The European Union is set to take the lead in climate policy action among the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitters this week, with a raft of ambitious plans designed to cut emissions drastically over the next decade.

Europe's climate masterplan to be a challenge for Germany's industry

Repeatedly questioned about how she will juggle motherhood with work, the only woman with a chance of succeeding Angela Merkel as&nbsp;German Chancellor&nbsp;says many&nbsp;Germans don't seem ready for a mother with young children to take over.

Merkel was&nbsp;Germany's first woman&nbsp;chancellor&nbsp;but she never had children. Now the Greens believe 40-year-old Annalena Baerbock faces a lingering stereotype that the incumbent never had to deal with: mothers should be running families, not countries.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/german-greens-election-hopeful-targeted-by-fake-news-381474">German Greens' election hopeful targeted by fake news</a>

Three months before&nbsp;Germans go to the polls, the media has questioned whether a mother could successfully lead&nbsp;Germany, prompting a heated debate about prevalent sexist attitudes.

On the campaign trail, Baerbock has been asked often about her children. An editor of mass-circulation newspaper Bild asked in an interview: "You are&nbsp;chancellor&nbsp;and are in the middle of negotiations, and you suddenly get a call from your children, would you&nbsp;answer? Did your children find it ok that you want to be&nbsp;chancellor?"

The host of a popular political TV talk show, Anne Will, pressed Baerbock on whether she won the Greens' nomination for&nbsp;chancellor&nbsp;because she is a woman, even though the party's backing was almost unanimous.

"It's been the elephant in the room for some time now that you only got it because you are a woman," Will said.

Baerbock responded: "I'm not going to have a sex change in the next six months. Of course the question of emancipation played a role but it wasn't the only reason."

The Greens, the only party in the Bundestag national parliament with more female than male lawmakers, briefly surged in the polls to overtake Merkel's conservative bloc after Baerbock's nomination but is now polling some 10 points behind at around 20 per cent.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germanys-greens-make-first-bid-for-chancellery-promise-change-378640">Germany's Greens make first bid for chancellery, promise change</a>

Pollsters say this is a sign that&nbsp;German&nbsp;voters want them to be in the next coalition government but not in the driver's seat.

The ecologist party says the relentless questioning of Baerbock's suitability for top office is unjustified and that the media have not scrutinised her male rivals as vigorously.

It also points to a fake news campaign that appeared online soon after her nomination. This has included false claims that she was paid for a nude photoshoot - the pictures of which turned out to be of a Russian adult entertainment model that bears a striking resemblance to Baerbock - fake quotes that she wants to ban owning pets, and another false report that she does not have a university degree.

"The hate campaign against Baerbock is unprecedented in&nbsp;German&nbsp;election history and far exceeds anything we have seen against Merkel," Michael Butter of the University of Tuebingen said. "It shows that people took it seriously that a Greens&nbsp;chancellor&nbsp;could end up leading&nbsp;Germany."

To be sure, missteps by Baerbock like an unreported party bonus and inaccurate details in her curriculum vitae have invited media scrutiny, and her lack of experience in government has been picked on by critics, often with sexist undertones.

"Character Assassination"

Late last month, the Greens hired a prominent libel lawyer to fight allegations that Baerbock had in her new book lifted phrases from other texts without proper citation, accusations rejected by the party as "character assassination".

She has denied any wrongdoing.

Baerbock has shaken up the election campaign with vows to scrap a controversial pipeline project to bring Russian gas to&nbsp;Germany, confront China on its human rights record and permanently abolish strict constitutional limits on new debt to finance a transition to a carbon-neutral economy.

Pollsters say her style and focus on the environment are particularly appealing to young voters, especially women.

Trousers Vs Skirts

Merkel also faced media scrutiny ahead of the 2005 election, in which she won her first term.

Commentators, economists and members of Merkel's own conservative bloc cast doubt on her ability to make sound decisions on the economy. Photographers snapped pictures of sweat stains beneath her armpit as she waved to journalists on the red carpet outside an opera house, which made it to newspapers' front pages.

"Baerbock looks more feminine than Merkel: she is younger, has longer hair, wears dresses and skirts," Katharina Wrohlich of the&nbsp;German&nbsp;Institute for Economic Research DIW said.

"Merkel is older, has shorter hair, and wears trousers and jackets. So this makes her (Baerbock) an easier and more obvious target of gender bias and sexism than Merkel," she said.

Baerbock's male rivals jumped to her defence after the plagiarism accusations surfaced.

Armin Laschet, the conservative&nbsp;chancellor&nbsp;candidate most likely to succeed Merkel, said the media's questioning of whether Baerbock could juggle motherhood and the chancellery was inappropriate. Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, a chancellor&nbsp;candidate of the Social Democrats, said she was being treated unfairly.

Baerbock summed up how she feels about media coverage of her flagging campaign in an interview with women's magazine Brigitte: "I&nbsp;sense, or am often told, that it is an imposition that I, as a 40-year-old woman with young children, am standing as&nbsp;chancellor&nbsp;candidate. This is where I say women must be able to everything."

Repeatedly questioned about how she will juggle motherhood with work, the only woman with a chance of succeeding Angela Merkel as German Chancellor says many Germans don't seem ready for a mother with young children to take over.

Repeatedly questioned about how she will juggle motherhood with work, the only woman with a chance of succeeding Angela Merkel as German Chancellor says many Germans don't seem ready for a mother with young children to take over. Merkel was Germany's first woman chancellor but she never had children. Now the Greens believe 40-year-old Annalena Baerbock faces a lingering stereotype that the incumbent never had to deal with: mothers should be running families, not countries. Also read | German Greens' election hopeful targeted by fake news Three months before Germans go to the polls, the media has questioned whether a mother could successfully lead Germany, prompting a heated debate about prevalent sexist attitudes. On the campaign trail, Baerbock has been asked often about her children. An editor of mass-circulation newspaper Bild asked in an interview: "You are chancellor and are in the middle of negotiations, and you suddenly get a call from your children, would you answer? Did your children find it ok that you want to be chancellor?" The host of a popular political TV talk show, Anne Will, pressed Baerbock on whether she won the Greens' nomination for chancellor because she is a woman, even though the party's backing was almost unanimous. "It's been the elephant in the room for some time now that you only got it because you are a woman," Will said. Baerbock responded: "I'm not going to have a sex change in the next six months. Of course the question of emancipation played a role but it wasn't the only reason." The Greens, the only party in the Bundestag national parliament with more female than male lawmakers, briefly surged in the polls to overtake Merkel's conservative bloc after Baerbock's nomination but is now polling some 10 points behind at around 20 per cent. Also read | Germany's Greens make first bid for chancellery, promise change Pollsters say this is a sign that German voters want them to be in the next coalition government but not in the driver's seat. The ecologist party says the relentless questioning of Baerbock's suitability for top office is unjustified and that the media have not scrutinised her male rivals as vigorously. It also points to a fake news campaign that appeared online soon after her nomination. This has included false claims that she was paid for a nude photoshoot - the pictures of which turned out to be of a Russian adult entertainment model that bears a striking resemblance to Baerbock - fake quotes that she wants to ban owning pets, and another false report that she does not have a university degree. "The hate campaign against Baerbock is unprecedented in German election history and far exceeds anything we have seen against Merkel," Michael Butter of the University of Tuebingen said. "It shows that people took it seriously that a Greens chancellor could end up leading Germany." To be sure, missteps by Baerbock like an unreported party bonus and inaccurate details in her curriculum vitae have invited media scrutiny, and her lack of experience in government has been picked on by critics, often with sexist undertones. "Character Assassination" Late last month, the Greens hired a prominent libel lawyer to fight allegations that Baerbock had in her new book lifted phrases from other texts without proper citation, accusations rejected by the party as "character assassination". She has denied any wrongdoing. Baerbock has shaken up the election campaign with vows to scrap a controversial pipeline project to bring Russian gas to Germany, confront China on its human rights record and permanently abolish strict constitutional limits on new debt to finance a transition to a carbon-neutral economy. Pollsters say her style and focus on the environment are particularly appealing to young voters, especially women. Trousers Vs Skirts Merkel also faced media scrutiny ahead of the 2005 election, in which she won her first term. Commentators, economists and members of Merkel's own conservative bloc cast doubt on her ability to make sound decisions on the economy. Photographers snapped pictures of sweat stains beneath her armpit as she waved to journalists on the red carpet outside an opera house, which made it to newspapers' front pages. "Baerbock looks more feminine than Merkel: she is younger, has longer hair, wears dresses and skirts," Katharina Wrohlich of the German Institute for Economic Research DIW said. "Merkel is older, has shorter hair, and wears trousers and jackets. So this makes her (Baerbock) an easier and more obvious target of gender bias and sexism than Merkel," she said. Baerbock's male rivals jumped to her defence after the plagiarism accusations surfaced. Armin Laschet, the conservative chancellor candidate most likely to succeed Merkel, said the media's questioning of whether Baerbock could juggle motherhood and the chancellery was inappropriate. Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, a chancellor candidate of the Social Democrats, said she was being treated unfairly. Baerbock summed up how she feels about media coverage of her flagging campaign in an interview with women's magazine Brigitte: "I sense, or am often told, that it is an imposition that I, as a 40-year-old woman with young children, am standing as chancellor candidate. This is where I say women must be able to everything."

Greens candidate for German Chancellor says sexist scrutiny holding her back

In a bid to further ease its travel curbs, Germany lifted a ban on travellers from India, the UK, and three other countries, where the delta variant of coronavirus has been found in the samples of COVID-19 patients.

Germany eases travel curbs, lifts ban on travellers from India and UK

Germany's health agency on Monday, July 5, said that it would lift a ban on most travellers from India and the UK amid increased cases of the Delta variant of Covid-19.

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) said India, Nepal, Russia, Portugal and the UK would be reclassified from Wednesday as "high-incidence areas".

Germany introduced its "virus variant country" travel category in a bid to stop new coronavirus variants that have not yet spread widely on home soil. However, Health Minister Jens Spahn said last week that the Delta variant was fast becoming dominant in the country.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/possible-in-future-to-mix-vaccine-doses-says-german-health-minister-395572">Also read |&nbsp;Possible in future to mix vaccine doses, says German health minister&nbsp;</a>

Given the increasing spread of Delta and research suggesting vaccines are effective against it, "we will look at the situation in the next few days", Spahn said.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Spahn told reporters that it would be possible in future to mix vaccine doses. This means that, in Spahn's opinion, it would be possible to combine the first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine with the second shot of mRNA vaccines like those from Pfizer or Moderna.

Spahn said that the addition of an mRNA shot offered more protection against the Delta variant of coronavirus. Delta variant is considered to be more infection.

Germany has enough shots available of all vaccines to be able to do this, as well as to provide booster shots to those who wanted them in the autumn, he added.

Germany's health agency on Monday, July 5, said that it would lift a ban on most travellers from India and the UK amid increased cases of the Delta variant of Covid-19.

Germany's health agency on Monday, July 5, said that it would lift a ban on most travellers from India and the UK amid increased cases of the Delta variant of Covid-19. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) said India, Nepal, Russia, Portugal and the UK would be reclassified from Wednesday as "high-incidence areas". Germany introduced its "virus variant country" travel category in a bid to stop new coronavirus variants that have not yet spread widely on home soil. However, Health Minister Jens Spahn said last week that the Delta variant was fast becoming dominant in the country. Also read | Possible in future to mix vaccine doses, says German health minister Given the increasing spread of Delta and research suggesting vaccines are effective against it, "we will look at the situation in the next few days", Spahn said. Meanwhile, Spahn told reporters that it would be possible in future to mix vaccine doses. This means that, in Spahn's opinion, it would be possible to combine the first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine with the second shot of mRNA vaccines like those from Pfizer or Moderna. Spahn said that the addition of an mRNA shot offered more protection against the Delta variant of coronavirus. Delta variant is considered to be more infection. Germany has enough shots available of all vaccines to be able to do this, as well as to provide booster shots to those who wanted them in the autumn, he added.

Germany relaxes curbs on travellers from India and UK

German Health Minister Jens Spahn told reporters on Friday that it would be possible in future to mix vaccine doses. This means that, in Spahn's opinion, it would be possible to combine first shot of AstraZeneca vaccine with second shot of mRNA vaccine like those from Pfizer or Moderna.

Spahn said that addition of mRNA shot offered more protection against Delta variant of coronavirus. Delta variant is considered to be more infection.

Germany has enough shots available of all vaccines to be able to do this, as well as to provide booster shots to those who wanted them in the autumn, he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

German Health Minister Jens Spahn told reporters on Friday that it would be possible in future to mix vaccine doses. This means that, in Spahn's opinion, it would be possible to combine first shot of AstraZeneca vaccine with second shot of mRNA vaccine like those from Pfizer or Moderna.

