COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Europe. Germany's Health Minister has issued a stark warning saying that the current restrictions in place will not be enough to stop a new COVID wave.

Germany's Health Minister issues a stark warning against rising COVID-19 cases amid Omicron threat

Germany’s new chancellor, Olaf Scholz, did not have to wait long after taking office to be asked about Nord Stream 2. An undersea Russia-to-Germany gas pipeline, the project has inflamed anger in Washington and European capitals at a time when tensions with Moscow are running high.

Scholz’s coalition government includes the Green Party, whose members are sharp critics of Nord Stream 2. He surprised many by taking the same stance as his immediate predecessor, Angela Merkel, who championed the pipeline as a business venture essential for the success of Germany’s industrial base.

“Nord Stream 2 is a private-sector project,” the new German chancellor told reporters. The ultimate decision over approval of the pipeline, he said, will be made by “an agency in Germany, completely nonpolitically.”

But it’s not that simple. With thousands of Russian troops massing on the border with Ukraine and a threat of possible U.S. sanctions against the pipeline, the future of Nord Stream 2 remains anything but certain.

Adding to the problem are natural gas prices in Europe, which have broken records in recent weeks because supplies are tight. These prices are soaring while half of Germany’s six remaining nuclear reactors are being taken offline and winter is settling in, driving up demand. Nord Stream 2 was initiated in 2015 to help avoid such energy crunches — now it appears to be exacerbating them instead.

Then there are the pressures within Scholz’s own government, where leaders from the Greens have made remarks that support the European and U.S. push for Germany to use the pipeline as leverage against President Vladimir Putin of Russia.

Despite all of the conflicts, observers believe the $11 billion pipeline, designed to deliver Russian gas while bypassing countries in Russia’s former sphere of influence, will come online once it passes a final bureaucratic hurdle — certification from the German regulator.

“I think that ultimately it will be certified, but there could be conditions attached to it related to continued transit access across Ukraine,” said Katja Yafimava, a senior research fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. “I think that politics will play a role, potentially quite a big role.”

As its name indicates, Nord Stream 2 runs alongside the original Nord Stream pipeline, which began operation in 2012. Unlike the older line, Nord Stream 2 is wholly owned by Gazprom, Russia’s giant state-owned energy company.

Germany’s European partners are most concerned about a potential loss of billions in annual transit fees for Ukraine and other countries with pipelines once Nord Stream 2 goes online. The United States views the project as a threat to European security, handing Putin an easy way to exert influence over a part of the world where Americans enjoy strategic partnerships.

“The United States sees the Nord Stream 2 pipeline as a Russian geopolitical project that undermines the energy security and the national security of a significant part of the Euro-Atlantic community,” Karen Donfried, the assistant secretary of state for Europe, recently told reporters.

Critics in Washington, led by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, have repeatedly sought to penalize companies involved in the pipeline project to prevent it from coming online. The Senate recently agreed to hold a vote in January over Nord Stream sanctions in return for Cruz’s agreeing not to obstruct the approval of dozens of President Joe Biden’s nominees to State Department and Treasury Department posts.

Russia is Europe’s chief supplier of natural gas, but this year import volumes remain lower than average. Analysts said Russia had been meeting the volumes of gas agreed to in contracts, but appeared reluctant to offer European customers any further supplies. This is a critical problem because Europe needs the gas. Storage facilities entered the winter with unusually low levels of the fuel — partly because of increased global demand and a cold snap earlier in the year — and prices have soared.

“Russia has been saying that it is delivering everything according to its contracts, which looks correct,” said James Waddell, head of the European gas division at Energy Aspects in London. “But what they are not doing is selling supplementary gas in volumes that we have seen in previous years.”

Russia may be motivated by its animosity toward Ukraine’s leadership. For years Soviet-era pipelines in Ukraine have served as the main corridor into Europe for Russian gas, generating billions in transit fee revenue for the government in Kyiv. If Nord Stream 2 were up and running, with its capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas a year, Gazprom would be able to sell additional gas to European customers without paying transit fees to Ukraine.

For German businesses, the pipeline is needed to ensure a reliable energy flow, as the country prepares to take its last three nuclear power generators offline. The matter also became more urgent for Germany after the new government announced its intention to bring forward the date to exit coal by eight years, to 2030.

The need is especially acute in the southern German states, home to industrial giants like BASF chemicals, automaker Daimler and conglomerate Siemens. Renewable energy from wind turbines is plentiful in the north, and the government has pledged to speed up construction of high-voltage power lines to carry that power to the south, but resistance from the public has hampered progress.

“We need a secure supply of gas security, despite all of the clear political differences with Russia,” said Siegfried Russwurm, president of the Federation of German Industries. He urged the new government not to mix business with politics, pointing out that Russia began supplying West Germany with natural gas during the Cold War, when the two countries sat on opposite sides of the Iron Curtain.

“There are issues we can approach together; there are issues where we can work together despite points of difference; and there are points where we disagree,” Russwurm said, adding that energy supply belonged in the first category.

For now, the company that owns the pipeline, which is based in Switzerland but wholly owned by Gazprom, is busy setting up a subsidiary in Germany, as demanded by the German regulator to bring the pipeline in line with European Union law. Jochen Homann, the president of the Federal Network Agency, said this month that he did not expect his agency to grant approval before the second half of 2022.

After that, the ball will be passed to Brussels, where officials at the European Commission then have two months — which can be extended by an additional two months — to reach their own opinion on the pipeline. Although the commission’s decision is nonbinding, the German regulator is expected to take it into account, which could add several months.

The idea of Nord Stream 2 is that it act as an insurance policy in times of high gas prices or an energy crunch, said Jacopo Maria Pepe, a researcher in energy and climate infrastructure at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.

But he warned that while stopping the pipeline would send a clear diplomatic message to Russia, it could risk Germany’s position as the strongest power in Europe. It could also cost Berlin the respect it needs from Moscow as the Germans support Ukraine with diplomatic efforts and economic investment, which was worth $49 billion in 2020.

“If we will still need gas, we still need Russia,” Pepe said. “There is no way to escape this reality.”

Germany’s new chancellor, Olaf Scholz, did not have to wait long after taking office to be asked about Nord Stream 2. An undersea Russia-to-Germany gas pipeline, the project has inflamed anger in Washington and European capitals at a time when tensions with Moscow are running high.

