | India's UPI to get three new features, payments likely to be more efficient after update × India's digital payment system UPI empowers customers to execute instant payments around the clock and has replaced need for physical currency for Indians all over the country. The projections state that the UPI will take over 90 per cent of all payment transactions in India in near future. The system employs a Virtual Payment Address (VPA) established by the user. In recent times, countries such as Sri Lanka, France, UAE, and Singapore have joined initiatives with India to explore innovative fintech and payment solutions. In July, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the agreement between India and France to adopt the UPI payment mechanism. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

German minister hails India's digital transformation after buying vegetables using UPI

<p>Around 5 billion euros ($5.44 billions) will be provided to Ukraine annually as financial aid by Germany, the German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said on Sunday, August 20.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Germany remains one of the key benefactors to Ukraine and has repeatedly said it will continue to offer support as long as necessary.</p>

<p>In May,&nbsp;Germany announced 2.7 billion euros of military aid to Ukraine in a package that included tanks and drones.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germanys-skilled-labour-shortage-grows-amid-anti-immigrant-push-626111">Germany's skilled labour shortage grows amid anti-immigrant push</a></strong></p>

<p>Germany had previously expressed its reluctance to&nbsp;provide heavy arms to Ukraine to help it counter Russia's offensive amid its deep economic ties with Moscow.</p>

<p>Earlier this week,&nbsp;Ukraine received two IRIS-T air defence systems from Germany, following which&nbsp;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked Berlin for aiding Kyiv's war-effort.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Russia-Ukraine war: Ukrainian troops undergo training in Germany</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-ukraine-war-ukrainian-troops-undergo-training-in-germany-626562/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>"Two new IRIS-T launchers have been delivered to Ukraine. This is a powerful and much-needed air defence system," he said and thanked Germany for supplying the weapons.</p>

<h2><strong>What does it mean?</strong></h2>

<p>The development means huge boost amid Kyiv's slow counteroffensive with least territorial dividends.</p>

<p>Earlier, both Denmark and the Netherlands said that the United States has approved the sending of F-16 fighter planes from both these countries to Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While the jets will not have an immediate impact on the war, with pilots still to be trained, the development represents a major gain for Kyiv.</p>

<p>Washington has also assured Denmark and the Netherlands that it will expedite the approval of transfer requests for F-16s to go to Ukraine when the pilots are trained.</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Around 5 billion euros ($5.44 billions) will be provided to Ukraine annually as financial aid by Germany, the German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said on Sunday, August 20.

Around 5 billion euros ($5.44 billions) will be provided to Ukraine annually as financial aid by Germany, the German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said on Sunday, August 20. Germany remains one of the key benefactors to Ukraine and has repeatedly said it will continue to offer support as long as necessary. In May, Germany announced 2.7 billion euros of military aid to Ukraine in a package that included tanks and drones. Also read | Germany's skilled labour shortage grows amid anti-immigrant push Germany had previously expressed its reluctance to provide heavy arms to Ukraine to help it counter Russia's offensive amid its deep economic ties with Moscow. Earlier this week, Ukraine received two IRIS-T air defence systems from Germany, following which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked Berlin for aiding Kyiv's war-effort. Also watch | Russia-Ukraine war: Ukrainian troops undergo training in Germany × "Two new IRIS-T launchers have been delivered to Ukraine. This is a powerful and much-needed air defence system," he said and thanked Germany for supplying the weapons. What does it mean? The development means huge boost amid Kyiv's slow counteroffensive with least territorial dividends. Earlier, both Denmark and the Netherlands said that the United States has approved the sending of F-16 fighter planes from both these countries to Ukraine. While the jets will not have an immediate impact on the war, with pilots still to be trained, the development represents a major gain for Kyiv. Washington has also assured Denmark and the Netherlands that it will expedite the approval of transfer requests for F-16s to go to Ukraine when the pilots are trained. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Germany announces billions in annual aid to Ukraine after supply of air-defence system

Adults would be able to possess up to 25 grams (0.88 oz) of the drug, grow a maximum of three plants, and purchase marijuana as members of non-profit cannabis clubs under German law, which still needs to be approved by the parliament.

Germany: Government legalises cannabis, law will allow adults to keep 25 grams of the drug

The US has approved a 3.5 billion dollar sale of Israel's Arrow 3 missile defence system. Germany the US is a partner in the Arrow project so it must sign off on any sale of the German deal which would be Israel's biggest-ever defence sale. This follows the European arms build-up in response to Russia's war in Ukraine what does this mean for Israel and what does this mean for Europe?

Germany to get Arrow-3 by the end of 2025, Israel's defence minister hails the move

One after the other. Nations are legalising Marijuana. Germany is next in line, as nation passes bill to bring it in recreational use.

Will Germany legalise recreational Marijuana use? What will be the new rules?

<p>German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock had to cancel her planned trip to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji due to&nbsp;recurring mechanical problems with her government plane.</p>

<p>"We tried everything but unfortunately it's logistically not possible to carry out my Indo-Pacific travel (plans) without the defective plane," the minister wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.</p>

<p>"That is more than annoying," she added.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="de">Wir haben alles versucht: leider ist es logistisch nicht möglich, meine Indo-Pazifik-Reise ohne den defekten Flieger fortzusetzen. Das ist mehr als ärgerlich. 1/2</p>
— Außenministerin Annalena Baerbock (@ABaerbock) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABaerbock/status/1691312170808573952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Baerbock had left for a week-long trip but her plane suffered some technical issues after refuelling in Abu Dhabi.</p>

<p>She was left stranded for hours while her crew tried to fix the problem.</p>

<p>Her delegation sought to get underway again overnight to Tuesday but the plane, which is a 23-year-old Airbus A340, had to be taken back to Abu Dhabi when the defect resurfaced.</p>

<p>A foreign ministry spokesperson took to X and said that the plane had attempted to make the journey from Abu Dhabi twice but was forced to return for safety reasons due to a technical malfunction with the wing flaps.</p>

<p>"For security reasons, the plane had to return there," wrote the German air force on X. The aircraft had to dump fuel to land safely in Abu Dhabi again, it added.</p>

<p>The incident rekindled debate about the German government's ageing planes, with some media reports terming the mishap as "embarrassing" and a "fiasco".</p>

<h2><strong>Germany's Luftwaffe air force takes planes out of service after embarrassment</strong></h2>

<p>The mishap pushed Germany's Luftwaffe air force to make an announcement on retiring the plane early along with the government's other A340-300.</p>

<p>"We will take the two A340s out of service as soon as possible, i.e. in the coming weeks ahead of schedule," the Luftwaffe wrote on X.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/chandrayaan-3-just-a-week-away-from-lunar-soft-landing-625932">Chandrayaan-3, just a week away from lunar soft-landing</a></p>

<p>As per news agency AFP reports, the government had bought three new A350s for roughly $1.3 billion in the year 2019 in order to upgrade the fleet and had also planned to stop using the plane carrying Baerbock by the end of year 2024.</p>

<p>"With the A350s, the air force has robust and modern aircraft at its disposal for long-haul operations," the Luftwaffe said.</p>

<p>In the month of May, Baerbock had to extend her tip to Qatar by a day after another government plane developed a flat tyre.</p>

<p>The Australian foreign ministry said it shared "minister Baerbock's disappointment" over this week's aborted trip.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We look forward to welcoming her to Australia in the future," a foreign ministry spokesperson said.</p>

<p>New Zealand's foreign ministry said it hoped "there will be an opportunity for the ministers to catch up in the future".</p>

