Germany has officially confiscated the world's largest superyacht owned by Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, as part of sanctions against Moscow following the outbreak of war in Ukraine, police sources said Thursday.

The 156-metre (1,680-feet) long "Dilbar" has an estimated value of $600 million ((555 million euros) according to Forbes magazine. 
Since last October the boat has been docked for repairs in a Hamburg shipyard.

German customs had been eyeing the superyacht for several weeks, but could not formally seize it earlier due to a legal imbroglio over its ownership.

Eventually the German Federal Judicial Police indicated that they had succeeded "after lengthy investigations, and in spite of concealment via offshore companies, in identifying the owner of the M/S Dilbar and it is Gulbakhor Ismailova, the sister of Alisher Usmanov".

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/desperate-putin-may-use-nuclear-weapons-says-cia-chief-471114">Desperate Putin may use nuclear weapons, says CIA chief</a>

"The luxury yacht is now under the sanctions regime and so could be confiscated in Hamburg," police added on Twitter.

The Russian billionaire and his sister are both targeted by European sanctions against Russian oligarchs as well as members of their families.

Usmanov, 68, was ranked sixth in the Sunday Times' list of the richest people in the UK in 2021.

He is one of dozens of Russian oligarchs hit by Western sanctions since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine.

On Wednesday, English Premier League football club Everton suspended its sponsorship agreements with several companies in which Usmanov held shares. &nbsp;

The confiscation of the "Dilbar" is just the latest in a string of seizures of Russian superyachts under the Western sanctions.&nbsp;

Germany has officially confiscated the world's largest superyacht owned by Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, as part of sanctions against Moscow following the outbreak of war in Ukraine, police sources said Thursday.

Germany has officially confiscated the world's largest superyacht owned by Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, as part of sanctions against Moscow following the outbreak of war in Ukraine, police sources said Thursday. The 156-metre (1,680-feet) long "Dilbar" has an estimated value of $600 million ((555 million euros) according to Forbes magazine. Since last October the boat has been docked for repairs in a Hamburg shipyard. German customs had been eyeing the superyacht for several weeks, but could not formally seize it earlier due to a legal imbroglio over its ownership. Eventually the German Federal Judicial Police indicated that they had succeeded "after lengthy investigations, and in spite of concealment via offshore companies, in identifying the owner of the M/S Dilbar and it is Gulbakhor Ismailova, the sister of Alisher Usmanov". Also Read | Desperate Putin may use nuclear weapons, says CIA chief "The luxury yacht is now under the sanctions regime and so could be confiscated in Hamburg," police added on Twitter. The Russian billionaire and his sister are both targeted by European sanctions against Russian oligarchs as well as members of their families. Usmanov, 68, was ranked sixth in the Sunday Times' list of the richest people in the UK in 2021. He is one of dozens of Russian oligarchs hit by Western sanctions since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine. On Wednesday, English Premier League football club Everton suspended its sponsorship agreements with several companies in which Usmanov held shares. The confiscation of the "Dilbar" is just the latest in a string of seizures of Russian superyachts under the Western sanctions.

Germany officially seizes world's largest yacht owned by Russian oligarch

Germany will host the G7 summit in June and this will be the fourth time that India will be consecutively invited to the G7 summit since 2019. To get more details, watch this report by WION's principal diplomatic correspondent, Siddhant Sibbal.

WION Exclusive: Fourth consecutive G7 invite for India since 2019

Germany will host the G7 summit in June and this will be the fourth time that India will be consecutively invited to the G7 summit since 2019. Earlier, it was rumored that Germany was weighing in on whether or not to invite India. Watch this report by WION's principal diplomatic correspondent, Siddhant Sibbal.

WION Exclusive: Germany to invite India to G7 summit

Chancellor Olaf Scholz surprised the world, and his own country, when he responded to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with a 100 billion euro ($108 billion) plan to arm Germany, send weapons to Ukraine and end his nation’s deep dependence on Russian energy.

It was Germany’s biggest foreign policy shift since the Cold War, what Scholz called a “Zeitenwende” — an epochal change — that won applause for his leadership at home and abroad.

But six weeks later, the applause has largely ceased. Even as images of atrocities emerge from Ukraine since the invasion by President Vladimir Putin of Russia, Scholz has ruled out an immediate oil and gas embargo, saying it would be too costly. He is dragging his feet on sending 100 armored vehicles to Ukraine, saying that Germany must not “rush ahead.” There are new debates in the ruling coalition about just how to go forward with the massive task Scholz has laid out, let alone how fast.

Already doubts are building as to the German government’s commitment to its own radical plans. “Zeitenwende is real, but the country is the same,” said Thomas Bagger, a senior German diplomat who will be the next ambassador to Poland. “Not everyone likes it.”

The changes Scholz announced go far deeper than his commitment to spend 2% of gross domestic product on the military — some 70 billion euros ($76 billion) a year, compared with France’s 41 billion euros ($44 billion).

They go to the heart of Germany’s postwar identity as a peaceful exporting nation — and to the heart of a business model that has enriched Germany and made it Europe’s largest and most powerful economy.

Now Germans are being asked “to rethink everything — our approach to doing business, to energy policy, to defense and to Russia,” said Claudia Major, a defense expert at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. “We need a mindset change. We need to recognize that this is about us — that power politics are back and Germany must play a role.”

But she added, “Once again Germany is not leading. It is being dragged.”

Truly reorienting Germans for a new world where security has its real costs — not only in terms potentially of lost lives, but also in lost trade, higher energy prices, slimmer profits and lower economic growth — will be a wrenching endeavor that will take time, even a generation, and more than an afternoon’s policy pronouncement.

That realization is dawning, for Germans and their frustrated European partners.

“I don’t understand how anyone in Germany can sleep at night after seeing horrors like this without doing anything about it,” said Andriy Melnyk, Ukraine’s outspoken ambassador in Berlin, referring to the atrocities in Ukraine. “What does it take for Germany to act?”

Even Annalena Baerbock, the self-assured Green foreign minister, expressed concerns that Zeitenwende may be more temporary than fundamental. She said she worried that the consensus was fragile, that Germans who favor close ties to Russia were silent now but had not changed their views.

“You can feel this,” she said. “They know they have to do it right now with regard to sanctions, energy independence and weapons deliveries, also with regard to how we treat Russia. But actually, they don’t like it.”

Since Scholz put forth his Zeitenwende before a special session of the parliament Feb. 27, multiple cracks in Germany’s commitment to change have already begun to appear.

German celebrities made headlines with an appeal to the government against rearmament and the “180-degree change in German foreign policy” that has so far been signed by 45,000 people. Green lawmakers have lobbied to spend only part of the 100 billion euro ($108 billion) special fund on the military, citing other needs like “human security” and climate change. Labor unions and industry bosses are warning of catastrophic damage to the economy and an immediate recession if Russian gas stops flowing.

As the CEO of German chemicals giant BASF, Michael Heinz, put it last week: “Cheap Russian energy has been the basis of our industry’s competitiveness.”

It has in fact been the basis of the German economy. Now that German businesses are facing the possibility of being asked to do without it, resistance is quietly mounting. Government ministers say they are being asked discreetly by business leaders when things will “go back to normal” — that is, when they can return to business as usual.

Ever since the fall of the Berlin Wall and German reunification, business as usual has largely meant “change through trade” — the conviction that economic interdependency would alter authoritarian governments like Russia and China for the better and help keep the peace. Prosperity and democracy, the thinking went, go hand in hand.

The link to Russia is particularly complicated by a long and complex history of hot and cold war, including guilt over the millions of Russians killed by the Nazis. This reinforced the belief that the security architecture of Europe had to include Russia and take account of Russian interests.

It was a model that paid off nicely for Germany, too.

“We export to China and import cheap gas from Russia; that’s been the recipe for the German export success,” said Ralph Bollmann, a biographer of Angela Merkel, a former German chancellor who is now seen as having protected Germans from a rivalrous world but not preparing them for it.

Few in Germany, including its intelligence services, predicted that Putin would invade a sovereign European country. But the war has set off a cycle of soul-searching, even among prominent politicians like Frank-Walter Steinmeier, a former foreign minister and now federal president.

A senior member of Scholz’s Social Democratic Party, he was a prominent supporter of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline, now halted, that bypassed Ukraine and that the United States opposed.

“We were clinging to the idea of building bridges to Russia that our partners warned us about,” Steinmeier said, after Melnyk, the Ukrainian ambassador, accused him of enabling Putin. “We failed to build a common Europe,” Steinmeier said. “We failed to incorporate Russia in our security architecture.” He added: “I was wrong.”

In the immediate aftermath of Scholz’s Zeitenwende speech, the details of which he had shared with only a handful of people, the resolve to act decisively seemed palpable.

The three diverse parties in his coalition swung behind it, and partisan divisions with the conservative opposition were briefly forgotten, too. Public opinion mirrored the shift, rewarding the new chancellor with better popularity ratings.

But in a short time, the breadth of the change Scholz announced seems to have intimidated even his own three-party coalition. “The government has made some courageous decisions, but it can seem afraid of its own courage,” said Jana Puglierin, director of the Berlin office of the European Council on Foreign Relations.

There is skepticism that the political establishment is ready to break fundamentally from Moscow, or that German voters will happily pay so much more for energy and food for the foreseeable future.

“German pacifism runs very deep,” said John Kornblum, a former U.S. ambassador to Germany who has lived in the country on and off since the 1960s. “German illusions may have shattered, but not its traumas about Russia and the war.”

That “neurotic relationship with Russia may be on pause for the moment, but it will return in full force as soon as the shooting stops,” he said.

Nils Schmid, foreign policy spokesperson in parliament for the Social Democrats, said that Germany’s soft stance toward Russia “reflects German society, and what will remain is this idea that Russia is there and part of Europe, and we will have to deal with that.”

The war has produced “dashed hopes” of a peaceful united Europe, shared by his generation of 1989, he said. But he noted that with this war, “there can be no return to business as usual. No one really wants to go back to the old times of engagement with Russia.”

Still, he said, “We shouldn’t overdo it. The balance will shift to more deterrence and less dialogue. But we must keep some dialogue.”

Puglierin has little patience for such arguments. “People need to let these old ideas go and adapt to reality as it is, and not as they want it to be,” she said. “Russia has shown that it does not want a stable relationship on this existing security order, which is now an empty shell.”

A prominent conservative lawmaker, Norbert Röttgen, argued that Germany must make a complete and immediate break with Russia. “War has come back to Europe, one that will affect the political and security order of the continent,” he said.

Germany must also draw on the lessons of its dependency on Russia for its future relationship with the more powerful authoritarian realm of China, on which key sectors of Germany’s export-driven model rely, Röttgen said.

“The real Zeitenwende,” Puglierin said, “will come when we remake our model for a future of competition with both Russia and China and realize that every dependency can be used against us.” 
&nbsp;