Germany’s new chancellor, Olaf Scholz, did not have to wait long after taking office to be asked about Nord Stream 2. An undersea Russia-to-Germany gas pipeline, the project has inflamed anger in Washington and European capitals at a time when tensions with Moscow are running high. Scholz’s coalition government includes the Green Party, whose members are sharp critics of Nord Stream 2. He surprised many by taking the same stance as his immediate predecessor, Angela Merkel, who championed the pipeline as a business venture essential for the success of Germany’s industrial base. “Nord Stream 2 is a private-sector project,” the new German chancellor told reporters. The ultimate decision over approval of the pipeline, he said, will be made by “an agency in Germany, completely nonpolitically.” But it’s not that simple. With thousands of Russian troops massing on the border with Ukraine and a threat of possible U.S. sanctions against the pipeline, the future of Nord Stream 2 remains anything but certain. Adding to the problem are natural gas prices in Europe, which have broken records in recent weeks because supplies are tight. These prices are soaring while half of Germany’s six remaining nuclear reactors are being taken offline and winter is settling in, driving up demand. Nord Stream 2 was initiated in 2015 to help avoid such energy crunches — now it appears to be exacerbating them instead. Then there are the pressures within Scholz’s own government, where leaders from the Greens have made remarks that support the European and U.S. push for Germany to use the pipeline as leverage against President Vladimir Putin of Russia. Despite all of the conflicts, observers believe the $11 billion pipeline, designed to deliver Russian gas while bypassing countries in Russia’s former sphere of influence, will come online once it passes a final bureaucratic hurdle — certification from the German regulator. “I think that ultimately it will be certified, but there could be conditions attached to it related to continued transit access across Ukraine,” said Katja Yafimava, a senior research fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. “I think that politics will play a role, potentially quite a big role.” As its name indicates, Nord Stream 2 runs alongside the original Nord Stream pipeline, which began operation in 2012. Unlike the older line, Nord Stream 2 is wholly owned by Gazprom, Russia’s giant state-owned energy company. Germany’s European partners are most concerned about a potential loss of billions in annual transit fees for Ukraine and other countries with pipelines once Nord Stream 2 goes online. The United States views the project as a threat to European security, handing Putin an easy way to exert influence over a part of the world where Americans enjoy strategic partnerships. “The United States sees the Nord Stream 2 pipeline as a Russian geopolitical project that undermines the energy security and the national security of a significant part of the Euro-Atlantic community,” Karen Donfried, the assistant secretary of state for Europe, recently told reporters. Critics in Washington, led by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, have repeatedly sought to penalize companies involved in the pipeline project to prevent it from coming online. The Senate recently agreed to hold a vote in January over Nord Stream sanctions in return for Cruz’s agreeing not to obstruct the approval of dozens of President Joe Biden’s nominees to State Department and Treasury Department posts. Russia is Europe’s chief supplier of natural gas, but this year import volumes remain lower than average. Analysts said Russia had been meeting the volumes of gas agreed to in contracts, but appeared reluctant to offer European customers any further supplies. This is a critical problem because Europe needs the gas. Storage facilities entered the winter with unusually low levels of the fuel — partly because of increased global demand and a cold snap earlier in the year — and prices have soared. “Russia has been saying that it is delivering everything according to its contracts, which looks correct,” said James Waddell, head of the European gas division at Energy Aspects in London. “But what they are not doing is selling supplementary gas in volumes that we have seen in previous years.” Russia may be motivated by its animosity toward Ukraine’s leadership. For years Soviet-era pipelines in Ukraine have served as the main corridor into Europe for Russian gas, generating billions in transit fee revenue for the government in Kyiv. If Nord Stream 2 were up and running, with its capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas a year, Gazprom would be able to sell additional gas to European customers without paying transit fees to Ukraine. For German businesses, the pipeline is needed to ensure a reliable energy flow, as the country prepares to take its last three nuclear power generators offline. The matter also became more urgent for Germany after the new government announced its intention to bring forward the date to exit coal by eight years, to 2030. The need is especially acute in the southern German states, home to industrial giants like BASF chemicals, automaker Daimler and conglomerate Siemens. Renewable energy from wind turbines is plentiful in the north, and the government has pledged to speed up construction of high-voltage power lines to carry that power to the south, but resistance from the public has hampered progress. “We need a secure supply of gas security, despite all of the clear political differences with Russia,” said Siegfried Russwurm, president of the Federation of German Industries. He urged the new government not to mix business with politics, pointing out that Russia began supplying West Germany with natural gas during the Cold War, when the two countries sat on opposite sides of the Iron Curtain. “There are issues we can approach together; there are issues where we can work together despite points of difference; and there are points where we disagree,” Russwurm said, adding that energy supply belonged in the first category. For now, the company that owns the pipeline, which is based in Switzerland but wholly owned by Gazprom, is busy setting up a subsidiary in Germany, as demanded by the German regulator to bring the pipeline in line with European Union law. Jochen Homann, the president of the Federal Network Agency, said this month that he did not expect his agency to grant approval before the second half of 2022. After that, the ball will be passed to Brussels, where officials at the European Commission then have two months — which can be extended by an additional two months — to reach their own opinion on the pipeline. Although the commission’s decision is nonbinding, the German regulator is expected to take it into account, which could add several months. The idea of Nord Stream 2 is that it act as an insurance policy in times of high gas prices or an energy crunch, said Jacopo Maria Pepe, a researcher in energy and climate infrastructure at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. But he warned that while stopping the pipeline would send a clear diplomatic message to Russia, it could risk Germany’s position as the strongest power in Europe. It could also cost Berlin the respect it needs from Moscow as the Germans support Ukraine with diplomatic efforts and economic investment, which was worth $49 billion in 2020. “If we will still need gas, we still need Russia,” Pepe said. “There is no way to escape this reality.”

Germany wants its Russian pipeline. German allies aren’t sure it’s a good idea.

In a battle of disciplining a pet dog, two women got embroiled in a quarrel in eastern Germany.

A 27-year-old female dog owner was bitten by a 51-year-old woman when she reprimanded her for hitting her dog.

As a result, the younger woman's calf was badly injured as she reportedly fell down after the attack. They will both appear in court due to the incident.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/1500-year-old-house-with-ancient-paw-marks-of-dogs-found-in-turkey-361009">Also read |&nbsp;1,500-year-old house with ancient paw marks of dogs found in Turkey</a>

According to the German police, ''The dogs only looked on and did not engage in biting during the fight between the two women.''

Under a rule, Germans have to take their dog for a walk or run in the garden at least twice a day for a total of an hour.

Germany’s most popular breeds are the German Shepherd and short-legged, long-bodied Dachshund, known as “sausage dogs” followed by Labradors, retrievers, and Jack Russell Terriers and pugs.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-appoints-dog-as-first-honorary-rescue-dog-for-saving-his-owners-life-411782">Also read |&nbsp;South Korea appoints dog as first honorary rescue dog for saving his owner's life</a>

It is often said and believed that a dog is a man's best friend. Sometimes dog owners do extreme things to pamper them.

An Australian couple shelled out tens of thousands of dollars to hire a private jet to fly their stranded dog home from New Zealand in time for Christmas.

The entire process cost so much money that the dog was christened "Million Dollar Munchkin" on social media.