German Health Minister Jens Spahn told reporters on Friday that it would be possible in future to mix vaccine doses. This means that, in Spahn's opinion, it would be possible to combine first shot of AstraZeneca vaccine with second shot of mRNA vaccine like those from Pfizer or Moderna. Spahn said that addition of mRNA shot offered more protection against Delta variant of coronavirus. Delta variant is considered to be more infection. Germany has enough shots available of all vaccines to be able to do this, as well as to provide booster shots to those who wanted them in the autumn, he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Possible in future to mix vaccine doses, says German health minister 

Toni Kroos decided to retire from international football after Germany's Round of 16 exits against England at Euro 2020. Germany had a frustrating Euro 2020 mission. Notwithstanding beating Portugal in the league stage, Die Mannschaft were poor against any semblance of France and Hungary prior to losing the Round of 16 clash against rivals England at Wembley Stadium.&nbsp;

Toni Kroos reported the choice to retire from international footfall via online media on Friday. The 31-year-old uncovered that Euro 2020 was his last significant competition regardless of the 2022 World Cup nearby. Toni Kroos' post peruses:&nbsp; "I have played for Germany 106 times. There won't be another one. I would have loved, and I gave it my all once again, to end up with 109 caps and that one big title, the European Championship title, would have come at the end. I had already made the decision to retire after this tournament. It had been clear to me for some time that I wouldn't be available for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="Euro 2020: Quarter-finals swing into action as Spain takes on Switzerland">Euro 2020: Quarter-finals swing into action as Spain takes on Switzerland</a>

Toni Kroos has likewise communicated his desire to continue playing for his club with Real Madrid: "Above all, I want to concentrate fully on my goals with Real Madrid over the next few years. From now on, I'll be consciously allowing myself breaks that I haven't had as a national player for eleven years. And I also want to be more of a husband and dad to my wife and three children."

Since making his debut in 2010, Toni Kroos has proceeded to acquire 106 caps for Germany, scoring 17 goals en route. Regardless of a less than impressive display at Euro 2020, the current Real Madrid man will consistently be associated with his chivalrous exhibitions in Germany's 2014 World Cup-winning effort.

With Toni Kroos'&nbsp;retirement, Germany should depend on the up-and-coming age of midfielders in Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka to bring them through impending competitions. The Bayern Munich pair are more than capable, however, Toni Kroos' retirement actually eliminates an amazingly talented and experienced player from the Germany list.

Toni Kroos decided to retire from international football after Germany's Round of 16 exits against England at Euro 2020. Germany had a frustrating Euro 2020 mission.

Toni Kroos decided to retire from international football after Germany's Round of 16 exits against England at Euro 2020. Germany had a frustrating Euro 2020 mission. Notwithstanding beating Portugal in the league stage, Die Mannschaft were poor against any semblance of France and Hungary prior to losing the Round of 16 clash against rivals England at Wembley Stadium. Toni Kroos reported the choice to retire from international footfall via online media on Friday. The 31-year-old uncovered that Euro 2020 was his last significant competition regardless of the 2022 World Cup nearby. Toni Kroos' post peruses: "I have played for Germany 106 times. There won't be another one. I would have loved, and I gave it my all once again, to end up with 109 caps and that one big title, the European Championship title, would have come at the end. I had already made the decision to retire after this tournament. It had been clear to me for some time that I wouldn't be available for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar." ALSO READ: Euro 2020: Quarter-finals swing into action as Spain takes on Switzerland Toni Kroos has likewise communicated his desire to continue playing for his club with Real Madrid: "Above all, I want to concentrate fully on my goals with Real Madrid over the next few years. From now on, I'll be consciously allowing myself breaks that I haven't had as a national player for eleven years. And I also want to be more of a husband and dad to my wife and three children." Since making his debut in 2010, Toni Kroos has proceeded to acquire 106 caps for Germany, scoring 17 goals en route. Regardless of a less than impressive display at Euro 2020, the current Real Madrid man will consistently be associated with his chivalrous exhibitions in Germany's 2014 World Cup-winning effort. With Toni Kroos' retirement, Germany should depend on the up-and-coming age of midfielders in Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka to bring them through impending competitions. The Bayern Munich pair are more than capable, however, Toni Kroos' retirement actually eliminates an amazingly talented and experienced player from the Germany list.

Football: Germany's Toni Kroos retires from international football

Germany returns home on Wednesday following their Euro 2020 last 16 exit to England, with departing coach Joachim Loew at the heart of fierce criticism after yet another early tournament elimination.

Loew, who had a contract to 2022 but following several bad results decided in March to leave after the Euros, should have gone much earlier, many will argue.

Germany's shock 2018 World Cup exit and their inaugural Nations League relegation that year had stunned fans who demanded change from the man who led them to the 2014 World Cup title.

But Loew's overhaul was never completed, cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic and bad results, including a 6-0 loss to Spain and defeat at home against North Macedonia in a World Cup qualifier.

Despite many changes to his squad in the last three years, Loew opted for a playing style that players were not used to at their clubs, with a three-man defense.

"Sobering. Unconscious," said former Germany captain Michael Ballack of the team's 2-0 loss to England on Tuesday at Wembley stadium.

"It was clear from the first half that there were no solutions, that we pulled back for no reason. We did too little and made it easy for them. I don't know why the coach waited so long to change systems."

It is a question that is on many a German fan's minds: was it Loew's stubbornness that has reduced the four-time world and three-time European champions to a tournament also-ran?

The same question concerns not deploying Joshua Kimmich in a central midfield role, the use of Thomas Mueller in an unusual attacking role for him and of course that three-man backline system.

"That three-man defense, I think, never managed to convince us that it can provide defensive stability and stop chances for the opponents," said Germany's Under-21 coach Stefan Kunz.

"That was a defensive problem that we have been carrying through the entire tournament."

Germany fell behind in each of the four games they played in the tournament and barely made a mark upfront.

From an aggressive, attacking style of play that captivated fans at the 2010 World Cup and then dazzled them on their way to the title in Brazil four years later, Loew has managed to chip away at his own legacy in recent years.

The Euro exit, many German fans hope, will mark the end of that slide.

His successor and former assistant Hansi Flick has his work cut out as he looks to restore Germany's&nbsp;football&nbsp;pride in time for next year's Qatar World Cup.

Germany returns home on Wednesday following their Euro 2020 last 16 exit to England, with departing coach Joachim Loew at the heart of fierce criticism after yet another early tournament elimination.

Germany returns home on Wednesday following their Euro 2020 last 16 exit to England, with departing coach Joachim Loew at the heart of fierce criticism after yet another early tournament elimination. Loew, who had a contract to 2022 but following several bad results decided in March to leave after the Euros, should have gone much earlier, many will argue. Germany's shock 2018 World Cup exit and their inaugural Nations League relegation that year had stunned fans who demanded change from the man who led them to the 2014 World Cup title. But Loew's overhaul was never completed, cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic and bad results, including a 6-0 loss to Spain and defeat at home against North Macedonia in a World Cup qualifier. Despite many changes to his squad in the last three years, Loew opted for a playing style that players were not used to at their clubs, with a three-man defense. "Sobering. Unconscious," said former Germany captain Michael Ballack of the team's 2-0 loss to England on Tuesday at Wembley stadium. "It was clear from the first half that there were no solutions, that we pulled back for no reason. We did too little and made it easy for them. I don't know why the coach waited so long to change systems." It is a question that is on many a German fan's minds: was it Loew's stubbornness that has reduced the four-time world and three-time European champions to a tournament also-ran? The same question concerns not deploying Joshua Kimmich in a central midfield role, the use of Thomas Mueller in an unusual attacking role for him and of course that three-man backline system. "That three-man defense, I think, never managed to convince us that it can provide defensive stability and stop chances for the opponents," said Germany's Under-21 coach Stefan Kunz. "That was a defensive problem that we have been carrying through the entire tournament." Germany fell behind in each of the four games they played in the tournament and barely made a mark upfront. From an aggressive, attacking style of play that captivated fans at the 2010 World Cup and then dazzled them on their way to the title in Brazil four years later, Loew has managed to chip away at his own legacy in recent years. The Euro exit, many German fans hope, will mark the end of that slide. His successor and former assistant Hansi Flick has his work cut out as he looks to restore Germany's football pride in time for next year's Qatar World Cup.

Euro 2020: Germany's Euro exit blamed on departing Joachim Loew decisions

England manager Gareth Southgate prefers 'managing expectations' to euphoria but such an approach is hard to maintain when your team has just beaten their old rivals Germany and kicked off the biggest party since the pandemic hit the country.

The 40,000 fans&nbsp;at Wembley had been particularly raucous, the 5 pm local kick-off time leading many to take the day off work and fully make the most of re-opened pubs and bars.

Hours after the final whistle had blown on a 2-0 victory the once self-mocking but now aspirational refrain of "Football's Coming Home" could still be heard in tube stations across the capital.

The morning's newspapers captured the mood of confident hope for a team without a trophy since 1966.

"Time to Dream - Nation's joy as Three Lions end Germany hoodoo and open up the road to final" declared the front page of the Daily Mirror after what it called "England's night of glory" while the Daily Telegraph's reflected the post-lockdown vibe with "Finally something to cheer about".

Even the Guardian, known for its more restrained relationship with national pride, headlined their report with "Like emerging from a dream into a strange new light".

The bearded Southgate, who has the demeanor of a rather sensitive and supportive schoolteacher and chooses his words with the calculation of a career politician, was, however, very much 'on-brand' after the game.

He quickly turned talked to his team keeping "feet on the ground", mentally being "in the right space".

"It is a dangerous moment for us. We will have that warmth of success and the feeling around the country that we only have to turn up to win the thing, but we know it is going to be an immense challenge from here on in," he said.

That is the right and prudent approach for a coach to take, of course, but it is not only those waking up with a hangover and St George's flag on the kitchen floor that expects them to beat Ukraine in the quarter-final.

By any objective measure, England are clear favorites for Saturday's game in Rome and would also be expected to beat Denmark or the Czech Republic in an eventual semi-final back on home turf.

Indeed, a look at the two squad lists before Tuesday's game showed England had an array of talent -- young, skillful players performing weekly in the Premier League and Champions League -- that should have been expected to beat a German team that was mediocre by their often world-beating standards.

Quite a lot of that talent was left on the bench though by Southgate, who rather than trust the likes of Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, or Marcus Rashford to dominate, opted to play five defenders and two defensive midfielders.

There is nothing like a victory to change a narrative and many observers felt that the result was a vindication of that approach.

But it didn't feel to be working when, ten minutes into the second half, that trio of players warmed up on the touchline to cheers from the crowd, while their team mate's laboured with little craft.

GREALISH IMPACT

Grealish eventually entered the field, to a loud roar and promptly changed the course of the game and possibly the tournament for England.

Was it tactical genius from Southgate to introduce the Aston Villa playmaker when the opposition were tiring or was it a belated recognition that has overly cautious approach wasn't working?

Either way, Grealish showed again he has the ability to make things happen, to open up space, to draw players to him, to go past people, and to deliver the killer ball. Whatever Southgate's intentions for the last eight clashes, Ukraine coach Andriy Shevchenko will surely be hoping the player is again on the bench.

Of course, the style of England's&nbsp;football&nbsp;will be of little concern to anyone in the country, should they end their 55 years wait for a trophy at Wembley on July 11.

No one in Portugal cared that they won the tournament five years ago after failing to win a group stage game and only once winning a match inside 90 minutes.

Likewise, you will struggle to find a Greek whose memories of their unlikely 2004 triumph are focused not on the celebrations and glory but on the defensive tactics their coach employed -- indeed, the German Otto Rehhagel was made an honorary citizen of Athens.

England could win this tournament playing enthralling and entertaining&nbsp;football&nbsp;built around an outstanding generation of attacking talent.

But that is not the Southgate way -- and if his more cautious, careful, measured approach delivers a first-ever European Championship -- few of his compatriots will care.

Anything less and you can be sure the narrative will change again.

England manager Gareth Southgate prefers 'managing expectations' to euphoria but such an approach is hard to maintain when your team has just beaten their old rivals Germany and kicked off the biggest party since the pandemic hit the country.