Chancellor Olaf Scholz surprised the world, and his own country, when he responded to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with a 100 billion euro ($108 billion) plan to arm Germany, send weapons to Ukraine and end his nation’s deep dependence on Russian energy.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz surprised the world, and his own country, when he responded to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with a 100 billion euro ($108 billion) plan to arm Germany, send weapons to Ukraine and end his nation’s deep dependence on Russian energy. It was Germany’s biggest foreign policy shift since the Cold War, what Scholz called a “Zeitenwende” — an epochal change — that won applause for his leadership at home and abroad. But six weeks later, the applause has largely ceased. Even as images of atrocities emerge from Ukraine since the invasion by President Vladimir Putin of Russia, Scholz has ruled out an immediate oil and gas embargo, saying it would be too costly. He is dragging his feet on sending 100 armored vehicles to Ukraine, saying that Germany must not “rush ahead.” There are new debates in the ruling coalition about just how to go forward with the massive task Scholz has laid out, let alone how fast. Already doubts are building as to the German government’s commitment to its own radical plans. “Zeitenwende is real, but the country is the same,” said Thomas Bagger, a senior German diplomat who will be the next ambassador to Poland. “Not everyone likes it.” The changes Scholz announced go far deeper than his commitment to spend 2% of gross domestic product on the military — some 70 billion euros ($76 billion) a year, compared with France’s 41 billion euros ($44 billion). They go to the heart of Germany’s postwar identity as a peaceful exporting nation — and to the heart of a business model that has enriched Germany and made it Europe’s largest and most powerful economy. Now Germans are being asked “to rethink everything — our approach to doing business, to energy policy, to defense and to Russia,” said Claudia Major, a defense expert at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. “We need a mindset change. We need to recognize that this is about us — that power politics are back and Germany must play a role.” But she added, “Once again Germany is not leading. It is being dragged.” Truly reorienting Germans for a new world where security has its real costs — not only in terms potentially of lost lives, but also in lost trade, higher energy prices, slimmer profits and lower economic growth — will be a wrenching endeavor that will take time, even a generation, and more than an afternoon’s policy pronouncement. That realization is dawning, for Germans and their frustrated European partners. “I don’t understand how anyone in Germany can sleep at night after seeing horrors like this without doing anything about it,” said Andriy Melnyk, Ukraine’s outspoken ambassador in Berlin, referring to the atrocities in Ukraine. “What does it take for Germany to act?” Even Annalena Baerbock, the self-assured Green foreign minister, expressed concerns that Zeitenwende may be more temporary than fundamental. She said she worried that the consensus was fragile, that Germans who favor close ties to Russia were silent now but had not changed their views. “You can feel this,” she said. “They know they have to do it right now with regard to sanctions, energy independence and weapons deliveries, also with regard to how we treat Russia. But actually, they don’t like it.” Since Scholz put forth his Zeitenwende before a special session of the parliament Feb. 27, multiple cracks in Germany’s commitment to change have already begun to appear. German celebrities made headlines with an appeal to the government against rearmament and the “180-degree change in German foreign policy” that has so far been signed by 45,000 people. Green lawmakers have lobbied to spend only part of the 100 billion euro ($108 billion) special fund on the military, citing other needs like “human security” and climate change. Labor unions and industry bosses are warning of catastrophic damage to the economy and an immediate recession if Russian gas stops flowing. As the CEO of German chemicals giant BASF, Michael Heinz, put it last week: “Cheap Russian energy has been the basis of our industry’s competitiveness.” It has in fact been the basis of the German economy. Now that German businesses are facing the possibility of being asked to do without it, resistance is quietly mounting. Government ministers say they are being asked discreetly by business leaders when things will “go back to normal” — that is, when they can return to business as usual. Ever since the fall of the Berlin Wall and German reunification, business as usual has largely meant “change through trade” — the conviction that economic interdependency would alter authoritarian governments like Russia and China for the better and help keep the peace. Prosperity and democracy, the thinking went, go hand in hand. The link to Russia is particularly complicated by a long and complex history of hot and cold war, including guilt over the millions of Russians killed by the Nazis. This reinforced the belief that the security architecture of Europe had to include Russia and take account of Russian interests. It was a model that paid off nicely for Germany, too. “We export to China and import cheap gas from Russia; that’s been the recipe for the German export success,” said Ralph Bollmann, a biographer of Angela Merkel, a former German chancellor who is now seen as having protected Germans from a rivalrous world but not preparing them for it. Few in Germany, including its intelligence services, predicted that Putin would invade a sovereign European country. But the war has set off a cycle of soul-searching, even among prominent politicians like Frank-Walter Steinmeier, a former foreign minister and now federal president. A senior member of Scholz’s Social Democratic Party, he was a prominent supporter of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline, now halted, that bypassed Ukraine and that the United States opposed. “We were clinging to the idea of building bridges to Russia that our partners warned us about,” Steinmeier said, after Melnyk, the Ukrainian ambassador, accused him of enabling Putin. “We failed to build a common Europe,” Steinmeier said. “We failed to incorporate Russia in our security architecture.” He added: “I was wrong.” In the immediate aftermath of Scholz’s Zeitenwende speech, the details of which he had shared with only a handful of people, the resolve to act decisively seemed palpable. The three diverse parties in his coalition swung behind it, and partisan divisions with the conservative opposition were briefly forgotten, too. Public opinion mirrored the shift, rewarding the new chancellor with better popularity ratings. But in a short time, the breadth of the change Scholz announced seems to have intimidated even his own three-party coalition. “The government has made some courageous decisions, but it can seem afraid of its own courage,” said Jana Puglierin, director of the Berlin office of the European Council on Foreign Relations. There is skepticism that the political establishment is ready to break fundamentally from Moscow, or that German voters will happily pay so much more for energy and food for the foreseeable future. “German pacifism runs very deep,” said John Kornblum, a former U.S. ambassador to Germany who has lived in the country on and off since the 1960s. “German illusions may have shattered, but not its traumas about Russia and the war.” That “neurotic relationship with Russia may be on pause for the moment, but it will return in full force as soon as the shooting stops,” he said. Nils Schmid, foreign policy spokesperson in parliament for the Social Democrats, said that Germany’s soft stance toward Russia “reflects German society, and what will remain is this idea that Russia is there and part of Europe, and we will have to deal with that.” The war has produced “dashed hopes” of a peaceful united Europe, shared by his generation of 1989, he said. But he noted that with this war, “there can be no return to business as usual. No one really wants to go back to the old times of engagement with Russia.” Still, he said, “We shouldn’t overdo it. The balance will shift to more deterrence and less dialogue. But we must keep some dialogue.” Puglierin has little patience for such arguments. “People need to let these old ideas go and adapt to reality as it is, and not as they want it to be,” she said. “Russia has shown that it does not want a stable relationship on this existing security order, which is now an empty shell.” A prominent conservative lawmaker, Norbert Röttgen, argued that Germany must make a complete and immediate break with Russia. “War has come back to Europe, one that will affect the political and security order of the continent,” he said. Germany must also draw on the lessons of its dependency on Russia for its future relationship with the more powerful authoritarian realm of China, on which key sectors of Germany’s export-driven model rely, Röttgen said. “The real Zeitenwende,” Puglierin said, “will come when we remake our model for a future of competition with both Russia and China and realize that every dependency can be used against us.”

Ukraine war pushes Germans to change. They are wavering.

German tennis great Boris Becker was on Friday found guilty of four charges under the Insolvency Act following his bankruptcy trial in London, British media reported.

The 54-year-old six-times Grand Slam champion, who was on trial at Southwark Crown Court, was facing 24 counts under the act relating to the period from May to October 2017.

Becker, a former world number one who won Wimbledon three times, had denied the charges, including nine counts of not handing over trophies and awards and seven of concealing property valued at more than 1.5 million euros ($1.63 million).

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/patrick-mouratoglou-to-coach-former-world-no-1-simona-halep-full-time-469159">Patrick Mouratoglou to coach former world no 1 Simona Halep full-time</a>

Becker was made bankrupt on June 21, 2017, at the London High Court in connection with a debt to private bankers Arbuthnot Latham &amp; Co. 
Under the terms of the bankruptcy order, he was bound to provide full disclosure of assets.

Last month, the court heard that Becker "acted dishonestly" by failing to hand over assets including his Wimbledon singles trophies before and after he was declared bankrupt.

German tennis great Boris Becker was on Friday found guilty of four charges under the Insolvency Act following his bankruptcy trial in London, British media reported.

German tennis great Boris Becker was on Friday found guilty of four charges under the Insolvency Act following his bankruptcy trial in London, British media reported. The 54-year-old six-times Grand Slam champion, who was on trial at Southwark Crown Court, was facing 24 counts under the act relating to the period from May to October 2017. Becker, a former world number one who won Wimbledon three times, had denied the charges, including nine counts of not handing over trophies and awards and seven of concealing property valued at more than 1.5 million euros ($1.63 million). ALSO READ: Patrick Mouratoglou to coach former world no 1 Simona Halep full-time Becker was made bankrupt on June 21, 2017, at the London High Court in connection with a debt to private bankers Arbuthnot Latham & Co. Under the terms of the bankruptcy order, he was bound to provide full disclosure of assets. Last month, the court heard that Becker "acted dishonestly" by failing to hand over assets including his Wimbledon singles trophies before and after he was declared bankrupt.

Germany's Boris Becker found guilty of four charges under Insolvency Act in bankruptcy trial

On Monday, German Finance Minister Christian Lindner stated that the European Union (EU) will "not be able" to function without Russian gas supplies.

The politician made this statement as the EU prepares to impose further sanctions against Russia in the aftermath of the events in Bucharest.

The question is whether the latest set of sanctions will have an impact on Russian gas, oil, and coal exports.

"Right now, it is not possible to cut off gas supplies. We need some time, so we need to differentiate between oil, coal, and gas right now, "Linder said upon arrival at the EU finance ministers' meeting held in Luxembourg.

The German minister also stated that the suspension of Russian oil and coal imports would be more detrimental to European countries than to Moscow.&nbsp;

Germany is particularly reliant on Russian gas, and the minister emphasised that his country wants to be less reliant on Russian energy supplies in the near future.

According to Georgia On Line, "Germany gets 55 percent of its natural gas from Russia, 35 percent of its crude oil from Russia, and 45 percent of its coal from Russia."

When asked if the current wave of sanctions being prepared by Brussels will include limits on Russian oil imports, Economic Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis of the European Commission (EC) responded, "nothing is off the table."

On Wednesday or Thursday, this fresh bundle of measures could be accepted.&nbsp;

Watch | Russia-Ukrainian Crisis: Kharkiv becomes the worst-affected city in the country

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-ukrainian-crisis-kharkiv-becomes-the-worst-affected-city-in-the-country-468343/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

(With inputs from agencies)

On Monday, German Finance Minister Christian Lindner stated that the European Union (EU) will "not be able" to function without Russian gas supplies. The politician made this statement as the EU prepares to impose further sanctions against Russia in the aftermath of the events in Bucharest.

On Monday, German Finance Minister Christian Lindner stated that the European Union (EU) will "not be able" to function without Russian gas supplies. The politician made this statement as the EU prepares to impose further sanctions against Russia in the aftermath of the events in Bucharest. The question is whether the latest set of sanctions will have an impact on Russian gas, oil, and coal exports. "Right now, it is not possible to cut off gas supplies. We need some time, so we need to differentiate between oil, coal, and gas right now, "Linder said upon arrival at the EU finance ministers' meeting held in Luxembourg. The German minister also stated that the suspension of Russian oil and coal imports would be more detrimental to European countries than to Moscow. Germany is particularly reliant on Russian gas, and the minister emphasised that his country wants to be less reliant on Russian energy supplies in the near future. According to Georgia On Line, "Germany gets 55 percent of its natural gas from Russia, 35 percent of its crude oil from Russia, and 45 percent of its coal from Russia." When asked if the current wave of sanctions being prepared by Brussels will include limits on Russian oil imports, Economic Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis of the European Commission (EC) responded, "nothing is off the table." On Wednesday or Thursday, this fresh bundle of measures could be accepted. Watch | Russia-Ukrainian Crisis: Kharkiv becomes the worst-affected city in the country (With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine war: Germany says 'not possible' to do without Russian gas

The United States will face England and Iran in Group B at the World Cup finals while Spain will take on Germany in a clash of former winners in Group E. 
 
Holders France will meet Denmark and Tunisia in Group D while the tournament will kick off on Nov. 21 with hosts Qatar playing Ecuador. 
 
For the U.S., the draw pits them against their former colonial rulers England and the Iranians, a country they have had long-running political disputes with.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bruno-fernandes-signs-new-contract-extension-with-manchester-united-till-2026-467469" hreflang="en">Bruno Fernandes signs new contract extension with Manchester United till 2026</a> 
 
The U.S. faced Iran at the 1998 World Cup in France, losing 2-1 to the Gulf nation. 
 
Group G was one of the toughest, pitting five-times World Cup winners Brazil against Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon. 
 
The draw came after a 45 minute musical and video show as FIFA president Gianni Infantino promised the event would "simply be the best tournament ever".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-bcci-likely-to-go-ahead-with-50-percent-capacity-in-stadiums-from-next-week-467470" hreflang="en">IPL 2022: BCCI likely to go ahead with 50 percent capacity from next week</a> 
 
The decision in 2010 to hand the hosting rights to Qatar was heavily criticised and there has been intense scrutiny of the human rights situation in the country. 
 
Qatar`s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani welcomed the guests who included national team coaches, World Cup-winning players and football officials all waiting to discover the group stage match-ups during a ceremony presented by British actor Idris Elba and broadcaster Reshmin Chowdhury. 
 
The tournament will run from Nov. 21 to Dec. 18 -- the first time soccer`s top prize has been competed for in the Middle East and there was a distinct Arabian feeling to the show.

The United States will face England and Iran in Group B at the World Cup finals while Spain will take on Germany in a clash of former winners in Group E. Holders France will meet Denmark and Tunisia in Group D while the tournament will kick off on Nov.

The United States will face England and Iran in Group B at the World Cup finals while Spain will take on Germany in a clash of former winners in Group E. Holders France will meet Denmark and Tunisia in Group D while the tournament will kick off on Nov. 21 with hosts Qatar playing Ecuador. For the U.S., the draw pits them against their former colonial rulers England and the Iranians, a country they have had long-running political disputes with. Also read | Bruno Fernandes signs new contract extension with Manchester United till 2026 The U.S. faced Iran at the 1998 World Cup in France, losing 2-1 to the Gulf nation. Group G was one of the toughest, pitting five-times World Cup winners Brazil against Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon. The draw came after a 45 minute musical and video show as FIFA president Gianni Infantino promised the event would "simply be the best tournament ever". Also read | IPL 2022: BCCI likely to go ahead with 50 percent capacity from next week The decision in 2010 to hand the hosting rights to Qatar was heavily criticised and there has been intense scrutiny of the human rights situation in the country. Qatar`s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani welcomed the guests who included national team coaches, World Cup-winning players and football officials all waiting to discover the group stage match-ups during a ceremony presented by British actor Idris Elba and broadcaster Reshmin Chowdhury. The tournament will run from Nov. 21 to Dec. 18 -- the first time soccer`s top prize has been competed for in the Middle East and there was a distinct Arabian feeling to the show.

U.S. to face England and Iran, Spain meet Germany in FIFA World Cup 2022 group stage

Germany is looking to buy Israeli anti-missile shield system that can also offer defence for neighbouring European Union (EU) states, said AFP citing parliamentary sources. Russia's invasion of Ukraine are prompting Berlin to ramp up its defences.