Meanwhile, a woman in Quebec stopped by police walking a man on a leash during a coronavirus curfew insisted "she was walking her dog", which was permitted under the rules.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In a battle of disciplining a pet dog, two women got embroiled in a quarrel in eastern Germany. A 27-year-old female dog owner was bitten by a 51-year-old woman when she reprimanded her for hitting her dog.

In a battle of disciplining a pet dog, two women got embroiled in a quarrel in eastern Germany. A 27-year-old female dog owner was bitten by a 51-year-old woman when she reprimanded her for hitting her dog. As a result, the younger woman's calf was badly injured as she reportedly fell down after the attack. They will both appear in court due to the incident. Also read | 1,500-year-old house with ancient paw marks of dogs found in Turkey According to the German police, ''The dogs only looked on and did not engage in biting during the fight between the two women.'' Under a rule, Germans have to take their dog for a walk or run in the garden at least twice a day for a total of an hour. Germany’s most popular breeds are the German Shepherd and short-legged, long-bodied Dachshund, known as “sausage dogs” followed by Labradors, retrievers, and Jack Russell Terriers and pugs. Also read | South Korea appoints dog as first honorary rescue dog for saving his owner's life It is often said and believed that a dog is a man's best friend. Sometimes dog owners do extreme things to pamper them. An Australian couple shelled out tens of thousands of dollars to hire a private jet to fly their stranded dog home from New Zealand in time for Christmas. The entire process cost so much money that the dog was christened "Million Dollar Munchkin" on social media. Meanwhile, a woman in Quebec stopped by police walking a man on a leash during a coronavirus curfew insisted "she was walking her dog", which was permitted under the rules. (With inputs from agencies)

Germany: Woman bites dog owner over 'corporal punishment'

Germany has received more asylum applications in 2021. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) reported that it had received 100,278 initial applications by the end of September.

Germany receives more asylum applications in first 9 months of 2021

Germany remains the top source for people seeking asylum in the European union. Germany received a number of asylum applications in the first nine months of 2021.

Germany receives asylum applications in first 9 months of 2021

Poland has accused Germany of turning the European Union (EU) into a federal "Fourth Reich".

Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who is Poland's deputy prime minister and the head of the country's ruling party, ''If we Poles agreed with this kind of modern-day submission we would be degraded in different ways.''

''Some countries are not enthusiastic at the prospect of a German Fourth Reich being built on the basis of the EU,'' Kaczynski said.

''EU's Court of Justice is being used as an instrument for federalist ideas,'' he added.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-poland-spat-polish-pm-accuses-eu-of-blackmail-422078">Also read |&nbsp;EU-Poland spat: Polish PM accuses EU of 'blackmail'</a>

Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said the European Union "misinterprets" the powers it has been given.&nbsp;

"The trend of developing democratic centralism ... is unfortunately progressing" he said.

It comes after the European Commission launched an infringement procedure against Poland over rulings by the country's constitutional tribunal in July and October that challenged the primacy of EU law over national law.

European Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni told a news conference the rulings deprived individuals in Polish courts of their legal guarantees in the Treaty of the European Union.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-and-germany-say-poland-must-abide-by-eu-rules-419330">Also read |&nbsp;France calls Poland court ruling 'attack against EU'</a>

Gentiloni said the Commission did not consider the tribunal met the requirements of independence and impartiality required by EU law.

The legal action by the Commission, which is the guardian of EU treaties, is an escalation of the conflict with Warsaw over the rule of law that began when Poland's ruling nationalist and euro-sceptic Law and Justice (PiS) party took power in 2015.

Deputy justice minister Sebastian Kaleta wrote on Twitter that the action was an attack on Polish sovereignty and the country's constitution.

However, opposition lawmaker Robert Kropiwnicki said the rulings of the "pseudo-Tribunal" meant Poland was excluding itself from EU treaties, and saying it was another step towards "Polexit".

Poland has two months to reply to the letter of formal notice. If the Commission is not satisfied with Warsaw's reply, it can send Poland a reasoned opinion requesting it to comply with EU law, again with a two-month reply period.

After that, the Commission can sue Poland in the European Court of Justice, which can impose daily fines on Warsaw until it complies.

It has already imposed such daily fines on Poland in two other cases, which now add up to 1.5 million euros ($1.70 million) a day.

(With inputs from agencies)

Poland has accused Germany of turning the European Union (EU) into a federal "Fourth Reich". Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who is Poland's deputy prime minister and the head of the country's ruling party, ''If we Poles agreed with this kind of modern-day submission we would be degraded in different ways.

Poland has accused Germany of turning the European Union (EU) into a federal "Fourth Reich". Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who is Poland's deputy prime minister and the head of the country's ruling party, ''If we Poles agreed with this kind of modern-day submission we would be degraded in different ways.'' ''Some countries are not enthusiastic at the prospect of a German Fourth Reich being built on the basis of the EU,'' Kaczynski said. ''EU's Court of Justice is being used as an instrument for federalist ideas,'' he added. Also read | EU-Poland spat: Polish PM accuses EU of 'blackmail' Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said the European Union "misinterprets" the powers it has been given. "The trend of developing democratic centralism ... is unfortunately progressing" he said. It comes after the European Commission launched an infringement procedure against Poland over rulings by the country's constitutional tribunal in July and October that challenged the primacy of EU law over national law. European Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni told a news conference the rulings deprived individuals in Polish courts of their legal guarantees in the Treaty of the European Union. Also read | France calls Poland court ruling 'attack against EU' Gentiloni said the Commission did not consider the tribunal met the requirements of independence and impartiality required by EU law. The legal action by the Commission, which is the guardian of EU treaties, is an escalation of the conflict with Warsaw over the rule of law that began when Poland's ruling nationalist and euro-sceptic Law and Justice (PiS) party took power in 2015. Deputy justice minister Sebastian Kaleta wrote on Twitter that the action was an attack on Polish sovereignty and the country's constitution. However, opposition lawmaker Robert Kropiwnicki said the rulings of the "pseudo-Tribunal" meant Poland was excluding itself from EU treaties, and saying it was another step towards "Polexit". Poland has two months to reply to the letter of formal notice. If the Commission is not satisfied with Warsaw's reply, it can send Poland a reasoned opinion requesting it to comply with EU law, again with a two-month reply period. After that, the Commission can sue Poland in the European Court of Justice, which can impose daily fines on Warsaw until it complies. It has already imposed such daily fines on Poland in two other cases, which now add up to 1.5 million euros ($1.70 million) a day. (With inputs from agencies)

Poland accuses Germany of turning EU into 'Fourth Reich'

Scientists in Germany have come up with a virus protection wall. Take a look at this report for more.

Virus protection wall for the future

New virus protection wall discovered in Germany

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed security issues in their first telephone call on Tuesday.

Olaf Scholz, Vladimir Putin discuss security issues

Amid the Omicron threat, two universities in Germany's Munich have together developed a UV light wall that stops coronavirus. Scientists say that it is capable of deactivating 99 percent of all viruses. The system stops the spread of all types of viruses in closed rooms.