England manager Gareth Southgate prefers 'managing expectations' to euphoria but such an approach is hard to maintain when your team has just beaten their old rivals Germany and kicked off the biggest party since the pandemic hit the country. The 40,000 fans at Wembley had been particularly raucous, the 5 pm local kick-off time leading many to take the day off work and fully make the most of re-opened pubs and bars. Hours after the final whistle had blown on a 2-0 victory the once self-mocking but now aspirational refrain of "Football's Coming Home" could still be heard in tube stations across the capital. The morning's newspapers captured the mood of confident hope for a team without a trophy since 1966. "Time to Dream - Nation's joy as Three Lions end Germany hoodoo and open up the road to final" declared the front page of the Daily Mirror after what it called "England's night of glory" while the Daily Telegraph's reflected the post-lockdown vibe with "Finally something to cheer about". Even the Guardian, known for its more restrained relationship with national pride, headlined their report with "Like emerging from a dream into a strange new light". The bearded Southgate, who has the demeanor of a rather sensitive and supportive schoolteacher and chooses his words with the calculation of a career politician, was, however, very much 'on-brand' after the game. He quickly turned talked to his team keeping "feet on the ground", mentally being "in the right space". "It is a dangerous moment for us. We will have that warmth of success and the feeling around the country that we only have to turn up to win the thing, but we know it is going to be an immense challenge from here on in," he said. That is the right and prudent approach for a coach to take, of course, but it is not only those waking up with a hangover and St George's flag on the kitchen floor that expects them to beat Ukraine in the quarter-final. By any objective measure, England are clear favorites for Saturday's game in Rome and would also be expected to beat Denmark or the Czech Republic in an eventual semi-final back on home turf. Indeed, a look at the two squad lists before Tuesday's game showed England had an array of talent -- young, skillful players performing weekly in the Premier League and Champions League -- that should have been expected to beat a German team that was mediocre by their often world-beating standards. Quite a lot of that talent was left on the bench though by Southgate, who rather than trust the likes of Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, or Marcus Rashford to dominate, opted to play five defenders and two defensive midfielders. There is nothing like a victory to change a narrative and many observers felt that the result was a vindication of that approach. But it didn't feel to be working when, ten minutes into the second half, that trio of players warmed up on the touchline to cheers from the crowd, while their team mate's laboured with little craft. GREALISH IMPACT Grealish eventually entered the field, to a loud roar and promptly changed the course of the game and possibly the tournament for England. Was it tactical genius from Southgate to introduce the Aston Villa playmaker when the opposition were tiring or was it a belated recognition that has overly cautious approach wasn't working? Either way, Grealish showed again he has the ability to make things happen, to open up space, to draw players to him, to go past people, and to deliver the killer ball. Whatever Southgate's intentions for the last eight clashes, Ukraine coach Andriy Shevchenko will surely be hoping the player is again on the bench. Of course, the style of England's football will be of little concern to anyone in the country, should they end their 55 years wait for a trophy at Wembley on July 11. No one in Portugal cared that they won the tournament five years ago after failing to win a group stage game and only once winning a match inside 90 minutes. Likewise, you will struggle to find a Greek whose memories of their unlikely 2004 triumph are focused not on the celebrations and glory but on the defensive tactics their coach employed -- indeed, the German Otto Rehhagel was made an honorary citizen of Athens. England could win this tournament playing enthralling and entertaining football built around an outstanding generation of attacking talent. But that is not the Southgate way -- and if his more cautious, careful, measured approach delivers a first-ever European Championship -- few of his compatriots will care. Anything less and you can be sure the narrative will change again.

Euro 2020: After Germany win, there may be a future in England's dreaming

State crime investigation officials in Germany said on Tuesday that they suspect an Islamic extremist motive in the deadly knife attack by a Somali man last week in the southern city of Wuerzburg that left three women dead.&nbsp;

"The Bavarian Central Office for Extremism and Terrorism has taken over the probe because an Islamist motive is likely," a joint statement from Bavarian state prosecutors and the state criminal investigations office said.

On June 25, a man armed with a long knife killed three women and injured several others, some seriously, before being shot by police and arrested.

The suspect has been identified as a 24-year-old Somali male from Wuerzburg.

Pedestrians surrounded the assailant and held him at bay with chairs and sticks, according to videos posted on social media. 
 
Wuerzburg was itself hit five years ago by an axe-wielding man who seriously wounded four people o a train.

The suspect, an Afghan, sought to attack a passerby as he fled before being shot dead by police.

The attack was claimed by the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group.&nbsp;

The deadliest Islamist attack in&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;happened in December 2016 when a jihadist rammed a truck into a Berlin Christmas market killing 12 people.

The Tunisian attacker, a failed asylum-seeker, was an IS supporter.

More recently, one man was killed and another seriously injured in a knife attack in the city of Dresden in October.

A 20-year-old Syrian jihadist in May received a life sentence for the homophobic attack.

(With inputs from agencies)

State crime investigation officials in Germany said on Tuesday that they suspect an Islamic extremist motive in the deadly knife attack by a Somali man last week in the southern city of Wuerzburg that left three women dead.

State crime investigation officials in Germany said on Tuesday that they suspect an Islamic extremist motive in the deadly knife attack by a Somali man last week in the southern city of Wuerzburg that left three women dead. "The Bavarian Central Office for Extremism and Terrorism has taken over the probe because an Islamist motive is likely," a joint statement from Bavarian state prosecutors and the state criminal investigations office said. On June 25, a man armed with a long knife killed three women and injured several others, some seriously, before being shot by police and arrested. The suspect has been identified as a 24-year-old Somali male from Wuerzburg. Pedestrians surrounded the assailant and held him at bay with chairs and sticks, according to videos posted on social media. Wuerzburg was itself hit five years ago by an axe-wielding man who seriously wounded four people o a train. The suspect, an Afghan, sought to attack a passerby as he fled before being shot dead by police. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group. The deadliest Islamist attack in Germany happened in December 2016 when a jihadist rammed a truck into a Berlin Christmas market killing 12 people. The Tunisian attacker, a failed asylum-seeker, was an IS supporter. More recently, one man was killed and another seriously injured in a knife attack in the city of Dresden in October. A 20-year-old Syrian jihadist in May received a life sentence for the homophobic attack. (With inputs from agencies)

German knife attack: Islamist motive 'likely', say investigators

Amid all the recent recycling of England`s football tournament suffering at the hands of Germany, their Euro 2000 group stage victory in Belgium 21 years ago seems to have slipped from the nation`s collective memory - and with good reason. 
 
Alan Shearer`s second-half goal secured England`s only tournament win over their old rivals since the 1966 World Cup final, but it proved a false dawn and instead did the defeated Germans a lot more long-term good. 
 
As England and Germany prepare for Tuesday`s Euro2020 last-16 meeting at Wembley, their historical footballing relationship can effectively be divided into the period before the 68th minute of their 1970 World Cup quarter-final, and after. 
 
England had triumphed in the 1966 World Cup final and looked to be cruising into the semi-finals in Mexico four years later via goals by Alan Mullery and Martin Peters in what would have been their eighth win in nine meetings with then-West Germany. 
 
However, Franz Beckenbauer and Uwe Seeler levelled the match and Gerd Mueller won it for the then-West Germany in extra-time - and the balance of power shifted seismically. 
 
Two years later the Germans knocked England out of the qualifying stage for the 1972 European Championship, which they went on to win, sparking decades of extraordinary success. 
 
England were left on the outside looking in, not even making another tournament until the 1980 Euros - again won by West Germany - and when they did start qualifying, making little impact. 
 
Finally, in the 1990 World Cup, they made the semi-finals, only to lose to eventual winners Germany on penalties. At Euro96 at Wembley at the same stage it was the same outcome. 
 
Four years later the teams were drawn together in the group stage of Euro2000, but both got off to poor starts in the competition as England lost 3-2 to Portugal after being 2-0 up and Germany drew 1-1 with Romania. 
 
The meeting in Charleroi proved to be a dire encounter, with one pundit likening it to a fight to the death between the last two dinosaurs on earth. 
 
Freshly crowned world champions France, Italy, Portugal and the Netherlands were on a different level despite the presence of the likes of David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Michael Owen and Shearer in the England starting side. 
 
Shearer`s 53rd-minute header from a Beckham free kick nevertheless had the nation rejoicing in an unheard of win over the Germans and had them well-placed to advance from the group. 
 
That remained the case until the last minute of their final game against Romania when they conceded a last-minute penalty that enabled Romania to snatch a 3-2 win that sent them through at England`s expense. 
 
The joy of the win over Germany was immediately forgotten, and the fact that the Germans were hammered 3-0 by Portugal to finish bottom of the group merely left the Charleroi success looking even more irrelevant. 
 
Four months later Germany won a 2002 World Cup qualifier at Wembley, sparking the resignation of England manager Kevin Keegan. 
 
Germany had also replaced the hapless Erich Ribbeck and, shamed by their Euros exit, had begun a root and branch review of their footballing development structure. 
 
There was a considerable bump in the road when they were hammered 5-1 at home by England in the reverse qualifier in Munich in 2001, but it was the Germans who kicked on to reach the 2002 World Cup final, as England went out in the last 16. 
 
That revolution of their youth system effectively delivered the team that won the 2014 World Cup, as England continued to fail to get past the quarter-finals anywhere. 
 
The teams` last competitive meeting was in the last 16 of the 2010 World Cup and though England fell apart to lose 4-1, there remains a major "what if" consideration after Frank Lampard`s clear goal that would have made it 2-2 early in the second half was ruled not to have crossed the line after bouncing down off the bar. 
 
That decision, just as the one in England`s favour for Geoff Hurst`s goal in 1966 final, will be endlessly discussed along with all the penalty shoot-outs as fans prepare for Tuesday`s game. 
 
Charleroi 2000 may get less of an airing. 
&nbsp;

Amid all the recent recycling of England`s football tournament suffering at the hands of Germany, their Euro 2000 group stage victory in Belgium 21 years ago seems to have slipped from the nation`s collective memory - and with good reason.

Amid all the recent recycling of England`s football tournament suffering at the hands of Germany, their Euro 2000 group stage victory in Belgium 21 years ago seems to have slipped from the nation`s collective memory - and with good reason. Alan Shearer`s second-half goal secured England`s only tournament win over their old rivals since the 1966 World Cup final, but it proved a false dawn and instead did the defeated Germans a lot more long-term good. As England and Germany prepare for Tuesday`s Euro2020 last-16 meeting at Wembley, their historical footballing relationship can effectively be divided into the period before the 68th minute of their 1970 World Cup quarter-final, and after. England had triumphed in the 1966 World Cup final and looked to be cruising into the semi-finals in Mexico four years later via goals by Alan Mullery and Martin Peters in what would have been their eighth win in nine meetings with then-West Germany. However, Franz Beckenbauer and Uwe Seeler levelled the match and Gerd Mueller won it for the then-West Germany in extra-time - and the balance of power shifted seismically. Two years later the Germans knocked England out of the qualifying stage for the 1972 European Championship, which they went on to win, sparking decades of extraordinary success. England were left on the outside looking in, not even making another tournament until the 1980 Euros - again won by West Germany - and when they did start qualifying, making little impact. Finally, in the 1990 World Cup, they made the semi-finals, only to lose to eventual winners Germany on penalties. At Euro96 at Wembley at the same stage it was the same outcome. Four years later the teams were drawn together in the group stage of Euro2000, but both got off to poor starts in the competition as England lost 3-2 to Portugal after being 2-0 up and Germany drew 1-1 with Romania. The meeting in Charleroi proved to be a dire encounter, with one pundit likening it to a fight to the death between the last two dinosaurs on earth. Freshly crowned world champions France, Italy, Portugal and the Netherlands were on a different level despite the presence of the likes of David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Michael Owen and Shearer in the England starting side. Shearer`s 53rd-minute header from a Beckham free kick nevertheless had the nation rejoicing in an unheard of win over the Germans and had them well-placed to advance from the group. That remained the case until the last minute of their final game against Romania when they conceded a last-minute penalty that enabled Romania to snatch a 3-2 win that sent them through at England`s expense. The joy of the win over Germany was immediately forgotten, and the fact that the Germans were hammered 3-0 by Portugal to finish bottom of the group merely left the Charleroi success looking even more irrelevant. Four months later Germany won a 2002 World Cup qualifier at Wembley, sparking the resignation of England manager Kevin Keegan. Germany had also replaced the hapless Erich Ribbeck and, shamed by their Euros exit, had begun a root and branch review of their footballing development structure. There was a considerable bump in the road when they were hammered 5-1 at home by England in the reverse qualifier in Munich in 2001, but it was the Germans who kicked on to reach the 2002 World Cup final, as England went out in the last 16. That revolution of their youth system effectively delivered the team that won the 2014 World Cup, as England continued to fail to get past the quarter-finals anywhere. The teams` last competitive meeting was in the last 16 of the 2010 World Cup and though England fell apart to lose 4-1, there remains a major "what if" consideration after Frank Lampard`s clear goal that would have made it 2-2 early in the second half was ruled not to have crossed the line after bouncing down off the bar. That decision, just as the one in England`s favour for Geoff Hurst`s goal in 1966 final, will be endlessly discussed along with all the penalty shoot-outs as fans prepare for Tuesday`s game. Charleroi 2000 may get less of an airing.