<p>"It's simply embarrassing that the foreign minister couldn't continue her trip," Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, the head of Germany's parliamentary defence committee, told local media.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock had to cancel her planned trip to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji due to recurring mechanical problems with her government plane.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock had to cancel her planned trip to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji due to recurring mechanical problems with her government plane. "We tried everything but unfortunately it's logistically not possible to carry out my Indo-Pacific travel (plans) without the defective plane," the minister wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. "That is more than annoying," she added. Wir haben alles versucht: leider ist es logistisch nicht möglich, meine Indo-Pazifik-Reise ohne den defekten Flieger fortzusetzen. Das ist mehr als ärgerlich. 1/2 — Außenministerin Annalena Baerbock (@ABaerbock) August 15, 2023 × Baerbock had left for a week-long trip but her plane suffered some technical issues after refuelling in Abu Dhabi. She was left stranded for hours while her crew tried to fix the problem. Her delegation sought to get underway again overnight to Tuesday but the plane, which is a 23-year-old Airbus A340, had to be taken back to Abu Dhabi when the defect resurfaced. A foreign ministry spokesperson took to X and said that the plane had attempted to make the journey from Abu Dhabi twice but was forced to return for safety reasons due to a technical malfunction with the wing flaps. "For security reasons, the plane had to return there," wrote the German air force on X. The aircraft had to dump fuel to land safely in Abu Dhabi again, it added. The incident rekindled debate about the German government's ageing planes, with some media reports terming the mishap as "embarrassing" and a "fiasco". Germany's Luftwaffe air force takes planes out of service after embarrassment The mishap pushed Germany's Luftwaffe air force to make an announcement on retiring the plane early along with the government's other A340-300. "We will take the two A340s out of service as soon as possible, i.e. in the coming weeks ahead of schedule," the Luftwaffe wrote on X. Also read: Chandrayaan-3, just a week away from lunar soft-landing As per news agency AFP reports, the government had bought three new A350s for roughly $1.3 billion in the year 2019 in order to upgrade the fleet and had also planned to stop using the plane carrying Baerbock by the end of year 2024. "With the A350s, the air force has robust and modern aircraft at its disposal for long-haul operations," the Luftwaffe said. In the month of May, Baerbock had to extend her tip to Qatar by a day after another government plane developed a flat tyre. The Australian foreign ministry said it shared "minister Baerbock's disappointment" over this week's aborted trip. "We look forward to welcoming her to Australia in the future," a foreign ministry spokesperson said. New Zealand's foreign ministry said it hoped "there will be an opportunity for the ministers to catch up in the future". "It's simply embarrassing that the foreign minister couldn't continue her trip," Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, the head of Germany's parliamentary defence committee, told local media. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

German foreign minister cancels Indo-Pacific travel after plane suffers technical snag

<p>A controversial draft bill to legalise recreational marijuana use and cultivation was approved by the German cabinet on Wednesday (August 16).&nbsp;Health Minister Karl Lauterbach unveiled the bill after the approval and called it a&nbsp;"turning point" in the battle for the legalisation of cannabis use.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The German draft bill is being regarded as one of the most liberal cannabis bills&nbsp;in Europe and if turned into a law, it could provide a precedent for similar legislation across the world.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"No one should falsely understand the law. The consumption of cannabis will be legalised, but it remains dangerous," said&nbsp;Lauterbach in a joint statement with the&nbsp;agriculture ministry.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Chancellor Olaf Scholz's centre-left government is hoping that the law will&nbsp;attack the black market where the product is often adulterated with toxic substances&nbsp;and simultaneously help reduce&nbsp;drug-related criminality.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The protection of children and teenagers is a central element of the entire legislative project. With the current procedures we could not seriously protect children and young people, the topic has been made a taboo," the statement added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We have rising, problematic consumption, we couldn't simply allow this to go on.&nbsp;So this is an important turning point in our drug policy."</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-thailands-marijuana-industry-booms-587948"><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Thailand's marijuana industry booms</strong></a></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-thailands-marijuana-industry-booms-587948/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What does the bill say?</strong></h2>

<p>The language of the bill states that it would be legal for people over 18 to possess up to 25 grammes of weed and cultivate up to three plants for 'personal use'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Additionally, specialist shops will be able to sell&nbsp;cannabis and products containing THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol).&nbsp;The shops can provide members up to 50 grammes of cannabis per month and no more than 25 grammes at once However, initially, only select districts and cities will be able to sell the product for a period of five years.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/marijuana-magic-plant-or-menacing-drug-legal-or-illegal-its-a-highly-complex-issue-399065"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Marijuana: Magic plant or menacing drug, legal or illegal? It's a 'highly' complex issue</strong></a></p>

<h2><strong>Why is opposition against it?</strong></h2>

<p>While the Scholz government torpedoes ahead with the legislation, the conservative lawmakers in the country are up in arms, saying the law will encourage&nbsp;marijuana use and create more trouble for authorities.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"If there is something we don't need, then it is this law.&nbsp;Experiences from other countries show that legalization causes a big rise in consumption, with all its risks and side effects," said&nbsp;Andy Grote, from Lauterbach's centre-left Social Democrats (SPD).&nbsp;</p>

<p>A UN narcotics watchdog earlier this year, in a report, stated that moves by the government to legalise the drug had led to&nbsp;increased consumption and cannabis-related health problems.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Notably, the opposition to the bill has continued, despite the Scholz administration heavily watering down the original layout of the legislation.&nbsp;The previous plan, which would have allowed&nbsp;cannabis to be sold&nbsp;in licensed stores nationwide was revised after concerns from Brussels.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Under the new legislation, the commercial distribution of cannabis would only be allowed under special circumstances in so-called clubs.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


A controversial draft bill to legalise recreational marijuana use and cultivation was approved by the German cabinet on Wednesday (August 16). Health Minister Karl Lauterbach unveiled the bill after the approval and called it a "turning point" in the battle for the legalisation of cannabis use.

A controversial draft bill to legalise recreational marijuana use and cultivation was approved by the German cabinet on Wednesday (August 16). Health Minister Karl Lauterbach unveiled the bill after the approval and called it a "turning point" in the battle for the legalisation of cannabis use. The German draft bill is being regarded as one of the most liberal cannabis bills in Europe and if turned into a law, it could provide a precedent for similar legislation across the world. "No one should falsely understand the law. The consumption of cannabis will be legalised, but it remains dangerous," said Lauterbach in a joint statement with the agriculture ministry. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's centre-left government is hoping that the law will attack the black market where the product is often adulterated with toxic substances and simultaneously help reduce drug-related criminality. "The protection of children and teenagers is a central element of the entire legislative project. With the current procedures we could not seriously protect children and young people, the topic has been made a taboo," the statement added. "We have rising, problematic consumption, we couldn't simply allow this to go on. So this is an important turning point in our drug policy." Watch | Gravitas: Thailand's marijuana industry booms × What does the bill say? The language of the bill states that it would be legal for people over 18 to possess up to 25 grammes of weed and cultivate up to three plants for 'personal use'. Additionally, specialist shops will be able to sell cannabis and products containing THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol). The shops can provide members up to 50 grammes of cannabis per month and no more than 25 grammes at once However, initially, only select districts and cities will be able to sell the product for a period of five years. Also read | Marijuana: Magic plant or menacing drug, legal or illegal? It's a 'highly' complex issue Why is opposition against it? While the Scholz government torpedoes ahead with the legislation, the conservative lawmakers in the country are up in arms, saying the law will encourage marijuana use and create more trouble for authorities. "If there is something we don't need, then it is this law. Experiences from other countries show that legalization causes a big rise in consumption, with all its risks and side effects," said Andy Grote, from Lauterbach's centre-left Social Democrats (SPD). A UN narcotics watchdog earlier this year, in a report, stated that moves by the government to legalise the drug had led to increased consumption and cannabis-related health problems. Notably, the opposition to the bill has continued, despite the Scholz administration heavily watering down the original layout of the legislation. The previous plan, which would have allowed cannabis to be sold in licensed stores nationwide was revised after concerns from Brussels. Under the new legislation, the commercial distribution of cannabis would only be allowed under special circumstances in so-called clubs. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

German cabinet approves controversial bill legalising recreational marijuana use, cultivation

<p>Germany's crisis of labour is getting worse as increasing number of companies across Europe's largest economy face staff shortages, according to a latest business survey by the Munich-based Ifo Institute released on August 16.</p>

<p>The survey found more than 43 per cent of nearly 9,000 firms polled suffering from a lack of qualified workers in July — up from just over 42 per cent in April. The all-time high of almost 50 per cent was reached in July 2022.</p>

<p>"Despite a sluggish economy, many companies are still desperately searching for suitable employees," Ifo’s Stefan Sauer said in an emailed statement, Bloomberg reported.</p>

<p>Germany went through a period of recession during the winter of 2022 and 2023 after energy prices went up due to cumulative effects of the Russian offensive in Ukraine.</p>

<p>The inflation has since stagnated. It has also dragged down in particular by a decrease in manufacturing. But at present, the services sector is also emerging as particularly weak.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/worlds-fourth-largest-economy-germany-enters-recession-596490">Germany, world’s fourth-largest economy, enters recession</a></strong></p>

<p>Ifo said the service sector has been hit particularly hard, with three-quarters of legal and accounting companies are also not finding the applicants they need. There were also record shortages for transportation, architecture, and engineering.</p>

<p>Besides, nearly 41 per cent of machinery and equipment makers reported labour deficits. Overall number for the manufacturing industry improved slightly to just under 35 per cent.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Germany's far-right party AFD wins first governing post</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/germanys-far-right-party-afd-wins-wins-first-governing-post-608682/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The working-age population in Germany actually peaked towards the end of twentieth century. The country, however, has managed to ward off the demographic decline for last couple of decades due to arrival of millions of immigrants and the rising number of women going to work.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Both the trends are now subsiding as baby-boomers begin to retire.</p>

<h2><strong>What does it mean?</strong></h2>

<p>It simply means that the German economy will be more reliant on increasing the productivity of the workers amid growing anti-immigrant sentiment.</p>

<p>Politically, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is riding high in the polls and has been blamed for driving anti-immigrant push, a charge the AfD has vehemently denied.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Germany's crisis of labour is getting worse as increasing number of companies across Europe's largest economy face staff shortages, according to a latest business survey by the Munich-based Ifo Institute released on August 16.