German UV light wall created to stops corona virus in its tracks

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Russian President Vladimir Putin conduct security talks

Rising temperatures are shrinking mighty peaks, the situation in Germany is no different. Its highest peak has been melting away, taking a toll on tourism and the environment.

Germany's highest peak Zugspitze is disappearing

Scientists in Germany have come up with a virus protection wall with the promise of providing a virus-free indoor environment

Scientists in Germany have come up with a virus protection wall

Berlin has issued a stark warning saying that Russia cannot dictate the NATO on regional security. Moscow had unveiled proposals to control the role of US & NATO in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. Proposals called for US led NATO alliance not to admit new members or establish bases in ex-Soviet countries.

Russia cannot dictate NATO on regional security: Germany

Germany's health minister has warned that country must brace for a massive fifth wave due to the new Omicron variant. Germany has been battered by a recent rise in Covid-19 cases and has imposed restrictions following it.

Germany faces massive Omicron wave, health minister issues warning

While 70% of Germans have already received double doses of vaccine, COVID-19 cases are still surging due to the spread of the Omicron variant. Berlin braces for a massive fifth wave as health restrictions have been re-imposed.

Germany faces massive fifth wave of COVID-19 due to Omicron variant

With the UK witnessing a surge in the number of coronavirus cases due to the spread of Omicron variant, countries around the world are looking to impose restrictions on the British travellers. &nbsp;

In the recent development, Germany has banned most travellers from Britain to contain Omicron variant’s spread. &nbsp;

It is the latest European nation to come up with this directive. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/many-more-infected-with-omicron-variant-than-reported-says-uk-scientists-438070" hreflang="en">Many more infected with Omicron variant than reported, says UK scientists</a>

German nationals, who are in the UK, can return but they must have a negative test report and would have to undergo quarantine for two weeks, irrespective of whether they have been vaccinated or not. &nbsp;

The stringent measures, which have been announced by federal health agency Robert-Koch-Institut, will take effect from Sunday evening. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Germany has also added Denmark, France, Norway and Lebanon to the high-risk list. The travel from these countries will also be restricted. &nbsp;

Meanwhile, If UK media reports are to be believed, the British government seems to be looking to impose a short two-week circuit breaker lockdown. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-a-big-blow-to-uk-government-brexit-minister-david-frost-resigns-438073" hreflang="en">In a big blow to UK government, Brexit Minister David Frost resigns</a>

The measure may be taken after Christmas celebrations to keep a check on the spread of Omicron variant of Covid.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The government seems to be in the process of drafting regulations of the lockdown currently, the reports said citing a meeting of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), whose details have been leaked. &nbsp; &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

With the UK witnessing a surge in the number of coronavirus cases due to the spread of Omicron variant, countries around the world are looking to impose restrictions on the British travellers.

With the UK witnessing a surge in the number of coronavirus cases due to the spread of Omicron variant, countries around the world are looking to impose restrictions on the British travellers. In the recent development, Germany has banned most travellers from Britain to contain Omicron variant’s spread. It is the latest European nation to come up with this directive. Also Read: Many more infected with Omicron variant than reported, says UK scientists German nationals, who are in the UK, can return but they must have a negative test report and would have to undergo quarantine for two weeks, irrespective of whether they have been vaccinated or not. The stringent measures, which have been announced by federal health agency Robert-Koch-Institut, will take effect from Sunday evening. Germany has also added Denmark, France, Norway and Lebanon to the high-risk list. The travel from these countries will also be restricted. Meanwhile, If UK media reports are to be believed, the British government seems to be looking to impose a short two-week circuit breaker lockdown. Also Read: In a big blow to UK government, Brexit Minister David Frost resigns The measure may be taken after Christmas celebrations to keep a check on the spread of Omicron variant of Covid. The government seems to be in the process of drafting regulations of the lockdown currently, the reports said citing a meeting of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), whose details have been leaked. (With inputs from agencies)

Now, Germany imposes restrictions on UK travellers to check Omicron spread

While warning that a fifth Covid wave could no longer be stopped, Germany's health minister Karl Lauterbach ruled out a Christmas lockdown. He backed mandatory vaccination as the only way to stop the pandemic.

"There will not be a lockdown before Christmas here. But we will get a fifth wave - we have crossed a critical number of Omicron infections," Lauterbach said, speaking on broadcaster ARD. "This wave can no longer be completely stopped."

In an interview with BILD, he added that he did not expect a 'hard lockdown' after the holidays.

The Netherlands, a neighbour, began a lockdown on Sunday at least until Jan. 14 to stem an expected surge of the virus.

Germany banned unvaccinated people from entering non-essential establishments at the beginning of the month in an attempt to control rising cases amid the spread of the Omicron variant.

The government still needed to make clear to the populace what would and would not be allowed during the holiday season, Lauterbach said, without specifying what measures were under discussion.

The government's scientific advisory panel said in a statement on Sunday that it was necessary to limit contact between people further, with data so far showing that boosters alone would not be enough to contain the spread of the virus.

Given how quickly and widely the Omicron variant disperses - with Omicron cases doubling every 2-4 days in Germany at present, slower than the UK's growth rate but faster than the spread of other variants in Germany - a considerable overload of hospitals was to be expected, the statement said.

Nearly 70% of the population is fully vaccinated against the virus, according to data from Dec. 17.

The country reported 29,348 new cases on Sunday and 180 deaths, according to the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases. The number of new daily cases rose significantly in October and November but have been slowly falling since the start of the month.

Lauterbach reiterated his call to make vaccination compulsory in Sunday's interview with ARD, a policy which parliament is due to debate early next year and which Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said he supports.

"I believe we can defeat this if we close the gaps in vaccination with mandatory vaccines. That is my clear conviction," Lauterbach said.

(With inputs from agencies)

While warning that a fifth Covid wave could no longer be stopped, Germany's health minister Karl Lauterbach ruled out a Christmas lockdown. He backed mandatory vaccination as the only way to stop the pandemic.