Euro 2020 - England's forgotten Euros win over Germany

In spite of there being an authentic satiate of mouth-watering matches hurled by the notions of the framework in the UEFA Euro 2020 pre-quarterfinals, the one match everybody looked forward to was England versus Germany.&nbsp;

The celebrated history of the England-Germany football contention returns ages and comprises various epic clashes at the most terrific phase of the game. From celebration to distress, from brightness to discussion, this match between two of the behemoths of the game has seen everything.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/euro-2020-englands-forgotten-euros-win-over-germany-394543" hreflang="en">Euro 2020-England's forgotten Euros win over Germany</a>

Both England and Germany have plenty of skilled players in their positions.&nbsp;

<h3>Head-to-Head</h3>

Germany enjoys a minimal upper hand over England to the extent of the head-to-head record is concerned and have won 15 matches out of an aggregate of 32 games played between the two groups. England have overseen 13 triumphs against Germany and can cause inconvenience to their rivals.&nbsp;

The last match between the two European heavyweights occurred in 2017 and finished in a 0-0 impasse. The two teams have gone through advances as of late and should demonstrate their determination in this match.&nbsp;

<h3>England vs Germany</h3>

England have always lost a Euro knock-out match inside an hour and a half and will be determined to remedying their course against Germany. England have additionally lost three of the four knock-out matches that have been settled on penalties, with their past rout broadly incurred by Italy at Euro 2012.&nbsp;

Harry Kane had a brilliant 2020-21 season with Tottenham. The striker scored 23 goals in 35 matches and dominated the Premier League Golden Boot. Nonetheless, he has battled at Euro 2020 and is yet to score or record a help up until this point.&nbsp;

With Harry Kane not scoring for England, Raheem Sterling has demonstrated to be the player who can have an effect at Euro 2020. Gareth Southgate will trust he will do so again against Germany.&nbsp;

Germany have neglected to keep a clean sheet in their last eight games in international tournaments. &nbsp;

As Germany's top scorer at Euro 2020, Kai Havertz will be a player to pay special mind to in the impending game against England. Having begun in each and every game so far, Kai Havertz is plainly a crucial part of Germany's team and is probably going to keep his spot in the starting XI on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Toni Kroos will again call the shots in midfield for Germany in this UEFA Euro 2020 conflict. He will hope to release Robin Gosens or Joshua Kimmich down the wings. He has again amassed a 90% pass percentage regardless of this not being a vintage German team.

<h3>Prediction</h3>

England have more force right now, yet question marks over Gareth Southgate's framework and strategic nous remain, especially against significant level rivals.&nbsp;

All things considered, Germany are not the power side it used to be, and this ought to be a decent possibility for England to profit by a squeaking German defense.

This vows to be a nail-biting clash between two of Euro 2020s toughest groups, and it'll presumably be chosen by one goal, best case scenario.

In spite of there being an authentic satiate of mouth-watering matches hurled by the notions of the framework in the UEFA Euro 2020 pre-quarterfinals, the one match everybody looked forward to was England versus Germany.

In spite of there being an authentic satiate of mouth-watering matches hurled by the notions of the framework in the UEFA Euro 2020 pre-quarterfinals, the one match everybody looked forward to was England versus Germany. The celebrated history of the England-Germany football contention returns ages and comprises various epic clashes at the most terrific phase of the game. From celebration to distress, from brightness to discussion, this match between two of the behemoths of the game has seen everything. ALSO READ: Euro 2020-England's forgotten Euros win over Germany Both England and Germany have plenty of skilled players in their positions. Head-to-Head Germany enjoys a minimal upper hand over England to the extent of the head-to-head record is concerned and have won 15 matches out of an aggregate of 32 games played between the two groups. England have overseen 13 triumphs against Germany and can cause inconvenience to their rivals. The last match between the two European heavyweights occurred in 2017 and finished in a 0-0 impasse. The two teams have gone through advances as of late and should demonstrate their determination in this match. England vs Germany England have always lost a Euro knock-out match inside an hour and a half and will be determined to remedying their course against Germany. England have additionally lost three of the four knock-out matches that have been settled on penalties, with their past rout broadly incurred by Italy at Euro 2012. Harry Kane had a brilliant 2020-21 season with Tottenham. The striker scored 23 goals in 35 matches and dominated the Premier League Golden Boot. Nonetheless, he has battled at Euro 2020 and is yet to score or record a help up until this point. With Harry Kane not scoring for England, Raheem Sterling has demonstrated to be the player who can have an effect at Euro 2020. Gareth Southgate will trust he will do so again against Germany. Germany have neglected to keep a clean sheet in their last eight games in international tournaments. As Germany's top scorer at Euro 2020, Kai Havertz will be a player to pay special mind to in the impending game against England. Having begun in each and every game so far, Kai Havertz is plainly a crucial part of Germany's team and is probably going to keep his spot in the starting XI on Tuesday. Toni Kroos will again call the shots in midfield for Germany in this UEFA Euro 2020 conflict. He will hope to release Robin Gosens or Joshua Kimmich down the wings. He has again amassed a 90% pass percentage regardless of this not being a vintage German team. Prediction England have more force right now, yet question marks over Gareth Southgate's framework and strategic nous remain, especially against significant level rivals. All things considered, Germany are not the power side it used to be, and this ought to be a decent possibility for England to profit by a squeaking German defense. This vows to be a nail-biting clash between two of Euro 2020s toughest groups, and it'll presumably be chosen by one goal, best case scenario.

Euro 2020: England and Germany bolt horns in a mouth-watering clash at Wembley Stadium

Coach Gareth Southgate said England's past defeats to Germany at major tournaments have no bearing on Tuesday's Euro 2020 last-16 game and his players will go into the match focused on their own performance.

England have not defeated Germany in the knockout match of a major tournament since the 1966 World Cup final, losing at the 1990 World Cup, 1996 Euros and 2010 World Cup, the first two defeats coming after shoot-outs in the semi-finals.

Southgate, who missed the crucial spot-kick in their Euro 96 loss, said history meant little to his young squad.

"I don't need to demystify it. The history is an irrelevance for them," Southgate told ITV Sport.

"Of course, they are watching that stuff and getting a bit of an understanding of it but it's not something we're speaking to them about.

"This team has put down lots of historical performances in the last couple of years, made their own history, made their own stories and this is how they should view this game."

England have never won a knockout match over 90 minutes at the Euros. Four of their knockout stage games went to shootouts and England progressed only once -- against Spain at Wembley in 1996.

"It's an opportunity," Southgate added. "We've only won one knockout match in a European Championship as a country, so they've got a great chance to go and be the first team since 1996 to do that."

The winner of Tuesday's game will face either Sweden or Ukraine in the quarter-finals on Saturday.

Coach Gareth Southgate said England's past defeats to Germany at major tournaments have no bearing on Tuesday's Euro 2020 last-16 game and his players will go into the match focused on their own performance.

Coach Gareth Southgate said England's past defeats to Germany at major tournaments have no bearing on Tuesday's Euro 2020 last-16 game and his players will go into the match focused on their own performance. England have not defeated Germany in the knockout match of a major tournament since the 1966 World Cup final, losing at the 1990 World Cup, 1996 Euros and 2010 World Cup, the first two defeats coming after shoot-outs in the semi-finals. Southgate, who missed the crucial spot-kick in their Euro 96 loss, said history meant little to his young squad. "I don't need to demystify it. The history is an irrelevance for them," Southgate told ITV Sport. "Of course, they are watching that stuff and getting a bit of an understanding of it but it's not something we're speaking to them about. "This team has put down lots of historical performances in the last couple of years, made their own history, made their own stories and this is how they should view this game." England have never won a knockout match over 90 minutes at the Euros. Four of their knockout stage games went to shootouts and England progressed only once -- against Spain at Wembley in 1996. "It's an opportunity," Southgate added. "We've only won one knockout match in a European Championship as a country, so they've got a great chance to go and be the first team since 1996 to do that." The winner of Tuesday's game will face either Sweden or Ukraine in the quarter-finals on Saturday.

Football: Past defeats to Germany are irrelevant, says Gareth Southgate

England will be completely focused and well prepared if their European Championship last-16 meeting with Germany on Tuesday goes into a penalty shootout, said defender John Stones.

The team banished a decades-long curse of failing in penalty shootouts with a nail-biting 4-3 round-of-16 victory over Colombia in the 2018 World Cup, where they finished fourth.

"With how we do it now, we've been practicing so much," Stones was quoted as saying by the BBC. "We've been practicing on keeping the clear focus of what to do if your turn comes up."

Memories of England's Euro 1996 semi-final defeat by Germany on penalties are still fresh for some supporters, but Stones said the team would leave nothing to chance.

"I remember being seventh in the World Cup (against Colombia in 2018) after Eric Dier. That was a scary moment," Stones said.

"Unless it's Harry Kane or the boys who take penalties for their clubs regularly, it's a zone that we've not stepped into before.

"But I was ready because of this process that we've always talked about. It's about making you as comfortable as possible in that situation."

England finished at the top of Group D in Euro 2020 with seven points. Stones said his side was eager to continue their progress to "change the way the nation looks at the team and English&nbsp;football."

"I think we've taken massive strides in that since 2018 and it's about doing it again. I don't think we should put any more pressure on ourselves," Stones said.

"There's a trophy to be won here that's never been won before, and we should be super excited by that and go in with that fearlessness that we've had over these years."

England will be completely focused and well prepared if their European Championship last-16 meeting with Germany on Tuesday goes into a penalty shootout, said defender John Stones.

England will be completely focused and well prepared if their European Championship last-16 meeting with Germany on Tuesday goes into a penalty shootout, said defender John Stones. The team banished a decades-long curse of failing in penalty shootouts with a nail-biting 4-3 round-of-16 victory over Colombia in the 2018 World Cup, where they finished fourth. "With how we do it now, we've been practicing so much," Stones was quoted as saying by the BBC. "We've been practicing on keeping the clear focus of what to do if your turn comes up." Memories of England's Euro 1996 semi-final defeat by Germany on penalties are still fresh for some supporters, but Stones said the team would leave nothing to chance. "I remember being seventh in the World Cup (against Colombia in 2018) after Eric Dier. That was a scary moment," Stones said. "Unless it's Harry Kane or the boys who take penalties for their clubs regularly, it's a zone that we've not stepped into before. "But I was ready because of this process that we've always talked about. It's about making you as comfortable as possible in that situation." England finished at the top of Group D in Euro 2020 with seven points. Stones said his side was eager to continue their progress to "change the way the nation looks at the team and English football." "I think we've taken massive strides in that since 2018 and it's about doing it again. I don't think we should put any more pressure on ourselves," Stones said. "There's a trophy to be won here that's never been won before, and we should be super excited by that and go in with that fearlessness that we've had over these years."

Football: England fully prepared if Germany game goes to penalties, says John Stones

Germany&nbsp;on Friday classed Portugal and Russia as so-called coronavirus variant countries, banning most arrivals from both nations.

From Tuesday, only citizens and residents of&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;will be allowed in from the two countries, with air, rail and bus companies prohibited from transporting other passengers.

Those allowed to enter from Russia and Portugal will be subject to a two-week quarantine, regardless of whether they can provide a negative Covid-19 test.

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Both countries are currently reporting a surge in cases over the Delta variant.

Fourteen other countries have already been placed in&nbsp;Germany's highest-risk "virus variant" category.

They include Britain, India, South Africa and Brazil, where highly transmissible strains of Covid-19 are circulating.

German health authorities have issued repeated warnings about the Delta variant, which was first detected in India and is prevalent in Britain.

Robert Wieler, who heads the disease control agency RKI, has said the Delta variant is expected to become the dominant strain in&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;by the autumn.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday urged fellow EU leaders to take a firm line on travel from Britain to prevent the variant spreading in the bloc.

Germany on Friday classed Portugal and Russia as so-called coronavirus variant countries, banning most arrivals from both nations. From Tuesday, only citizens and residents of Germany will be allowed in from the two countries, with air, rail and bus companies prohibited from transporting other passengers.

Germany on Friday classed Portugal and Russia as so-called coronavirus variant countries, banning most arrivals from both nations. From Tuesday, only citizens and residents of Germany will be allowed in from the two countries, with air, rail and bus companies prohibited from transporting other passengers. Those allowed to enter from Russia and Portugal will be subject to a two-week quarantine, regardless of whether they can provide a negative Covid-19 test. Also Read | Chauvin gets 22 1/2 years in prison for George Floyd's death Both countries are currently reporting a surge in cases over the Delta variant. Fourteen other countries have already been placed in Germany's highest-risk "virus variant" category. They include Britain, India, South Africa and Brazil, where highly transmissible strains of Covid-19 are circulating. German health authorities have issued repeated warnings about the Delta variant, which was first detected in India and is prevalent in Britain. Robert Wieler, who heads the disease control agency RKI, has said the Delta variant is expected to become the dominant strain in Germany by the autumn. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday urged fellow EU leaders to take a firm line on travel from Britain to prevent the variant spreading in the bloc.

Germany bans most travel from Portugal, Russia over variant

Baltic states have rejected a proposal by France and Germany to hold a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Is Europe breaking ranks with the U.S and charting its own policy on Russia? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Merkel & Macron seek summit with Putin

A Somali man killed three people and left five others seriously injured in an "incredibly brutal" knife rampage in the southern German city of Wuerzburg.

The 24-year-old suspect staged the attack in the city centre at around 5 pm (1500 GMT), striking at a household goods store, before hitting a bank.