Germany's crisis of labour is getting worse as increasing number of companies across Europe's largest economy face staff shortages, according to a latest business survey by the Munich-based Ifo Institute released on August 16. The survey found more than 43 per cent of nearly 9,000 firms polled suffering from a lack of qualified workers in July — up from just over 42 per cent in April. The all-time high of almost 50 per cent was reached in July 2022. "Despite a sluggish economy, many companies are still desperately searching for suitable employees," Ifo’s Stefan Sauer said in an emailed statement, Bloomberg reported. Germany went through a period of recession during the winter of 2022 and 2023 after energy prices went up due to cumulative effects of the Russian offensive in Ukraine. The inflation has since stagnated. It has also dragged down in particular by a decrease in manufacturing. But at present, the services sector is also emerging as particularly weak. Also read | Germany, world’s fourth-largest economy, enters recession Ifo said the service sector has been hit particularly hard, with three-quarters of legal and accounting companies are also not finding the applicants they need. There were also record shortages for transportation, architecture, and engineering. Besides, nearly 41 per cent of machinery and equipment makers reported labour deficits. Overall number for the manufacturing industry improved slightly to just under 35 per cent. Also watch | Germany's far-right party AFD wins first governing post × The working-age population in Germany actually peaked towards the end of twentieth century. The country, however, has managed to ward off the demographic decline for last couple of decades due to arrival of millions of immigrants and the rising number of women going to work. Both the trends are now subsiding as baby-boomers begin to retire. What does it mean? It simply means that the German economy will be more reliant on increasing the productivity of the workers amid growing anti-immigrant sentiment. Politically, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is riding high in the polls and has been blamed for driving anti-immigrant push, a charge the AfD has vehemently denied. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Germany's skilled labour shortage grows amid anti-immigrant push

Last year in December, German authorities thwarted a coup attempt. Eight months on, new details have emerged. The cult-like group of extremists planned to attack the German parliament, handcuff Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his ministers and parade them on national television.

Gravitas: Coup plotters planned to parade chancellor Scholz on TV

<p>A German officer arrested earlier this week on suspicion of spying for Moscow had access to highly sensitive information during his work at the procurement unit of the military.</p>

<h2><strong>Warfare and sensitive information</strong></h2>

<p>On Friday, German local media, Spiegel Online and Zeit newspaper reported that the man who prosecutors have identified as Thomas H., was working in the Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support department that among other things, handled the procurement of a highly modern system of modern warfare. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/deadly-bacteria-found-on-bibby-stockholm-uk-evacuates-controversial-barge-624672">Deadly bacteria found on Bibby Stockholm, UK evacuates controversial barge</a></strong></p>

<p>This, as per AFP, included procurement of technology for surveillance and disruption of opponents' radio systems and also the shutting down of enemy radio or air shield systems. It also looked after modern weapons that elite commandos use.</p>

<h2><strong>'Extensive access'</strong></h2>

<p>Spiegel, citing anonymous security sources, reported that the suspect in question had "extensive access" to the German military's electronic capabilities.</p>

<p>The man, as per an AFP report, in May 2023, approached the Russian embassy in Berlin and the consulate in Bonn "on his own initiative" and offered his cooperation.</p>

<p>He is suspected of providing information about his work for the German military division (Bundeswehr) to Russian diplomatic missions. Allegedly, he did this with the intention of passing it on to a Russian secret service.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-military-scientists-achieved-huge-breakthrough-in-laser-weapon-tech-report-624679">Chinese military scientists achieved 'huge breakthrough' in laser weapon tech: Report</a></strong></p>

<p>As per Die Zeit and Tagesspiegel, the man also has ties to Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.</p>

<p>This comes just weeks after the German domestic security agency BfV warned against the risk of an "aggressive Russian espionage operation". Such reports as per DW have increased since Russia began its invasion of neighbouring country Ukraine in February 2022.</p>

<p>In April of this year, Germany also expelled some Russian diplomats over concerns of espionage. In retaliation, Russia had ordered over 20 German diplomats to leave the nation. Further, in May, Moscow imposed a limit of 350 German personnel in the nation.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


A German officer arrested earlier this week on suspicion of spying for Moscow had access to highly sensitive information during his work at the procurement unit of the military.

A German officer arrested earlier this week on suspicion of spying for Moscow had access to highly sensitive information during his work at the procurement unit of the military. Warfare and sensitive information On Friday, German local media, Spiegel Online and Zeit newspaper reported that the man who prosecutors have identified as Thomas H., was working in the Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support department that among other things, handled the procurement of a highly modern system of modern warfare. Also read | Deadly bacteria found on Bibby Stockholm, UK evacuates controversial barge This, as per AFP, included procurement of technology for surveillance and disruption of opponents' radio systems and also the shutting down of enemy radio or air shield systems. It also looked after modern weapons that elite commandos use. 'Extensive access' Spiegel, citing anonymous security sources, reported that the suspect in question had "extensive access" to the German military's electronic capabilities. The man, as per an AFP report, in May 2023, approached the Russian embassy in Berlin and the consulate in Bonn "on his own initiative" and offered his cooperation. He is suspected of providing information about his work for the German military division (Bundeswehr) to Russian diplomatic missions. Allegedly, he did this with the intention of passing it on to a Russian secret service. Also read | Chinese military scientists achieved 'huge breakthrough' in laser weapon tech: Report As per Die Zeit and Tagesspiegel, the man also has ties to Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. This comes just weeks after the German domestic security agency BfV warned against the risk of an "aggressive Russian espionage operation". Such reports as per DW have increased since Russia began its invasion of neighbouring country Ukraine in February 2022. In April of this year, Germany also expelled some Russian diplomats over concerns of espionage. In retaliation, Russia had ordered over 20 German diplomats to leave the nation. Further, in May, Moscow imposed a limit of 350 German personnel in the nation. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Germany arrests alleged spy over suspicions of espionage for Russia

<p>A German citizen employed in the military has been arrested by the country's federal prosecutors on suspicion of spying for Russia. The development comes as&nbsp;heightened espionage activities by Moscow remain&nbsp;an area of concern&nbsp;in and beyond Berlin's corridors of power.</p>

<p>The federal prosecutor's office stated that the individual, Thomas H,&nbsp;in accordance with German privacy regulations, is believed to have been working for a foreign intelligence service.</p>

<p>He allegedly offered his services to various Russian institutions, including the Russian embassy in Berlin.</p>

<h2><b>Germany Russian spy row: When did arrest take place?</b></h2>

<p>The arrest of Thomas H. took place on July 27 in Koblenz, over 600 km southwest of Berlin.</p>

<p>Subsequent searches were conducted at his residence and workplace.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Thomas H. had been associated with the Army's Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support Department.</p>

<h2><strong>What did he spy about?</strong></h2>

<p>Prosecutors claimed that in May 2023, he approached the Russian general consulate in Bonn and the Russian embassy in Berlin, offering to cooperate with them.</p>

<p>He reportedly shared information obtained through his professional activities to be relayed to a Russian intelligence service.</p>

<p>The investigation was carried out in close collaboration with military intelligence and the domestic security agency, the BfV.</p>

<p>This arrest follows a warning issued by the BfV in June regarding the potential of an "aggressive Russian espionage operation" coinciding with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.</p>

<p>The BfV's annual report highlighted that due to Western sanctions against Russia and support for Ukraine's military actions, there was an escalated interest from the Kremlin in gathering information from Berlin.</p>

<p>The report pointed to a future increase in covert and aggressive Russian espionage activities, along with cyber operations originating from Russia.</p>

<p>Russian intelligence services were reportedly seeking to recruit new personnel in Germany, as well as engaging with existing staff for ongoing or renewed operations.</p>

<p>Earlier in April, Berlin expelled several Russian diplomats due to espionage concerns, leading to reciprocal expulsions of German diplomats from Moscow.</p>

<p>Subsequently, Russia imposed a limit of 350 on the number of German personnel allowed in Russia, which effectively forced many civil servants and local employees affiliated with German institutions to leave the country.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


A German citizen employed in the military has been arrested by the country's federal prosecutors on suspicion of spying for Russia. The development comes as heightened espionage activities by Moscow remain an area of concern in and beyond Berlin's corridors of power.