While warning that a fifth Covid wave could no longer be stopped, Germany's health minister Karl Lauterbach ruled out a Christmas lockdown. He backed mandatory vaccination as the only way to stop the pandemic. "There will not be a lockdown before Christmas here. But we will get a fifth wave - we have crossed a critical number of Omicron infections," Lauterbach said, speaking on broadcaster ARD. "This wave can no longer be completely stopped." In an interview with BILD, he added that he did not expect a 'hard lockdown' after the holidays. The Netherlands, a neighbour, began a lockdown on Sunday at least until Jan. 14 to stem an expected surge of the virus. Germany banned unvaccinated people from entering non-essential establishments at the beginning of the month in an attempt to control rising cases amid the spread of the Omicron variant. The government still needed to make clear to the populace what would and would not be allowed during the holiday season, Lauterbach said, without specifying what measures were under discussion. The government's scientific advisory panel said in a statement on Sunday that it was necessary to limit contact between people further, with data so far showing that boosters alone would not be enough to contain the spread of the virus. Given how quickly and widely the Omicron variant disperses - with Omicron cases doubling every 2-4 days in Germany at present, slower than the UK's growth rate but faster than the spread of other variants in Germany - a considerable overload of hospitals was to be expected, the statement said. Nearly 70% of the population is fully vaccinated against the virus, according to data from Dec. 17. The country reported 29,348 new cases on Sunday and 180 deaths, according to the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases. The number of new daily cases rose significantly in October and November but have been slowly falling since the start of the month. Lauterbach reiterated his call to make vaccination compulsory in Sunday's interview with ARD, a policy which parliament is due to debate early next year and which Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said he supports. "I believe we can defeat this if we close the gaps in vaccination with mandatory vaccines. That is my clear conviction," Lauterbach said. (With inputs from agencies)

No lockdown in Germany before Christmas

Germany came out strongly against Russia on Sunday and said that Moscow could not 'dictate' to Russia. German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht's statement came even as tensions are high between Russia and the West over conflict in Ukraine.

Lambrecht spoke during a visit to Lithuania.

"We have to resolve the tense situation we are in now both diplomatically and with credible deterrence," Lambrecht told reporters.

"We have to talk with each other, which means discussing the proposals that Russia has put forward. That is right and important," she added at Lithuania's Rukla military base.

"But it cannot be that Russia dictates to NATO partners how they position themselves."

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Lithuania, along with its Baltic neighbours Estonia and Latvia is worried about security after Russia's deployment of troops along the border with Ukraine. All of these countries were part of erstwhile Soviet Russia.

The trip is Lambrecht's first since being named defence minister, after new German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats formed a coalition government with the Greens and the liberal FDP earlier this month.

Lambrecht met with her Lithuanian counterpart Arvydas Anusauskas, who said that "Russia has mobilised forces in the Kaliningrad region that are ten times larger than the battalion deployed in Rukla."

"In this situation, Russia's demands that weaken the security of our countries are simply impossible to implement. I think they need to be rejected," he told reporters.

Around 550 German troops are stationed at Lithuania's Rukla military base as Germany leads the multinational battalion in the country.

(With inputs from agencies)

Germany came out strongly against Russia on Sunday and said that Moscow could not 'dictate' to Russia. German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht's statement came even as tensions are high between Russia and the West over conflict in Ukraine.

Germany came out strongly against Russia on Sunday and said that Moscow could not 'dictate' to Russia. German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht's statement came even as tensions are high between Russia and the West over conflict in Ukraine. Lambrecht spoke during a visit to Lithuania. "We have to resolve the tense situation we are in now both diplomatically and with credible deterrence," Lambrecht told reporters. "We have to talk with each other, which means discussing the proposals that Russia has put forward. That is right and important," she added at Lithuania's Rukla military base. "But it cannot be that Russia dictates to NATO partners how they position themselves." Also Read | Defense contractor tried to give classified information to Russia, US says Lithuania, along with its Baltic neighbours Estonia and Latvia is worried about security after Russia's deployment of troops along the border with Ukraine. All of these countries were part of erstwhile Soviet Russia. The trip is Lambrecht's first since being named defence minister, after new German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats formed a coalition government with the Greens and the liberal FDP earlier this month. Lambrecht met with her Lithuanian counterpart Arvydas Anusauskas, who said that "Russia has mobilised forces in the Kaliningrad region that are ten times larger than the battalion deployed in Rukla." "In this situation, Russia's demands that weaken the security of our countries are simply impossible to implement. I think they need to be rejected," he told reporters. Around 550 German troops are stationed at Lithuania's Rukla military base as Germany leads the multinational battalion in the country. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia cannot 'dictate' to NATO, says Germany

Governments have imposed vaccines mandates to fight the new Omicron variant surge, resulting in massive protests across the Europe. Here's a quick round-up.

Covid-19 Pandemic| Anti-vaccine protests in Spain, Germany protesters clash with police

Let's take a look at how the world is reacting to the new covid-19 surge. A US court has reinstated a nation-wide mandate for large businesses, Germany braces to get covid-19 vaccines. Stay tuned for more latest updates.

Covid News Updates| Germany braces to get covid-19 vaccines, Denmark imposes new restrictions & more

Germany has expelled two Russian diplomats over the assassination of a former Chechen militant in a Berlin park which the authorities believe was ordered by Russia.

Germany expels two Russian diplomats over killing of former Chechen militant

New Zealand has reported the first case of the Omicron variant of coronavirus (COVID-19) as the authorities informed on Thursday (December 16).&nbsp;

The case has been detected at a state-run isolation facility in Christchurch in a person, who came to New Zealand from Germany via Dubai.&nbsp;

New Zealand's Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said that the infected person arrived in Auckland before travelling to Christchurch on a charter flight.&nbsp;

The travel took place after following the usual health protocols and measures as the person was tested for COVID-19 positive, the test result was confirmed on December 12, as mentioned by&nbsp;newshub.co.nz.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | &nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-reports-more-than-78000-covid-cases-highest-daily-since-pandemic-began-437395">UK reports more than 78,000 Covid cases, highest daily since pandemic began</a>

During a press conference on Thursday, Bloomfield indicated that there's a possibility of lockdowns or strict measures if Omicron is found in the community.&nbsp;

During the press conference, he said, "Even under the current framework, there is a provision for local restrictions or lockdowns. And so whether it's Omicron or Delta, that's available there as a response if there is an outbreak where we think that might be necessary to help get control and reduce the impact, particularly on health services."

He added, "Again, it probably doesn't matter if it's Delta or Omicron, but at this point in time we're intent on keeping Omicron out of the community."

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New Zealand approves vaccines for kids

Meanwhile, New Zealand has given provisional approval for the Pfizer Inc COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years old.&nbsp;

New Zealand's health ministry said in a statement that the approval is for two doses of the paediatric Pfizer vaccine against the deadly virus, given at least 21 days apart.&nbsp;

If approved by the cabinet, the introduction of the paediatric Pfizer vaccine is expected to start in New Zealand no later than the end of January 2022, the ministry said.&nbsp;

New Zealand has reported the first case of the Omicron variant of coronavirus (COVID-19) as the authorities informed on Thursday (December 16). The case has been detected at a state-run isolation facility in Christchurch in a person, who came to New Zealand from Germany via Dubai.