As per German newspaper Bild daily, the decision has not been finalised but Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats are in favour.

"We must better protect ourselves against the Russian threat. To do that, we need quickly an anti-missile shield for Germany," said Andreas Schwarz of the SPD, who sits on the parliamentary budget committee.

"The Israeli Arrow 3 system is a good solution," he told Bild daily, referring to the long-range missile deterrence weapon.&nbsp; 
According to Bild, the system, which costs two billion euros ($2.2 billion), could be operational from 2025.

The corresponding radar system would be installed in three sites in Germany, and their monitoring data then transmitted to a central site where soldiers will be watching for threats 24/7.

If a rocket attack is uncovered, an Arrow 3 would be sent up to intercept the missile in space, destroying it there.

The radar system is so powerful it can provide cover for Poland, Romania and the Baltic nations, said Bild.

"We can put the 'Iron Dome' over our neighbouring countries. We would then play a key role for the security of Europe," said Schwarz.&nbsp;

Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, who chairs the parliamentary defence committee, confirmed that Berlin was mulling the purchase.

"Given the threat situation and the different weapons systems that Russia has, of course you have to look at that, so in that sense it makes sense," she told Welt newspaper.

After years of under-investment in defence, Germany has announced a dramatic U-turn, shaken by Russia's assault on its neighbour.&nbsp;

Scholz on February 27 in a landmark speech said Germany would earmark a special budget of 100 billion euros to bolster its defence capabilities.

He also said Berlin will spend more than two percent of its output a year on defence, outstripping NATO's target of two percent which Germany has consistently failed to meet.

(With inputs from agencies)

Germany is looking to buy Israeli anti-missile shield system that can also offer defence for neighbouring European Union (EU) states, said AFP citing parliamentary sources.

Germany is looking to buy Israeli anti-missile shield system that can also offer defence for neighbouring European Union (EU) states, said AFP citing parliamentary sources. Russia's invasion of Ukraine are prompting Berlin to ramp up its defences. As per German newspaper Bild daily, the decision has not been finalised but Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats are in favour. "We must better protect ourselves against the Russian threat. To do that, we need quickly an anti-missile shield for Germany," said Andreas Schwarz of the SPD, who sits on the parliamentary budget committee. "The Israeli Arrow 3 system is a good solution," he told Bild daily, referring to the long-range missile deterrence weapon. According to Bild, the system, which costs two billion euros ($2.2 billion), could be operational from 2025. The corresponding radar system would be installed in three sites in Germany, and their monitoring data then transmitted to a central site where soldiers will be watching for threats 24/7. If a rocket attack is uncovered, an Arrow 3 would be sent up to intercept the missile in space, destroying it there. The radar system is so powerful it can provide cover for Poland, Romania and the Baltic nations, said Bild. "We can put the 'Iron Dome' over our neighbouring countries. We would then play a key role for the security of Europe," said Schwarz. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, who chairs the parliamentary defence committee, confirmed that Berlin was mulling the purchase. "Given the threat situation and the different weapons systems that Russia has, of course you have to look at that, so in that sense it makes sense," she told Welt newspaper. After years of under-investment in defence, Germany has announced a dramatic U-turn, shaken by Russia's assault on its neighbour. Scholz on February 27 in a landmark speech said Germany would earmark a special budget of 100 billion euros to bolster its defence capabilities. He also said Berlin will spend more than two percent of its output a year on defence, outstripping NATO's target of two percent which Germany has consistently failed to meet. (With inputs from agencies)

Germany thinks of buying Israeli anti-missile system Iron Dome

Ukrainian ballerinas forced to flee war in their country have found a temporary home at the German capital's main ballet company, which helps them with practice space, accommodation, clothing and career advice.

Ukrainian Ballerinas find a new shelter at Berlin's top ballet company

When the signal came over the radio that the NATO border was under attack, German tanks fanned out into the forest to stall the enemy’s advance. In short succession, men in camouflage tumbled out of the back of the tanks and took cover between the trees, assault rifles at the ready.

The battle that ensued one recent afternoon near the town of Rukla in Lithuania, 60 miles from the Russian border, was only an exercise. But since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the mission of NATO’s battlegroup in Lithuania to defend the alliance’s external border no longer feels abstract to the soldiers and the country most of them come from.

“The threat perception in Germany changed overnight,” said Lt. Col. Daniel Andrä, the commander of the 1,600-strong battlegroup in Lithuania. “We felt safe, in the middle of the continent, surrounded by friends. Now we have a full-spectrum war in Europe, and we are concerned, especially since we don’t know how far the escalation spiral will turn.”

Three days after Russia attacked Ukraine last month, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany stood in Parliament and announced the biggest rearmament program for his country since the end of the Cold War, vowing not only to increase the defense budget beyond the NATO target that Germany had failed to hit for years but to invest an immediate 100 billion euros — two full years of military spending — to turn around years of underfunding of the German military.

It was a revolution in a country whose Nazi past had long made it reluctant to invest in military power. By the end of his 30-minute speech, Scholz had overturned a ban on shipments of arms to Ukraine, backed armed drones and committed to buying new fighter jets that can drop nuclear bombs, sealing Germany’s continued role in NATO’s system of nuclear sharing.

“It is clear that we must invest much more in the security of our country, in order to protect our freedom and our democracy,” Scholz said.

When Andrä saw the news of Scholz’s pivot from his office in Rukla, he was stunned. “I didn’t believe what I was hearing,” he recalled. “All of this would have been unthinkable only four weeks ago. It was historic.”

History is never far in Europe. The last time German soldiers set up base in Lithuania was during the country’s occupation in World War II. They drove out the Soviets, rounded up and killed more than 90% of the Jewish population before, in turn, being driven out by Soviet forces.

The Soviets stayed, making Lithuania a Soviet Republic until the Soviet Union collapsed, a humiliation that Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, seeks to vindicate with his invasion of Ukraine.

So now it is the Germans who are back — this time at the Lithuanians’ invitation — to help protect against Russian aggression.

The German soldiers in Rukla were deployed in the aftermath of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, the first part of Ukraine that the Kremlin grabbed in 2014. Along with soldiers from seven other NATO nations, they have kept watch over their section of the alliance’s border for the past five years, welcomed by the local population and officials alike. “We want a strong Germany,” said Gen. Mindaugas Steponavicius, Lithuania’s chief of the defense staff.

For decades, Germany hung back on security matters, content to lead economically as it clung to a pacifist leaning that was forged in the wake of World War II and the Holocaust. German politicians were reluctant to talk about the military; German citizens were reluctant to hear about it. Before his pivot, Scholz himself came under fierce criticism for his seeming reluctance to get tough on Russia over Ukraine.

But Russia’s attack on Ukraine has jolted not just the German government into action — public opinion has dramatically shifted, too. Two in three Germans now support arms shipments to Ukraine and back increased military spending. In mid-February, a majority was still opposed to both.

“There is a realization that military power matters,” said Claudia Major, head of the international security division at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.

But if the war in Ukraine was a wake-up call, it has also exposed how weak a link the Germans still are in the NATO structure. On the morning of the Russian invasion, Gen. Alfons Mais, Germany’s chief of defense, posted a brutally honest assessment of where German capabilities were.

“In my 41st year of service in peace, I would not have thought I would have had to experience another war,” Mais wrote. “And the Bundeswehr, the army that I am allowed to lead, is more or less broke. The options we can offer policymakers to support the alliance are extremely limited.”

At the end of the Cold War, when West Germany was still a NATO front-line state on the border to the Soviet empire, it had more than 500,000 soldiers and spent 2.7% of its gross domestic product on defense. Today, the reunified Germany has 184,000 soldiers and spends just 1.5% of GDP on defense.

“The German military was starved of money for years because we had a strategic partnership with Russia, and we didn’t believe we had to defend our territory anymore,” said Major. “Our soldiers were deployed to help others, whether in Afghanistan or Mali. We were fighting wars of choice. But this is about us, and if we are returning to a paradigm of wars of necessity, you need the whole military to be operational.”

As the chancellor put it in his speech last month, “We need planes that fly, ships that sail and soldiers that are optimally equipped.”

There is a shortage of everything from protective vests to thermal underwear. Radio equipment is 30 years out of date. Only 1 in 3 warships is ready to deploy — so few that the navy worries it cannot meet all its international commitments.

Even in Rukla, the flagship German NATO mission which has relatively few complaints when it comes to resources, the general scarcity has been felt.

Some of the armored vehicles are five decades old. The radios are more than 30 years old. During international exercises in Lithuania, their equipment routinely made the German units “the weakest link in the chain,” soldiers reported to the parliamentary commissioner for the armed forces on their return from tours in Rukla.

Some in Lithuania joke that they would like some “real soldiers” protecting them. In neighboring Poland, Latvia and Estonia, the NATO battlegroups are led by Americans, Canadians and Britons, respectively.

“The German military is great; we’re so grateful to have them here,” said Laurynas Kasciunas, chair of the national security and defense Committee in Lithuania. “But we’d also like some American troops, please, combat-ready and ideally permanently.”

Short of that, the challenge, security experts say, is how to ensure that the 100 billion euros in special funds for the German military are spent fast — and wisely.

The government has already announced an order of as many as 35 F-35 fighter jets to replace Germany’s aging fleet of Tornado bombers. On Monday, the chancellor met with Germany’s top-ranking general to discuss what else should get priority on the government’s shopping list.

But it will take more than money to modernize the German military, experts and officials say. Procurement procedures are cumbersome and slow. Purchases above 25 million euros need to be approved individually by the parliamentary budget committee. Tenders cannot just be made in Germany but have to go out to the entire European Union.

“We need to reform the entire procurement bureaucracy,” Major said. “We now have a lot of money; if we don’t spend it wisely, we gain nothing.”

In Rukla, the revolution announced in Berlin last month is already being felt, Andrä said: “The few things that we didn’t have or don’t have, we are getting very fast right now.”

Hundreds of containers of ammunition have arrived. To get a reinforcement of 350 men to Rukla quickly, the defense minister had reduced their deployment time from 30 days to five.

“When we want to, we can move fast,” Andrä said. “We have shown that we are willing to do more.”

When the signal came over the radio that the NATO border was under attack, German tanks fanned out into the forest to stall the enemy’s advance. In short succession, men in camouflage tumbled out of the back of the tanks and took cover between the trees, assault rifles at the ready.