The man, who has lived in Wuerzburg since 2015, was overpowered after police shot him in the thigh, said Bavaria's interior minister Joachim Herrmann.

The rampage left "three dead, five seriously injured and others injured," said Herrmann, adding, "it is not certain if the most seriously injured will survive".

Investigators have found documentation showing the man "was treated in a psychiatric institution", said Herrmann, but added that he could not detail the length of the stay.

"The police investigation will determine if this was an Islamist act or if it was due to the psychiatric state" of the man, he said.

'Allah Akbar'&nbsp;

A witness had reportedly said the suspect "shouted Allah Akbar" (God is greatest) during what rescuers described as a "really incredibly brutal" attack, said Herrmann.

"That must all be clarified in further interrogations but we have no further indications on the motivations," he added.

Police said however that the suspect was not a known Islamist.

The mass-circulation daily Bild published a photo of the suspect, showing a dark-skinned man wearing a beige, long-sleeved t-shirt with grey trousers and holding a long knife.

Video footage circulating online also showed passers-by trying to stop the suspect using folded chairs.&nbsp;

A crowd of people gave chase before a police car arrived on the scene, one video showed.

Another photo published by Bild showed a police officer handcuffing the suspect.

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Huge police deployment was underway in the city of around 130,000 inhabitants located about 120 kilometres (75 miles) west of Frankfurt.

While the perpetrator's motive has not yet been established,&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;has been on high alert after several deadly Islamist extremist attacks.&nbsp;

Dangerous suspects&nbsp;

Wuerzburg was itself hit five years ago by an axe-wielding man who seriously wounded four people o a train.

The suspect, an Afghan, sought to attack a passerby as he fled before being shot dead by police.

The attack was claimed by the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group.&nbsp;

The deadliest Islamist attack in&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;happened in December 2016 when a jihadist rammed a truck into a Berlin Christmas market killing 12 people.

The Tunisian attacker, a failed asylum-seeker, was an IS supporter.

More recently, one man was killed and another seriously injured in a knife attack in the city of Dresden in October.

A 20-year-old Syrian jihadist in May received a life sentence for the homophobic attack.

Last August, six people were injured in a series of motorway accidents in Berlin in what prosecutors described as a suspected Islamist attack.

Since 2009, German authorities have foiled 17 suspected jihadist attacks -- the majority in 2016, according to the interior ministry.

The number of Islamists considered dangerous in&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;rose sharply between 2015 and 2018, according to security services.&nbsp;

But the numbers have declined since then, with 615 considered dangerous by the latest count compared with 730 in January 2018.

There are also 521 people "who have attracted the attention of the security services but have not yet reached the stage of being considered dangerous".

In 2020, 320 new investigations with a link to the Islamist threat were launched in&nbsp;Germany.&nbsp;

Germany&nbsp;remains a target for jihadist groups, in particular because of its involvement in the coalition fighting IS in Iraq and Syria, and its deployment in Afghanistan since 2001.

The far-right Alternative for&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;(AfD) party has meanwhile charged that Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to allow in more than one million asylum-seekers -- many fleeing Iraq and Syria -- since 2015 has contributed to the heightened security risk.

But beyond Islamist attacks, there have been other knife assaults.

In October 2017, a man randomly attacked passers-by with a knife in central Munich, lightly injuring eight people. Police excluded terrorism as a motive after detaining a suspect.

A Somali man killed three people and left five others seriously injured in an "incredibly brutal" knife rampage in the southern German city of Wuerzburg. The 24-year-old suspect staged the attack in the city centre at around 5 pm (1500 GMT), striking at a household goods store, before hitting a bank.

A Somali man killed three people and left five others seriously injured in an "incredibly brutal" knife rampage in the southern German city of Wuerzburg. The 24-year-old suspect staged the attack in the city centre at around 5 pm (1500 GMT), striking at a household goods store, before hitting a bank. The man, who has lived in Wuerzburg since 2015, was overpowered after police shot him in the thigh, said Bavaria's interior minister Joachim Herrmann. The rampage left "three dead, five seriously injured and others injured," said Herrmann, adding, "it is not certain if the most seriously injured will survive". Investigators have found documentation showing the man "was treated in a psychiatric institution", said Herrmann, but added that he could not detail the length of the stay. "The police investigation will determine if this was an Islamist act or if it was due to the psychiatric state" of the man, he said. 'Allah Akbar' A witness had reportedly said the suspect "shouted Allah Akbar" (God is greatest) during what rescuers described as a "really incredibly brutal" attack, said Herrmann. "That must all be clarified in further interrogations but we have no further indications on the motivations," he added. Police said however that the suspect was not a known Islamist. The mass-circulation daily Bild published a photo of the suspect, showing a dark-skinned man wearing a beige, long-sleeved t-shirt with grey trousers and holding a long knife. Video footage circulating online also showed passers-by trying to stop the suspect using folded chairs. A crowd of people gave chase before a police car arrived on the scene, one video showed. Another photo published by Bild showed a police officer handcuffing the suspect. Also Read | Chauvin gets 22 1/2 years in prison for George Floyd's death Huge police deployment was underway in the city of around 130,000 inhabitants located about 120 kilometres (75 miles) west of Frankfurt. While the perpetrator's motive has not yet been established, Germany has been on high alert after several deadly Islamist extremist attacks. Dangerous suspects Wuerzburg was itself hit five years ago by an axe-wielding man who seriously wounded four people o a train. The suspect, an Afghan, sought to attack a passerby as he fled before being shot dead by police. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group. The deadliest Islamist attack in Germany happened in December 2016 when a jihadist rammed a truck into a Berlin Christmas market killing 12 people. The Tunisian attacker, a failed asylum-seeker, was an IS supporter. More recently, one man was killed and another seriously injured in a knife attack in the city of Dresden in October. A 20-year-old Syrian jihadist in May received a life sentence for the homophobic attack. Last August, six people were injured in a series of motorway accidents in Berlin in what prosecutors described as a suspected Islamist attack. Since 2009, German authorities have foiled 17 suspected jihadist attacks -- the majority in 2016, according to the interior ministry. The number of Islamists considered dangerous in Germany rose sharply between 2015 and 2018, according to security services. But the numbers have declined since then, with 615 considered dangerous by the latest count compared with 730 in January 2018. There are also 521 people "who have attracted the attention of the security services but have not yet reached the stage of being considered dangerous". In 2020, 320 new investigations with a link to the Islamist threat were launched in Germany. Germany remains a target for jihadist groups, in particular because of its involvement in the coalition fighting IS in Iraq and Syria, and its deployment in Afghanistan since 2001. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has meanwhile charged that Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to allow in more than one million asylum-seekers -- many fleeing Iraq and Syria -- since 2015 has contributed to the heightened security risk. But beyond Islamist attacks, there have been other knife assaults. In October 2017, a man randomly attacked passers-by with a knife in central Munich, lightly injuring eight people. Police excluded terrorism as a motive after detaining a suspect.

Somali kills three in 'brutal' Germany knife attack

European Union leaders rejected a proposal by France and Germany to restart talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Poland which opposed the talks said such a move will send a 'wrong message'.

EU leaders rejects France & Germany's proposal for talks with Putin

European Union leaders failed to agree on a proposal by&nbsp;France&nbsp;and&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;to hold a&nbsp;summit&nbsp;soon with&nbsp;Russian President Vladimir Putin&nbsp;after&nbsp;Poland and Baltic countries said it would send the wrong message as East-West ties deteriorate.

After&nbsp;U.S. President Joe Biden met&nbsp;Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva on June 16, French President Emmanuel Macron said the first&nbsp;EU&nbsp;summit&nbsp;with Putin since January 2014 would be "a dialogue to defend our interests". He insisted the&nbsp;EU&nbsp;could not only be reactive in its diplomacy with&nbsp;Russia.

But&nbsp;after&nbsp;late-night talks at their meeting in Brussels, the 27&nbsp;EU&nbsp;leaders failed to reach an agreement, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said early on Friday.

"It was a very comprehensive discussion and not an easy one," she told reporters. "There was no agreement today on an immediate leaders' meeting," she said.

EU&nbsp;summits with&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;ended&nbsp;after&nbsp;Moscow annexed Ukraine's Crimea peninsula in March 2014 and the West imposed sanctions.

While Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said he supported the Franco-German proposal, many other leaders were opposed.

"It was a common position of many leaders" not to change the stance on&nbsp;Russia, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said&nbsp;after&nbsp;the meeting broke up. He earlier said the idea was like "trying to engage the bear to keep a pot of honey safe".

Latvia's Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins said the&nbsp;EU&nbsp;risked rewarding&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;with a&nbsp;summit&nbsp;even though diplomacy has failed to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine with&nbsp;Russian-backed separatists.

Instead,&nbsp;EU&nbsp;leaders fell back to a familiar position of warning of more sanctions on Moscow if it continued what the&nbsp;EU&nbsp;says is a&nbsp;Russian policy of disinformation, cyber and covert attacks and interference to try to divide the bloc.

Russia&nbsp;denies any wrongdoing.

In a&nbsp;summit&nbsp;statement, leaders called on the&nbsp;European Commission and the&nbsp;EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell "to present options for additional restrictive measures, including economic sanctions" against&nbsp;Russia.

The&nbsp;EU&nbsp;has sanctions on the&nbsp;Russian energy, financial and arms sectors and individual sanctions on&nbsp;Russians accused of human rights abuses and for using banned chemical weapons.

Diplomats say further sanctions could target&nbsp;Russian money laundering or powerful oligarchs suspected of serious corruption abroad, as non-EU&nbsp;member Britain did for the first time in April.

SEARCH FOR DIALOGUE

Macron had tried in September 2019 to seek less frosty ties with Putin, without success, and&nbsp;Germany's outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel met Putin in Moscow in January 2020. Putin held a phone call with&nbsp;European Council President Charles Michel, who chairs&nbsp;EU&nbsp;summits, on June 7 this year.

France&nbsp;and&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;want to be able to work with&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;on combating climate change and to find ways to stabilise relations. Merkel said even without a&nbsp;summit: "Formats will be explored ... under which dialogues can be started."

Many&nbsp;EU&nbsp;countries are concerned that the Kremlin does not take the bloc seriously after&nbsp;Borrell was publicly humiliated in February by the Kremlin.&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;expelled&nbsp;EU&nbsp;diplomats during Borrell's visit to Moscow without warning.

Lithuania's Nauseda said: "We should be extremely cautious, this is not like the relationship of&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;with the United States".

While&nbsp;France&nbsp;is a nuclear power, the&nbsp;EU&nbsp;relies on NATO for its territorial defence and takes decisions among 27 states, making it easier for the Kremlin to exploit divisions.

The Kremlin earlier welcomed the idea of a&nbsp;summit, saying both Brussels and Moscow needed dialogue, although&nbsp;Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he wanted more details.

On opposing sides in standoffs in Ukraine and Belarus, and at odds over human rights, the&nbsp;EU&nbsp;and&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;accuse each other of threatening security and stability from the Baltics to the Black Sea.

The&nbsp;EU&nbsp;on Thursday imposed economic sanctions on Belarus, an ally of&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;that the Kremlin sees as a buffer state between&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;and NATO.

European Union leaders failed to agree on a proposal by France and Germany to hold a summit soon with Russian President Vladimir Putin after Poland and Baltic countries said it would send the wrong message as East-West ties deteriorate.

European Union leaders failed to agree on a proposal by France and Germany to hold a summit soon with Russian President Vladimir Putin after Poland and Baltic countries said it would send the wrong message as East-West ties deteriorate. After U.S. President Joe Biden met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva on June 16, French President Emmanuel Macron said the first EU summit with Putin since January 2014 would be "a dialogue to defend our interests". He insisted the EU could not only be reactive in its diplomacy with Russia. But after late-night talks at their meeting in Brussels, the 27 EU leaders failed to reach an agreement, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said early on Friday. "It was a very comprehensive discussion and not an easy one," she told reporters. "There was no agreement today on an immediate leaders' meeting," she said. EU summits with Russia ended after Moscow annexed Ukraine's Crimea peninsula in March 2014 and the West imposed sanctions. While Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said he supported the Franco-German proposal, many other leaders were opposed. "It was a common position of many leaders" not to change the stance on Russia, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said after the meeting broke up. He earlier said the idea was like "trying to engage the bear to keep a pot of honey safe". Latvia's Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins said the EU risked rewarding Russia with a summit even though diplomacy has failed to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine with Russian-backed separatists. Instead, EU leaders fell back to a familiar position of warning of more sanctions on Moscow if it continued what the EU says is a Russian policy of disinformation, cyber and covert attacks and interference to try to divide the bloc. Russia denies any wrongdoing. In a summit statement, leaders called on the European Commission and the EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell "to present options for additional restrictive measures, including economic sanctions" against Russia. The EU has sanctions on the Russian energy, financial and arms sectors and individual sanctions on Russians accused of human rights abuses and for using banned chemical weapons. Diplomats say further sanctions could target Russian money laundering or powerful oligarchs suspected of serious corruption abroad, as non-EU member Britain did for the first time in April. SEARCH FOR DIALOGUE Macron had tried in September 2019 to seek less frosty ties with Putin, without success, and Germany's outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel met Putin in Moscow in January 2020. Putin held a phone call with European Council President Charles Michel, who chairs EU summits, on June 7 this year. France and Germany want to be able to work with Russia on combating climate change and to find ways to stabilise relations. Merkel said even without a summit: "Formats will be explored ... under which dialogues can be started." Many EU countries are concerned that the Kremlin does not take the bloc seriously after Borrell was publicly humiliated in February by the Kremlin. Russia expelled EU diplomats during Borrell's visit to Moscow without warning. Lithuania's Nauseda said: "We should be extremely cautious, this is not like the relationship of Russia with the United States". While France is a nuclear power, the EU relies on NATO for its territorial defence and takes decisions among 27 states, making it easier for the Kremlin to exploit divisions. The Kremlin earlier welcomed the idea of a summit, saying both Brussels and Moscow needed dialogue, although Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he wanted more details. On opposing sides in standoffs in Ukraine and Belarus, and at odds over human rights, the EU and Russia accuse each other of threatening security and stability from the Baltics to the Black Sea. The EU on Thursday imposed economic sanctions on Belarus, an ally of Russia that the Kremlin sees as a buffer state between Russia and NATO.