A German citizen employed in the military has been arrested by the country's federal prosecutors on suspicion of spying for Russia. The development comes as heightened espionage activities by Moscow remain an area of concern in and beyond Berlin's corridors of power. The federal prosecutor's office stated that the individual, Thomas H, in accordance with German privacy regulations, is believed to have been working for a foreign intelligence service. He allegedly offered his services to various Russian institutions, including the Russian embassy in Berlin. Germany Russian spy row: When did arrest take place? The arrest of Thomas H. took place on July 27 in Koblenz, over 600 km southwest of Berlin. Subsequent searches were conducted at his residence and workplace. Thomas H. had been associated with the Army's Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support Department. What did he spy about? Prosecutors claimed that in May 2023, he approached the Russian general consulate in Bonn and the Russian embassy in Berlin, offering to cooperate with them. He reportedly shared information obtained through his professional activities to be relayed to a Russian intelligence service. The investigation was carried out in close collaboration with military intelligence and the domestic security agency, the BfV. This arrest follows a warning issued by the BfV in June regarding the potential of an "aggressive Russian espionage operation" coinciding with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The BfV's annual report highlighted that due to Western sanctions against Russia and support for Ukraine's military actions, there was an escalated interest from the Kremlin in gathering information from Berlin. The report pointed to a future increase in covert and aggressive Russian espionage activities, along with cyber operations originating from Russia. Russian intelligence services were reportedly seeking to recruit new personnel in Germany, as well as engaging with existing staff for ongoing or renewed operations. Earlier in April, Berlin expelled several Russian diplomats due to espionage concerns, leading to reciprocal expulsions of German diplomats from Moscow. Subsequently, Russia imposed a limit of 350 on the number of German personnel allowed in Russia, which effectively forced many civil servants and local employees affiliated with German institutions to leave the country. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Germany arrests military staffer for spying amid concerns over Russia's espionage activities

A woman with a nut allergy bought every single packet of peanuts available on the flight. What led to this? Molly Gambhir tells you.

Gravitas: Woman with nut allergy buys all peanuts available on-board

<p>At least six people were killed in Slovenia currently witnessing the worst floods on record which have swept away homes and clogged villages with debris, while the clean-up operations continued&nbsp;on Monday (August 7), said the local officials and media.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Record-breaking rains and floods</strong></h2>

<p>Heavy rains in central and northern Slovenia have led to flash floods and landslides which began on Thursday and have since submerged large parts of the region, cutting off access to villages and disrupting traffic.</p>

<p>So far, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-3-killed-amid-heavy-rains-floods-in-slovenia-and-austria-622506">two Dutch men</a> believed struck by lightning and four Slovenians have been killed or drowned in the chaos, since Friday, reported state news agency STA citing police.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Emergency workers recovered the body of a 35-year-old man in a river near the village of Mirna Perc, on Sunday. According to the police, another man, who was a part of the clean-up operations, was found dead after falling into a cesspit near the town of Kamnik.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob has <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/slovenia-pm-worst-disaster-in-our-history-622951">described</a> the torrential rains and severe flooding, that the country of two million is witnessing, as its worst natural disaster since independence three decades ago.</p>

<p>In an update, on Monday, reports said that the rescue workers were in the midst of trying to reopen roads to the isolated places and were also assessing the damage. The Slovenian Environment Agency said floods were starting to recede on Monday, but some areas were still cut off.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, civil protection authorities were keeping an eye on flood-hit areas where landslides pose a threat to infrastructure and houses. This comes as residents from villages along the river Mura had to be evacuated on Sunday night after a part of the levee collapsed.</p>

<p>The body of a man was also recovered in the neighbouring country Austria from a river in Carinthia state, parts of which have also been affected due to heavy rains and floods.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What’s the damage?</strong></h2>

<p>According to reports, the damage to buildings and bridges caused by the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-not-a-typical-flood-event-heavy-rains-landslides-hit-in-parts-of-slovenia-austria-622517">floods</a> is worth around $549 million. “The material damage is not so important. The important thing is we saved our lives on time,” said Drago Hudofisk, in the village of Prevalje, as quoted by Reuters.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per the media report, Hudofisk is part of an eight-member family home that was swept away by a river over the weekend. “You know, nature fights back against everything (we do). Water has the power, it destroys everything,” he added.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>EU countries help disaster-hit Slovenia</strong></h2>

<p>Slovenia, a European Union member, has asked for help from the 27-nation bloc and sought heavy machinery, such as excavators and engineering units. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she will visit Slovenia on Wednesday, “to witness on the ground the destruction caused by the floods and discuss EU support.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>Slovenia also requested helicopters, soldiers and prefabricated bridges from NATO. Meanwhile, the first truck carrying humanitarian help and food arrived from Hungary late Sunday, followed by a helicopter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Croatia also provided a military helicopter to help close and secure a broken levee on the Mura River. Germany said it is sending emergency workers and expressed “dismay” over the “terrible flood catastrophe in Slovenia and Austria.”</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


At least six people were killed in Slovenia currently witnessing the worst floods on record which have swept away homes and clogged villages with debris, while the clean-up operations continued on Monday (August 7), said the local officials and media.

At least six people were killed in Slovenia currently witnessing the worst floods on record which have swept away homes and clogged villages with debris, while the clean-up operations continued on Monday (August 7), said the local officials and media. Record-breaking rains and floods Heavy rains in central and northern Slovenia have led to flash floods and landslides which began on Thursday and have since submerged large parts of the region, cutting off access to villages and disrupting traffic. So far, two Dutch men believed struck by lightning and four Slovenians have been killed or drowned in the chaos, since Friday, reported state news agency STA citing police. Emergency workers recovered the body of a 35-year-old man in a river near the village of Mirna Perc, on Sunday. According to the police, another man, who was a part of the clean-up operations, was found dead after falling into a cesspit near the town of Kamnik. Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob has described the torrential rains and severe flooding, that the country of two million is witnessing, as its worst natural disaster since independence three decades ago. In an update, on Monday, reports said that the rescue workers were in the midst of trying to reopen roads to the isolated places and were also assessing the damage. The Slovenian Environment Agency said floods were starting to recede on Monday, but some areas were still cut off. Meanwhile, civil protection authorities were keeping an eye on flood-hit areas where landslides pose a threat to infrastructure and houses. This comes as residents from villages along the river Mura had to be evacuated on Sunday night after a part of the levee collapsed. The body of a man was also recovered in the neighbouring country Austria from a river in Carinthia state, parts of which have also been affected due to heavy rains and floods. What’s the damage? According to reports, the damage to buildings and bridges caused by the floods is worth around $549 million. “The material damage is not so important. The important thing is we saved our lives on time,” said Drago Hudofisk, in the village of Prevalje, as quoted by Reuters. As per the media report, Hudofisk is part of an eight-member family home that was swept away by a river over the weekend. “You know, nature fights back against everything (we do). Water has the power, it destroys everything,” he added. EU countries help disaster-hit Slovenia Slovenia, a European Union member, has asked for help from the 27-nation bloc and sought heavy machinery, such as excavators and engineering units. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she will visit Slovenia on Wednesday, “to witness on the ground the destruction caused by the floods and discuss EU support.” Slovenia also requested helicopters, soldiers and prefabricated bridges from NATO. Meanwhile, the first truck carrying humanitarian help and food arrived from Hungary late Sunday, followed by a helicopter. Croatia also provided a military helicopter to help close and secure a broken levee on the Mura River. Germany said it is sending emergency workers and expressed “dismay” over the “terrible flood catastrophe in Slovenia and Austria.” (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Death toll rises to six after Slovenia’s worst floods on record, EU and NATO to send aid

<p>Around 13,000 residents from the German city of Dusseldorf were evacuated after a World War II-era bomb was found, on Monday night (August 7), reported German news outlet Deutsche Welle (DW).&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>About the bomb discovered</strong></h2>