New Zealand has reported the first case of the Omicron variant of coronavirus (COVID-19) as the authorities informed on Thursday (December 16). The case has been detected at a state-run isolation facility in Christchurch in a person, who came to New Zealand from Germany via Dubai. New Zealand's Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said that the infected person arrived in Auckland before travelling to Christchurch on a charter flight. The travel took place after following the usual health protocols and measures as the person was tested for COVID-19 positive, the test result was confirmed on December 12, as mentioned by newshub.co.nz. ALSO READ | UK reports more than 78,000 Covid cases, highest daily since pandemic began During a press conference on Thursday, Bloomfield indicated that there's a possibility of lockdowns or strict measures if Omicron is found in the community. During the press conference, he said, "Even under the current framework, there is a provision for local restrictions or lockdowns. And so whether it's Omicron or Delta, that's available there as a response if there is an outbreak where we think that might be necessary to help get control and reduce the impact, particularly on health services." He added, "Again, it probably doesn't matter if it's Delta or Omicron, but at this point in time we're intent on keeping Omicron out of the community." × New Zealand approves vaccines for kids Meanwhile, New Zealand has given provisional approval for the Pfizer Inc COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years old. New Zealand's health ministry said in a statement that the approval is for two doses of the paediatric Pfizer vaccine against the deadly virus, given at least 21 days apart. If approved by the cabinet, the introduction of the paediatric Pfizer vaccine is expected to start in New Zealand no later than the end of January 2022, the ministry said.

COVID-19: First Omicron case detected in New Zealand; infected person arrived in country from Germany

German police have foiled a plot by anti-vaccination activists to murder the state premier of Saxony in eastern Germany.

German police foil 'anti-vaccination murder plot' against state premier

Wholesale prices in Germany sees a record jump. Higher consumer prices may, in turn, burden the general public.

German wholesale prices see record jump | Higher consumer prices may follow

Germany has passed a new legislation to fight the pandemic. The medical staff will now have to show if they are vaccinated or have recovered recently.

Germany announces new laws to fight the pandemic

Social Democrat Olaf Scholz has been been sworn in as Germany's new chancellor on Wednesday after 16 years with Angela Merkel at the helm.

Olaf Scholz takes over as Germany's new chancellor, replaces Angela Merkel

Christmas is just around the corner and families are busy decorating their homes with Christmas tress. But then there is this one family in Germany which doesn't want just the Christmas trees abut wants to set the world record too. Thomas and Susanne Jeromin have set a world record by decorating 444 Christmas trees inside their home in northwest Germany.

German family sets world record, 444 Christmas trees decked up in a single house

Germany is all set to pave way for a new government. A total of three German parties have now signed a coalition deal to accelerate the green transition and also modernize Europe's largest economy.

Germany: New government signs coalition treaty

It was vintage Angela Merkel: The woman who has dominated European politics for the better part of two decades handed over her office to the next German chancellor, thanked her staff, then walked to the door and made an exit — her final one.

After 16 years as leader of Germany and unofficial leader of Europe, Merkel on Wednesday left the office she first took over when President George W. Bush was still in the White House in a characteristically understated way.

“Congratulations dear Mr. Chancellor, dear Olaf Scholz,” Merkel told her successor in a small gathering at the chancellery. “I know from my own experience that it is a moving moment to be elected into this office.”

“It is an exciting, fulfilling duty, a challenging duty, too,” Merkel said, “but if you embrace it with joy it is perhaps one of the most beautiful duties there are to be responsible for this country.”

Long the world’s most powerful female leader, Merkel was the central political figure in Germany and Europe through four U.S. presidents and five British and eight Italian prime ministers. Her steady accretion of authority drew admirers and detractors alike, but she remained a singular source of stability for the continent through repeated crises.

Criticized for having failed to groom a successor, Merkel, a Christian Democrat, may well have done so in the end. Only — much to the frustration of her own party — it was a member of her traditional opposition, Scholz, a Social Democrat and her last finance minister, who was sworn in Wednesday after a campaign that promised continuity.

Still, Merkel’s departure marks the end of a dominant era of German politics that she herself called “eventful and often very challenging” — and the beginning of a new and uncertain chapter for Germany and Europe.

“It was a big period during which you were chancellor of this country and you did big things,” Scholz said after she had formally handed over the chancellery and its staff to him. “There were some big crises we had to deal with, some of them we weathered together.”

“That welded us together and not just these events,” Scholz added. “Between us there was always very trusting collaboration. That is good, I believe, because it shows that we are a strong, capable democracy in which there is a lot of consensus between democrats, cooperation.”

Many who worked closely with the departing German chancellor point to her sense of dedication and willingness to compromise as the basis for her power.

“She was — and she is — the person who was always going in deeply prepared, with a deep sense of responsibility, always looking for the result,” said Dalia Grybauskaite, who first met Merkel in Brussels in 2005 and went on to collaborate with her during her own decade-long term as president of Lithuania. “And she was ready to compromise to achieve that result.”

The full imprint that Merkel, a pastor’s daughter from the former communist East, made on her country and continent will reveal itself only in the years ahead. But for now the fulcrum of her legacy is widely considered to be her decision in 2015 and 2016 to welcome more than 1 million asylum seekers into Germany.

The decision sharply divided her country — particularly along the old East-West fault line — and fueled the emergence of a far-right nationalist movement that grew stronger than at any time since the Nazis.

But it also softened Germany’s image abroad and established her country as a liberal beacon as populism threatened the very foundations of the West’s democratic order.

“Angela Merkel changed Germany’s image in the world — in a way she saved Germany’s honor,” said Naika Foroutan, an immigration expert and professor at the Humboldt University in Berlin. “It went against all expectations that this explicit humanitarian gesture would come from Germany. That symbolic turn, that Germany, the country with the ugly face, proved the rock and took people in, is associated with Angela Merkel.”

The other period that defined her time in power was Europe’s debt crisis, and her tightfisted prescription for long years of painful budget cuts as a way out of it — something many southern Europeans still have not forgiven her for more than a decade later.

“In parts of Europe Merkel is seen much more negatively than in other parts of the world,” Foroutan said.

The same is true in Germany itself: Wildly popular in the far more populous West of the country, Merkel is hated in swathes of the former Communist East, where she grew up. The East has become the stronghold of the Alternative for Germany, a party created on her watch and the first far-right party to have made it into the German parliament since World War II.

“I know my face is polarizing,” Merkel conceded two years ago in the eastern city of Chemnitz after it became the scene of violent far-right riots. Toward the end of her time in office, protesters would hold weekly vigils outside the chancellery and show up to public events she attended to shout “Merkel must go!”

At the time, her approval ratings were dropping fast and it looked like she might not make it politically through her full fourth term. It was the pandemic that gave Merkel, a trained scientist of famously calm temperament, another honeymoon in the opinion polls.

Scholz, who was her finance minister during the last four years, has a very similar temperament and capitalized on the parallels. “Not that much will change,” he told the staff in the chancellery on Wednesday.

“The transition from Merkel to Scholz is so harmonious that you’ve got to ask: What is it between those two?” the newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung posited in a recent article. “Merkel was often accused of failing to cultivate a successor. But maybe that isn’t true.”

Much to her own party’s irritation, Merkel said that she would “sleep tight at night” knowing that Scholz was running the country. She invited Scholz to accompany her to a Group of 20 meeting in Rome in October to introduce him to leaders like President Joe Biden. She has involved him in every major decision since the election two months ago. Last the two jointly presided over a COVID emergency meeting with the governors of Germany’s 16 states.