When the signal came over the radio that the NATO border was under attack, German tanks fanned out into the forest to stall the enemy’s advance. In short succession, men in camouflage tumbled out of the back of the tanks and took cover between the trees, assault rifles at the ready. The battle that ensued one recent afternoon near the town of Rukla in Lithuania, 60 miles from the Russian border, was only an exercise. But since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the mission of NATO’s battlegroup in Lithuania to defend the alliance’s external border no longer feels abstract to the soldiers and the country most of them come from. “The threat perception in Germany changed overnight,” said Lt. Col. Daniel Andrä, the commander of the 1,600-strong battlegroup in Lithuania. “We felt safe, in the middle of the continent, surrounded by friends. Now we have a full-spectrum war in Europe, and we are concerned, especially since we don’t know how far the escalation spiral will turn.” Three days after Russia attacked Ukraine last month, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany stood in Parliament and announced the biggest rearmament program for his country since the end of the Cold War, vowing not only to increase the defense budget beyond the NATO target that Germany had failed to hit for years but to invest an immediate 100 billion euros — two full years of military spending — to turn around years of underfunding of the German military. It was a revolution in a country whose Nazi past had long made it reluctant to invest in military power. By the end of his 30-minute speech, Scholz had overturned a ban on shipments of arms to Ukraine, backed armed drones and committed to buying new fighter jets that can drop nuclear bombs, sealing Germany’s continued role in NATO’s system of nuclear sharing. “It is clear that we must invest much more in the security of our country, in order to protect our freedom and our democracy,” Scholz said. When Andrä saw the news of Scholz’s pivot from his office in Rukla, he was stunned. “I didn’t believe what I was hearing,” he recalled. “All of this would have been unthinkable only four weeks ago. It was historic.” History is never far in Europe. The last time German soldiers set up base in Lithuania was during the country’s occupation in World War II. They drove out the Soviets, rounded up and killed more than 90% of the Jewish population before, in turn, being driven out by Soviet forces. The Soviets stayed, making Lithuania a Soviet Republic until the Soviet Union collapsed, a humiliation that Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, seeks to vindicate with his invasion of Ukraine. So now it is the Germans who are back — this time at the Lithuanians’ invitation — to help protect against Russian aggression. The German soldiers in Rukla were deployed in the aftermath of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, the first part of Ukraine that the Kremlin grabbed in 2014. Along with soldiers from seven other NATO nations, they have kept watch over their section of the alliance’s border for the past five years, welcomed by the local population and officials alike. “We want a strong Germany,” said Gen. Mindaugas Steponavicius, Lithuania’s chief of the defense staff. For decades, Germany hung back on security matters, content to lead economically as it clung to a pacifist leaning that was forged in the wake of World War II and the Holocaust. German politicians were reluctant to talk about the military; German citizens were reluctant to hear about it. Before his pivot, Scholz himself came under fierce criticism for his seeming reluctance to get tough on Russia over Ukraine. But Russia’s attack on Ukraine has jolted not just the German government into action — public opinion has dramatically shifted, too. Two in three Germans now support arms shipments to Ukraine and back increased military spending. In mid-February, a majority was still opposed to both. “There is a realization that military power matters,” said Claudia Major, head of the international security division at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. But if the war in Ukraine was a wake-up call, it has also exposed how weak a link the Germans still are in the NATO structure. On the morning of the Russian invasion, Gen. Alfons Mais, Germany’s chief of defense, posted a brutally honest assessment of where German capabilities were. “In my 41st year of service in peace, I would not have thought I would have had to experience another war,” Mais wrote. “And the Bundeswehr, the army that I am allowed to lead, is more or less broke. The options we can offer policymakers to support the alliance are extremely limited.” At the end of the Cold War, when West Germany was still a NATO front-line state on the border to the Soviet empire, it had more than 500,000 soldiers and spent 2.7% of its gross domestic product on defense. Today, the reunified Germany has 184,000 soldiers and spends just 1.5% of GDP on defense. “The German military was starved of money for years because we had a strategic partnership with Russia, and we didn’t believe we had to defend our territory anymore,” said Major. “Our soldiers were deployed to help others, whether in Afghanistan or Mali. We were fighting wars of choice. But this is about us, and if we are returning to a paradigm of wars of necessity, you need the whole military to be operational.” As the chancellor put it in his speech last month, “We need planes that fly, ships that sail and soldiers that are optimally equipped.” There is a shortage of everything from protective vests to thermal underwear. Radio equipment is 30 years out of date. Only 1 in 3 warships is ready to deploy — so few that the navy worries it cannot meet all its international commitments. Even in Rukla, the flagship German NATO mission which has relatively few complaints when it comes to resources, the general scarcity has been felt. Some of the armored vehicles are five decades old. The radios are more than 30 years old. During international exercises in Lithuania, their equipment routinely made the German units “the weakest link in the chain,” soldiers reported to the parliamentary commissioner for the armed forces on their return from tours in Rukla. Some in Lithuania joke that they would like some “real soldiers” protecting them. In neighboring Poland, Latvia and Estonia, the NATO battlegroups are led by Americans, Canadians and Britons, respectively. “The German military is great; we’re so grateful to have them here,” said Laurynas Kasciunas, chair of the national security and defense Committee in Lithuania. “But we’d also like some American troops, please, combat-ready and ideally permanently.” Short of that, the challenge, security experts say, is how to ensure that the 100 billion euros in special funds for the German military are spent fast — and wisely. The government has already announced an order of as many as 35 F-35 fighter jets to replace Germany’s aging fleet of Tornado bombers. On Monday, the chancellor met with Germany’s top-ranking general to discuss what else should get priority on the government’s shopping list. But it will take more than money to modernize the German military, experts and officials say. Procurement procedures are cumbersome and slow. Purchases above 25 million euros need to be approved individually by the parliamentary budget committee. Tenders cannot just be made in Germany but have to go out to the entire European Union. “We need to reform the entire procurement bureaucracy,” Major said. “We now have a lot of money; if we don’t spend it wisely, we gain nothing.” In Rukla, the revolution announced in Berlin last month is already being felt, Andrä said: “The few things that we didn’t have or don’t have, we are getting very fast right now.” Hundreds of containers of ammunition have arrived. To get a reinforcement of 350 men to Rukla quickly, the defense minister had reduced their deployment time from 30 days to five. “When we want to, we can move fast,” Andrä said. “We have shown that we are willing to do more.”

Germany is ready to lead militarily. Its military is not.

Amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, the sanctions imposed by the West has created a global energy crisis. Now, South Korea and Germany held energy talks in Qatar.

South Korea & Germany hold energy talks in Qatar amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict

Qatar to help Germany cut reliance on Russian oil amid Ukraine conflict

Germany&nbsp;reported&nbsp;another&nbsp;record&nbsp;high seven-day&nbsp;incidence&nbsp;of the coronavirus on Wednesday even as the country prepares to ease restrictions.

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) registered 262,593 new infections, a 22% jump compared to a week ago, bringing the total number of infections to nearly 17.7 million.

Infections have been rising again since the start of March after rules preventing unvaccinated people from accessing many indoor public spaces started to be eased.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-says-global-rise-in-covid-cases-is-tip-of-the-iceberg-463031">WHO says global rise in COVID-19 cases is 'tip of the iceberg'</a>

The seven-day&nbsp;incidence&nbsp;rose to a new high of 1,607 infections per 100,000 people on Wednesday, up from 1,585 the day before.

Another&nbsp;269 people died, bringing the total death toll to 126,142 people.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-protests-against-covid-measures-rock-europe-australia-430905">In Pics: Protests against Covid measures rock Europe, Australia</a>

On Friday, parliament is set to adopt a slimmed-down law that will significantly reduce restrictions around&nbsp;Germany. The existing law expires on Saturday.

The government argues that even though cases are rising, there is no longer a major risk of overloading the health system due to vaccinations and the fact that the dominant Omicron variant often has milder symptoms.

Limited protective measures will still be possible in hotspots with high numbers of infections.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Global covid cases are rising again

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-global-covid-cases-are-rising-again-462327/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

&nbsp;

Germany reported another record high seven-day incidence of the coronavirus on Wednesday even as the country prepares to ease restrictions. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) registered 262,593 new infections, a 22% jump compared to a week ago, bringing the total number of infections to nearly 17.

Germany reported another record high seven-day incidence of the coronavirus on Wednesday even as the country prepares to ease restrictions. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) registered 262,593 new infections, a 22% jump compared to a week ago, bringing the total number of infections to nearly 17.7 million. Infections have been rising again since the start of March after rules preventing unvaccinated people from accessing many indoor public spaces started to be eased. Also read | WHO says global rise in COVID-19 cases is 'tip of the iceberg' The seven-day incidence rose to a new high of 1,607 infections per 100,000 people on Wednesday, up from 1,585 the day before. Another 269 people died, bringing the total death toll to 126,142 people. Also read | In Pics: Protests against Covid measures rock Europe, Australia On Friday, parliament is set to adopt a slimmed-down law that will significantly reduce restrictions around Germany. The existing law expires on Saturday. The government argues that even though cases are rising, there is no longer a major risk of overloading the health system due to vaccinations and the fact that the dominant Omicron variant often has milder symptoms. Limited protective measures will still be possible in hotspots with high numbers of infections. Watch | Gravitas: Global covid cases are rising again

Germany reports another record COVID-19 incidence

Intel has picked Germany as a site for new chip making complex. A company has given the first details of 88 billion dollars investment drive as spread across Europe.

Intel spreads chip investment across Europe; 88 billion dollars investment drive across Europe

&nbsp;Germany has decided in principle to purchase the U.S. fighter jet F-35 built by Lockheed Martin to replace its ageing Tornado, according to two government sources.

A German defence source told Reuters in early February that Germany was leaning toward purchasing the F-35 but a final decision had not been taken.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-fighter-jets-for-ukraine-says-german-chancellor-olaf-scholz-460643">&nbsp;No fighter jets for Ukraine, says German Chancellor Olaf Scholz</a>

The Tornado is the only German jet capable of carrying U.S. nuclear bombs, stored in Germany, in case of a conflict. But the air force has been flying the jet since the 1980s, and Berlin is planning to phase it out between 2025 and 2030.

It was not clear how many F-35 jets Germany may attempt to purchase.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/german-domestic-intelligence-agency-gets-green-light-to-spy-on-far-right-extremist-afd-party-460475">&nbsp;German domestic intelligence agency gets green-light to spy on far-right, extremist AfD party</a>

The F-35 buy will be a blow for Boeing, whose F-18 was favoured by former German defence minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer to replace the Tornado.

Watch |&nbsp;Reports: Cyberattack on Russian energy firm Rosneft's German unit

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/reports-cyberattack-on-russian-energy-firm-rosnefts-german-unit-462053/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The decision to go with a U.S. fighter jet could also upset France. Paris has been warily watching past German deliberations over whether to settle on the F-18 or the F-35, concerned it could undermine the development of a joint Franco-German fighter jet that is supposed to be ready in the 2040s.

Germany has decided in principle to purchase the U.S. fighter jet F-35 built by Lockheed Martin to replace its ageing Tornado, according to two government sources.

Germany has decided in principle to purchase the U.S. fighter jet F-35 built by Lockheed Martin to replace its ageing Tornado, according to two government sources. A German defence source told Reuters in early February that Germany was leaning toward purchasing the F-35 but a final decision had not been taken. Also read | No fighter jets for Ukraine, says German Chancellor Olaf Scholz The Tornado is the only German jet capable of carrying U.S. nuclear bombs, stored in Germany, in case of a conflict. But the air force has been flying the jet since the 1980s, and Berlin is planning to phase it out between 2025 and 2030. It was not clear how many F-35 jets Germany may attempt to purchase. Also read | German domestic intelligence agency gets green-light to spy on far-right, extremist AfD party The F-35 buy will be a blow for Boeing, whose F-18 was favoured by former German defence minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer to replace the Tornado. Watch | Reports: Cyberattack on Russian energy firm Rosneft's German unit The decision to go with a U.S. fighter jet could also upset France. Paris has been warily watching past German deliberations over whether to settle on the F-18 or the F-35, concerned it could undermine the development of a joint Franco-German fighter jet that is supposed to be ready in the 2040s.

Germany decides in principle to buy F-35 fighter jet - government sources

German prosecutors said Monday they have charged&nbsp;Wirecard's former chief executive Markus&nbsp;Braun&nbsp;and two other high-ranking managers for the colossal commercial&nbsp;fraud&nbsp;that led to the collapse of the payment company.

The trio are accused of market manipulation, embezzlement and gang&nbsp;fraud&nbsp;on a commercial scale, said prosecutors, noting that the indictment itself runs to 474 pages.

The German fintech company, once touted as a shining star of innovative start-ups, crashed in June 2020 after admitting that a missing 1.9 billion euros ($2.1 billion) from its balance sheets likely didn't exist.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-decides-in-principle-to-buy-f-35-fighter-jet-government-sources-462078">Germany decides in principle to buy F-35 fighter jet - government sources</a>

The time it took for prosecutors to file formal&nbsp;charges&nbsp;underlined the intricate and complex web of fraudulent transactions that investigators travelled across the world to unravel.

Among victims of the&nbsp;fraud&nbsp;were banks that had provided credit of 1.7 billion euros to&nbsp;Wirecard. Bonds worth 1.4 billion euros had also been issued, which are unlikely to be repaid.

"All the accused group members were acting in an industrial fashion in these six cases of&nbsp;fraud, because that is how they secured their own salaries, including partially profit-related portions," prosecutors said in a statement.

Braun&nbsp;for instance, received at least 5.5 million euros in dividends, they said.

Wirecard's troubles began in January 2019 with a series of articles in the Financial Times alleging accounting irregularities in its Asian division, headed by chief operating officer Jan Marsalek.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkeys-erdogan-germanys-scholz-to-hold-talks-in-ankara-on-ukraine-462136">Turkey's Erdogan, Germany's Scholz to hold talks in Ankara on Ukraine</a>

But the financial technology company was able, at that time, to repeatedly fend off claims and the FT's journalists themselves came under investigation&nbsp;over&nbsp;the reports.&nbsp;

The huge scam unravelled in June 2020 when auditors Ernst &amp; Young said they were unable to find 1.9 billion euros of cash in the company's accounts.

The sum, which made up a quarter of the balance sheet, was supposedly held to cover risks in trading carried out by third parties on&nbsp;Wirecard's behalf and was meant to be sitting in trustee accounts at two Filippino banks.

Watch |&nbsp;Reports: Cyberattack on Russian energy firm Rosneft's German unit

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/reports-cyberattack-on-russian-energy-firm-rosnefts-german-unit-462053/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

But the Philippines' central bank has said the cash never entered its monetary system and both Asian banks, BDO and BPI, denied having a relationship with&nbsp;Wirecard.

While key figures in the company have since been detained, including&nbsp;Braun, the company's former COO Marsalek, who is wanted by German prosecutors, remains at large.

German prosecutors said Monday they have charged Wirecard's former chief executive Markus Braun and two other high-ranking managers for the colossal commercial fraud that led to the collapse of the payment company.