<p>According to reports, the US-made bomb weighs 500 kg, which was to be defused overnight after it was discovered during work in the area near the city zoo, said the fire brigade, as per AFP.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/very-rare-ukraine-finds-remnants-of-british-wwii-hurricane-planes-outside-kyiv-611109">&nbsp;‘Very rare’: Ukraine finds remnants of British WWII Hurricane fighter planes outside Kyiv</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>Residents evacuated</strong></h2>

<p>The police and bomb squad launched an operation to dispose of the unexploded shell and cleared all residents within a 500-metre radius of the bomb’s location in the city of Dusseldorf. As per local media reports, two rooms at local schools were made available for affected residents.</p>

<p>The roads within the evacuation zone were also temporarily closed during the disposal operation. Some residents were reportedly seen carrying their pets as they left their homes. However, it was not immediately clear if the disposal was completed and the restrictions lifted.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-war-ii-era-boat-emerges-from-lake-mead-as-water-levels-decline-493713">World War II-era boat emerges from Lake Mead as water levels decline</a></strong></p>

<p>According to DW, long-distance trains were disrupted by the discovery of the bomb, while several local bus and tram lines were halted.</p>

<h2><strong>Not the first time</strong></h2>

<p>Notably, reports of bombs buried in Germany, from the two World Wars are not as unique. The ground in German cities remains riddled with unexploded ordnances which are typically discovered on construction sites.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In 2021, a World War II bomb exploded at a construction site near Munich station and injured four people as well as disrupted rail traffic. The year prior to that, 13,000 people in Frankfurt were forced to evacuate after a similar-sized British bomb was discovered and later dug up.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-war-ii-bomb-explodes-in-uk-incident-caught-on-video-561032">World War II bomb found in UK’s Yare river, explodes while being defused; incident caught on video</a></strong></p>

<p>In 2017, the discovery of a 1.4-tonne bomb in Frankfurt forced the evacuation of 65,000 people. According to a report by the Smithsonian Magazine, between 1940 and 1945, the US and British Air Forces dropped 2.7 million tons of bombs on Europe, half of which got planted in Germany.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Around 13,000 residents from the German city of Dusseldorf were evacuated after a World War II-era bomb was found, on Monday night (August 7), reported German news outlet Deutsche Welle (DW).

Around 13,000 residents from the German city of Dusseldorf were evacuated after a World War II-era bomb was found, on Monday night (August 7), reported German news outlet Deutsche Welle (DW). About the bomb discovered According to reports, the US-made bomb weighs 500 kg, which was to be defused overnight after it was discovered during work in the area near the city zoo, said the fire brigade, as per AFP. ALSO READ | ‘Very rare’: Ukraine finds remnants of British WWII Hurricane fighter planes outside Kyiv Residents evacuated The police and bomb squad launched an operation to dispose of the unexploded shell and cleared all residents within a 500-metre radius of the bomb’s location in the city of Dusseldorf. As per local media reports, two rooms at local schools were made available for affected residents. The roads within the evacuation zone were also temporarily closed during the disposal operation. Some residents were reportedly seen carrying their pets as they left their homes. However, it was not immediately clear if the disposal was completed and the restrictions lifted. ALSO READ | World War II-era boat emerges from Lake Mead as water levels decline According to DW, long-distance trains were disrupted by the discovery of the bomb, while several local bus and tram lines were halted. Not the first time Notably, reports of bombs buried in Germany, from the two World Wars are not as unique. The ground in German cities remains riddled with unexploded ordnances which are typically discovered on construction sites. In 2021, a World War II bomb exploded at a construction site near Munich station and injured four people as well as disrupted rail traffic. The year prior to that, 13,000 people in Frankfurt were forced to evacuate after a similar-sized British bomb was discovered and later dug up. ALSO READ | World War II bomb found in UK’s Yare river, explodes while being defused; incident caught on video In 2017, the discovery of a 1.4-tonne bomb in Frankfurt forced the evacuation of 65,000 people. According to a report by the Smithsonian Magazine, between 1940 and 1945, the US and British Air Forces dropped 2.7 million tons of bombs on Europe, half of which got planted in Germany. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

At least 13,000 residents evacuated from German city after discovery of World War II-era bomb

<p>French authorities said Monday they arrested a German man following the discovery of his wife who had been held captive for 12 years in their residence in Forbach, situated in eastern France near the German border.</p>

<p>According to a police source cited by AFP, the woman, also German, was found naked and with a shaven head in a bedroom secured with metal wire. She had endured probable torture and her body had multiple injuries, including fractures in both legs and fingers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The lady was hospitalised and is now receiving medical care.</p>

<h2><strong>How did the police discover the lady?</strong></h2>

<p>The incident has drawn the attention of authorities in both France and Germany. The woman's plight came to light after she managed to contact German police over the weekend, who subsequently alerted their French counterparts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She revealed that she had been held captive and subjected to abuse by her husband since 2011.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Heavy rainfall ravages North and Western areas of Germany</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/heavy-rainfall-ravages-north-and-western-areas-of-germany-623267/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The 55-year-old man is now facing serious charges, including kidnapping, aggravated rape, and acts of torture and barbarism, as reported by French broadcaster BFMTV. He is currently detained in the eastern French city of Metz.</p>

<h2><strong>Diary-like notebook recovered from apartment</strong></h2>

<p>An ongoing investigation has revealed the discovery of a diary-like notebook in the apartment, which is believed to have been used by the man to document his actions and the feeding times for his wife.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-13000-evacuated-from-german-city-after-world-war-ii-era-bomb-was-found-623505"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;At least 13,000 residents evacuated from German city after discovery of World War II-era bomb</strong></a></p>

<p>Despite initial reports, authorities clarified that there were no indications of blood or violence at the scene.</p>

<p>Local prosecutor Olivier Glady also mentioned the presence of around nine cats in the apartment. He clarified that metal bars found in the apartment were intended to keep the cats contained, contrary to earlier speculations.</p>

<p>Neighbours interviewed by Germany's Bild newspaper described the man as polite and indicated that he had informed them his wife had cancer and was in pain due to her illness. Some neighbours reported hearing screams but thought his wife was suffering from grave illness.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


French authorities said Monday they arrested a German man following the discovery of his wife who had been held captive for 12 years in their residence in Forbach, situated in eastern France near the German border.

French authorities said Monday they arrested a German man following the discovery of his wife who had been held captive for 12 years in their residence in Forbach, situated in eastern France near the German border. According to a police source cited by AFP, the woman, also German, was found naked and with a shaven head in a bedroom secured with metal wire. She had endured probable torture and her body had multiple injuries, including fractures in both legs and fingers. The lady was hospitalised and is now receiving medical care. How did the police discover the lady? The incident has drawn the attention of authorities in both France and Germany. The woman's plight came to light after she managed to contact German police over the weekend, who subsequently alerted their French counterparts. She revealed that she had been held captive and subjected to abuse by her husband since 2011. Watch: Heavy rainfall ravages North and Western areas of Germany × The 55-year-old man is now facing serious charges, including kidnapping, aggravated rape, and acts of torture and barbarism, as reported by French broadcaster BFMTV. He is currently detained in the eastern French city of Metz. Diary-like notebook recovered from apartment An ongoing investigation has revealed the discovery of a diary-like notebook in the apartment, which is believed to have been used by the man to document his actions and the feeding times for his wife. Also read: At least 13,000 residents evacuated from German city after discovery of World War II-era bomb Despite initial reports, authorities clarified that there were no indications of blood or violence at the scene. Local prosecutor Olivier Glady also mentioned the presence of around nine cats in the apartment. He clarified that metal bars found in the apartment were intended to keep the cats contained, contrary to earlier speculations. Neighbours interviewed by Germany's Bild newspaper described the man as polite and indicated that he had informed them his wife had cancer and was in pain due to her illness. Some neighbours reported hearing screams but thought his wife was suffering from grave illness. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

France arrests German man accused of holding his wife captive for 12 years

Europe has been experiencing extreme temperatures, and weeks of rain have devastated sections of Germany. German farmers' harvests are being hampered by the constant rain.

