Germany has flagged its largest opposition party AFD as an extremist group. Germany's domestic intelligence service formerly placed the far-right party under surveillance.

Germany: Far-right AFD party flagged as suspected extremist group

The Baloch National Movement (BNM) on Sunday held a protest in Berlin, the capital of Germany, in solidarity with the protesting families of Baloch missing persons, who have forcibly disappeared in Pakistan. The protest was attended by a large number of Baloch community members living in Germany.&nbsp;

During the protest, pamphlets on missing Baloch were distributed and locals were informed about the worst human rights violation in Balochistan carried out by Pakistani security forces, where thousands of Baloch political and social activists became the victims of enforced disappearances. Asghar Ali Baloch, General Secretary of Baloch National (BNM) (Germany Zone), addressed the audience and said that Pakistan has been violating human rights in Balochistan since 1948.&nbsp;

"One of these crimes is the enforced disappearance of people. Since the occupation, Pakistan has imprisoned thousands of Baloch in dark torture cells and their whereabouts are unknown", he said.&nbsp;

He added, "Pakistan is violating its own laws as well as international laws because according to the constitution of Pakistan with respect to human rights anyone, who is arrested to be produced in court within 24 hours. However, none of the thousands of missing Baloch has been produced, like Dr Muhammad Baloch, Ramzan Baloch and thousands of other Baloch."&nbsp;

"We want to send a message to the world that Pakistan is an undemocratic country and occupier. It has been oppressing us since its occupation but the so-called civilised countries are ignorant about ground realities what has been happening in Balochistan. They are involved in economic and military trade with Pakistan. Multimillion arms deal of Germany and other European countries with Pakistan cast doubt in our mind about their so-called self-claim as defenders of human rights", he said.&nbsp;

The President of the Baloch National Movement (Germany Zone), Hammal Baloch, said that the Baloch nation had always resisted the oppressors by blocking the path of the oppressors, whether they are Nosherwan or Seljuk, but Baloch had not accepted anyone's supremacy, and bravely had resisted them."&nbsp;

The Baloch National Movement (BNM) on Sunday held a protest in Berlin, the capital of Germany, in solidarity with the protesting families of Baloch missing persons, who have forcibly disappeared in Pakistan.

The Baloch National Movement (BNM) on Sunday held a protest in Berlin, the capital of Germany, in solidarity with the protesting families of Baloch missing persons, who have forcibly disappeared in Pakistan. The protest was attended by a large number of Baloch community members living in Germany. During the protest, pamphlets on missing Baloch were distributed and locals were informed about the worst human rights violation in Balochistan carried out by Pakistani security forces, where thousands of Baloch political and social activists became the victims of enforced disappearances. Asghar Ali Baloch, General Secretary of Baloch National (BNM) (Germany Zone), addressed the audience and said that Pakistan has been violating human rights in Balochistan since 1948. "One of these crimes is the enforced disappearance of people. Since the occupation, Pakistan has imprisoned thousands of Baloch in dark torture cells and their whereabouts are unknown", he said. He added, "Pakistan is violating its own laws as well as international laws because according to the constitution of Pakistan with respect to human rights anyone, who is arrested to be produced in court within 24 hours. However, none of the thousands of missing Baloch has been produced, like Dr Muhammad Baloch, Ramzan Baloch and thousands of other Baloch." "We want to send a message to the world that Pakistan is an undemocratic country and occupier. It has been oppressing us since its occupation but the so-called civilised countries are ignorant about ground realities what has been happening in Balochistan. They are involved in economic and military trade with Pakistan. Multimillion arms deal of Germany and other European countries with Pakistan cast doubt in our mind about their so-called self-claim as defenders of human rights", he said. The President of the Baloch National Movement (Germany Zone), Hammal Baloch, said that the Baloch nation had always resisted the oppressors by blocking the path of the oppressors, whether they are Nosherwan or Seljuk, but Baloch had not accepted anyone's supremacy, and bravely had resisted them."

Baloch in Germany hold protest over forced disappearances in Pakistan 

Germany on Sunday classed France's Covid-battered Moselle region as a high risk area for virus variants, triggering tougher entry requirements at the border between the two neighbours.

France's eastern Moselle region is now listed as an area "at particularly high risk of infection due to widespread occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 virus variants", Germany's Robert Koch Institute for disease control announced.&nbsp;

From Tuesday, cross-border travellers from Moselle will need to be able to show a recent negative coronavirus test.

Germany has already introduced tough checks at its borders with the Czech Republic and Austria's Tyrol region, ignoring calls from Brussels to keep borders within the bloc open.

At those crossings, only Germans and non-German residents are allowed to enter, as well as cross-border commuters working in certain categories of jobs.

Every vehicle is stopped and occupants must produce a negative test that is less than 48 hours old.

The checks on the German side of the Moselle crossing are expected to be less strict, a German interior ministry spokesman told AFP.

Instead of systematic checks, police would randomly stop vehicles on the German side and ask drivers to show "a negative test and their online entry registration", he said.

Germany has grown increasingly concerned in recent weeks about the rapid spread of new, more contagious strains of the coronavirus, especially those first detected in Britain and South Africa.

The coronavirus, including the more dangerous South African variant, is spreading faster in Moselle than elsewhere in France but French officials have pleaded with Berlin to avoid a full closure of the border.

The German classification "normally implies the extremely strict measure of a quasi-closure of borders", France's European Affairs minister Clement Beaune said Sunday.&nbsp;

"We don't want that," he said, adding that talks were ongoing with Berlin to find solutions for the roughly 16,000 commuters who cross from Moselle into Germany's Saarland and Rhineland-Palatine states every day.

The German interior ministry spokesman said the two countries would discuss details of the border implications on Monday.

Asked why the French checks would not be as stringent as those along the Czech and Austrian frontiers, the spokesman said Saarland and Rhineland-Palatine had not requested border closures.

"And there is a good cooperation between the affected German and French regions," he added.

Germany on Sunday classed France's Covid-battered Moselle region as a high risk area for virus variants, triggering tougher entry requirements at the border between the two neighbours.