France, Germany drop plans for Russia summit after EU outcry

Germany and France are pushing EU counterparts to consider a summit with Russian leader Vladimir&nbsp;Putin&nbsp;as the bloc weighs its strategy to keep Moscow in check, diplomats said Wednesday.

The EU's 27 leaders are set to discuss ties with its vast eastern neighbour at a meeting on Thursday as Brussels admits that relations with the Kremlin have reached their "lowest level".&nbsp;

Berlin and Paris put forward a last-minute proposal for the bloc to contemplate a potential summit in the wake of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">US President Joe Biden's</a> sit-down with&nbsp;Putin&nbsp;in Geneva last week.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-putin-summit-takeaways-respect-optimism-and-some-scepticism-392063">Biden-Putin summit takeaways: Respect, optimism, and some scepticism</a>

But there remains opposition from numerous EU members states, especially in eastern Europe -- wary of talking to the Kremlin.&nbsp;

EU ambassadors were set to hold a meeting late Wednesday evening to try to thrash out a common position.&nbsp;

"The EU must stand firm and establish a counterbalance against Russia. It must also put itself in a position to resist, in particular, cyberattacks. And it must be able to engage in dialogue with Russia on the subjects for which it has interests," one European diplomat argued.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/if-you-want-peace-prepare-for-war-russia-ready-to-cut-ties-with-eu-over-sanctions-asserts-lavrov-363130">'If you want peace, prepare for war': Russia ready to cut ties with EU over sanctions, asserts Lavrov</a>

"But there is a question over the format for this dialogue. How to conduct this dialogue? At what level? Through what channel? And what role should be given to the EU institutions."

Another diplomat insisted that it was "premature" to talk about a meeting with the Russian leader.&nbsp;

"Why have a summit with&nbsp;Putin&nbsp;if there is nothing positive to discuss," the diplomat said.&nbsp;

Ties between the EU and Russia have been in the doldrums since the Kremlin annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

The bloc has slapped waves of sanctions on Moscow, and Russia has responded with its own counter-measures.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-warns-will-retaliate-if-eu-imposes-new-sanctions-over-navalny-362989">Russia warns will retaliate if EU imposes new sanctions over Navalny</a>

The last summit between EU chiefs in Brussels and&nbsp;Putin&nbsp;took place in early 2014, with the Kremlin strongman preferring to deal bilaterally with individual nations since then.&nbsp;

While the German-French proposal mooted engagement with Moscow, it also made clear the bloc needed to remain united in the face of Russian aggression.&nbsp;

Proposed summit conclusions seen by AFP said there needs "a firm and coordinated response by the EU and the Member States to Russia's malign activities, making full use of all instruments at the EU's disposal, and ensuring coordination with other partners."

The draft statement said that leaders would task EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell "to present options for additional adequate and effective economic sanctions against responsible parties in reaction to destabilising actions by Russia".

Germany and France are pushing EU counterparts to consider a summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin as the bloc weighs its strategy to keep Moscow in check, diplomats said Wednesday.

Germany and France are pushing EU counterparts to consider a summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin as the bloc weighs its strategy to keep Moscow in check, diplomats said Wednesday. The EU's 27 leaders are set to discuss ties with its vast eastern neighbour at a meeting on Thursday as Brussels admits that relations with the Kremlin have reached their "lowest level". Berlin and Paris put forward a last-minute proposal for the bloc to contemplate a potential summit in the wake of US President Joe Biden's sit-down with Putin in Geneva last week. Also read | Biden-Putin summit takeaways: Respect, optimism, and some scepticism But there remains opposition from numerous EU members states, especially in eastern Europe -- wary of talking to the Kremlin. EU ambassadors were set to hold a meeting late Wednesday evening to try to thrash out a common position. "The EU must stand firm and establish a counterbalance against Russia. It must also put itself in a position to resist, in particular, cyberattacks. And it must be able to engage in dialogue with Russia on the subjects for which it has interests," one European diplomat argued. Also read | 'If you want peace, prepare for war': Russia ready to cut ties with EU over sanctions, asserts Lavrov "But there is a question over the format for this dialogue. How to conduct this dialogue? At what level? Through what channel? And what role should be given to the EU institutions." Another diplomat insisted that it was "premature" to talk about a meeting with the Russian leader. "Why have a summit with Putin if there is nothing positive to discuss," the diplomat said. Ties between the EU and Russia have been in the doldrums since the Kremlin annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. The bloc has slapped waves of sanctions on Moscow, and Russia has responded with its own counter-measures. Also read | Russia warns will retaliate if EU imposes new sanctions over Navalny The last summit between EU chiefs in Brussels and Putin took place in early 2014, with the Kremlin strongman preferring to deal bilaterally with individual nations since then. While the German-French proposal mooted engagement with Moscow, it also made clear the bloc needed to remain united in the face of Russian aggression. Proposed summit conclusions seen by AFP said there needs "a firm and coordinated response by the EU and the Member States to Russia's malign activities, making full use of all instruments at the EU's disposal, and ensuring coordination with other partners." The draft statement said that leaders would task EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell "to present options for additional adequate and effective economic sanctions against responsible parties in reaction to destabilising actions by Russia".

Germany, France propose EU-Russia summit: Diplomats

A late Leon Goretzka goal salvaged a 2-2 draw for Germany against Hungary on Wednesday night, in a whip-saw contest that sets the Germans up for a June 29 Round of 16 match against England at Wembley.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-england-get-the-job-done-with-1-0-win-over-czechs-at-euro-2020-393281" hreflang="en">Football: England get the job done with 1-0 win over Czechs at Euro 2020</a>

The Germans were teetering on the brink of another shock tournament exit after Adam Szalai's diving header in the 11th minute had put Hungary in front.

Kai Havertz eventually drew Germany level in the 66th minute, only for Hungary to retake the lead seconds after the re-start as Andras Schaefer ran onto a pass and headed in.

Goretzka bagged the crucial equaliser in the 84th minute to send Germany through in second place behind France in Group F on four points.

"We made mistakes but we fought, showed character," said Germany coach Joachim Loew. "It was not for the faint-hearted. At the end to come through this group was good and that was the aim."

"What matters is that we are through. Now we play with England and we can look forward to that match," he said. "It is an absolute highlight to play at Wembley against England. We will be a different team than tonight, I can promise you that."

The run-up to the game had been overshadowed by UEFA's refusal to allow the stadium to be lit in rainbow colours to oppose a Hungarian anti-LGBTQ law, and a protester waving a rainbow flag invaded the pitch ahead of kickoff.

It was all business for the hosts once the whistle was blown, however, as they were desperate to avoid a repeat of their 2018 World Cup debacle, with Joshua Kimmich testing keeper Peter Gulacsi after three minutes.

HUNGARY LEAD

But it was the Hungarians who then stunned the home crowd with Szalai's diving header.

The Germans had close to 70% possession in the first half and Mats Hummels hit the crossbar with a powerful header, but other than that they showed little of the attacking spark they demonstrated in their 4-2 win over Portugal.

Germany, who had never gone out at the group stage of consecutive major tournaments, showed nerves as their game gradually became more and more scrappy.

It was also a scrappy goal that brought them level, with Gulacsi failing to connect with a Kimmich free-kick, Hummels heading the ball on and Havertz nodding in.

But as the German fans celebrated in the stands, Hungary scored straight after the restart, with Szalai lofting the ball into the German half and Schaefer lunging forward and heading it past keeper Manuel Neuer.

With Hungary defending desperately to protect their spot in the knockout stages, Toni Kroos tried his luck from a tight angle but his effort flashed wide.

The German pressure finally paid off in the 84th when substitute Jamal Musiala cut the ball in the box and fellow substitute Goretzka drilled it home to avoid another tournament fiasco for the Germans and set up a mouth-watering round of 16 match against England at Wembley.

For Hungary, it was a bitter end to the tournament.

"It is difficult to find words," Gulacsi said. "We played a good game, Germany dominated but we scored two goals. We were unlucky. This is very bitter."

A late Leon Goretzka goal salvaged a 2-2 draw for Germany against Hungary on Wednesday night, in a whip-saw contest that sets the Germans up for a June 29 Round of 16 match against England at Wembley.

A late Leon Goretzka goal salvaged a 2-2 draw for Germany against Hungary on Wednesday night, in a whip-saw contest that sets the Germans up for a June 29 Round of 16 match against England at Wembley. ALSO READ: Football: England get the job done with 1-0 win over Czechs at Euro 2020 The Germans were teetering on the brink of another shock tournament exit after Adam Szalai's diving header in the 11th minute had put Hungary in front. Kai Havertz eventually drew Germany level in the 66th minute, only for Hungary to retake the lead seconds after the re-start as Andras Schaefer ran onto a pass and headed in. Goretzka bagged the crucial equaliser in the 84th minute to send Germany through in second place behind France in Group F on four points. "We made mistakes but we fought, showed character," said Germany coach Joachim Loew. "It was not for the faint-hearted. At the end to come through this group was good and that was the aim." "What matters is that we are through. Now we play with England and we can look forward to that match," he said. "It is an absolute highlight to play at Wembley against England. We will be a different team than tonight, I can promise you that." The run-up to the game had been overshadowed by UEFA's refusal to allow the stadium to be lit in rainbow colours to oppose a Hungarian anti-LGBTQ law, and a protester waving a rainbow flag invaded the pitch ahead of kickoff. It was all business for the hosts once the whistle was blown, however, as they were desperate to avoid a repeat of their 2018 World Cup debacle, with Joshua Kimmich testing keeper Peter Gulacsi after three minutes. HUNGARY LEAD But it was the Hungarians who then stunned the home crowd with Szalai's diving header. The Germans had close to 70% possession in the first half and Mats Hummels hit the crossbar with a powerful header, but other than that they showed little of the attacking spark they demonstrated in their 4-2 win over Portugal. Germany, who had never gone out at the group stage of consecutive major tournaments, showed nerves as their game gradually became more and more scrappy. It was also a scrappy goal that brought them level, with Gulacsi failing to connect with a Kimmich free-kick, Hummels heading the ball on and Havertz nodding in. But as the German fans celebrated in the stands, Hungary scored straight after the restart, with Szalai lofting the ball into the German half and Schaefer lunging forward and heading it past keeper Manuel Neuer. With Hungary defending desperately to protect their spot in the knockout stages, Toni Kroos tried his luck from a tight angle but his effort flashed wide. The German pressure finally paid off in the 84th when substitute Jamal Musiala cut the ball in the box and fellow substitute Goretzka drilled it home to avoid another tournament fiasco for the Germans and set up a mouth-watering round of 16 match against England at Wembley. For Hungary, it was a bitter end to the tournament. "It is difficult to find words," Gulacsi said. "We played a good game, Germany dominated but we scored two goals. We were unlucky. This is very bitter."

Euro 2020: Late Goretzka equaliser against Hungary sends Germany into last 16

The German government in 2019 approved a proposal by the Central Council of Jews to restore religious counseling for Jews serving in the armed forces.

Germany gets 1st military rabbi in over a century

German chancellor Angela Merkel has received Moderna shot as her second dose of Coronavirus vaccine. Merkel was administered with AstraZeneca jab for her first dose. The 66-year-old took her first dose in April, more than two weeks after German authorities recommended the use of AstraZeneca jab only for people aged 60 and above.

Angela Merkel administered with Moderna jab during second dose after having AstraZeneca as first

German federal prosecutors said Monday they had arrested a Russian scientist accused of passing sensitive information from a German university to Moscow in return for cash.

They said in a statement the suspect, identified only as Ilnur N, had been taken into custody on Friday on suspicion of "working for a Russian secret service since early October 2020 at the latest".