During a military farewell ceremony for Merkel last week, she wished Scholz — whom she called “Dear Olaf” — “all the best and a lucky hand and much success.” He promptly replied with a compliment of his own. “Angela Merkel was a successful chancellor,” he said the same night on Twitter. “She tirelessly stood up for her country and during 16 years in which a lot changed, stayed true to herself.”

Many Germans expressed pride in how smoothly Merkel handled the transition, drawing direct comparisons to the refusal of former President Donald Trump and his supporters to recognize the election of Biden.

“We are witnessing a very good democratic transition where there is a basic consensus,” said Christoph Heusgen, Merkel’s former chief foreign policy adviser, who this week took over the presidency of the Munich Security Conference. “I am a little proud of our democracy the way it’s managed this transition without schadenfreude, without hatred, without malice.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Merkel had watched from the visitor’s gallery in parliament — where her own family had sat four times to watch her sworn in — as lawmakers voted Scholz into office. She got a standing ovation from the chamber, before quietly slipping out a back door.

From the moment she took the oath of office in 2005, Merkel embodied a string of firsts — first chancellor born after World War II, first to hail from the former East, first woman. Now she has also made history becoming the first modern chancellor to leave office, not by losing an election or a parliamentary vote, but by deciding she had served long enough.

One of the people who has most closely documented Merkel’s political career is Herlinde Koelbl, a photographer who began taking her portrait in 1991, just after she had come into office as minister for families and children under Chancellor Helmut Kohl.

In an early interview she gave to Koelbl, the outgoing chancellor insisted she wanted to “find the right time to quit politics.” At 67 she is more than a decade younger than Biden and, after a self-imposed period of rest and reflection, can be expected to refocus her energies on promoting ideals and ideas she championed while in office, from global public health to development in Africa.

But comparing Koelbl’s most recent photos to those of the young Merkel, the toll of 16 years at the help of Europe’s largest economy are visible. Gone is the open, curious gaze, replaced by a more distant, skeptical look.

“In the beginning, she had very lively eyes,” Koelbl said, “and now she looks at you, but the liveliness is gone. The glow disappeared in her eyes.”

On Wednesday, as she left the handover ceremony in the chancellery, Merkel appeared relaxed, happy even. Walking to the door, she turned to Scholz.

“And now to work,” she said.

It was vintage Angela Merkel: The woman who has dominated European politics for the better part of two decades handed over her office to the next German chancellor, thanked her staff, then walked to the door and made an exit — her final one.

It was vintage Angela Merkel: The woman who has dominated European politics for the better part of two decades handed over her office to the next German chancellor, thanked her staff, then walked to the door and made an exit — her final one. After 16 years as leader of Germany and unofficial leader of Europe, Merkel on Wednesday left the office she first took over when President George W. Bush was still in the White House in a characteristically understated way. “Congratulations dear Mr. Chancellor, dear Olaf Scholz,” Merkel told her successor in a small gathering at the chancellery. “I know from my own experience that it is a moving moment to be elected into this office.” “It is an exciting, fulfilling duty, a challenging duty, too,” Merkel said, “but if you embrace it with joy it is perhaps one of the most beautiful duties there are to be responsible for this country.” Long the world’s most powerful female leader, Merkel was the central political figure in Germany and Europe through four U.S. presidents and five British and eight Italian prime ministers. Her steady accretion of authority drew admirers and detractors alike, but she remained a singular source of stability for the continent through repeated crises. Criticized for having failed to groom a successor, Merkel, a Christian Democrat, may well have done so in the end. Only — much to the frustration of her own party — it was a member of her traditional opposition, Scholz, a Social Democrat and her last finance minister, who was sworn in Wednesday after a campaign that promised continuity. Still, Merkel’s departure marks the end of a dominant era of German politics that she herself called “eventful and often very challenging” — and the beginning of a new and uncertain chapter for Germany and Europe. “It was a big period during which you were chancellor of this country and you did big things,” Scholz said after she had formally handed over the chancellery and its staff to him. “There were some big crises we had to deal with, some of them we weathered together.” “That welded us together and not just these events,” Scholz added. “Between us there was always very trusting collaboration. That is good, I believe, because it shows that we are a strong, capable democracy in which there is a lot of consensus between democrats, cooperation.” Many who worked closely with the departing German chancellor point to her sense of dedication and willingness to compromise as the basis for her power. “She was — and she is — the person who was always going in deeply prepared, with a deep sense of responsibility, always looking for the result,” said Dalia Grybauskaite, who first met Merkel in Brussels in 2005 and went on to collaborate with her during her own decade-long term as president of Lithuania. “And she was ready to compromise to achieve that result.” The full imprint that Merkel, a pastor’s daughter from the former communist East, made on her country and continent will reveal itself only in the years ahead. But for now the fulcrum of her legacy is widely considered to be her decision in 2015 and 2016 to welcome more than 1 million asylum seekers into Germany. The decision sharply divided her country — particularly along the old East-West fault line — and fueled the emergence of a far-right nationalist movement that grew stronger than at any time since the Nazis. But it also softened Germany’s image abroad and established her country as a liberal beacon as populism threatened the very foundations of the West’s democratic order. “Angela Merkel changed Germany’s image in the world — in a way she saved Germany’s honor,” said Naika Foroutan, an immigration expert and professor at the Humboldt University in Berlin. “It went against all expectations that this explicit humanitarian gesture would come from Germany. That symbolic turn, that Germany, the country with the ugly face, proved the rock and took people in, is associated with Angela Merkel.” The other period that defined her time in power was Europe’s debt crisis, and her tightfisted prescription for long years of painful budget cuts as a way out of it — something many southern Europeans still have not forgiven her for more than a decade later. “In parts of Europe Merkel is seen much more negatively than in other parts of the world,” Foroutan said. The same is true in Germany itself: Wildly popular in the far more populous West of the country, Merkel is hated in swathes of the former Communist East, where she grew up. The East has become the stronghold of the Alternative for Germany, a party created on her watch and the first far-right party to have made it into the German parliament since World War II. “I know my face is polarizing,” Merkel conceded two years ago in the eastern city of Chemnitz after it became the scene of violent far-right riots. Toward the end of her time in office, protesters would hold weekly vigils outside the chancellery and show up to public events she attended to shout “Merkel must go!” At the time, her approval ratings were dropping fast and it looked like she might not make it politically through her full fourth term. It was the pandemic that gave Merkel, a trained scientist of famously calm temperament, another honeymoon in the opinion polls. Scholz, who was her finance minister during the last four years, has a very similar temperament and capitalized on the parallels. “Not that much will change,” he told the staff in the chancellery on Wednesday. “The transition from Merkel to Scholz is so harmonious that you’ve got to ask: What is it between those two?” the newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung posited in a recent article. “Merkel was often accused of failing to cultivate a successor. But maybe that isn’t true.” Much to her own party’s irritation, Merkel said that she would “sleep tight at night” knowing that Scholz was running the country. She invited Scholz to accompany her to a Group of 20 meeting in Rome in October to introduce him to leaders like President Joe Biden. She has involved him in every major decision since the election two months ago. Last the two jointly presided over a COVID emergency meeting with the governors of Germany’s 16 states. During a military farewell ceremony for Merkel last week, she wished Scholz — whom she called “Dear Olaf” — “all the best and a lucky hand and much success.” He promptly replied with a compliment of his own. “Angela Merkel was a successful chancellor,” he said the same night on Twitter. “She tirelessly stood up for her country and during 16 years in which a lot changed, stayed true to herself.” Many Germans expressed pride in how smoothly Merkel handled the transition, drawing direct comparisons to the refusal of former President Donald Trump and his supporters to recognize the election of Biden. “We are witnessing a very good democratic transition where there is a basic consensus,” said Christoph Heusgen, Merkel’s former chief foreign policy adviser, who this week took over the presidency of the Munich Security Conference. “I am a little proud of our democracy the way it’s managed this transition without schadenfreude, without hatred, without malice.” Earlier on Wednesday, Merkel had watched from the visitor’s gallery in parliament — where her own family had sat four times to watch her sworn in — as lawmakers voted Scholz into office. She got a standing ovation from the chamber, before quietly slipping out a back door. From the moment she took the oath of office in 2005, Merkel embodied a string of firsts — first chancellor born after World War II, first to hail from the former East, first woman. Now she has also made history becoming the first modern chancellor to leave office, not by losing an election or a parliamentary vote, but by deciding she had served long enough. One of the people who has most closely documented Merkel’s political career is Herlinde Koelbl, a photographer who began taking her portrait in 1991, just after she had come into office as minister for families and children under Chancellor Helmut Kohl. In an early interview she gave to Koelbl, the outgoing chancellor insisted she wanted to “find the right time to quit politics.” At 67 she is more than a decade younger than Biden and, after a self-imposed period of rest and reflection, can be expected to refocus her energies on promoting ideals and ideas she championed while in office, from global public health to development in Africa. But comparing Koelbl’s most recent photos to those of the young Merkel, the toll of 16 years at the help of Europe’s largest economy are visible. Gone is the open, curious gaze, replaced by a more distant, skeptical look. “In the beginning, she had very lively eyes,” Koelbl said, “and now she looks at you, but the liveliness is gone. The glow disappeared in her eyes.” On Wednesday, as she left the handover ceremony in the chancellery, Merkel appeared relaxed, happy even. Walking to the door, she turned to Scholz. “And now to work,” she said.