Germany on Sunday classed France's Covid-battered Moselle region as a high risk area for virus variants, triggering tougher entry requirements at the border between the two neighbours. France's eastern Moselle region is now listed as an area "at particularly high risk of infection due to widespread occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 virus variants", Germany's Robert Koch Institute for disease control announced. From Tuesday, cross-border travellers from Moselle will need to be able to show a recent negative coronavirus test. Germany has already introduced tough checks at its borders with the Czech Republic and Austria's Tyrol region, ignoring calls from Brussels to keep borders within the bloc open. At those crossings, only Germans and non-German residents are allowed to enter, as well as cross-border commuters working in certain categories of jobs. Every vehicle is stopped and occupants must produce a negative test that is less than 48 hours old. The checks on the German side of the Moselle crossing are expected to be less strict, a German interior ministry spokesman told AFP. Instead of systematic checks, police would randomly stop vehicles on the German side and ask drivers to show "a negative test and their online entry registration", he said. Germany has grown increasingly concerned in recent weeks about the rapid spread of new, more contagious strains of the coronavirus, especially those first detected in Britain and South Africa. The coronavirus, including the more dangerous South African variant, is spreading faster in Moselle than elsewhere in France but French officials have pleaded with Berlin to avoid a full closure of the border. The German classification "normally implies the extremely strict measure of a quasi-closure of borders", France's European Affairs minister Clement Beaune said Sunday. "We don't want that," he said, adding that talks were ongoing with Berlin to find solutions for the roughly 16,000 commuters who cross from Moselle into Germany's Saarland and Rhineland-Palatine states every day. The German interior ministry spokesman said the two countries would discuss details of the border implications on Monday. Asked why the French checks would not be as stringent as those along the Czech and Austrian frontiers, the spokesman said Saarland and Rhineland-Palatine had not requested border closures. "And there is a good cooperation between the affected German and French regions," he added.

Germany to tighten Covid controls at French border

Have you heard of Abu Walaa? The 'faceless preacher' who ran a Jihadist network in Germany. He has been sentenced to 10 years 6 months in prison. Do you know which attacks were inspired by his sermons? Watch this report by WION's Palki Sharma to find out.

Gravitas: The man behind Germany's Jihadist network

Germany's vaccine commission is considering reversing course and recommending AstraZeneca's Covid-19 jab for those over 65 after a study showed it to be effective among the elderly, its chairman has said.

"It is possible and we will do it," Thomas Mertens, who heads the commission known as STIKO, told public television ZDF Friday evening when asked if the British-Swedish firm's shot could be approved for all following the latest research.

The commission "will very soon publish a new updated recommendation", he said, adding he was awaiting details from the authors of the study that was carried out in Scotland.

A month ago, the commission said it was recommending the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine only for under-65-year-olds due to insufficient data on its effectiveness on older people.

The European Medicines Agency, the regulator for the EU, has recommended the AstraZeneca jab for adults of all ages.

After muddled communication about the efficacy of the British-made jabs hit demand, doctors and public health officials have pleaded with Germans to take up AstraZeneca vaccines.&nbsp;

AstraZeneca has been shown to be about 60 percent effective in trials, while studies point to around 95 percent efficacy for the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.

However the British jab has the advantage of not requiring deep-freeze storage, with a regular refrigerator sufficing.

"It all turned out badly," Mertens said while justifying the decision not to recommend the vaccine to the elderly due to a lack of data at the time.&nbsp;

"We have never criticised the vaccine," which is "very good," he said.&nbsp;

The recent study led by the University of Edinburgh found that by the fourth week after receiving the initial dose, the Pfizer vaccine reduced the risk of hospitalisation from Covid-19 by up to 85 percent.

The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine reduced the risk by 94 percent.

It also found that vaccination was associated with an 81 percent reduction in hospitalisation risk in the fourth week among those aged 80 years and over, when the results for both vaccines were combined.

Germany's vaccine commission is considering reversing course and recommending AstraZeneca's Covid-19 jab for those over 65 after a study showed it to be effective among the elderly, its chairman has said.

Germany's vaccine commission is considering reversing course and recommending AstraZeneca's Covid-19 jab for those over 65 after a study showed it to be effective among the elderly, its chairman has said. "It is possible and we will do it," Thomas Mertens, who heads the commission known as STIKO, told public television ZDF Friday evening when asked if the British-Swedish firm's shot could be approved for all following the latest research. The commission "will very soon publish a new updated recommendation", he said, adding he was awaiting details from the authors of the study that was carried out in Scotland. A month ago, the commission said it was recommending the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine only for under-65-year-olds due to insufficient data on its effectiveness on older people. The European Medicines Agency, the regulator for the EU, has recommended the AstraZeneca jab for adults of all ages. After muddled communication about the efficacy of the British-made jabs hit demand, doctors and public health officials have pleaded with Germans to take up AstraZeneca vaccines. AstraZeneca has been shown to be about 60 percent effective in trials, while studies point to around 95 percent efficacy for the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. However the British jab has the advantage of not requiring deep-freeze storage, with a regular refrigerator sufficing. "It all turned out badly," Mertens said while justifying the decision not to recommend the vaccine to the elderly due to a lack of data at the time. "We have never criticised the vaccine," which is "very good," he said. The recent study led by the University of Edinburgh found that by the fourth week after receiving the initial dose, the Pfizer vaccine reduced the risk of hospitalisation from Covid-19 by up to 85 percent. The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine reduced the risk by 94 percent. It also found that vaccination was associated with an 81 percent reduction in hospitalisation risk in the fourth week among those aged 80 years and over, when the results for both vaccines were combined.

German commission may do U-turn on AstraZeneca jab for elderly

Germany is combating radical Islam with an unprecedented crackdown. - A radical group has been outlawed - 800 cops, including SWAT teams, conducted raids - The de-facto recruiter for ISIS has been jailed WION's Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Germany fights radical Islam

German police carried out early morning raids in 26 locations in Berlin and surrounding areas after Germany ban a radical Islamist group.

Germany: Police raid 26 locations in Berlin after banning radical Islamic group

Hundreds of German police carried out raids in 26 locations across Berlin and neighbouring Brandenburg state on Thursday following the banning and dissolution of a radical Islamist group in the capital, authorities said.

Berlin's Senate interior department said it had outlawed Jama'atu Berlin, "a young and very radical jihad Salafist" association, also known as Tauhid Berlin, saying the group was advocating terrorist attacks.

Nineteen members of the association were the focus of Thursday's raids and the group had been under surveillance for two years, Berlin Interior Senator Andreas Geisel told a news conference.

A Senate statement said the group had propagated "a martyr cult", supported Islamic State ideology, rejected the German constitution and called for sharia as the sole legitimate law.

"(In the group), there are severe anti-Semites who are calling for the death of Jews," Berlin Interior Secretary Torsten Akmann said in a statement.

Akmann told the news conference he did not know if any arrests were made on Thursday or whether the group had concrete attack plans, but that the investigation was still ongoing.

Male and female members of the unregistered association met regularly in parks and private homes to teach and pray and spread the group's ideology over the internet and by distributing flyers in public spaces, the Senate statement said.