German prosecutors said Monday they have charged Wirecard's former chief executive Markus Braun and two other high-ranking managers for the colossal commercial fraud that led to the collapse of the payment company. The trio are accused of market manipulation, embezzlement and gang fraud on a commercial scale, said prosecutors, noting that the indictment itself runs to 474 pages. The German fintech company, once touted as a shining star of innovative start-ups, crashed in June 2020 after admitting that a missing 1.9 billion euros ($2.1 billion) from its balance sheets likely didn't exist. Also read | Germany decides in principle to buy F-35 fighter jet - government sources The time it took for prosecutors to file formal charges underlined the intricate and complex web of fraudulent transactions that investigators travelled across the world to unravel. Among victims of the fraud were banks that had provided credit of 1.7 billion euros to Wirecard. Bonds worth 1.4 billion euros had also been issued, which are unlikely to be repaid. "All the accused group members were acting in an industrial fashion in these six cases of fraud, because that is how they secured their own salaries, including partially profit-related portions," prosecutors said in a statement. Braun for instance, received at least 5.5 million euros in dividends, they said. Wirecard's troubles began in January 2019 with a series of articles in the Financial Times alleging accounting irregularities in its Asian division, headed by chief operating officer Jan Marsalek. Also read | Turkey's Erdogan, Germany's Scholz to hold talks in Ankara on Ukraine But the financial technology company was able, at that time, to repeatedly fend off claims and the FT's journalists themselves came under investigation over the reports. The huge scam unravelled in June 2020 when auditors Ernst & Young said they were unable to find 1.9 billion euros of cash in the company's accounts. The sum, which made up a quarter of the balance sheet, was supposedly held to cover risks in trading carried out by third parties on Wirecard's behalf and was meant to be sitting in trustee accounts at two Filippino banks. Watch | Reports: Cyberattack on Russian energy firm Rosneft's German unit But the Philippines' central bank has said the cash never entered its monetary system and both Asian banks, BDO and BPI, denied having a relationship with Wirecard. While key figures in the company have since been detained, including Braun, the company's former COO Marsalek, who is wanted by German prosecutors, remains at large.

Germany charges Wirecard's ex-CEO Braun over fraud

The German government's domestic intelligence agency has been given the right to spy on the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) after a court ruled Tuesday that the party is a suspected threat to democracy.

In March, the court dismissed a legal challenge brought by the AfD that delayed plans by Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) to put the party under surveillance.

Cologne's administrative court, however, found that there were "sufficient indications of anti-constitutional goals within the AfD," it said in a statement.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/a-bill-based-on-hate-discrimination-florida-passes-archaic-dont-say-gay-school-bill-460434" hreflang="en">A bill 'based on hate &amp; discrimination': Florida passes archaic 'Don't Say Gay' school bill</a>

Therefore, the BfV is allowed to classify the anti-Islam, anti-immigrant party as a "suspected case of right-wing extremism".

The classification allows intelligence agents to eavesdrop on the party's communications and use undercover agents.

In their argument, AfD leaders asserted the party had distanced itself from its most extreme elements by disbanding the hardline "Wing" faction led by Bjoern Hoecke.

Even so, judges in Cologne said key figures from the faction still held "significant influence" in the party.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/this-is-why-some-people-develop-life-threatening-covid-19-while-others-get-no-symptoms-at-all-460420" hreflang="en">This is why some people develop life-threatening COVID-19, while others get no symptoms at all</a>

In addition, the court criticised the extreme positions of the AfD's youth wing, saying its members shared the views of former "Wing" supporters that "German people should be kept ethnically intact and 'outsiders' should be excluded as far as possible".

"This goes against the Basic Law," the court said, referring to Germany's constitution.

The AfD began as an anti-euro party in 2013 before becoming an anti-immigrant one.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: The mystery around Russia's 'Z' Symbol

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-the-mystery-around-russias-z-symbol-460386/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In 2017, the party won its first seats in the national parliament, riding on public outrage over an influx of refugees in 2015-2016.

A series of infightings and waning concerns about immigration have now weakened it. At last year's general election, the AfD won just over 10 per cent of the vote, down from almost 13 per cent previously, despite attempts to win over opponents of government coronavirus restrictions.

(With inputs from agencies)

The German government's domestic intelligence agency has been given the right to spy on the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) after a court ruled Tuesday that the party is a suspected threat to democracy.

The German government's domestic intelligence agency has been given the right to spy on the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) after a court ruled Tuesday that the party is a suspected threat to democracy. In March, the court dismissed a legal challenge brought by the AfD that delayed plans by Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) to put the party under surveillance. Cologne's administrative court, however, found that there were "sufficient indications of anti-constitutional goals within the AfD," it said in a statement. Also read | A bill 'based on hate & discrimination': Florida passes archaic 'Don't Say Gay' school bill Therefore, the BfV is allowed to classify the anti-Islam, anti-immigrant party as a "suspected case of right-wing extremism". The classification allows intelligence agents to eavesdrop on the party's communications and use undercover agents. In their argument, AfD leaders asserted the party had distanced itself from its most extreme elements by disbanding the hardline "Wing" faction led by Bjoern Hoecke. Even so, judges in Cologne said key figures from the faction still held "significant influence" in the party. Also read | This is why some people develop life-threatening COVID-19, while others get no symptoms at all In addition, the court criticised the extreme positions of the AfD's youth wing, saying its members shared the views of former "Wing" supporters that "German people should be kept ethnically intact and 'outsiders' should be excluded as far as possible". "This goes against the Basic Law," the court said, referring to Germany's constitution. The AfD began as an anti-euro party in 2013 before becoming an anti-immigrant one. Watch | Gravitas: The mystery around Russia's 'Z' Symbol In 2017, the party won its first seats in the national parliament, riding on public outrage over an influx of refugees in 2015-2016. A series of infightings and waning concerns about immigration have now weakened it. At last year's general election, the AfD won just over 10 per cent of the vote, down from almost 13 per cent previously, despite attempts to win over opponents of government coronavirus restrictions. (With inputs from agencies)

German domestic intelligence agency gets green-light to spy on far-right, extremist AfD party

In Germany, Men’s football team has never had a female coach in the highest division. But Nadine Nurasyid is rewriting history in Germany.

How this female football coach is rewriting history in Germany | International Women’s Day

German Economy Minister Robert Habeck on Tuesday issued an "urgent appeal" to OPEC oil producers to ramp up output following a spike in prices and supply fears due to the Ukraine crisis.

Habeck called on top oil-producing nations to "increase production in order to create relief on the market".

"That would be a contribution" to easing the stress on firms and households, he said at a Berlin press conference.

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Oil&nbsp;prices rose on Tuesday, with Brent surging past $132 a barrel on expectations that the United States and Britain will announce a formal ban on Russian&nbsp;oil&nbsp;imports, stoking supply concerns.

The ban is expected to be a gradual phasing out over time and is expected to last about a year to try to stop people panic-buying fuel.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said prices could rise to more than $300 a barrel.

In addition to the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Ukraine, the fighting and ensuing Western sanctions against Vladimir Putin’s Russia have sent a shock wave through the global economy.

Energy prices have surged worldwide, stocks have plummeted, and the food supply for many who rely on crops farmed in the fertile Black Sea region has been threatened.

Russia is the world's biggest exporter of oil and natural gas, and until now its energy exports had been exempted from international sanctions. Although the United States is not a leading buyer of Russian oil, its allies are likely to come under pressure to also wean their economies off Russian energy.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/just-how-crucial-is-russian-gas-for-west-in-spite-of-its-invasion-of-ukraine-460314">Just how crucial Russian gas is for West, in spite of its invasion of Ukraine</a>

Europe is heavily reliant on Russian energy imports, and Western sanctions against Russia have so far not targeted oil and gas.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called Russian energy supplies of "essential importance" for people's daily lives in Europe's biggest economy.

The US announcement will intensify the impact of the war on a global economy already suffering supply shortages and price surges as it lurches out of the pandemic crisis. In the United States, gas pump prices have already hit a record since Russia launched the invasion, worsening inflation that was already at 40-year highs.

US Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat, said the administration was coordinating with European allies "and making sure that we've done the groundwork to understand how to effectively implement a ban on Russian energy."

"We are going to see increased gas prices here in the United States. In Europe, they will see dramatic increases in prices. That's the cost of standing up for freedom and standing alongside the Ukrainian people, but it's going to cost us," Coons told CNN.

Buses carried civilians out of one embattled Ukrainian city Tuesday and supplies toward another, as officials tried to rescue people away from a Russian onslaught and ease the dire humanitarian situation for those still stuck.

On the 13th day of the invasion, Europe’s worst refugee crisis since World War II grew even more severe, with UN&nbsp;officials reporting that 2 million people have now fled Ukraine.

Demands for ways to safely evacuate civilians have surged along with intensifying shelling by Russian forces that is also strangling cities, cutting off supplies of food, water and medicine as well as escape routes in tactics described by Ukrainian officials as reminiscent of medieval sieges.

(With inputs from agencies)

German Economy Minister Robert Habeck on Tuesday issued an "urgent appeal" to OPEC oil producers to ramp up output following a spike in prices and supply fears due to the Ukraine crisis.

German Economy Minister Robert Habeck on Tuesday issued an "urgent appeal" to OPEC oil producers to ramp up output following a spike in prices and supply fears due to the Ukraine crisis. Habeck called on top oil-producing nations to "increase production in order to create relief on the market". "That would be a contribution" to easing the stress on firms and households, he said at a Berlin press conference. Oil prices rose on Tuesday, with Brent surging past $132 a barrel on expectations that the United States and Britain will announce a formal ban on Russian oil imports, stoking supply concerns. The ban is expected to be a gradual phasing out over time and is expected to last about a year to try to stop people panic-buying fuel. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said prices could rise to more than $300 a barrel. In addition to the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Ukraine, the fighting and ensuing Western sanctions against Vladimir Putin’s Russia have sent a shock wave through the global economy. Energy prices have surged worldwide, stocks have plummeted, and the food supply for many who rely on crops farmed in the fertile Black Sea region has been threatened. Russia is the world's biggest exporter of oil and natural gas, and until now its energy exports had been exempted from international sanctions. Although the United States is not a leading buyer of Russian oil, its allies are likely to come under pressure to also wean their economies off Russian energy. Also read | Just how crucial Russian gas is for West, in spite of its invasion of Ukraine Europe is heavily reliant on Russian energy imports, and Western sanctions against Russia have so far not targeted oil and gas. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called Russian energy supplies of "essential importance" for people's daily lives in Europe's biggest economy. The US announcement will intensify the impact of the war on a global economy already suffering supply shortages and price surges as it lurches out of the pandemic crisis. In the United States, gas pump prices have already hit a record since Russia launched the invasion, worsening inflation that was already at 40-year highs. US Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat, said the administration was coordinating with European allies "and making sure that we've done the groundwork to understand how to effectively implement a ban on Russian energy." "We are going to see increased gas prices here in the United States. In Europe, they will see dramatic increases in prices. That's the cost of standing up for freedom and standing alongside the Ukrainian people, but it's going to cost us," Coons told CNN. Buses carried civilians out of one embattled Ukrainian city Tuesday and supplies toward another, as officials tried to rescue people away from a Russian onslaught and ease the dire humanitarian situation for those still stuck. On the 13th day of the invasion, Europe’s worst refugee crisis since World War II grew even more severe, with UN officials reporting that 2 million people have now fled Ukraine. Demands for ways to safely evacuate civilians have surged along with intensifying shelling by Russian forces that is also strangling cities, cutting off supplies of food, water and medicine as well as escape routes in tactics described by Ukrainian officials as reminiscent of medieval sieges. (With inputs from agencies)

Germany issues 'urgent appeal' to OPEC oil producers to ramp up output following price hike

The FIH Hockey Pro League matches between India and Germany (Men), have been postponed due to a high number of COVID-19 cases affecting the German team.

The matches were scheduled to be played on March 12, 13 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/throwback-when-dravid-proved-arun-lals-prediction-wrong-by-hitting-a-huge-six-in-indo-pak-test-watch-460257">THROWBACK: When Dravid proved Arun Lal's prediction wrong by hitting a huge six in Indo-Pak Test - WATCH</a>

"FIH, Hockey India and Hockey Germany are already working together to find alternative dates," stated an official release.

The Women's matches between India and Germany will be played as planned this weekend at the Kalinga Stadium, in Bhubaneswar.

The FIH Hockey Pro League matches between India and Germany (Men), have been postponed due to a high number of COVID-19 cases affecting the German team. The matches were scheduled to be played on March 12, 13 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

The FIH Hockey Pro League matches between India and Germany (Men), have been postponed due to a high number of COVID-19 cases affecting the German team. The matches were scheduled to be played on March 12, 13 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. ALSO READ: THROWBACK: When Dravid proved Arun Lal's prediction wrong by hitting a huge six in Indo-Pak Test - WATCH "FIH, Hockey India and Hockey Germany are already working together to find alternative dates," stated an official release. The Women's matches between India and Germany will be played as planned this weekend at the Kalinga Stadium, in Bhubaneswar.

FIH Pro League: Matches between India, Germany postponed due to COVID-19 outbreak in German camp

After years of controversy and criticism from gynaecologists,&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;is planning to scrap a&nbsp;Nazi-era&nbsp;law&nbsp;that limits information&nbsp;on&nbsp;abortion, while access to the procedure in the country remains beset by obstacles.

The Social Democrats, Greens and the Free Democrats, ruling together as a government since December, promised in their coalition agreement to scratch from the statute books one of the most controversial sections of the penal code.

Paragraph 219a, adopted in 1933 shortly after Adolf Hitler had taken power, prohibits the "promotion" of&nbsp;abortion, a crime punishable by "up to two years of imprisonment or a fine".

It is on this basis that courts have in recent years handed out penalties to medical professionals offering&nbsp;information&nbsp;on pregnancy terminations on the internet.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/to-remove-obstacle-for-reviving-nuke-deal-iran-iaea-agree-on-3-month-timeline-459480">To remove obstacle for reviving nuke deal, Iran, IAEA agree on 3-month timeline</a>

In some cases, the sites offered a simple statement that the gynaecologist carries out abortions, with no further details.