Ilnur N. was employed until the time of his arrest as a research assistant for a natural sciences and technology department at an unnamed German university.

Federal prosecutors believe he met at least three times with a member of Russian intelligence between October 2020 and June 2021. On two occasions he allegedly "passed on information from the university's dominion".

He is suspected of accepting cash payments in exchange for his services.

German authorities searched his home and workplace in the course of the arrest.

The suspect on Saturday appeared before a judge who remanded him in custody.

The case comes at a time of highly strained relations between Russia and Germany on a number of fronts including the ongoing detention of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who received treatment in Berlin after near-fatal poisoning.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's government has also worked to maintain a sanctions regime over Moscow's annexation of the Crimean peninsula, the scene of ongoing fighting between pro-Russia separatists and local forces.

However, despite international criticism, Berlin has forged ahead with plans to finish the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, set to double natural gas supplies from Russia to Germany.

German federal prosecutors said Monday they had arrested a Russian scientist accused of passing sensitive information from a German university to Moscow in return for cash.

German federal prosecutors said Monday they had arrested a Russian scientist accused of passing sensitive information from a German university to Moscow in return for cash. They said in a statement the suspect, identified only as Ilnur N, had been taken into custody on Friday on suspicion of "working for a Russian secret service since early October 2020 at the latest". Ilnur N. was employed until the time of his arrest as a research assistant for a natural sciences and technology department at an unnamed German university. Federal prosecutors believe he met at least three times with a member of Russian intelligence between October 2020 and June 2021. On two occasions he allegedly "passed on information from the university's dominion". He is suspected of accepting cash payments in exchange for his services. German authorities searched his home and workplace in the course of the arrest. The suspect on Saturday appeared before a judge who remanded him in custody. The case comes at a time of highly strained relations between Russia and Germany on a number of fronts including the ongoing detention of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who received treatment in Berlin after near-fatal poisoning. Chancellor Angela Merkel's government has also worked to maintain a sanctions regime over Moscow's annexation of the Crimean peninsula, the scene of ongoing fighting between pro-Russia separatists and local forces. However, despite international criticism, Berlin has forged ahead with plans to finish the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, set to double natural gas supplies from Russia to Germany.

Germany arrests Russian scientist over ‘spying’ for Moscow

Germany will fully support a European pact on migrants, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told Italian daily la Repubblica in an interview published on Monday, adding that progress on the distribution of the burden was finally needed. 
 
"We should find a key for the redistribution of refugees," Maas told the paper, adding that those countries that do not want to participate should contribute in other ways, for example by providing financial means to protect the external borders of the EU. "We must finally make progress in the distribution of the burden." 
 
Maas also said there were talks ongoing to find by August a solution on the Nordstream 2 pipeline, which will allow Russia to bypass Ukraine in transporting gas to Europe. He added alternatives to the Silk Road were needed to curb China's influence in the world. 
 
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi is due to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel later on Monday.

Germany will fully support a European pact on migrants, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told Italian daily la Repubblica in an interview published on Monday, adding that progress on the distribution of the burden was finally needed.

Germany will fully support a European pact on migrants, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told Italian daily la Repubblica in an interview published on Monday, adding that progress on the distribution of the burden was finally needed. "We should find a key for the redistribution of refugees," Maas told the paper, adding that those countries that do not want to participate should contribute in other ways, for example by providing financial means to protect the external borders of the EU. "We must finally make progress in the distribution of the burden." Maas also said there were talks ongoing to find by August a solution on the Nordstream 2 pipeline, which will allow Russia to bypass Ukraine in transporting gas to Europe. He added alternatives to the Silk Road were needed to curb China's influence in the world. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi is due to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel later on Monday.

Germany will fully support a European migrant pact: Foreign minister to paper

Three-times European champions Germany shrugged off their opening game loss and announced their arrival as serious contenders at Euro 2020 with an emphatic 4-2 win over highly-rated&nbsp;Portugal&nbsp;in their Group F match on Saturday.

The Germans had been beaten by world champions France in their opener prompting serious questions over their ability to make a challenge in this tournament but Joachim Loew's side responded to the pressure with an outstanding performance.

Cristiano Ronaldo had given the defending champions a 15th minute lead with his 107th international strike but Germany went in at the break 2-1 up thanks to own goals from Ruben Dias and Raphael Guerreiro.

The Germans turned on the style in the second half with efforts from Kai Havertz and the impressive Robin Gosens making it 4-1 before Diogo Jota pulled a goal back for&nbsp;Portugal.

The result throws the 'Group of Death' wide-open and gives Germany a strong chance of progressing to the last 16.

Germany, who face Hungary in their final game in Munich, move into second place in the group on three points, a point behind leaders France and level on points with the Portuguese. Hungary drew 1-1 with France earlier on Saturday.

It was not merely the result that suggested some pundits were wrong to write off Germany - the fluency of their passing, the killer crosses and the intelligent running was a reminder of the enduring qualities of German football that has delivered so much success on the biggest stages.

"Overall it was an outstanding performance from the team, great attitude, great spirit, we had many chances, outstanding," said Loew.

STRONG START

Germany started with purpose and confidence and thought they had grabbed the lead in the fifth minute through Gosens but VAR ruled that Serge Gnabry had been in an offside position.

Against the run of play,&nbsp;Portugal&nbsp;grabbed the early lead, hitting the Germans on the break with Bernardo Silva picking out Jota on the left of the box and his low cross was tapped in from close range by Ronaldo.

It was the&nbsp;Portugal&nbsp;skipper's third goal in two games and his first ever against Germany but Joachim Loew's side kept their cool and continued to play positive football before eventually getting their reward.

The Germans drew level in the 35th minute when Joshua Kimmich's cross from the right was volleyed at the back post by Gosens and flew into the net off the outstretched foot of&nbsp;Portugal&nbsp;defender Dias as he looked to stop Havertz converting.

It was another own goal that gave Germany the lead -- Kimmich drove in a low ball from the right and Guerreiro's attempted clearance flew past his goalkeeper Rui Patricio.

Portugal&nbsp;replaced Bernardo Silva with Renato Sanches at the break but Germany took a firm grip on the game with a third goal six minutes after the restart -- a well-worked passing move ending with Havertz turning in a low ball from the left delivered by the influential Gosens.

GERMANY BUZZING

Germany were buzzing now and it was no surprise when they made it 4-1 on the hour with Gosens finishing off another well constructed attack, heading home a Kimmich cross at the far post.

Portugal&nbsp;struck back quickly though when a deep free-kick from Guerreiro looked to be heading out but Ronaldo acrobatically hooked the ball inside to Jota who slotted home.

Sanches fired a warning of a potential comeback when he thundered a long distance drive against the woodwork but Germany's victory was never really in doubt.

The threat from the wide areas was particularly impressive with Gosens dynamic on the left and Kimmich impressive on the right while Havertz's ability to ghost into space was never neutralised by the&nbsp;Portugal&nbsp;defence.

"We wanted better movement up front. From the start there was tempo, good combinations, from the wings with Kimmich and Gosens... that was our plan and it worked," said Loew.

Despite a 3-0 win over Hungary in their opening game,&nbsp;Portugal's progress to the last 16 is not secure and they need to take something from their final game against France in Budapest.

"Anyone can progress. This group was always very strong," said&nbsp;Portugal&nbsp;coach Fernando Santos. "Whether we progress or not is still up to us. And we must respond to this."

Three-times European champions Germany shrugged off their opening game loss and announced their arrival as serious contenders at Euro 2020 with an emphatic 4-2 win over highly-rated Portugal in their Group F match on Saturday.

Three-times European champions Germany shrugged off their opening game loss and announced their arrival as serious contenders at Euro 2020 with an emphatic 4-2 win over highly-rated Portugal in their Group F match on Saturday. The Germans had been beaten by world champions France in their opener prompting serious questions over their ability to make a challenge in this tournament but Joachim Loew's side responded to the pressure with an outstanding performance. Cristiano Ronaldo had given the defending champions a 15th minute lead with his 107th international strike but Germany went in at the break 2-1 up thanks to own goals from Ruben Dias and Raphael Guerreiro. The Germans turned on the style in the second half with efforts from Kai Havertz and the impressive Robin Gosens making it 4-1 before Diogo Jota pulled a goal back for Portugal. The result throws the 'Group of Death' wide-open and gives Germany a strong chance of progressing to the last 16. Germany, who face Hungary in their final game in Munich, move into second place in the group on three points, a point behind leaders France and level on points with the Portuguese. Hungary drew 1-1 with France earlier on Saturday. It was not merely the result that suggested some pundits were wrong to write off Germany - the fluency of their passing, the killer crosses and the intelligent running was a reminder of the enduring qualities of German football that has delivered so much success on the biggest stages. "Overall it was an outstanding performance from the team, great attitude, great spirit, we had many chances, outstanding," said Loew. STRONG START Germany started with purpose and confidence and thought they had grabbed the lead in the fifth minute through Gosens but VAR ruled that Serge Gnabry had been in an offside position. Against the run of play, Portugal grabbed the early lead, hitting the Germans on the break with Bernardo Silva picking out Jota on the left of the box and his low cross was tapped in from close range by Ronaldo. It was the Portugal skipper's third goal in two games and his first ever against Germany but Joachim Loew's side kept their cool and continued to play positive football before eventually getting their reward. The Germans drew level in the 35th minute when Joshua Kimmich's cross from the right was volleyed at the back post by Gosens and flew into the net off the outstretched foot of Portugal defender Dias as he looked to stop Havertz converting. It was another own goal that gave Germany the lead -- Kimmich drove in a low ball from the right and Guerreiro's attempted clearance flew past his goalkeeper Rui Patricio. Portugal replaced Bernardo Silva with Renato Sanches at the break but Germany took a firm grip on the game with a third goal six minutes after the restart -- a well-worked passing move ending with Havertz turning in a low ball from the left delivered by the influential Gosens. GERMANY BUZZING Germany were buzzing now and it was no surprise when they made it 4-1 on the hour with Gosens finishing off another well constructed attack, heading home a Kimmich cross at the far post. Portugal struck back quickly though when a deep free-kick from Guerreiro looked to be heading out but Ronaldo acrobatically hooked the ball inside to Jota who slotted home. Sanches fired a warning of a potential comeback when he thundered a long distance drive against the woodwork but Germany's victory was never really in doubt. The threat from the wide areas was particularly impressive with Gosens dynamic on the left and Kimmich impressive on the right while Havertz's ability to ghost into space was never neutralised by the Portugal defence. "We wanted better movement up front. From the start there was tempo, good combinations, from the wings with Kimmich and Gosens... that was our plan and it worked," said Loew. Despite a 3-0 win over Hungary in their opening game, Portugal's progress to the last 16 is not secure and they need to take something from their final game against France in Budapest. "Anyone can progress. This group was always very strong," said Portugal coach Fernando Santos. "Whether we progress or not is still up to us. And we must respond to this."

Euro 2020: Germany bounce back with statement 4-2 win over Portugal

German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer has told the armed forces that reported racist and sexual abuse in a German platoon based in Lithuania has deeply affected their reputation.

German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer has told the armed forces that reported racist and sexual abuse in a German platoon based in Lithuania has deeply affected their reputation. She said the scandal was a "slap in the face" for all those serving in the Bundeswehr. The members of a platoon which is a part of the Nato mission allegedly filmed an incident of sexual assault against another soldier. They also sang anti-Semitic songs. With time, more allegations emerged of sexual and racial abuse in the platoon, including soldiers singing a song to mark Adolf Hitler's birthday on 20 April. Addressing a Bundeswehr officers' academy in Hamburg, the Defense Minister said, "Through their behaviour, these soldiers frivolously put the whole Bundeswehr's reputation at risk". Also Read | Judge under US sanctions set to take over Iran presidency The allegations were first reported by Der Spiegel news and they relate to a party held at a hotel in Lithuania during the end of April. The platoon was part of Nato's "Enhanced Forward Presence". This is a mission that aims at training local soldiers in the three Baltic states and Poland as a deterrent against Russian aggression. There are 620 German troops in Lithuania, leading a Nato battlegroup. Taking to her official Twitter handle, the minister wrote, "The misconduct of some soldiers in Lithuania is a slap in the face of everyone who works in the day after day #Bundeswehrserve the security of our country. The derailments damage the reputation of the Bundeswehr and Germany. That will be punished with all severity". She further mentioned, "In Germany, all necessary investigations and proceedings are continued and the consequences are drawn".

Racism case seen as a threat for the reputation of entire German army

New museum gingerly explores German wartime suffering

One in two Germans have received at least one dose of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine</a>, health authorities said Friday, warning against complacency as the Delta variant is expected to become the dominant strain.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">Covid</a> variant first identified in India, now spreading fast in Britain and elsewhere, has doubled to just over 6 per cent of all new infections in&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;during the week ending June 6 from the previous seven days.