Several members also belonged to another Islamist group banned in 2017 which had contact with Anis Amri, a failed Tunisian asylum seeker with Islamist links who hijacked a truck and drove it into a Christmas market in Berlin in 2016, killing 12 people.

The number of Salafists in Germany rose to a record high of 12,150 in 2019, the domestic intelligence agency said in its annual report last year, more than tripling since 2011.

Hundreds of German police carried out raids in 26 locations across Berlin and neighbouring Brandenburg state on Thursday following the banning and dissolution of a radical Islamist group in the capital, authorities said.

Hundreds of German police carried out raids in 26 locations across Berlin and neighbouring Brandenburg state on Thursday following the banning and dissolution of a radical Islamist group in the capital, authorities said. Berlin's Senate interior department said it had outlawed Jama'atu Berlin, "a young and very radical jihad Salafist" association, also known as Tauhid Berlin, saying the group was advocating terrorist attacks. Nineteen members of the association were the focus of Thursday's raids and the group had been under surveillance for two years, Berlin Interior Senator Andreas Geisel told a news conference. A Senate statement said the group had propagated "a martyr cult", supported Islamic State ideology, rejected the German constitution and called for sharia as the sole legitimate law. "(In the group), there are severe anti-Semites who are calling for the death of Jews," Berlin Interior Secretary Torsten Akmann said in a statement. Akmann told the news conference he did not know if any arrests were made on Thursday or whether the group had concrete attack plans, but that the investigation was still ongoing. Male and female members of the unregistered association met regularly in parks and private homes to teach and pray and spread the group's ideology over the internet and by distributing flyers in public spaces, the Senate statement said. Several members also belonged to another Islamist group banned in 2017 which had contact with Anis Amri, a failed Tunisian asylum seeker with Islamist links who hijacked a truck and drove it into a Christmas market in Berlin in 2016, killing 12 people. The number of Salafists in Germany rose to a record high of 12,150 in 2019, the domestic intelligence agency said in its annual report last year, more than tripling since 2011.

German police raid locations in Berlin after banning radical Islamist group

The conviction in the western German city of Koblenz marks the first time a foreign court has ruled on state-sanctioned abuses by President Bashar al-Assad's government.

Eyad al-Gharib sentenced in Germany

German authorities carried out raids at several locations in Berlin and Brandenburg on Thursday after banning a Berlin Salafist Muslim group, police said.&nbsp;

Berlin's senate department for interior affairs on Thursday said it banned a 'jihad-salafist' association Jama'atu Berlin, also known as Tauhid Berlin, and that police had undertaken the raids, without giving further details.&nbsp;

German newspaper Tagesspiegel said the group glorified 'Islamic State' fighting on the internet and called for the killing of Jews, adding that criminal proceedings were pending against some of its members.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/german-court-sentences-is-recruiter-to-10-year-jail-for-planning-attack-366008">German court sentences IS recruiter to 10-year jail for planning attack</a>

The newspaper added that the group had contact with Anis Amri, a failed Tunisian asylum seeker with Islamist links, who hijacked a truck and drove it into a Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 people in 2016.&nbsp;

Salafists - strict Sunni Muslims - include peaceful private people, activists seeking the implementation of Sharia law and militants advocating violence to establish states they might regard as representing true Islam.&nbsp;

The number of Salafists had risen in Germany to an all-time high of 12,150 in 2019, Germany's domestic intelligence said in its annual report last year, listing them among 'Islamist extremists'.&nbsp;

It said the number of Salafists had more than tripled since 2011 and that the Salafist scene in Germany was going through a consolidation stage, adding that followers were keeping a low profile in public.&nbsp;

German authorities carried out raids at several locations in Berlin and Brandenburg on Thursday after banning a Berlin Salafist Muslim group, police said. Berlin's senate department for interior affairs on Thursday said it banned a 'jihad-salafist' association Jama'atu Berlin, also known as Tauhid Berlin, and that police had undertaken the raids, without giving further details.

German authorities carried out raids at several locations in Berlin and Brandenburg on Thursday after banning a Berlin Salafist Muslim group, police said. Berlin's senate department for interior affairs on Thursday said it banned a 'jihad-salafist' association Jama'atu Berlin, also known as Tauhid Berlin, and that police had undertaken the raids, without giving further details. German newspaper Tagesspiegel said the group glorified 'Islamic State' fighting on the internet and called for the killing of Jews, adding that criminal proceedings were pending against some of its members. Also Read: German court sentences IS recruiter to 10-year jail for planning attack The newspaper added that the group had contact with Anis Amri, a failed Tunisian asylum seeker with Islamist links, who hijacked a truck and drove it into a Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 people in 2016. Salafists - strict Sunni Muslims - include peaceful private people, activists seeking the implementation of Sharia law and militants advocating violence to establish states they might regard as representing true Islam. The number of Salafists had risen in Germany to an all-time high of 12,150 in 2019, Germany's domestic intelligence said in its annual report last year, listing them among 'Islamist extremists'. It said the number of Salafists had more than tripled since 2011 and that the Salafist scene in Germany was going through a consolidation stage, adding that followers were keeping a low profile in public.

Germany bans Salafist Muslim group, raids several locations

A German court on Wednesday sentenced an Iraqi preacher to more than 10 years in prison after finding him guilty of taking part in planning an attack in Germany and collecting funds and fighters for the Islamic State militant group.&nbsp;

Prosecutors accused the 40-year-old preacher, identified as Ahmad Abdulaziz Abdullah A in court documents, of recruiting at least seven individuals, who ended up travelling to the Middle East where they fought alongside IS.&nbsp;

Two of the men he recruited are believed to have killed more than 150 Iraqi soldiers in suicide bombings.&nbsp;

The Higher Regional Court in the northern city of Celle sentenced him to 10-and-a-half years in prison. Three members of the Islamist network he had set up were handed prison terms ranging from four to eight years.&nbsp;

The main suspect, known by the nickname Abu Walaa, which in Arabic means Father of Loyalty, and the three others were arrested in November 2016 in raids in the states of Lower Saxony and North-Rhine Westphalia.&nbsp;

Abu Walaa sat quietly on the stand in court wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, a white T-Shirt and a face mask that covered parts of this long black beard as he waited for the verdict and sentencing behind a glass cubicle.&nbsp;

The defendants had chosen to remain silent during the trial and did not enter pleas.&nbsp;

Originally an offshoot of al Qaeda, Islamic State took large parts of Iraq and Syria from 2014, imposing a hardline rule with public beheadings and attacks by supporters abroad.&nbsp;

It was defeated by a US-led military coalition, which in 2019 captured the group's last territory in Syria.&nbsp;

The men had held religious lessons during which potential recruits were handed radical Islamic material, prosecutors said.&nbsp;

Prosecutors believe Abu Walaa preached at the Fussilet Mosque in Berlin, which was attended by a failed asylum seeker, who killed 12 people at a Christmas market in the German capital last year.&nbsp;

A German court on Wednesday sentenced an Iraqi preacher to more than 10 years in prison after finding him guilty of taking part in planning an attack in Germany and collecting funds and fighters for the Islamic State militant group.