But an end came a step closer after the Justice Minister Marco Buschmann put forward draft legislation at the start of the year to remove the paragraph, though it has yet to be voted on in the Bundestag.

&nbsp;Strictly limited

Among the doctors prosecuted in recent years is Kristina Haenel, a general practitioner from Giessen in western&nbsp;Germany, who became the face of the campaign to ditch the&nbsp;law&nbsp;after being fined 6,000 euros ($6,558).

Her legal misadventures created a sensation in the media, reminding Germans that&nbsp;abortion&nbsp;remains severely restricted in&nbsp;law.&nbsp;

The many pitfalls for practitioners dissuade doctors from offering the procedure in a country that was at the forefront of the women's rights movement in the 1970s.

In June 2019, two gynaecologists in Berlin, Bettina Gaber and Verena Weyer, were each also handed two-thousand-euro fines for the same offence.

"I'm pleased that taking an informed decision will now be possible" for pregnant women, Haenel said when the plan to remove the&nbsp;law&nbsp;was announced.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-german-flood-victims-receive-tiny-houses-just-before-christmas-439700">In Pics | German flood victims receive tiny houses just before Christmas</a>

Anti-abortion&nbsp;militants, who organise themselves online, are behind most of the complaints made against medical professionals, while one activist was recently convicted for comparing&nbsp;abortion&nbsp;to the Holocaust.

Under pressure from campaigners, many medics have removed all relevant&nbsp;information&nbsp;from their websites and have declined to be included in family planning lists shared with women looking to end their pregnancies.&nbsp;

The outcry that came in response to the prosecutions led Angela Merkel’s government to relax legislation slightly, allowing gynaecologists and hospitals to indicate online that they offered abortions.&nbsp;

Advertising&nbsp;

Specifying what methods were used was, however, still prohibited, a compromise solution that did not satisfy practitioners.

Opposition from within Merkel's own Christian Democrats had prevented the paragraph from being struck from the penal code completely.

Removing the paragraph would mean no longer being able to tell "whether the advertisement came from a cosmetic clinic or an&nbsp;abortion&nbsp;clinic", said Merkel's party colleague Helge Braun, one of her closest aides and who is himself a doctor.

In&nbsp;Germany, a woman wishing to have an&nbsp;abortion&nbsp;in the first 12 weeks of her pregnancy must have an obligatory consultation at an approved centre.&nbsp;

The aim of this dialogue is to "encourage the woman to continue her pregnancy", even if in the end the choice was up to her. After the consultation patients must wait through a "reflection period" of three days.

Except in exceptional circumstances, such as a risk to the life of the mother or in the event of rape, abortions are not paid for by health insurance, despite sometimes costing hundreds of euros.

Around 100,000 abortions are carried out in&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;every year although the number has gone down in recent years.

The subject is still a taboo in&nbsp;Germany, according to a number of gynaecologists, and can be like an obstacle course for patients, particularly in traditionally Catholic Bavaria.

In some parts of the vast southern state, no hospitals offer the procedure, with many people opting to cross the border to Austria instead.

After years of controversy and criticism from gynaecologists, Germany is planning to scrap a Nazi-era law that limits information on abortion, while access to the procedure in the country remains beset by obstacles.

After years of controversy and criticism from gynaecologists, Germany is planning to scrap a Nazi-era law that limits information on abortion, while access to the procedure in the country remains beset by obstacles. The Social Democrats, Greens and the Free Democrats, ruling together as a government since December, promised in their coalition agreement to scratch from the statute books one of the most controversial sections of the penal code. Paragraph 219a, adopted in 1933 shortly after Adolf Hitler had taken power, prohibits the "promotion" of abortion, a crime punishable by "up to two years of imprisonment or a fine". It is on this basis that courts have in recent years handed out penalties to medical professionals offering information on pregnancy terminations on the internet. Also read | To remove obstacle for reviving nuke deal, Iran, IAEA agree on 3-month timeline In some cases, the sites offered a simple statement that the gynaecologist carries out abortions, with no further details. But an end came a step closer after the Justice Minister Marco Buschmann put forward draft legislation at the start of the year to remove the paragraph, though it has yet to be voted on in the Bundestag. Strictly limited Among the doctors prosecuted in recent years is Kristina Haenel, a general practitioner from Giessen in western Germany, who became the face of the campaign to ditch the law after being fined 6,000 euros ($6,558). Her legal misadventures created a sensation in the media, reminding Germans that abortion remains severely restricted in law. The many pitfalls for practitioners dissuade doctors from offering the procedure in a country that was at the forefront of the women's rights movement in the 1970s. In June 2019, two gynaecologists in Berlin, Bettina Gaber and Verena Weyer, were each also handed two-thousand-euro fines for the same offence. "I'm pleased that taking an informed decision will now be possible" for pregnant women, Haenel said when the plan to remove the law was announced. Also read | In Pics | German flood victims receive tiny houses just before Christmas Anti-abortion militants, who organise themselves online, are behind most of the complaints made against medical professionals, while one activist was recently convicted for comparing abortion to the Holocaust. Under pressure from campaigners, many medics have removed all relevant information from their websites and have declined to be included in family planning lists shared with women looking to end their pregnancies. The outcry that came in response to the prosecutions led Angela Merkel’s government to relax legislation slightly, allowing gynaecologists and hospitals to indicate online that they offered abortions. Advertising Specifying what methods were used was, however, still prohibited, a compromise solution that did not satisfy practitioners. Opposition from within Merkel's own Christian Democrats had prevented the paragraph from being struck from the penal code completely. Removing the paragraph would mean no longer being able to tell "whether the advertisement came from a cosmetic clinic or an abortion clinic", said Merkel's party colleague Helge Braun, one of her closest aides and who is himself a doctor. In Germany, a woman wishing to have an abortion in the first 12 weeks of her pregnancy must have an obligatory consultation at an approved centre. The aim of this dialogue is to "encourage the woman to continue her pregnancy", even if in the end the choice was up to her. After the consultation patients must wait through a "reflection period" of three days. Except in exceptional circumstances, such as a risk to the life of the mother or in the event of rape, abortions are not paid for by health insurance, despite sometimes costing hundreds of euros. Around 100,000 abortions are carried out in Germany every year although the number has gone down in recent years. The subject is still a taboo in Germany, according to a number of gynaecologists, and can be like an obstacle course for patients, particularly in traditionally Catholic Bavaria. In some parts of the vast southern state, no hospitals offer the procedure, with many people opting to cross the border to Austria instead.

Germany looks to reform Nazi-era abortion information laws

Germany has pledged hundreds of anti-aircraft missiles to&nbsp;Ukraine. But several of them are useless Cold War relics from East Germany, a report said. &nbsp;

Not just this, they are also packed in boxes so moldy that anyone who handles them needs to wear protective gear. &nbsp;

At least 700 of the 2,700 'Strela' anti-aircraft missiles, which Germany has earmarked for Ukraine are inoperable, Der Spiegel reported. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-intensifies-crackdown-on-fake-reports-blocks-twitter-facebook-459123">Russia intensifies crackdown on 'fake' reports, blocks Twitter, Facebook &nbsp;</a>

Ukrainian fighters are in dire need of advanced weapons to fend off the Russian invasion. But Germany is sending aging missiles, which are Soviet-made. They date from the era of pre-1990 East German National People's Army. &nbsp;

"The Russian invasion of Ukraine marks a turning point. It threatens our entire post-war order. In this situation, it is our duty to support Ukraine to the best of our ability in its defence against Vladimir Putin's invading army," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said last week while pledging arms to Ukraine. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ahead-of-south-koreas-polls-kim-jong-led-north-holds-2022s-ninth-missile-test-459144">Ahead of South Korea’s polls, Kim Jong-led North holds 2022’s 9th missile test</a>

The handpieces necessary for firing the missiles are also missing, the report added. The relics are also not safe to use, the report said citing a classified military document. &nbsp;&nbsp;

No defective weapons would be sent to Ukraine, a spokesman for Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht told Der Spiegel. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Germany has pledged hundreds of anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine. But several of them are useless Cold War relics from East Germany, a report said. Not just this, they are also packed in boxes so moldy that anyone who handles them needs to wear protective gear.

Germany has pledged hundreds of anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine. But several of them are useless Cold War relics from East Germany, a report said. Not just this, they are also packed in boxes so moldy that anyone who handles them needs to wear protective gear. At least 700 of the 2,700 'Strela' anti-aircraft missiles, which Germany has earmarked for Ukraine are inoperable, Der Spiegel reported. Also Read: Russia intensifies crackdown on 'fake' reports, blocks Twitter, Facebook Ukrainian fighters are in dire need of advanced weapons to fend off the Russian invasion. But Germany is sending aging missiles, which are Soviet-made. They date from the era of pre-1990 East German National People's Army. "The Russian invasion of Ukraine marks a turning point. It threatens our entire post-war order. In this situation, it is our duty to support Ukraine to the best of our ability in its defence against Vladimir Putin's invading army," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said last week while pledging arms to Ukraine. Also Read: Ahead of South Korea’s polls, Kim Jong-led North holds 2022’s 9th missile test The handpieces necessary for firing the missiles are also missing, the report added. The relics are also not safe to use, the report said citing a classified military document. No defective weapons would be sent to Ukraine, a spokesman for Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht told Der Spiegel. (With inputs from agencies)

Useless Cold War relics? Hundreds of German anti-aircraft missiles pledged to Ukraine unsafe, says report

After a series of administrative delays, US electric car pioneer Tesla is on the verge of receiving the go-ahead from German authorities on Friday to begin production at its "giga-factory" outside Berlin.

Officials in the eastern state of Brandenburg, where the factory is located, look set to confirm their approval at a press conference in Potsdam at 3:30 pm (1430 GMT), according to local reports.&nbsp;

The plant, in Grueneheide, to the southeast of Berlin, is slated to produce 500,000 vehicles a year.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/please-use-with-caution-elon-musk-warns-that-starlink-can-be-targeted-by-russia-advises-caution-458726">'Please use with caution': Elon Musk warns that starlink can be 'targeted' by Russia, advises caution</a>

Announced with much fanfare in November 2019, the project was warmly received by politicians in a country proud of its car-making tradition.

Elon Musk's Tesla benefited from an expedited preliminary approval process, allowing it to begin construction before receiving the final planning permission.

But the American manufacturer's early momentum was broken by a series of legal and administrative difficulties, in part prompted by angry locals with concerns over the environmental impact of the site.

Protected lizards

Together with national NGOs Nabu and Gruene Liga, residents did everything to stand in the way of the project, organising protests, making court appeals and writing open letters.&nbsp;

In 2020, courts ordered Tesla to stop work at the site after a complaint by local associations fearing the destruction of the habitat of endangered lizards and snakes.&nbsp;

The plant's massive demand for water was also a sore point for residents in an area that has been hit by summer droughts in the last three years.

On Friday, judges could also hand down a decision in a case brought against the local administration, which plans to pump out more water to use at the plant.

Under pressure from environmentalists, authorities were careful to examine the case closely, delaying the arrival of planning permission.

Setbacks also gave Tesla the opportunity to amend its application, adding a massive yet-to-be-built battery plant next to the main factory.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-cdc-guidelines-say-that-more-than-90-of-us-population-doesnt-need-masks-anymore-458822">&nbsp;New CDC guidelines say that more than 90% of US population doesn't need masks anymore</a>

Concerns over the build were dismissed by Tesla's rockstar CEO Musk, who sought to win over locals by hosting a country fair on the factory grounds in October.

Thousands were in attendance at the event, where Musk declared his intention to begin production in November or December of this year.

The earlier target may have been achieved were it not for the extension of a public consultation deadline from mid-October to the end of November due to an administrative error.

"Seriously??!!" was the tweet Musk sent in response to the new delay, having already voiced his frustration at Germany's slow bureaucratic processes on several occasions.&nbsp;

Works council

Had approval for the plant not been given, the costs for dismantling the work that had been done would have fallen on Tesla.&nbsp;

Production at the factory should begin almost immediately with Tesla having already made a "limited" number of vehicles in a test, a spokesman told AFP.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-invasion-elon-musk-activates-starlink-internet-service-after-request-from-an-official-457100">Ukraine invasion: Elon Musk activates Starlink internet service after request from an official</a>

Tesla's next challenge is to find workers, while businesses in Germany are contending with shortages of skilled labour.&nbsp;

What employees there are at the factory have seen to the organisation of a works council, against the American carmaker's protestations.

The shop-floor organisation is common to German industries, and hands workers a degree of influence over corporate decision-making.

Elections to the works council, which took place at the end of February, were nonetheless won by representatives of "Gigavoice", which is closer to management.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Ukraine Conflict: Decoding Thursday's biggest developments

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-ukraine-conflict-decoding-thursdays-biggest-developments-458717/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Currently, between 2,500 and 3,000 people work at the plant, according to union sources, primarily more senior members of staff.

In time, the figure should rise to 12,000, according to local press reports, a figure which has not been confirmed by Tesla.

After a series of administrative delays, US electric car pioneer Tesla is on the verge of receiving the go-ahead from German authorities on Friday to begin production at its "giga-factory" outside Berlin.