Heavy rainfall ravages North and Western areas of Germany

<p>An endangered red panda has given birth to two cubs in the Karlsruhe Zoo which is located in the southern German state of Baden-Württemberg, reported state-owned international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW), on Friday (August 4).&nbsp;</p>

<p>This also comes days after the United Kingdom’s Whipsnade Zoo also announced the birth of twin red panda cubs. Notably, all four red panda cubs were born in two different parts of the world and share the same birthday, which is June 25.</p>

<h2><strong>First red panda birth in German zoo</strong></h2>

<p>The announcement was made on the Karlsruhe Zoo’s Facebook page where they reported the birth of male and female cubs on Friday and said the birth was the first for a red panda inside the zoo.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A zoo spokesman told the German DPA news agency, that the cubs were taken out of the den for the first time on August 4 for their first checkup with a veterinarian. According to the zoo’s statement, the red panda offspring are “developing very well” and were born on June 25.</p>

<p>The cubs have also been microchipped and currently weigh 410 and 500 grams, the statement added. “The cubs will spend the next weeks in the den and will be cared for by their mother Akuti,” said the German zoo.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Double hope for the species: UK zoo</strong></h2>

<p>Earlier, , on Wednesday (August 2), the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) announced the birth of twin red panda cubs at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, United Kingdom. The ZSL, which runs the British zoo said that the birth of the pair, whose sex is yet to be determined offers “double hope for the species”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The twin red panda cubs, at Whipsnade Zoo were also born on June 25 and each weighed just 113 grams at birth and were yet to venture out of their nest. Grant Timberlake, a zookeeper said, “We were ecstatic when we spotted her curled up in one of the nesting boxes we had prepared, using her bushy red tail to keep the two cubs warm.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>He also said that the red panda cubs are being taken care of by their parents Ruby and Nilo and will be named after their first visit to the veterinarian. “Ruby has been doing an incredible job feeding and caring for the twins, so we’re leaving the family to bond together, only checking in on them when she pops outside to eat,” said Timberlake, as quoted by <em>The Guardian.&nbsp;</em></p>

<h2><strong>Endangered red pandas</strong></h2>

<p>According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), red pandas are among the world’s endangered species. Furthermore, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) estimates that there are less than 10,000 red pandas left on Earth.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“These twin cubs give us double hope for the species, as they were born as part of an important European breeding programme for endangered red pandas, designed to keep a backup population safe in conservation zoos – while we tackle the issues they’re facing in the wild,” said Timberlake.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


An endangered red panda has given birth to two cubs in the Karlsruhe Zoo which is located in the southern German state of Baden-Württemberg, reported state-owned international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW), on Friday (August 4).

An endangered red panda has given birth to two cubs in the Karlsruhe Zoo which is located in the southern German state of Baden-Württemberg, reported state-owned international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW), on Friday (August 4). This also comes days after the United Kingdom’s Whipsnade Zoo also announced the birth of twin red panda cubs. Notably, all four red panda cubs were born in two different parts of the world and share the same birthday, which is June 25. First red panda birth in German zoo The announcement was made on the Karlsruhe Zoo’s Facebook page where they reported the birth of male and female cubs on Friday and said the birth was the first for a red panda inside the zoo. A zoo spokesman told the German DPA news agency, that the cubs were taken out of the den for the first time on August 4 for their first checkup with a veterinarian. According to the zoo’s statement, the red panda offspring are “developing very well” and were born on June 25. The cubs have also been microchipped and currently weigh 410 and 500 grams, the statement added. “The cubs will spend the next weeks in the den and will be cared for by their mother Akuti,” said the German zoo. Double hope for the species: UK zoo Earlier, , on Wednesday (August 2), the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) announced the birth of twin red panda cubs at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, United Kingdom. The ZSL, which runs the British zoo said that the birth of the pair, whose sex is yet to be determined offers “double hope for the species”. The twin red panda cubs, at Whipsnade Zoo were also born on June 25 and each weighed just 113 grams at birth and were yet to venture out of their nest. Grant Timberlake, a zookeeper said, “We were ecstatic when we spotted her curled up in one of the nesting boxes we had prepared, using her bushy red tail to keep the two cubs warm.” He also said that the red panda cubs are being taken care of by their parents Ruby and Nilo and will be named after their first visit to the veterinarian. “Ruby has been doing an incredible job feeding and caring for the twins, so we’re leaving the family to bond together, only checking in on them when she pops outside to eat,” said Timberlake, as quoted by The Guardian. Endangered red pandas According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), red pandas are among the world’s endangered species. Furthermore, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) estimates that there are less than 10,000 red pandas left on Earth. “These twin cubs give us double hope for the species, as they were born as part of an important European breeding programme for endangered red pandas, designed to keep a backup population safe in conservation zoos – while we tackle the issues they’re facing in the wild,” said Timberlake. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Endangered red panda gives birth to two cubs at Germany’s Karlsruhe Zoo

<p>A group of 17 young tourists from Germany is being blamed for causing significant damage to a 19th-century Italian fountain statue.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Surveillance footage clearly shows the group pushing over the statue, named "Domina," while they were taking photos.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Statue valued at $218k</strong></h2>

<p>The statue, known to be around 150 years old and valued at $218,000, was located within the grounds of Villa Alceo, which the tourists had rented.</p>

<p>Bruno Golferini, the manager of Villa Alceo, expressed his dismay, saying, "Sadly, there are these ignorant people who do these kind of things.”</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Gravitas: How Italy is tackling the AI threat</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-how-italy-is-tackling-the-ai-threat-593048/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The unfortunate event occurred when a couple of tourists decided to embrace the statue inside the fountain. One of the tourists then used a stick to push the statue, causing it to topple over.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Golferini has filed a complaint against all 17 tourists, who have since departed from Italy. Law enforcement is currently investigating the incident based on the surveillance footage.</p>

<h2><strong>Can the statue be repaired?</strong></h2>

<p>Repairing the statue poses a challenge due to damage sustained by various tiles within the fountain. Efforts to identify the tourists and obtain surveillance video footage from the villa are still ongoing.</p>

<p>Local authorities have been vocal about the incident, with Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini and Councilor for Culture Francesca Caruso both condemning the actions of the group. Caruso emphasised that those who cause harm to artistic and cultural treasures must be held accountable financially.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/italy-made-improvised-atrocious-decision-of-joining-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative-says-defence-minister-620868"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;Italy made `improvised, wicked` decision of joining China`s Belt and Road Initiative, says defence minister</strong></a></p>

<p>This occurrence adds to a series of incidents involving vandalism across Europe during the summer, including accusations of defacement of the Roman Colosseum and a Canadian teenager carving his name into a historic Japanese temple.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


A group of 17 young tourists from Germany is being blamed for causing significant damage to a 19th-century Italian fountain statue. Surveillance footage clearly shows the group pushing over the statue, named "Domina," while they were taking photos.

A group of 17 young tourists from Germany is being blamed for causing significant damage to a 19th-century Italian fountain statue. Surveillance footage clearly shows the group pushing over the statue, named "Domina," while they were taking photos. Statue valued at $218k The statue, known to be around 150 years old and valued at $218,000, was located within the grounds of Villa Alceo, which the tourists had rented. Bruno Golferini, the manager of Villa Alceo, expressed his dismay, saying, "Sadly, there are these ignorant people who do these kind of things.” Watch: Gravitas: How Italy is tackling the AI threat × The unfortunate event occurred when a couple of tourists decided to embrace the statue inside the fountain. One of the tourists then used a stick to push the statue, causing it to topple over. Golferini has filed a complaint against all 17 tourists, who have since departed from Italy. Law enforcement is currently investigating the incident based on the surveillance footage. Can the statue be repaired? Repairing the statue poses a challenge due to damage sustained by various tiles within the fountain. Efforts to identify the tourists and obtain surveillance video footage from the villa are still ongoing. Local authorities have been vocal about the incident, with Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini and Councilor for Culture Francesca Caruso both condemning the actions of the group. Caruso emphasised that those who cause harm to artistic and cultural treasures must be held accountable financially. Also read: Italy made `improvised, wicked` decision of joining China`s Belt and Road Initiative, says defence minister This occurrence adds to a series of incidents involving vandalism across Europe during the summer, including accusations of defacement of the Roman Colosseum and a Canadian teenager carving his name into a historic Japanese temple. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Italy: German tourists blamed for damaging 19th-century statue while taking photos

<p>India’s External Affairs Ministry (MEA) summoned the German ambassador in the national capital New Delhi to seek the early return of two-year-old girl Ariha Shah, who has been in foster care in Berlin for more than 20 months.</p>

<p>The move came after 59 MPs from 19 political parties signed a joint letter urging the early repatriation of Ariha Shah.</p>

<p>“We attach high priority to this case. At the minimum, her cultural rights and rights of being an Indian are being infringed in this respect. The German Ambassador (Philipp Ackermann) was summoned this week and our concerns were clearly conveyed. We have asked to get the child back from Germany as soon as possible. We will continue to press the German authorities on this matter,’’ MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said when asked about the case on Thursday (Aug 3).</p>