A German court on Wednesday sentenced an Iraqi preacher to more than 10 years in prison after finding him guilty of taking part in planning an attack in Germany and collecting funds and fighters for the Islamic State militant group. Prosecutors accused the 40-year-old preacher, identified as Ahmad Abdulaziz Abdullah A in court documents, of recruiting at least seven individuals, who ended up travelling to the Middle East where they fought alongside IS. Two of the men he recruited are believed to have killed more than 150 Iraqi soldiers in suicide bombings. The Higher Regional Court in the northern city of Celle sentenced him to 10-and-a-half years in prison. Three members of the Islamist network he had set up were handed prison terms ranging from four to eight years. The main suspect, known by the nickname Abu Walaa, which in Arabic means Father of Loyalty, and the three others were arrested in November 2016 in raids in the states of Lower Saxony and North-Rhine Westphalia. Abu Walaa sat quietly on the stand in court wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, a white T-Shirt and a face mask that covered parts of this long black beard as he waited for the verdict and sentencing behind a glass cubicle. The defendants had chosen to remain silent during the trial and did not enter pleas. Originally an offshoot of al Qaeda, Islamic State took large parts of Iraq and Syria from 2014, imposing a hardline rule with public beheadings and attacks by supporters abroad. It was defeated by a US-led military coalition, which in 2019 captured the group's last territory in Syria. The men had held religious lessons during which potential recruits were handed radical Islamic material, prosecutors said. Prosecutors believe Abu Walaa preached at the Fussilet Mosque in Berlin, which was attended by a failed asylum seeker, who killed 12 people at a Christmas market in the German capital last year.

German court sentences IS recruiter to 10-year jail for planning attack

TikTok: home of the young trendsetting crowd strutting their stuff, is now also home to Germany's very own 81 year-old fitness dame.

Age has no limits: 81 year-old German fitness granny takes TikTok by storm

Students are headed back to classrooms in Germany after months where some teachers are happy to interact with their students whereas others are apprehensive about a fresh surge in cases. WION brings you a report.

Students head back to classrooms in Germany as COVID-19 cases rise

A former Nazi concentration camp guard who lived in the United States for over 60 years returned to Germany on Saturday after being expelled, a police spokesman said.

The 95-year-old man faces questioning by local police after arriving at Frankfurt airport. He was not arrested. U.S. Justice Department officials have named him as Friedrich Karl Berger, while Germany authorities refer to him only as Friedrich Karl B.

A U.S. court last year ruled that Berger should be expelled after prosecutors in the northern German town of Celle opened an investigation into whether he was involved with the murder of prisoners at a satellite concentration camp of the Neuengamme network near Hamburg in 1945.

According to German prosecutors B., who has lived in the United States since 1959, admitted to guarding prisoners for a few weeks in the Meppen area close to the Dutch border without witnessing any killings or abuse of prisoners.

The German case against him was dropped in December after prosecutors were unable to dispute his account.

A spokesman for the prosecutor’s office in Celle said police in the German state of Hesse had been asked to question him on his return to Germany.

A police spokesman said there is no live investigation linked to him and he is a free individual and has not been taken in custody.

In recent years, prosecutors have brought charges against several former Nazis, seizing the last opportunity to secure justice for the millions who perished in concentration camps.

Earlier this month, prosecutors charged a 100-year-old German man with being an accessory to 3,518 murders committed while he was allegedly a guard at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp.

A former Nazi concentration camp guard who lived in the United States for over 60 years returned to Germany on Saturday after being expelled, a police spokesman said.

A former Nazi concentration camp guard who lived in the United States for over 60 years returned to Germany on Saturday after being expelled, a police spokesman said. The 95-year-old man faces questioning by local police after arriving at Frankfurt airport. He was not arrested. U.S. Justice Department officials have named him as Friedrich Karl Berger, while Germany authorities refer to him only as Friedrich Karl B. A U.S. court last year ruled that Berger should be expelled after prosecutors in the northern German town of Celle opened an investigation into whether he was involved with the murder of prisoners at a satellite concentration camp of the Neuengamme network near Hamburg in 1945. According to German prosecutors B., who has lived in the United States since 1959, admitted to guarding prisoners for a few weeks in the Meppen area close to the Dutch border without witnessing any killings or abuse of prisoners. The German case against him was dropped in December after prosecutors were unable to dispute his account. A spokesman for the prosecutor’s office in Celle said police in the German state of Hesse had been asked to question him on his return to Germany. A police spokesman said there is no live investigation linked to him and he is a free individual and has not been taken in custody. In recent years, prosecutors have brought charges against several former Nazis, seizing the last opportunity to secure justice for the millions who perished in concentration camps. Earlier this month, prosecutors charged a 100-year-old German man with being an accessory to 3,518 murders committed while he was allegedly a guard at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp.

Former Nazi camp guard arrives in Germany after removal from US

German business morale slumped to a six-month low in January as a second wave of COVID-19 halted an economic recovery

German economy likely subdued in coming weeks

German health officials are pleading with people to accept the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine after reports emerged of thousands of people turning down their jabs and full vials being left unused.

German health officials plead citizens to take Oxford-AstraZeneca jab

US State Secretary Antony Blinken is holding a virtual meeting with his counterparts from Japan, Australia and India as part of the Qued grouping, This meeting is the first of the informal groups under the Joe Biden's administration.

WION Fineprint: Antony Blinken holds virtual Quad meet with Australia, India and Japan

The UK, France and Germany are set to hold talks with the United States over the Iran nuclear agreement. France will be hosting these talks between the diplomats of the European powers and US State Secretary Antony Blinken.

WION Dispatch: UK, France, Germany to hold talks with US on Iran deal

The deal for Taiwan to buy 5 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Germany's BioNTech is on hold. Taiwan's health minister has hinted at potential Chinese pressure for the delay.

Taiwan hints at Chinese pressure behind stalled vaccine deal

Germany has defended its border restrictions with Austria and the Czech Republic. The European Nation has said that these curbs are temporary measures and the last resort to avoid lockdown restrictions.