After a series of administrative delays, US electric car pioneer Tesla is on the verge of receiving the go-ahead from German authorities on Friday to begin production at its "giga-factory" outside Berlin. Officials in the eastern state of Brandenburg, where the factory is located, look set to confirm their approval at a press conference in Potsdam at 3:30 pm (1430 GMT), according to local reports. The plant, in Grueneheide, to the southeast of Berlin, is slated to produce 500,000 vehicles a year. Also read | 'Please use with caution': Elon Musk warns that starlink can be 'targeted' by Russia, advises caution Announced with much fanfare in November 2019, the project was warmly received by politicians in a country proud of its car-making tradition. Elon Musk's Tesla benefited from an expedited preliminary approval process, allowing it to begin construction before receiving the final planning permission. But the American manufacturer's early momentum was broken by a series of legal and administrative difficulties, in part prompted by angry locals with concerns over the environmental impact of the site. Protected lizards Together with national NGOs Nabu and Gruene Liga, residents did everything to stand in the way of the project, organising protests, making court appeals and writing open letters. In 2020, courts ordered Tesla to stop work at the site after a complaint by local associations fearing the destruction of the habitat of endangered lizards and snakes. The plant's massive demand for water was also a sore point for residents in an area that has been hit by summer droughts in the last three years. On Friday, judges could also hand down a decision in a case brought against the local administration, which plans to pump out more water to use at the plant. Under pressure from environmentalists, authorities were careful to examine the case closely, delaying the arrival of planning permission. Setbacks also gave Tesla the opportunity to amend its application, adding a massive yet-to-be-built battery plant next to the main factory. Also read | New CDC guidelines say that more than 90% of US population doesn't need masks anymore Concerns over the build were dismissed by Tesla's rockstar CEO Musk, who sought to win over locals by hosting a country fair on the factory grounds in October. Thousands were in attendance at the event, where Musk declared his intention to begin production in November or December of this year. The earlier target may have been achieved were it not for the extension of a public consultation deadline from mid-October to the end of November due to an administrative error. "Seriously??!!" was the tweet Musk sent in response to the new delay, having already voiced his frustration at Germany's slow bureaucratic processes on several occasions. Works council Had approval for the plant not been given, the costs for dismantling the work that had been done would have fallen on Tesla. Production at the factory should begin almost immediately with Tesla having already made a "limited" number of vehicles in a test, a spokesman told AFP. Also read | Ukraine invasion: Elon Musk activates Starlink internet service after request from an official Tesla's next challenge is to find workers, while businesses in Germany are contending with shortages of skilled labour. What employees there are at the factory have seen to the organisation of a works council, against the American carmaker's protestations. The shop-floor organisation is common to German industries, and hands workers a degree of influence over corporate decision-making. Elections to the works council, which took place at the end of February, were nonetheless won by representatives of "Gigavoice", which is closer to management. Watch | Gravitas: Ukraine Conflict: Decoding Thursday's biggest developments Currently, between 2,500 and 3,000 people work at the plant, according to union sources, primarily more senior members of staff. In time, the figure should rise to 12,000, according to local press reports, a figure which has not been confirmed by Tesla.

Amid environmental concerns, Tesla awaits green light to start production at German plant

A nearly $600 million luxury yacht, which is owned by Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, has been seized by German authorities. &nbsp;

Usmanov has faced European Union sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, said a Forbes report, citing sources in the yacht industry. &nbsp;

Dilbar, which is 512-foot yacht, was taken to the northern port of Hamburg, the report said. &nbsp;

The yacht was undergoing a refit in shipyards of Blohm + Voss, it said. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/to-unravel-truth-iccs-prosecutor-starts-investigation-into-possible-war-crimes-in-ukraine-458350">ICC's prosecutor starts investigation into possible war crimes in Ukraine</a>

The German government has frozen the asset and employees working on the vessel did not appear for work on Wednesday. &nbsp;

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Alisher Usmanov Dilbar yacht will be seized because of sanctions 🙆‍♂️ <a href="https://t.co/cwdv69f9x5">pic.twitter.com/cwdv69f9x5</a>
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As per a decision published on the official journal, EU has imposed sanctions on the Russian tycoon and metals magnate and 25 other prominent people for the invasion in Ukraine. &nbsp;

Around five superyachts, which are owned by Russian billionaires, have been anchored or could be seen cruising on Wednesday in Maldives. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putins-pick-for-next-ukraine-president-who-is-viktor-yanukovych-458205">Putin's pick for next Ukraine president: Who is Viktor Yanukovych?</a>

The island nation in Indian Ocean does not have an extradition treaty with the United States, ship tracking data showed. &nbsp;

To put Russia on back foot, several countries have also imposed crippling sanctions on the financial sector of the country. It includes a&nbsp;block on its access to the global financial system, SWIFT. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A nearly $600 million luxury yacht, which is owned by Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, has been seized by German authorities. Usmanov has faced European Union sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, said a Forbes report, citing sources in the yacht industry.

A nearly $600 million luxury yacht, which is owned by Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, has been seized by German authorities. Usmanov has faced European Union sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, said a Forbes report, citing sources in the yacht industry. Dilbar, which is 512-foot yacht, was taken to the northern port of Hamburg, the report said. The yacht was undergoing a refit in shipyards of Blohm + Voss, it said. Also Read: ICC's prosecutor starts investigation into possible war crimes in Ukraine The German government has frozen the asset and employees working on the vessel did not appear for work on Wednesday. Alisher Usmanov Dilbar yacht will be seized because of sanctions 🙆‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/cwdv69f9x5 — Lethabo (@Cheetahplains) March 2, 2022 × As per a decision published on the official journal, EU has imposed sanctions on the Russian tycoon and metals magnate and 25 other prominent people for the invasion in Ukraine. Around five superyachts, which are owned by Russian billionaires, have been anchored or could be seen cruising on Wednesday in Maldives. Also Read: Putin's pick for next Ukraine president: Who is Viktor Yanukovych? The island nation in Indian Ocean does not have an extradition treaty with the United States, ship tracking data showed. To put Russia on back foot, several countries have also imposed crippling sanctions on the financial sector of the country. It includes a block on its access to the global financial system, SWIFT. (With inputs from agencies)

Russian billionaire’s $600 million luxury yacht seized by German authorities, says report  

Germany is planning to increase its weapons deliveries to Ukraine by sending 2,700 anti-aircraft missiles, a government source revealed while speaking to AFP. The source further said that the government "approved further support for Ukraine."&nbsp;

This involves the delivery of STRELA-type anti-aircraft missiles of Soviet manufacture. These were previously used by the army of communist east Germany.&nbsp;

The government has also approved the delivery of German-made arms to Ukraine from third countries. This includes 400 anti-tank rocket launchers sent by the Netherlands.

Germany had earlier accused Russia of endangering Europe's security with demands that recall the Cold War.

The recent development came in when Germany reversed its policy of not sending weapons to conflict zones. Chancellor Olaf Scholz noted that the Russian invasion is a "turning point in history" and it has compelled Germany to rethink its priorities.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/live-russia-claims-to-have-besieged-two-big-cities-in-ukraine-455211">Also read |&nbsp;Live | 9000 Russian troops killed till date: Ukraine Defence Ministry</a>

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Moscow needed to show "serious steps towards de-escalation".

"With an unprecedented deployment of troops on the border with Ukraine and Cold War demands, Russia is challenging fundamental principles of the European peace order," Baerbock said in a statement.

Meanwhile, on March 2, a week after the invasion began, Russia grabbed control of its first city in Ukraine. A senior Ukrainian official told The New York Times that Kherson is now under Russian control after the city was surrounded earlier in the day.

In an interview with The Times, Igor Kolykhaev, the mayor of the 300,000-person city, stated that the city was surrounded and that the Ukrainian army was not present.

"I made no promises to them. I just have nothing to promise. I am only interested in the normal life of our city! I just asked not to shoot people. We don't have Ukrainian Armed Forces in the city, only civilians and people who want to LIVE here! " Kolykhaev said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Germany is planning to increase its weapons deliveries to Ukraine by sending 2,700 anti-aircraft missiles, a government source revealed while speaking to AFP. The source further said that the government "approved further support for Ukraine.

Germany is planning to increase its weapons deliveries to Ukraine by sending 2,700 anti-aircraft missiles, a government source revealed while speaking to AFP. The source further said that the government "approved further support for Ukraine." This involves the delivery of STRELA-type anti-aircraft missiles of Soviet manufacture. These were previously used by the army of communist east Germany. The government has also approved the delivery of German-made arms to Ukraine from third countries. This includes 400 anti-tank rocket launchers sent by the Netherlands. Germany had earlier accused Russia of endangering Europe's security with demands that recall the Cold War. The recent development came in when Germany reversed its policy of not sending weapons to conflict zones. Chancellor Olaf Scholz noted that the Russian invasion is a "turning point in history" and it has compelled Germany to rethink its priorities. Also read | Live | 9000 Russian troops killed till date: Ukraine Defence Ministry German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Moscow needed to show "serious steps towards de-escalation". "With an unprecedented deployment of troops on the border with Ukraine and Cold War demands, Russia is challenging fundamental principles of the European peace order," Baerbock said in a statement. Meanwhile, on March 2, a week after the invasion began, Russia grabbed control of its first city in Ukraine. A senior Ukrainian official told The New York Times that Kherson is now under Russian control after the city was surrounded earlier in the day. In an interview with The Times, Igor Kolykhaev, the mayor of the 300,000-person city, stated that the city was surrounded and that the Ukrainian army was not present. "I made no promises to them. I just have nothing to promise. I am only interested in the normal life of our city! I just asked not to shoot people. We don't have Ukrainian Armed Forces in the city, only civilians and people who want to LIVE here! " Kolykhaev said. (With inputs from agencies)

Germany planning to increase weapons deliveries to war-torn Ukraine: Report

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett says that both the leaders met to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine, the Iran nuclear talks in Vienna, and establish a new strategic partnership.

Germany and Israel's high-stakes meet for more Russia-Ukraine peace talks

German Chancellor&nbsp;Olaf&nbsp;Scholz&nbsp;on Wednesday visited Israel for the first time since taking office, days after Russia's invasion of Ukraine and amid international efforts to forge a new Iran nuclear deal.

He toured Jerusalem's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, laid a wreath and left a message in the guest book stressing Germany's historical responsibility toward the Jewish state.&nbsp;

"The mass murder of the Jews was instigated by Germany," he wrote.&nbsp;"It was planned and carried out by Germans.&nbsp;Consequently, every German government bears permanent responsibility for the security of the state of Israel and the protection of Jewish life."

Bennett welcomed&nbsp;Scholz, saying that "the Shoah, the methodical destruction of the Jews, is a wound that is the basis of the ties between Germany and Israel. From this wound we have built strong and significant ties."

The two heads of government -- both relatively new to office following many years under the political veterans Angela Merkel and Benjamin Netanyahu -- met as rapidly moving world events test their leadership.

They have diverged on their responses to Russia's war in Ukraine.&nbsp;

Scholz's coalition government reversed a ban on sending weapons into conflict zones and halted the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project between Russia and Germany.

He also pledged 100 billion euros ($113 billion) this year to modernise Germany's army and committed to spending more than two percent of Germany's gross domestic product on defence annually, surpassing even NATO's target.

Deeply troubled&nbsp;

Israel has taken a more conservative approach to the Ukraine crisis, citing its warm ties with both Kyiv and Moscow.&nbsp;

Israeli leaders have said they do not want to upset a delicate security cooperation with Russia, which operates a large military presence in Syria, where Israel carries out frequent strikes against what it says are Iran-linked targets.&nbsp;

Bennett has resisted Ukraine's request for weapons, according to Israeli media, and this week is sending 100 tons of non-military assistance, including blankets, water purification kits and medical supplies.&nbsp;

In addition, Israel has set up a hotline for Jewish Ukrainians seeking to immigrate amid the hostilities.&nbsp;

Scholz's visit also comes as a new deal is said to be emerging to curb Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.&nbsp;

The original 2015 agreement unravelled when former US president Donald Trump withdrew from it, with Israeli encouragement.&nbsp;

Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran and Russia are now negotiating in Vienna to salvage that agreement, with the United States taking part indirectly.

Israel's Bennett has said he is "deeply troubled" by the outlines of that deal, fearing it does too little to stop its arch enemy Iran from one day getting the nuclear bomb, a goal Tehran denies pursuing.