<h2><strong>Govt urged to intervene </strong></h2>

<p>On Wednesday (Aug 2), some parliamentarians had met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and requested his intervention in the case.</p>

<p>The Indian government has been actively involved in the case ever since the matter came to the fore.</p>

<p>Last month too, the Indian government asked the German authorities to do all that is necessary to send Ariha to India at the earliest.</p>

<p>The MEA said it is important for the child to be in her linguistic, religious, cultural and social environment.</p>

<p>“Ariha’s continued placement in German foster care and infringement of her social, cultural and linguistic rights is of deep concern to the Government and the parents,’’ Bagchi had said.</p>

<h2><strong>Row over repatriation of Ariha Shah, taken by Germany govt from parents in 2021</strong></h2>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/row-over-repatriation-of-ariha-shah-taken-by-germany-govt-from-parents-in-2021-605152/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<h2><strong>Why Ariha is in foster care?</strong></h2>

<p>The Indian couple—Bhavesh Shah, a Gujarati software engineer and his wife Dhara— moved to Berlin in 2021. In September, the baby suffered injuries to her outer genital area following which she was admitted to a hospital.</p>

<p>Dhara said that the injury happened when the baby’s grandmother, who visited Berlin to see her grandchild, “accidentally” hit her.</p>

<p>This prompted the German authorities to place the child in foster care on September 23, 2021, claiming that her parents allegedly harassed Ariha, who was only seven months old that time.</p>

<p>Following an investigation, the authorities dropped assault charges, and instead accused the parents of negligence.</p>

<p>But this case was also closed in February 2022, without any formal charges being filed against them.</p>

<p>Despite this, German childcare services did not return the baby to her parents and filed a civil custody case for the termination of parental rights and permanent custody of the child.</p>

<p>Since then, the parents have been fighting a legal battle for the custody of their child.</p>

<p>The case has been gaining traction in India since it bears resemblance to a similar one in Norway in 2021 where two children of Sagarika Chakraborty were placed in foster care after accusing her of “improper parenting”.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


India’s External Affairs Ministry (MEA) summoned the German ambassador in the national capital New Delhi to seek the early return of two-year-old girl Ariha Shah, who has been in foster care in Berlin for more than 20 months.

India’s External Affairs Ministry (MEA) summoned the German ambassador in the national capital New Delhi to seek the early return of two-year-old girl Ariha Shah, who has been in foster care in Berlin for more than 20 months. The move came after 59 MPs from 19 political parties signed a joint letter urging the early repatriation of Ariha Shah. “We attach high priority to this case. At the minimum, her cultural rights and rights of being an Indian are being infringed in this respect. The German Ambassador (Philipp Ackermann) was summoned this week and our concerns were clearly conveyed. We have asked to get the child back from Germany as soon as possible. We will continue to press the German authorities on this matter,’’ MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said when asked about the case on Thursday (Aug 3). Govt urged to intervene On Wednesday (Aug 2), some parliamentarians had met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and requested his intervention in the case. The Indian government has been actively involved in the case ever since the matter came to the fore. Last month too, the Indian government asked the German authorities to do all that is necessary to send Ariha to India at the earliest. The MEA said it is important for the child to be in her linguistic, religious, cultural and social environment. “Ariha’s continued placement in German foster care and infringement of her social, cultural and linguistic rights is of deep concern to the Government and the parents,’’ Bagchi had said. Row over repatriation of Ariha Shah, taken by Germany govt from parents in 2021 Why Ariha is in foster care? The Indian couple—Bhavesh Shah, a Gujarati software engineer and his wife Dhara— moved to Berlin in 2021. In September, the baby suffered injuries to her outer genital area following which she was admitted to a hospital. Dhara said that the injury happened when the baby’s grandmother, who visited Berlin to see her grandchild, “accidentally” hit her. This prompted the German authorities to place the child in foster care on September 23, 2021, claiming that her parents allegedly harassed Ariha, who was only seven months old that time. Following an investigation, the authorities dropped assault charges, and instead accused the parents of negligence. But this case was also closed in February 2022, without any formal charges being filed against them. Despite this, German childcare services did not return the baby to her parents and filed a civil custody case for the termination of parental rights and permanent custody of the child. Since then, the parents have been fighting a legal battle for the custody of their child. The case has been gaining traction in India since it bears resemblance to a similar one in Norway in 2021 where two children of Sagarika Chakraborty were placed in foster care after accusing her of “improper parenting”. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

India summons German ambassador over Ariha Shah child custody case

<p>Anissa Lahmari's winner powered World Cup debutants Morocco past Colombia 1-0 on Thursday and into the last 16 at the expense of two-time champions Germany. Morocco's upset in Perth lifted them to six points and they finished runners-up in Group H to Colombia on goal difference. Germany were eliminated after being held to a 1-1 draw with South Korea in Brisbane. Colombia will play Jamaica in the round of 16, while Morocco face France. &nbsp;</p>

<p>It was a fairytale result for Morocco, who have rebounded from a humiliating 6-0 drubbing on their debut against Germany with wins over South Korea and Colombia. In front of 17,342 fans, the sole goal arrived moments before half-time when Ibtissam Jraidi was impeded in the box by a clumsy Daniela Arias.&nbsp;Captain Ghizlane Chebbak's penalty kick was spectacularly saved by lunging goalkeeper Catalina Perez, who dived to her left.&nbsp;But Sakina Ouzraoui pounced on the deflection and her nifty pass found Lahmari who made no mistake from close range.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Colombia, wearing their yellow shirts, fielded a full-strength team despite having effectively qualified to the last 16 before this game.&nbsp;Real Madrid striker Linda Caicedo, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 15 but made a full recovery, took her place after x-rays cleared her of any health issues. Caicedo, who scored goals in Colombia's wins against South Korea and Germany, had suffered breathing difficulties against the Germans just days after collapsing in training with chest pain. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-lionel-messi-scores-two-more-as-inter-miami-march-past-orlando-city-621865">Football: Lionel Messi scores twice as Inter Miami march past Orlando City</a></strong></p>

<p>Midfielder Mayra Ramirez overcame a knee injury sustained against Germany.&nbsp;But Morocco took heed of coach Reynald Pedros' plea to play aggressively with a dashing Jraidi forcing Perez into a save in the opening minute.&nbsp;An attacking Morocco continued to dictate the early exchanges with Chebbak and Fatima Tagnaout particularly influential.&nbsp;Tagnaout set up Lahmari whose long-range strike on the half hour sailed well over the bar. Caicedo had limited impact and copped an errant tackle to her foot which had her writhing on the turf.&nbsp; She was finally involved just before half-time with several menacing dashes down the right, but Colombia couldn't capitalise.</p>

<p>Morocco made them pay with Lahmari's goal putting the group on a knife's edge at the interval. Colombia came out aggressively and almost equalised on the hour when Daniela Montoya's bullet was brilliantly saved by Morocco goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi. They continued to press with Ramirez slamming a powerful shot from a tight angle into the right post.&nbsp;But Morocco hung on to trigger wild celebrations from their players.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Anissa Lahmari's winner powered World Cup debutants Morocco past Colombia 1-0 on Thursday and into the last 16 at the expense of two-time champions Germany. Morocco's upset in Perth lifted them to six points and they finished runners-up in Group H to Colombia on goal difference.