Germany restricts borders with Austria, Czech Republic

Germany has charged five Tajik men with membership of an Islamic State terror cell that recruited members and planned attacks on German soil, prosecutors said on Monday.&nbsp;

A sixth member of the same cell, Ravsan B, was sentenced to seven years in jail in January after being prosecuted separately. &nbsp;

The five men charged on February 1, named as Farhodshoh K, Muhammadali G, Azizjon B, Sunatullokh K and Komron B, are accused of having various roles in the cell founded in January 2019.&nbsp;

"The aim of the cell members, who were in contact with IS leaders in Syria and Afghanistan, was to take up the armed struggle against what they saw as 'infidels' and to commit attacks in Germany," the indictment said.&nbsp;

The men allegedly circulated in the same circles as the Tajik-born perpetrator behind the Stockholm truck attack of April 2017, as well as the Macedonian-Austrian national, who gunned down four people in Vienna in November.&nbsp;

One of them, Azizjon B, is said to have been involved in the same online network used to recruit the Stockholm attacker.&nbsp;

Azizijon B is accused of being an IS member since at least March 2017 and carrying out instructions from high-ranking IS leaders in Afghanistan from Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia state. &nbsp;

He also allegedly recruited members for IS in Germany, leading to the founding of the cell in January 2019.&nbsp;

The cell members had been planning to attack targets including US army bases in Germany, prosecutors said on arresting four of them in April.&nbsp;

The fifth -- Komron B -- was transferred from Albania before being arrested in August.&nbsp;

The group allegedly held training sessions, including paintball games, attended by members of the Islamist scene, who had contact with the Vienna attacker.&nbsp;

They also ordered bomb parts online and stocked up on firearms and ammunition.

Germany has charged five Tajik men with membership of an Islamic State terror cell that recruited members and planned attacks on German soil, prosecutors said on Monday.

Germany has charged five Tajik men with membership of an Islamic State terror cell that recruited members and planned attacks on German soil, prosecutors said on Monday. A sixth member of the same cell, Ravsan B, was sentenced to seven years in jail in January after being prosecuted separately. The five men charged on February 1, named as Farhodshoh K, Muhammadali G, Azizjon B, Sunatullokh K and Komron B, are accused of having various roles in the cell founded in January 2019. "The aim of the cell members, who were in contact with IS leaders in Syria and Afghanistan, was to take up the armed struggle against what they saw as 'infidels' and to commit attacks in Germany," the indictment said. The men allegedly circulated in the same circles as the Tajik-born perpetrator behind the Stockholm truck attack of April 2017, as well as the Macedonian-Austrian national, who gunned down four people in Vienna in November. One of them, Azizjon B, is said to have been involved in the same online network used to recruit the Stockholm attacker. Azizijon B is accused of being an IS member since at least March 2017 and carrying out instructions from high-ranking IS leaders in Afghanistan from Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia state. He also allegedly recruited members for IS in Germany, leading to the founding of the cell in January 2019. The cell members had been planning to attack targets including US army bases in Germany, prosecutors said on arresting four of them in April. The fifth -- Komron B -- was transferred from Albania before being arrested in August. The group allegedly held training sessions, including paintball games, attended by members of the Islamist scene, who had contact with the Vienna attacker. They also ordered bomb parts online and stocked up on firearms and ammunition.

Germany charges five Tajiks over membership in IS cell

Coronavirus restrictions failed to stop the party spirit in Cologne on Saturday (February 13), where carnival goers were confined to their cars but still managed to dance and have fun.

Stuck in their cars but Cologne carnival goers still have a party

For many in Germany, carnival is a serious matter, especially the famous Rosenmontag (Rose Monday) parade in Cologne where decorated floats and people in costume walk through the city throwing sweets to the crowds.

Carnivalists create Playmobil procession to get around pandemic cancellations

Germany partially closed its borders with the Czech Republic and Austria's Tyrol on Sunday over a troubling surge in coronavirus mutations, earning a swift rebuke from the European Union.

A thousand police officers were mobilised to ensure strict border checks, a reminder of the much-criticised early days of the pandemic when EU countries hastily closed their frontiers to each other.

At the Kiefersfelden crossing in southern Bavaria, masked officers in yellow high-visibility jackets were out in sub-zero temperatures, stopping each vehicle coming from Austria.

Under the new rules, only Germans or non-German residents are allowed through.&nbsp;

Exceptions are made for essential workers in sectors such as health and transport, as well as for urgent humanitarian reasons, the German interior ministry has said. Everyone must be able to provide a recent negative coronavirus test.

Among those turned back was Austrian driver Irene, who said she would now have to make an hours-long detour.

"I only wanted to drive through Germany to go to Vienna," she told AFP. "This is a catastrophe, I have a dog in the car who is 15 years old... I don't know the way and I don't have GPS."

The restrictions are aimed at slowing the spread of more contagious variants that first emerged in Britain and South Africa, and have created new virus hotspots along the Czech border and in Austria's Tyrol region.

At the German-Czech border crossing in Bad Gottleuba, a police spokesman said the checks had caused waiting times of around one hour. Traffic is expected to be heavier from Monday, he added.

By Sunday afternoon, German police had checked more than 1,700 vehicles and denied entry to more than 500.

- 'Enough' -

The European Commission, eager to avoid a return to go-it-alone pandemic responses, has condemned Germany's border restrictions.

"The fear of the coronavirus mutations is understandable," EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides told Germany's Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper on Sunday.

"But the truth is that the virus cannot be stopped by closed borders," she said, adding that vaccines and following hygiene precautions were "the only things that work".

"I think it's wrong to return to a Europe with closed borders like we had in March 2020," she added.

German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer rebuffed the criticism from Brussels.

"That's enough now," he told the top-selling Bild daily. The EU "has made enough mistakes" with its sluggish vaccine rollout, he said.

"We are fighting against the mutated virus," he said. "The EU Commission should support us... instead of putting stones in our path."

German Health Minister Jens Spahn said he supported a "border-free Europe".

"But there are times in a pandemic when you must make these decisions for everyone's safety and health," he told the Sueddeutsche newspaper.

German rail company Deutsche Bahn has suspended services to and from the affected areas.&nbsp;

At Frankfurt airport, the country's largest, federal police were checking passengers arriving from Vienna and Prague.

- 'Reassuring' -

More than two months of tough shutdowns have significantly brought down Germany's infection numbers, but Chancellor Angela Merkel's government recently decided to extend a partial lockdown until March 7 because of the risks posed by the variants.