Scholz&nbsp;was later due to meet Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and visit the Knesset, or parliament.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday visited Israel for the first time since taking office, days after Russia's invasion of Ukraine and amid international efforts to forge a new Iran nuclear deal.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday visited Israel for the first time since taking office, days after Russia's invasion of Ukraine and amid international efforts to forge a new Iran nuclear deal. He toured Jerusalem's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, laid a wreath and left a message in the guest book stressing Germany's historical responsibility toward the Jewish state. "The mass murder of the Jews was instigated by Germany," he wrote. "It was planned and carried out by Germans. Consequently, every German government bears permanent responsibility for the security of the state of Israel and the protection of Jewish life." Bennett welcomed Scholz, saying that "the Shoah, the methodical destruction of the Jews, is a wound that is the basis of the ties between Germany and Israel. From this wound we have built strong and significant ties." The two heads of government -- both relatively new to office following many years under the political veterans Angela Merkel and Benjamin Netanyahu -- met as rapidly moving world events test their leadership. They have diverged on their responses to Russia's war in Ukraine. Scholz's coalition government reversed a ban on sending weapons into conflict zones and halted the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project between Russia and Germany. He also pledged 100 billion euros ($113 billion) this year to modernise Germany's army and committed to spending more than two percent of Germany's gross domestic product on defence annually, surpassing even NATO's target. Deeply troubled Israel has taken a more conservative approach to the Ukraine crisis, citing its warm ties with both Kyiv and Moscow. Israeli leaders have said they do not want to upset a delicate security cooperation with Russia, which operates a large military presence in Syria, where Israel carries out frequent strikes against what it says are Iran-linked targets. Bennett has resisted Ukraine's request for weapons, according to Israeli media, and this week is sending 100 tons of non-military assistance, including blankets, water purification kits and medical supplies. In addition, Israel has set up a hotline for Jewish Ukrainians seeking to immigrate amid the hostilities. Scholz's visit also comes as a new deal is said to be emerging to curb Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions. The original 2015 agreement unravelled when former US president Donald Trump withdrew from it, with Israeli encouragement. Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran and Russia are now negotiating in Vienna to salvage that agreement, with the United States taking part indirectly. Israel's Bennett has said he is "deeply troubled" by the outlines of that deal, fearing it does too little to stop its arch enemy Iran from one day getting the nuclear bomb, a goal Tehran denies pursuing. Scholz was later due to meet Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and visit the Knesset, or parliament.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visits Israel amid Ukraine war, Iran talks

Artists in Germany and Lithuania have a message amid Russia-Ukraine crisis. Nearly 70, German artists took three tonnes of paint to write a message for Ukrainians. One of the giant graffiti letters read, “Let us build bridges”.

Watch: German artists have this message for Ukrainians, Russian President Vladimir Putin

Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Sunday announced a "historic" shift in&nbsp;Germany's&nbsp;foreign&nbsp;and&nbsp;defence&nbsp;policy, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine forces Europe's biggest economy to ditch decades of reluctance in raising&nbsp;its&nbsp;military profile.

Haunted by&nbsp;its&nbsp;post-war guilt,&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;has always trod lightly and quietly on the world stage when it comes to conflicts.

But at an emergency parliamentary sitting on Sunday, Scholz, who himself had been accused of dawdling on the Ukraine crisis, said: "With the invasion of Ukraine, we are now in a&nbsp;new&nbsp;era."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vw-to-halt-production-at-two-german-plants-for-lack-of-parts-made-in-ukraine-456932">VW to halt production at two German plants for lack of parts made in Ukraine</a>

Hours after&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;dramatically reversed&nbsp;its&nbsp;ban on lethal weapons exports to conflict zones by announcing huge shipments to Ukraine, Scholz said 100 billion euros ($113 billion) will be earmarked for investments for the army in 2022 alone.

The financial bazooka for the Bundeswehr should be written in the German constitution, he said.

Europe's biggest economy will also "from now on -- year after year -- invest more than two percent of gross domestic product in our&nbsp;defence," said Scholz.

The commitment goes above the two-percent target fixed by NATO, overturning years of under-investment that had put&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;in the crosshairs of&nbsp;its&nbsp;allies.

Heavy criticism levied by former US president Donald Trump against ex-chancellor Angela Merkel over&nbsp;Germany's failure to meet NATO targets marked the transatlantic relationship.

But Scholz said Putin's assault has made clear that "Germany&nbsp;will have to invest clearly more in the security of our country."

The aim is a powerful, state of the art, advanced army that protects us reliably."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/like-1941-when-attacked-by-nazi-germany-ukraine-lashes-out-at-putin-456310">'Like 1941 when attacked by Nazi Germany': Ukraine lashes out at Putin</a>

Different world

Scholz, who took office in December after staging a stunning upset of Merkel's party in elections, had often been derided for his robotic speeches defending existing&nbsp;policies.&nbsp;

But the Ukraine crisis appears to have transformed the man once described by Spiegel magazine as "the embodiment of boredom in politics", with what Bild daily called a "historic speech" on Sunday that gives a "jolt to sleepy, bored&nbsp;Germany".

The volte-face is all the more remarkable given the composition of&nbsp;Germany's current government.

After 16 years of conservative-led coalition under Merkel, Scholz's centre-right Social Democrats (SPD) are currently in charge, along with junior partners the Greens and the liberal FDP.

While the Greens have always had an anti-weapons export stance, the SPD has been accused of an overly cosy attitude with Russia, while the FDP is often criticised for privileging economic interests.

Watch |&nbsp;German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Russian invasion: Attack on Ukraine has consequences for Europe

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/german-chancellor-olaf-scholz-on-russian-invasion-attack-on-ukraine-has-consequences-for-europe-457114/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

But&nbsp;Foreign&nbsp;Minister Annalena Baerbock of the Green party declared that "perhaps on this day,&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;is leaving behind a form of special and unique restraint in&nbsp;foreign&nbsp;and security policy".

"The rules that we have set ourselves must not take us away from our responsibility. If our world is a different one, then our policy must also be different."

Germany&nbsp;said it was delivering 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 "Stinger" surface-to-air missiles from&nbsp;its&nbsp;Bundeswehr stocks to Ukraine.

It will also boost troops in NATO's eastern flank, including with&nbsp;new&nbsp;deployments to Slovakia, said Scholz, also voicing readiness to join the&nbsp;defence&nbsp;of allied airspace with anti-aircraft rockets.&nbsp;

Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Sunday announced a "historic" shift in Germany's foreign and defence policy, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine forces Europe's biggest economy to ditch decades of reluctance in raising its military profile.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Sunday announced a "historic" shift in Germany's foreign and defence policy, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine forces Europe's biggest economy to ditch decades of reluctance in raising its military profile. Haunted by its post-war guilt, Germany has always trod lightly and quietly on the world stage when it comes to conflicts. But at an emergency parliamentary sitting on Sunday, Scholz, who himself had been accused of dawdling on the Ukraine crisis, said: "With the invasion of Ukraine, we are now in a new era." Also read | VW to halt production at two German plants for lack of parts made in Ukraine Hours after Germany dramatically reversed its ban on lethal weapons exports to conflict zones by announcing huge shipments to Ukraine, Scholz said 100 billion euros ($113 billion) will be earmarked for investments for the army in 2022 alone. The financial bazooka for the Bundeswehr should be written in the German constitution, he said. Europe's biggest economy will also "from now on -- year after year -- invest more than two percent of gross domestic product in our defence," said Scholz. The commitment goes above the two-percent target fixed by NATO, overturning years of under-investment that had put Germany in the crosshairs of its allies. Heavy criticism levied by former US president Donald Trump against ex-chancellor Angela Merkel over Germany's failure to meet NATO targets marked the transatlantic relationship. But Scholz said Putin's assault has made clear that "Germany will have to invest clearly more in the security of our country." The aim is a powerful, state of the art, advanced army that protects us reliably." Also read | 'Like 1941 when attacked by Nazi Germany': Ukraine lashes out at Putin Different world Scholz, who took office in December after staging a stunning upset of Merkel's party in elections, had often been derided for his robotic speeches defending existing policies. But the Ukraine crisis appears to have transformed the man once described by Spiegel magazine as "the embodiment of boredom in politics", with what Bild daily called a "historic speech" on Sunday that gives a "jolt to sleepy, bored Germany". The volte-face is all the more remarkable given the composition of Germany's current government. After 16 years of conservative-led coalition under Merkel, Scholz's centre-right Social Democrats (SPD) are currently in charge, along with junior partners the Greens and the liberal FDP. While the Greens have always had an anti-weapons export stance, the SPD has been accused of an overly cosy attitude with Russia, while the FDP is often criticised for privileging economic interests. Watch | German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Russian invasion: Attack on Ukraine has consequences for Europe But Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock of the Green party declared that "perhaps on this day, Germany is leaving behind a form of special and unique restraint in foreign and security policy". "The rules that we have set ourselves must not take us away from our responsibility. If our world is a different one, then our policy must also be different." Germany said it was delivering 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 "Stinger" surface-to-air missiles from its Bundeswehr stocks to Ukraine. It will also boost troops in NATO's eastern flank, including with new deployments to Slovakia, said Scholz, also voicing readiness to join the defence of allied airspace with anti-aircraft rockets.

'A new era': Germany rewrites its defence, foreign policies

Protesters are demanding action from their local leaders regarding the Russian invasion into Ukraine, take a look at this report.

Lebanon shows solidarity, Germans chant 'Stop Russian oppression, stop war'

The&nbsp;chief&nbsp;of the&nbsp;German&nbsp;army&nbsp;vented his frustration over what he sees as the long-running&nbsp;neglect&nbsp;of&nbsp;military&nbsp;readiness in his country in an unusual public rant a few hours after Russia invaded Ukraine, adding that the&nbsp;army&nbsp;was in bad shape.

Russian forces invaded Ukraine by land, air and sea on Thursday, confirming the worst fears of the West with the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War Two.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-tipped-into-second-recession-by-virus-german-federal-bank-455159">Germany tipped into second recession by virus: German Federal Bank</a>

"In my 41th year of peace-time service, I would not have thought that I would have to experience a war," Lieutenant General Alfons Mais said on LinkedIn on Thursday.

"And the Bundeswehr, the&nbsp;army&nbsp;which I have the honour to command, is standing there more or less empty-handed. The options we can offer the government in support of the alliance are extremely limited."

Commentators on LinkedIn praised Mais for his "brutally honest" words, many of them backing his veiled criticism of consecutive&nbsp;German&nbsp;governments that have been blamed for not fulfilling NATO's targets for&nbsp;military&nbsp;spending.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-accuses-russia-of-cold-war-demands-before-security-conference-454250">Germany accuses Russia of 'Cold War demands' before security conference</a>

Germany in January offered to supply 5,000&nbsp;military&nbsp;helmets to Ukraine to help defend against possible invasion - an offer Kyiv mayor and former world champion boxer Vitali Klitschko dismissed as "a joke".

"We have all seen it coming but were not able to get through with our arguments to draw the consequences after (Russia's) annexation of Crimea. This does not feel good. I am fed up with it," Mais said in his post.

NATO territory had so far not come under direct threat, he said, but&nbsp;Germany's partners in Eastern Europe were feeling constantly rising pressure.

"When, if not now, is the moment to put the Afghanistan mission structurally and with regard to our equipment behind us and overhaul our posture?" Mais said. "Otherwise, we will not be able to successfully fulfil our constitutional duty and our obligations in the alliance."

Watch |&nbsp;Germany halts key Nord Stream 2 project amid Russia-Ukraine crisis

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/germany-halts-key-nord-stream-2-project-amid-russia-ukraine-crisis-455643/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

German&nbsp;forces were drastically scaled down after the end of the Cold War, and later trained mainly for missions such as in Afghanistan where the adversary was poorly equipped and not an armed force with the most modern weapons.

A spokesman for the&nbsp;German&nbsp;army&nbsp;declined to elaborate on Mais' criticism.

The chief of the German army vented his frustration over what he sees as the long-running neglect of military readiness in his country in an unusual public rant a few hours after Russia invaded Ukraine, adding that the army was in bad shape.

The chief of the German army vented his frustration over what he sees as the long-running neglect of military readiness in his country in an unusual public rant a few hours after Russia invaded Ukraine, adding that the army was in bad shape. Russian forces invaded Ukraine by land, air and sea on Thursday, confirming the worst fears of the West with the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War Two. Also read | Germany tipped into second recession by virus: German Federal Bank "In my 41th year of peace-time service, I would not have thought that I would have to experience a war," Lieutenant General Alfons Mais said on LinkedIn on Thursday. "And the Bundeswehr, the army which I have the honour to command, is standing there more or less empty-handed. The options we can offer the government in support of the alliance are extremely limited." Commentators on LinkedIn praised Mais for his "brutally honest" words, many of them backing his veiled criticism of consecutive German governments that have been blamed for not fulfilling NATO's targets for military spending. Also read | Germany accuses Russia of 'Cold War demands' before security conference Germany in January offered to supply 5,000 military helmets to Ukraine to help defend against possible invasion - an offer Kyiv mayor and former world champion boxer Vitali Klitschko dismissed as "a joke". "We have all seen it coming but were not able to get through with our arguments to draw the consequences after (Russia's) annexation of Crimea. This does not feel good. I am fed up with it," Mais said in his post. NATO territory had so far not come under direct threat, he said, but Germany's partners in Eastern Europe were feeling constantly rising pressure. "When, if not now, is the moment to put the Afghanistan mission structurally and with regard to our equipment behind us and overhaul our posture?" Mais said. "Otherwise, we will not be able to successfully fulfil our constitutional duty and our obligations in the alliance." Watch | Germany halts key Nord Stream 2 project amid Russia-Ukraine crisis German forces were drastically scaled down after the end of the Cold War, and later trained mainly for missions such as in Afghanistan where the adversary was poorly equipped and not an armed force with the most modern weapons. A spokesman for the German army declined to elaborate on Mais' criticism.

German army chief 'fed up' with neglect of country's military

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