Merkel departs, opening a new chapter for Germany and Europe

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, often dubbed jokingly by many as Germany's 'permanent chancellor' due to her long stint at the helm, handed power to her successor Olaf Scholz in an official ceremony on Wednesday. She left her office in central Berlin by motorcade.&nbsp;

As she left her office, she was seen wearing a corona mask, sitting in the back of Mercedes car. Chancellery employees applauded her for her four consecutive terms in office that saw her steering the country with Europe's biggest economy for 16 years.

She urged new German chancellor Olaf Scholz to work in the country's best interest as she handed over power after 16 years in office.

"I know you are starting work highly motivated," she told Scholz at her chancellery in Berlin, adding: "take this office and work in the best interest of our country -- that is my wish."

<img alt="Angela Merkel" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b9bd1805-d409-4710-8007-be937977440f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9U98JD.jpg" />

As he took over from Angela Merkel in official power handover ceremony Scholz pledged a "new beginning" for Germany.

"It will be a new beginning for our country. In any case I will do everything to work towards that," said the 63-year-old.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ending-merkel-era-olaf-scholz-becomes-germanys-new-chancellor-435136">Ending Merkel era, Olaf Scholz becomes Germany's new chancellor</a>

With his down-to-earth and no-nonsense manner, Scholz has positioned himself as Merkel's natural successor and a safe pair of hands to steer Germany through challenges ranging from tackling the climate crisis to dealing with a more confrontational Russia and a more assertive China.

Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) had begun the election campaign at rock bottom in the polls, with many completely writing off Scholz's chances of heading the next government -- so much so that he didn't even have an official biography until this week.

But Scholz managed to stage a stunning upset, beating Merkel's conservatives by positioning himself as the best candidate to continue her legacy, even adopting her famous "rhombus" hand gesture on a magazine cover.

Unlike his rivals, he also managed not to make embarrassing mistakes during a campaign that drew on his reputation as a quiet workhorse, using the slogan "Scholz will sort it".

After a shorter than expected bout of post-election coalition haggling, Scholz has now managed to forge an alliance with the Greens and the liberal FDP.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, often dubbed jokingly by many as Germany's 'permanent chancellor' due to her long stint at the helm, handed power to her successor Olaf Scholz in an official ceremony on Wednesday.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, often dubbed jokingly by many as Germany's 'permanent chancellor' due to her long stint at the helm, handed power to her successor Olaf Scholz in an official ceremony on Wednesday. She left her office in central Berlin by motorcade. As she left her office, she was seen wearing a corona mask, sitting in the back of Mercedes car. Chancellery employees applauded her for her four consecutive terms in office that saw her steering the country with Europe's biggest economy for 16 years. She urged new German chancellor Olaf Scholz to work in the country's best interest as she handed over power after 16 years in office. "I know you are starting work highly motivated," she told Scholz at her chancellery in Berlin, adding: "take this office and work in the best interest of our country -- that is my wish." As he took over from Angela Merkel in official power handover ceremony Scholz pledged a "new beginning" for Germany. "It will be a new beginning for our country. In any case I will do everything to work towards that," said the 63-year-old. Also Read: Ending Merkel era, Olaf Scholz becomes Germany's new chancellor With his down-to-earth and no-nonsense manner, Scholz has positioned himself as Merkel's natural successor and a safe pair of hands to steer Germany through challenges ranging from tackling the climate crisis to dealing with a more confrontational Russia and a more assertive China. Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) had begun the election campaign at rock bottom in the polls, with many completely writing off Scholz's chances of heading the next government -- so much so that he didn't even have an official biography until this week. But Scholz managed to stage a stunning upset, beating Merkel's conservatives by positioning himself as the best candidate to continue her legacy, even adopting her famous "rhombus" hand gesture on a magazine cover. Unlike his rivals, he also managed not to make embarrassing mistakes during a campaign that drew on his reputation as a quiet workhorse, using the slogan "Scholz will sort it". After a shorter than expected bout of post-election coalition haggling, Scholz has now managed to forge an alliance with the Greens and the liberal FDP. (With inputs from agencies)

Angela Merkel, Germany's 'permanent chancellor', passes baton to Olaf Scholz

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