In the Czech Republic, one of the hardest-hit countries in Europe, three cantons including two on the German border have been placed under lockdown due to the prevalence of the British strain.

Within Austria, anyone leaving the mountainous region of Tyrol now needs to produce a negative test following a cluster of Covid-19 cases linked to the South African variant.

Bavarian premier Markus Soeder, visiting a checkpoint with the Czech border, said Germany could not risk squandering the progress made in the battle against the pandemic.

"For everyone not living in a hotspot it's reassuring to know that those in border regions are working hard to prevent the spread of the virus," he said.

Germany partially closed its borders with the Czech Republic and Austria's Tyrol on Sunday over a troubling surge in coronavirus mutations, earning a swift rebuke from the European Union.

Germany partially closed its borders with the Czech Republic and Austria's Tyrol on Sunday over a troubling surge in coronavirus mutations, earning a swift rebuke from the European Union. A thousand police officers were mobilised to ensure strict border checks, a reminder of the much-criticised early days of the pandemic when EU countries hastily closed their frontiers to each other. At the Kiefersfelden crossing in southern Bavaria, masked officers in yellow high-visibility jackets were out in sub-zero temperatures, stopping each vehicle coming from Austria. Under the new rules, only Germans or non-German residents are allowed through. Exceptions are made for essential workers in sectors such as health and transport, as well as for urgent humanitarian reasons, the German interior ministry has said. Everyone must be able to provide a recent negative coronavirus test. Among those turned back was Austrian driver Irene, who said she would now have to make an hours-long detour. "I only wanted to drive through Germany to go to Vienna," she told AFP. "This is a catastrophe, I have a dog in the car who is 15 years old... I don't know the way and I don't have GPS." The restrictions are aimed at slowing the spread of more contagious variants that first emerged in Britain and South Africa, and have created new virus hotspots along the Czech border and in Austria's Tyrol region. At the German-Czech border crossing in Bad Gottleuba, a police spokesman said the checks had caused waiting times of around one hour. Traffic is expected to be heavier from Monday, he added. By Sunday afternoon, German police had checked more than 1,700 vehicles and denied entry to more than 500. - 'Enough' - The European Commission, eager to avoid a return to go-it-alone pandemic responses, has condemned Germany's border restrictions. "The fear of the coronavirus mutations is understandable," EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides told Germany's Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper on Sunday. "But the truth is that the virus cannot be stopped by closed borders," she said, adding that vaccines and following hygiene precautions were "the only things that work". "I think it's wrong to return to a Europe with closed borders like we had in March 2020," she added. German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer rebuffed the criticism from Brussels. "That's enough now," he told the top-selling Bild daily. The EU "has made enough mistakes" with its sluggish vaccine rollout, he said. "We are fighting against the mutated virus," he said. "The EU Commission should support us... instead of putting stones in our path." German Health Minister Jens Spahn said he supported a "border-free Europe". "But there are times in a pandemic when you must make these decisions for everyone's safety and health," he told the Sueddeutsche newspaper. German rail company Deutsche Bahn has suspended services to and from the affected areas. At Frankfurt airport, the country's largest, federal police were checking passengers arriving from Vienna and Prague. - 'Reassuring' - More than two months of tough shutdowns have significantly brought down Germany's infection numbers, but Chancellor Angela Merkel's government recently decided to extend a partial lockdown until March 7 because of the risks posed by the variants. In the Czech Republic, one of the hardest-hit countries in Europe, three cantons including two on the German border have been placed under lockdown due to the prevalence of the British strain. Within Austria, anyone leaving the mountainous region of Tyrol now needs to produce a negative test following a cluster of Covid-19 cases linked to the South African variant. Bavarian premier Markus Soeder, visiting a checkpoint with the Czech border, said Germany could not risk squandering the progress made in the battle against the pandemic. "For everyone not living in a hotspot it's reassuring to know that those in border regions are working hard to prevent the spread of the virus," he said.

Germany partially closes borders despite EU criticism

Danish and German officials said on Friday that they carried out a series of arrests in two nations that foiled a possible Islamist attack.&nbsp;

Components and chemicals required to make explosives and firearms were confiscated in raids, Danish intelligence agency PET's operations chief Flemming Dryer was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-warns-neighbours-of-border-closures-on-virus-fears-362963">Germany warns neighbours of border closures on virus fears</a>

"We found the ingredients needed to make a bomb," he said.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/covid-19-germany-chancellor-merkel-says-lockdown-will-not-be-extended-further-363185/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Dryer added, however, that these parts were not assembled, but hinted of an attack.&nbsp;

"We believe there was no immediate threat, nothing was assembled or mixed. But we're not naive, and we're not excluding anything," the PET official said.&nbsp;

A hunting rifle, an Islamic State flag, and ignition devices were among the items seized by the investigators.&nbsp;

The plot appeared to aim towards Denmark or Germany, officials briefing reporters at PET's headquarters near Copenhagen said.&nbsp;

Three Syrian brothers, two in Denmark and in one in Germany's Hesse were among those arrested, according to the German officials.&nbsp;

"Our security services once again prevented an Islamist terror attack," Germany's Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said.&nbsp;

He added that the three people arrested were "probably preparing an attack in Europe."

PET on Thursday said 13 people have been arrested at the weekend in a suburb outside Copenhagen, and one suspect was arrested in Germany. &nbsp;

Danish and German officials said on Friday that they carried out a series of arrests in two nations that foiled a possible Islamist attack. Components and chemicals required to make explosives and firearms were confiscated in raids, Danish intelligence agency PET's operations chief Flemming Dryer was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.

Danish and German officials said on Friday that they carried out a series of arrests in two nations that foiled a possible Islamist attack. Components and chemicals required to make explosives and firearms were confiscated in raids, Danish intelligence agency PET's operations chief Flemming Dryer was quoted as saying by news agency AFP. Also read | Germany warns neighbours of border closures on virus fears "We found the ingredients needed to make a bomb," he said. Watch | Dryer added, however, that these parts were not assembled, but hinted of an attack. "We believe there was no immediate threat, nothing was assembled or mixed. But we're not naive, and we're not excluding anything," the PET official said. A hunting rifle, an Islamic State flag, and ignition devices were among the items seized by the investigators. The plot appeared to aim towards Denmark or Germany, officials briefing reporters at PET's headquarters near Copenhagen said. Three Syrian brothers, two in Denmark and in one in Germany's Hesse were among those arrested, according to the German officials. "Our security services once again prevented an Islamist terror attack," Germany's Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said. He added that the three people arrested were "probably preparing an attack in Europe." PET on Thursday said 13 people have been arrested at the weekend in a suburb outside Copenhagen, and one suspect was arrested in Germany.