Anissa Lahmari's winner powered World Cup debutants Morocco past Colombia 1-0 on Thursday and into the last 16 at the expense of two-time champions Germany. Morocco's upset in Perth lifted them to six points and they finished runners-up in Group H to Colombia on goal difference. Germany were eliminated after being held to a 1-1 draw with South Korea in Brisbane. Colombia will play Jamaica in the round of 16, while Morocco face France. It was a fairytale result for Morocco, who have rebounded from a humiliating 6-0 drubbing on their debut against Germany with wins over South Korea and Colombia. In front of 17,342 fans, the sole goal arrived moments before half-time when Ibtissam Jraidi was impeded in the box by a clumsy Daniela Arias. Captain Ghizlane Chebbak's penalty kick was spectacularly saved by lunging goalkeeper Catalina Perez, who dived to her left. But Sakina Ouzraoui pounced on the deflection and her nifty pass found Lahmari who made no mistake from close range. Colombia, wearing their yellow shirts, fielded a full-strength team despite having effectively qualified to the last 16 before this game. Real Madrid striker Linda Caicedo, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 15 but made a full recovery, took her place after x-rays cleared her of any health issues. Caicedo, who scored goals in Colombia's wins against South Korea and Germany, had suffered breathing difficulties against the Germans just days after collapsing in training with chest pain. Also read: Football: Lionel Messi scores twice as Inter Miami march past Orlando City Midfielder Mayra Ramirez overcame a knee injury sustained against Germany. But Morocco took heed of coach Reynald Pedros' plea to play aggressively with a dashing Jraidi forcing Perez into a save in the opening minute. An attacking Morocco continued to dictate the early exchanges with Chebbak and Fatima Tagnaout particularly influential. Tagnaout set up Lahmari whose long-range strike on the half hour sailed well over the bar. Caicedo had limited impact and copped an errant tackle to her foot which had her writhing on the turf. She was finally involved just before half-time with several menacing dashes down the right, but Colombia couldn't capitalise. Morocco made them pay with Lahmari's goal putting the group on a knife's edge at the interval. Colombia came out aggressively and almost equalised on the hour when Daniela Montoya's bullet was brilliantly saved by Morocco goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi. They continued to press with Ramirez slamming a powerful shot from a tight angle into the right post. But Morocco hung on to trigger wild celebrations from their players. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

FIFA Women's World Cup: Morocco stun Colombia to storm into last 16 and chuck out Germany

Germany, the powerhouse of Europe, is facing serious challenges as its economy grapples with ongoing struggles. Despite being the continent's largest economy, Germany's growth engine seems to have stalled, and concerns are rising about its impact on Europe's overall prosperity.

Germany economy | Stagnation looms: Germany's long-term challenges persist | WORLD DNA

In a rare win for an energy source not favoured in Germany's biggest region. Residents of a rural Bavarian village have said yes to the installation of wind turbines on the hillside next to their community. Economically prosperous and hungry for power Bavaria had been dragging its feet on the expansion of wind energy capacity, which is vitally needed for Germany to hit its goal of being carbon neutral by 2045.

Bavarian village switches wind turbines to become carbon neutral by 2045

<p>Law enforcement agencies from five countries disrupted an intercontinental criminal network involved in smuggling migrants from Cuba to the European Union, said Europol, in a statement, on Monday (July 24). The investigation coordinated by Europol and Interpol also led to the arrest of 62 people, out of which 25 were Cuban nationals.</p>

<h2><strong>About the operation</strong></h2>

<p>The operation was conducted by Germany’s Bundespolizei (Federal Police); Hellenic Police and Coast Guard (Greece); Interior Ministry of North Macedonia; Policía Nacional (Spain); and Serbian Interior Ministry and Criminal Police Directorate, Service for Combating Organized Crime.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The investigation began back in October 2021 when the Serbian, Greek, North Macedonian and Finnish authorities reported a rise in the number of Cuban citizens trying to enter Europe with “falsified documentation”. In January 2023, multiple European agencies, including Europol, issued a joint intelligence notification on the trend.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/italy-hosts-migration-conference-as-pm-meloni-eu-hope-to-extend-tunisia-deal-to-other-nations-618682">Italy hosts migration conference as PM Meloni, EU hope to extend Tunisia deal to other nations</a></strong></p>

<p>The investigation revealed a “complex criminal infrastructure” which was set up in Spain, Greece and Serbia. The operation also led to the seizure of 18 pieces of real estate, 33 vehicles and 144 bank accounts, alongside vast sums of cash in various currencies, said Europol.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Law enforcement agencies believe that the criminal network has successfully smuggled around 5,000 Cuban nationals into the EU and generated a profit of $49 million (45 million euros).&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Modus operandi of smugglers</strong></h2>

<p>According to the European intelligence agency, the alleged smugglers used a “well-known messaging application”, which was not named, to advertise their “illicit services” to Cubans in vulnerable situations. The members of the migrant smuggling network would charge $9,969 (9,000 euros) and organise the trip, and transfers, and provide false documentation, said Europol.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The European agencies in their notification, issued earlier this year, also noted the effect of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on the criminal network’s operations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Previously, Cuban nationals would fly to Russia on commercial flights and from there they could either cross the Finnish-Russian border to enter the EU or fly to Serbia and travel through central or southern Europe.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, since the conflict began back in February 2022, Cuban nationals have been flown to Serbia via Germany and upon their arrival in Belgrade the smugglers would facilitate their “irregular entry” into North Macedonia and Greece by land.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-willfully-ignoring-deaths-of-nearly-300-children-this-year-trying-to-cross-mediterranean-un-615785">Nearly 300 children died this year trying to cross Mediterranean Sea: UN</a></strong></p>

<p>Once the migrants reached Greece they would either apply for asylum or travel to other EU countries organised by the criminal network, like flights to Spain or sea transport to Italy. They would also provide forged documents to travel within the EU.</p>

<h2><strong>Risks of the journey</strong></h2>

<p>According to the European intelligence agency, during land journeys smugglers would direct large groups of migrants and make them walk in the dark without supplies for hours.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“In addition to these arduous conditions, the criminals would take advantage of the most vulnerable migrants, including minors, and subject them to scams, robberies, and extortion,” said Europol, in a statement. &nbsp;</p>

<p>It added, “In some cases, women were transferred to other criminal groups for sexual exploitation.”<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Law enforcement agencies from five countries disrupted an intercontinental criminal network involved in smuggling migrants from Cuba to the European Union, said Europol, in a statement, on Monday (July 24).

Law enforcement agencies from five countries disrupted an intercontinental criminal network involved in smuggling migrants from Cuba to the European Union, said Europol, in a statement, on Monday (July 24). The investigation coordinated by Europol and Interpol also led to the arrest of 62 people, out of which 25 were Cuban nationals. About the operation The operation was conducted by Germany’s Bundespolizei (Federal Police); Hellenic Police and Coast Guard (Greece); Interior Ministry of North Macedonia; Policía Nacional (Spain); and Serbian Interior Ministry and Criminal Police Directorate, Service for Combating Organized Crime. The investigation began back in October 2021 when the Serbian, Greek, North Macedonian and Finnish authorities reported a rise in the number of Cuban citizens trying to enter Europe with “falsified documentation”. In January 2023, multiple European agencies, including Europol, issued a joint intelligence notification on the trend. ALSO READ | Italy hosts migration conference as PM Meloni, EU hope to extend Tunisia deal to other nations The investigation revealed a “complex criminal infrastructure” which was set up in Spain, Greece and Serbia. The operation also led to the seizure of 18 pieces of real estate, 33 vehicles and 144 bank accounts, alongside vast sums of cash in various currencies, said Europol. Law enforcement agencies believe that the criminal network has successfully smuggled around 5,000 Cuban nationals into the EU and generated a profit of $49 million (45 million euros). Modus operandi of smugglers According to the European intelligence agency, the alleged smugglers used a “well-known messaging application”, which was not named, to advertise their “illicit services” to Cubans in vulnerable situations. The members of the migrant smuggling network would charge $9,969 (9,000 euros) and organise the trip, and transfers, and provide false documentation, said Europol. The European agencies in their notification, issued earlier this year, also noted the effect of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on the criminal network’s operations. Previously, Cuban nationals would fly to Russia on commercial flights and from there they could either cross the Finnish-Russian border to enter the EU or fly to Serbia and travel through central or southern Europe. However, since the conflict began back in February 2022, Cuban nationals have been flown to Serbia via Germany and upon their arrival in Belgrade the smugglers would facilitate their “irregular entry” into North Macedonia and Greece by land. ALSO READ | Nearly 300 children died this year trying to cross Mediterranean Sea: UN Once the migrants reached Greece they would either apply for asylum or travel to other EU countries organised by the criminal network, like flights to Spain or sea transport to Italy. They would also provide forged documents to travel within the EU. Risks of the journey According to the European intelligence agency, during land journeys smugglers would direct large groups of migrants and make them walk in the dark without supplies for hours. “In addition to these arduous conditions, the criminals would take advantage of the most vulnerable migrants, including minors, and subject them to scams, robberies, and extortion,” said Europol, in a statement. It added, “In some cases, women were transferred to other criminal groups for sexual exploitation.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

62 alleged migrant smugglers arrested in Europol-Interpol human trafficking crackdown

The Christopher Street Day, also known as Berlin Pride, draws about 300,000 people to Berlin. They honour the LGBTQIA+ community with a vibrant parade of roughly 70 trucks decorated with various themes.

Berlin: Thousands gather to celebrate Christopher Street Day

germany

Germany, News on Germany, stories on Germany, articles on Germany, Germany stories at Wion, Germany news, Germany latest news