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"By the autumn, it will be the dominant strain," said Lothar Wieler, who heads the disease control agency RKI.&nbsp;

It was "biologically logical" for the strain to become dominant simply because it was more infectious, he said.

Data from Britain, which has one of the fastest vaccination campaigns in the world, show that inoculation helps prevent serious disease.

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Nevertheless, "that is valid only for fully vaccinated people," said Wieler, noting that those who have received only one jab could still catch the variant and spread it.

Around 29 percent of Germans are fully vaccinated.

Germany&nbsp;has eased most restrictions, reopening restaurants, shops, pools and museums in the last weeks as new infections dip sharply.

On Friday, it recorded 1,076 new cases, while the the number of new cases over a seven day period continued to drop to 10 per 100,000 people.

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Wieler said however that it was necessary to keep wearing masks indoors, such as on public transport or at offices.&nbsp;

"We have achieved really good results but the virus is still active and please let us give this virus no chance," he urged.

One in two Germans have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, health authorities said Friday, warning against complacency as the Delta variant is expected to become the dominant strain.

One in two Germans have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, health authorities said Friday, warning against complacency as the Delta variant is expected to become the dominant strain. The Covid variant first identified in India, now spreading fast in Britain and elsewhere, has doubled to just over 6 per cent of all new infections in Germany during the week ending June 6 from the previous seven days. Also read | Dancing like there's no corona: First German nightclub reopens "By the autumn, it will be the dominant strain," said Lothar Wieler, who heads the disease control agency RKI. It was "biologically logical" for the strain to become dominant simply because it was more infectious, he said. Data from Britain, which has one of the fastest vaccination campaigns in the world, show that inoculation helps prevent serious disease. Also read | Germany demands replacement of 60 million contaminated J&J vaccine doses Nevertheless, "that is valid only for fully vaccinated people," said Wieler, noting that those who have received only one jab could still catch the variant and spread it. Around 29 percent of Germans are fully vaccinated. Germany has eased most restrictions, reopening restaurants, shops, pools and museums in the last weeks as new infections dip sharply. On Friday, it recorded 1,076 new cases, while the the number of new cases over a seven day period continued to drop to 10 per 100,000 people. Also read | With decline in covid cases, Germany prepares for concerts, open-air gigs Wieler said however that it was necessary to keep wearing masks indoors, such as on public transport or at offices. "We have achieved really good results but the virus is still active and please let us give this virus no chance," he urged.

Half of Germans have first jab but variant fuels fears

Germany already have their backs to the wall at Euro 2020 after their opening loss to world champions France on Tuesday but they are confident there will be no repeat of their shock first-round exit at the last World Cup.

Defender Mats Hummels' first-half own goal gave France the 1-0 Group F win and leaves three-time champions Germany in need of points from their last two matches against holders Portugal on Saturday and Hungary next week, with both games in Munich again.

"This defeat is very painful, especially for me as my own goal decided the game," said Hummels, who was recalled to the squad for the tournament after having been dropped more than two years ago.

"We obviously know full well that there is room for improvement in our game. But you could see that we want to fight really hard in this tournament, that we want to excite you (the fans) and be successful."

The Germans certainly lacked fighting spirit in Russia three years ago when they were sensationally eliminated in the first round of the World Cup after losing their opening game to Mexico and managing just one win from three group games.

On Tuesday they were up against arguably the most complete team in the world and worked hard until the end to try to turn the game around and avoid a first-ever defeat in a Euro opener.

While they again struggled to carve out clear scoring chances they did deliver a solid second-half performance, earning some praise from German media.

The tournament format with three group matches means that one win could be enough to advance to the knockout stage and midfielder Toni Kroos said there was no point dwelling on the defeat.

"We have to look ahead now," he said. "Obviously when you lose the first game and you only have three then the pressure is always great."

How coach Joachim Loew's team handles this pressure against Portugal might decide their fate.

For midfielder Joshua Kimmich, Germany showed in the defeat to France that they can compete with the best.

"What we did was we showed that we can certainly keep up with top teams at this level," Kimmich said.

"France is one of the title contenders. In the next game, we have to show that we also are one of the title contenders."

Germany already have their backs to the wall at Euro 2020 after their opening loss to world champions France on Tuesday but they are confident there will be no repeat of their shock first-round exit at the last World Cup.

Germany already have their backs to the wall at Euro 2020 after their opening loss to world champions France on Tuesday but they are confident there will be no repeat of their shock first-round exit at the last World Cup. Defender Mats Hummels' first-half own goal gave France the 1-0 Group F win and leaves three-time champions Germany in need of points from their last two matches against holders Portugal on Saturday and Hungary next week, with both games in Munich again. "This defeat is very painful, especially for me as my own goal decided the game," said Hummels, who was recalled to the squad for the tournament after having been dropped more than two years ago. "We obviously know full well that there is room for improvement in our game. But you could see that we want to fight really hard in this tournament, that we want to excite you (the fans) and be successful." The Germans certainly lacked fighting spirit in Russia three years ago when they were sensationally eliminated in the first round of the World Cup after losing their opening game to Mexico and managing just one win from three group games. On Tuesday they were up against arguably the most complete team in the world and worked hard until the end to try to turn the game around and avoid a first-ever defeat in a Euro opener. While they again struggled to carve out clear scoring chances they did deliver a solid second-half performance, earning some praise from German media. The tournament format with three group matches means that one win could be enough to advance to the knockout stage and midfielder Toni Kroos said there was no point dwelling on the defeat. "We have to look ahead now," he said. "Obviously when you lose the first game and you only have three then the pressure is always great." How coach Joachim Loew's team handles this pressure against Portugal might decide their fate. For midfielder Joshua Kimmich, Germany showed in the defeat to France that they can compete with the best. "What we did was we showed that we can certainly keep up with top teams at this level," Kimmich said. "France is one of the title contenders. In the next game, we have to show that we also are one of the title contenders."

Football: Germany already on the back foot after losing opener to France

Germany on Monday refused to accept the underdog tag in their Euro 2020 Group F opener against world champions France on Tuesday, saying they were out to win the game and payback fans for a disappointing World Cup campaign three years ago.

The Germans will play their group matches in Munich and captain Manuel Neuer said their shock 2018 World Cup first-round exit meant they had to make amends in front of a 14,000 home crowd.

With 2014 world champions Thomas Mueller and Mats Hummels back in the squad after more than two years, Germany are going into the tournament with a largely untested team after an overhaul in 2019 was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic and a string of bad results.

The three-time European champions are not among the title favorites this time, unlike France.

"We know France has been successful in the past years," Neuer said. "But we are still a very good team, uncomfortable to play against.

"We have respect for them but we don't see ourselves as the underdogs. We want to win the game here in Munich," he said.

Germany coach Joachim Loew, in his final tournament before stepping down after 15 years in charge, is set to include Leon Goretzka in his squad, with the midfielder having recovered from injury and having trained several times with the team.

Midfielder Jonas Hofmann is not expected to feature.

"What will be important tomorrow is to do what the team has shown in the past 14 days," he said. "That we are brimming with ambition and confidence, that we will go into the one-on-ones and we will throw everything into this game."

Germany also plays European champions Portugal before taking on Hungary in their last group game.

Germany on Monday refused to accept the underdog tag in their Euro 2020 Group F opener against world champions France on Tuesday, saying they were out to win the game and payback fans for a disappointing World Cup campaign three years ago.

Germany on Monday refused to accept the underdog tag in their Euro 2020 Group F opener against world champions France on Tuesday, saying they were out to win the game and payback fans for a disappointing World Cup campaign three years ago. The Germans will play their group matches in Munich and captain Manuel Neuer said their shock 2018 World Cup first-round exit meant they had to make amends in front of a 14,000 home crowd. With 2014 world champions Thomas Mueller and Mats Hummels back in the squad after more than two years, Germany are going into the tournament with a largely untested team after an overhaul in 2019 was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic and a string of bad results. The three-time European champions are not among the title favorites this time, unlike France. "We know France has been successful in the past years," Neuer said. "But we are still a very good team, uncomfortable to play against. "We have respect for them but we don't see ourselves as the underdogs. We want to win the game here in Munich," he said. Germany coach Joachim Loew, in his final tournament before stepping down after 15 years in charge, is set to include Leon Goretzka in his squad, with the midfielder having recovered from injury and having trained several times with the team. Midfielder Jonas Hofmann is not expected to feature. "What will be important tomorrow is to do what the team has shown in the past 14 days," he said. "That we are brimming with ambition and confidence, that we will go into the one-on-ones and we will throw everything into this game." Germany also plays European champions Portugal before taking on Hungary in their last group game.

Football: Germany won't accept underdogs tag against France

Indirect talks between Tehran and Washington on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal resumed in Vienna on Saturday as the European Union said negotiations were 'intense' and Germany called for rapid progress. 
 
The sixth round of talks began as usual with a meeting of remaining parties to the deal - Iran, Russia, China, France, Britain, Germany and the European Union - in the basement of a luxury hotel. 
 
The US&nbsp;delegation to the talks, known as the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA), is based in a hotel across the street as Iran refuses face-to-face meetings. 
 
The talks' chief coordinator, EU foreign policy official Enrique Mora, who is leading the shuttle diplomacy between Iran and the United States, has said he expects a deal in this round of talks. Other envoys, however, are more cautious, saying many difficult issues are yet to be resolved. 
 
"We are making progress but the negotiations are intense and a number of issues (remain), including on how steps are to be implemented," an EU spokesman said in a statement to reporters, adding that the aim was 'to find ways to get very close to a final agreement in the coming days'. 
 
The top Iranian negotiator, Abbas Araqchi, suggested it was unlikely the talks would conclude before Iran's presidential election on Friday. 
 
"I don't think we will be able to reach a final conclusion in Vienna this week," Iranian state media quoted Araqchi as saying. 
 
The deal, or JCPoA, imposed strict limits on Iran's nuclear activities designed to extend the time Tehran would need to obtain enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon, if it chose to, to at least a year from two to three months. 
 
Iran denies ever pursuing nuclear weapons, saying its aims are solely peaceful. 
 
President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the deal in 2018 and reimposed economic sanctions lifted by the deal. Iran responded by breaching many of those limits, producing more enriched uranium than allowed and enriching to higher purity levels, recently to near weapons grade. 
 
"Playing for time is in no-one's interest," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who is not at the talks, said, urging all sides to show flexibility and pragmatism. 
 
China's top envoy said the main sticking point was US&nbsp;sanctions. "Our message to them (the United States) is that they should stop shilly-shallying by moving decisively to sanction-lifting," China's ambassador to the UN&nbsp;nuclear watchdog, Wang Qun, told reporters. 
 
On the steps Iran must take to return to compliance with the deal, Wang said: "To a great extent, the major issues have been worked out as a matter of principle, though I think there are some fixes (left)." 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Indirect talks between Tehran and Washington on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal resumed in Vienna on Saturday as the European Union said negotiations were 'intense' and Germany called for rapid progress.

Indirect talks between Tehran and Washington on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal resumed in Vienna on Saturday as the European Union said negotiations were 'intense' and Germany called for rapid progress. The sixth round of talks began as usual with a meeting of remaining parties to the deal - Iran, Russia, China, France, Britain, Germany and the European Union - in the basement of a luxury hotel. The US delegation to the talks, known as the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA), is based in a hotel across the street as Iran refuses face-to-face meetings. The talks' chief coordinator, EU foreign policy official Enrique Mora, who is leading the shuttle diplomacy between Iran and the United States, has said he expects a deal in this round of talks. Other envoys, however, are more cautious, saying many difficult issues are yet to be resolved. "We are making progress but the negotiations are intense and a number of issues (remain), including on how steps are to be implemented," an EU spokesman said in a statement to reporters, adding that the aim was 'to find ways to get very close to a final agreement in the coming days'. The top Iranian negotiator, Abbas Araqchi, suggested it was unlikely the talks would conclude before Iran's presidential election on Friday. "I don't think we will be able to reach a final conclusion in Vienna this week," Iranian state media quoted Araqchi as saying. The deal, or JCPoA, imposed strict limits on Iran's nuclear activities designed to extend the time Tehran would need to obtain enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon, if it chose to, to at least a year from two to three months. Iran denies ever pursuing nuclear weapons, saying its aims are solely peaceful. President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the deal in 2018 and reimposed economic sanctions lifted by the deal. Iran responded by breaching many of those limits, producing more enriched uranium than allowed and enriching to higher purity levels, recently to near weapons grade. "Playing for time is in no-one's interest," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who is not at the talks, said, urging all sides to show flexibility and pragmatism. China's top envoy said the main sticking point was US sanctions. "Our message to them (the United States) is that they should stop shilly-shallying by moving decisively to sanction-lifting," China's ambassador to the UN nuclear watchdog, Wang Qun, told reporters. On the steps Iran must take to return to compliance with the deal, Wang said: "To a great extent, the major issues have been worked out as a matter of principle, though I think there are some fixes (left)." (With inputs from agencies)

'Intense' Iran nuclear talks resume as Germany calls for rapid progress

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