Germany, Danish authorities say possible Islamist attack thwarted after series of arrests

Germany, Sweden and Poland on Monday each threw out a Russian diplomat in retaliation for Moscow's expulsion last week of their diplomats for allegedly taking part in protests in support of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

The three EU countries announced the tit-for-tat moves in coordinated statements, drawing an angry response from Russia which accused them of meddling in its internal affairs.

The diplomatic spat comes at a time of heightened tensions between the European Union and Russia, exacerbated by the arrest and jailing of leading opposition figure Navalny.

Russia humiliated the European Union on Friday by announcing the expulsions during a rare meeting in Moscow between EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

European governments strongly condemned the shock expulsions, with Berlin warning that it would respond in kind.

Moscow's decision to expel the three diplomats "was in no way justified", the German foreign ministry said Monday, adding that the German staff member had been&nbsp;doing his job of "observing developments in Russia by lawful means".

Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said Stockholm had "informed the Russian ambassador that a person from the Russian embassy is asked to leave Sweden".&nbsp;

"This is a clear response to the unacceptable decision to expel a Swedish diplomat who was only performing his duties," she wrote on Twitter.

The Polish foreign ministry likewise condemned the "groundless expulsion" of a Polish diplomat from Saint Petersburg and said it had declared "persona non grata" a Russian consular official in Poznan, western Poland.

The Russian foreign ministry immediately hit back.

"Today's decisions by Poland, Germany and Sweden are unfounded, unfriendly and are a continuation of the very series of actions that the West is taking with regard to our country and which we qualify as interference in our internal affairs," spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on state channel Rossiya 1.

- 'Reviving relations' -

The Kremlin earlier on Monday defended the expulsion of the EU diplomats during Borrell's high-profile visit, and insisted it remained interested in reviving relations with Brussels.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the declaration of the three foreign diplomats as personae non gratae was a "consequence of the actions of some diplomatic missions in Moscow against the backdrop of illegal riots".&nbsp;

Peskov added that Moscow did not initiate "the collapse" of the relationship with the EU.&nbsp;

"Russia has been and remains interested in reviving relations between Moscow and Brussels," he told reporters.

Navalny, a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin, was arrested upon arrival in Moscow on January 17 after spending several months in Germany recovering from a poisoning attack the West believes was ordered by the Kremlin.

He was jailed for nearly three years last week for violating parole conditions while in Germany.

Tens of thousands of Russians have taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest against Putin's 20-year rule and demand Navalny's release, triggering a fierce police crackdown on demonstrators.

Western leaders too have called for Navalny to be freed immediately.

Russia has bristled at the international backing for Navalny, accusing Europe and the United States of interfering in its domestic affairs.

The EU's Borrell is expected to meet with foreign ministers from the 27 member states on February 22 to discuss fresh sanctions against Moscow that would require a unanimous vote among the EU members.

Germany, Sweden and Poland on Monday each threw out a Russian diplomat in retaliation for Moscow's expulsion last week of their diplomats for allegedly taking part in protests in support of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

Germany, Sweden and Poland on Monday each threw out a Russian diplomat in retaliation for Moscow's expulsion last week of their diplomats for allegedly taking part in protests in support of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. The three EU countries announced the tit-for-tat moves in coordinated statements, drawing an angry response from Russia which accused them of meddling in its internal affairs. The diplomatic spat comes at a time of heightened tensions between the European Union and Russia, exacerbated by the arrest and jailing of leading opposition figure Navalny. Russia humiliated the European Union on Friday by announcing the expulsions during a rare meeting in Moscow between EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. European governments strongly condemned the shock expulsions, with Berlin warning that it would respond in kind. Moscow's decision to expel the three diplomats "was in no way justified", the German foreign ministry said Monday, adding that the German staff member had been doing his job of "observing developments in Russia by lawful means". Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said Stockholm had "informed the Russian ambassador that a person from the Russian embassy is asked to leave Sweden". "This is a clear response to the unacceptable decision to expel a Swedish diplomat who was only performing his duties," she wrote on Twitter. The Polish foreign ministry likewise condemned the "groundless expulsion" of a Polish diplomat from Saint Petersburg and said it had declared "persona non grata" a Russian consular official in Poznan, western Poland. The Russian foreign ministry immediately hit back. "Today's decisions by Poland, Germany and Sweden are unfounded, unfriendly and are a continuation of the very series of actions that the West is taking with regard to our country and which we qualify as interference in our internal affairs," spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on state channel Rossiya 1. - 'Reviving relations' - The Kremlin earlier on Monday defended the expulsion of the EU diplomats during Borrell's high-profile visit, and insisted it remained interested in reviving relations with Brussels. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the declaration of the three foreign diplomats as personae non gratae was a "consequence of the actions of some diplomatic missions in Moscow against the backdrop of illegal riots". Peskov added that Moscow did not initiate "the collapse" of the relationship with the EU. "Russia has been and remains interested in reviving relations between Moscow and Brussels," he told reporters. Navalny, a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin, was arrested upon arrival in Moscow on January 17 after spending several months in Germany recovering from a poisoning attack the West believes was ordered by the Kremlin. He was jailed for nearly three years last week for violating parole conditions while in Germany. Tens of thousands of Russians have taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest against Putin's 20-year rule and demand Navalny's release, triggering a fierce police crackdown on demonstrators. Western leaders too have called for Navalny to be freed immediately. Russia has bristled at the international backing for Navalny, accusing Europe and the United States of interfering in its domestic affairs. The EU's Borrell is expected to meet with foreign ministers from the 27 member states on February 22 to discuss fresh sanctions against Moscow that would require a unanimous vote among the EU members.

Germany, Poland, Sweden expel Russian diplomats in tit-for-tat move

Following first in-depth talks since President Joe Biden took office, the foreign ministers of France, Britain, Germany, and the United States on Friday said they wanted 'to revive' the transatlantic relationship. &nbsp;

In a statement, the German foreign ministry said, "The foreign ministers agreed that they want to revive the traditionally close transatlantic partnership and tackle global challenges together in future." &nbsp;

"This first, in-depth exchange between the foreign ministers since President Biden's inauguration was characterised by a trusting and constructive atmosphere." &nbsp;

The European foreign ministers and their new US counterpart Antony Blinken discussed the Iran nuclear deal, which has been in tatters since former President Donald Trump pulled out of the pact in 2018. &nbsp;

"The E3 and the US discussed how a united approach could address our shared concerns towards Iran," tweeted British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, with E3 referring to the three European signatories to the 2015 Iran deal. &nbsp;

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Twitter described the talks as an "important conversation on Iran" and handling nuclear and regional security challenges "together". &nbsp;

In a shift from Trump's go-it-alone 'America First' approach, State Department spokesman Ned Price said that Blinken 'underscored the US commitment to coordinated action to overcome global challenges’. &nbsp;

Blinken and his counterparts "affirmed the centrality of the transatlantic relationship in dealing with security, climate, economic, health and other challenges the world faces," Price said. &nbsp;

Following first in-depth talks since President Joe Biden took office, the foreign ministers of France, Britain, Germany, and the United States on Friday said they wanted 'to revive' the transatlantic relationship.

Following first in-depth talks since President Joe Biden took office, the foreign ministers of France, Britain, Germany, and the United States on Friday said they wanted 'to revive' the transatlantic relationship. In a statement, the German foreign ministry said, "The foreign ministers agreed that they want to revive the traditionally close transatlantic partnership and tackle global challenges together in future." "This first, in-depth exchange between the foreign ministers since President Biden's inauguration was characterised by a trusting and constructive atmosphere." The European foreign ministers and their new US counterpart Antony Blinken discussed the Iran nuclear deal, which has been in tatters since former President Donald Trump pulled out of the pact in 2018. "The E3 and the US discussed how a united approach could address our shared concerns towards Iran," tweeted British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, with E3 referring to the three European signatories to the 2015 Iran deal. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Twitter described the talks as an "important conversation on Iran" and handling nuclear and regional security challenges "together". In a shift from Trump's go-it-alone 'America First' approach, State Department spokesman Ned Price said that Blinken 'underscored the US commitment to coordinated action to overcome global challenges’.  Blinken and his counterparts "affirmed the centrality of the transatlantic relationship in dealing with security, climate, economic, health and other challenges the world faces," Price said.

US, UK, Germany, France to revive transatlantic ties

The pandemic has forced people inside their homes to an extent that was neither imagined nor ever previously considered.&nbsp;

However, Jonas Deichmann, a German adventurer has set off a journey on his cycle to travel around the world despite border restrictions.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/cycling-federation-invites-bihar-girl-who-cycled-down-1200km-carrying-father-for-trial-300689">Cycling federation invites Bihar girl, who cycled down 1200km carrying father, for trial</a>

His goal is to go around the world by cycling, running, swimming, practising activities that do not involve the use of any motor.&nbsp;

When Europe began to open up last summer, Deichmann saw it as an opportunity to start off his adventure.&nbsp;

"When I started out at the end of September the [Covid-19] situation was not as it is now. Covid-19 was there, but the second wave had not arrived and there were no mutations, and things were improving," he was quoted as saying by SCMP.&nbsp;

He has ridden through the Alps to Croatia and also swum along the Adriatic coast.&nbsp;

"It was just horrible, all of the time," the German adventurer said.&nbsp;

"From a mental perspective, there's just nothing to see. On a bike, there's always something to see, and you're making progress."

"I got stung by jellyfish all of the time, on my face. That's not fun."

He planned initially to go to Turkey and ultimately cross into China.&nbsp;

The plan B was going to Russia, but the authorities rejected his visa application.

"I decided that it wasn't looking as if things were changing any time soon, and so I had to work on a plan C," he said.&nbsp;

The suitable option seemed to cycle back to Europe, sailing across the North Atlantic to the US and then approaching to the Pacific coast.

Now he's slowly retracing his path and expects to cross back into Bulgaria in three weeks or near about.&nbsp;

If the Russian visa and plan B succeeds, he will pass through Romania and Ukraine and cross Russia in about 90 days.

The pandemic has forced people inside their homes to an extent that was neither imagined nor ever previously considered. However, Jonas Deichmann, a German adventurer has set off a journey on his cycle to travel around the world despite border restrictions.

The pandemic has forced people inside their homes to an extent that was neither imagined nor ever previously considered. However, Jonas Deichmann, a German adventurer has set off a journey on his cycle to travel around the world despite border restrictions. Also read | Cycling federation invites Bihar girl, who cycled down 1200km carrying father, for trial His goal is to go around the world by cycling, running, swimming, practising activities that do not involve the use of any motor. When Europe began to open up last summer, Deichmann saw it as an opportunity to start off his adventure. "When I started out at the end of September the [Covid-19] situation was not as it is now. Covid-19 was there, but the second wave had not arrived and there were no mutations, and things were improving," he was quoted as saying by SCMP. He has ridden through the Alps to Croatia and also swum along the Adriatic coast. "It was just horrible, all of the time," the German adventurer said. "From a mental perspective, there's just nothing to see. On a bike, there's always something to see, and you're making progress." "I got stung by jellyfish all of the time, on my face. That's not fun." He planned initially to go to Turkey and ultimately cross into China. The plan B was going to Russia, but the authorities rejected his visa application. "I decided that it wasn't looking as if things were changing any time soon, and so I had to work on a plan C," he said. The suitable option seemed to cycle back to Europe, sailing across the North Atlantic to the US and then approaching to the Pacific coast. Now he's slowly retracing his path and expects to cross back into Bulgaria in three weeks or near about. If the Russian visa and plan B succeeds, he will pass through Romania and Ukraine and cross Russia in about 90 days.

Cycling, swimming, running: German adventurer searches best route to travel around the world

Chancellor Angela Merkel and her government have come under fire after she pushed Germany into ceding responsibility for negotiating vaccine contracts to the European Commission.

Amid EU vaccine mess, Germany agrees to procure Russia's Sputnik

Alexander Zverev shrugged off a tight loss to Novak Djokovic to end Serbia`s ATP Cup title defence with victory in the doubles as Germany advanced to the semi-finals of the team-based event in Melbourne on Friday. 
 
Germany will meet Russia in the last four, with Spain to take on Italy. 
 
Zverev, beaten 6-7(3) 6-2 7-5 in a high-quality match by world number one Djokovic earlier on Friday, stepped up to partner Jan-Lennard Struff to a rousing 7-6(4) 5-7 (10-7) victory over Djokovic and Nikola Cacic on Rod Laver Arena. 
 
"I was quite frustrated with how the singles ended in a way," Zverev said on court. "Still got to give myself some time. 
 
"We played well, both of us," he added of his doubles match with Struff, who beat Dusan Lajovic 3-6 6-3 6-4 in the opening singles rubber. 
 
Djokovic`s 11-match winning streak in the team tournament was broken, and he will have no more match practice before his Australian Open title defence. 
 
"I am upset that we lost, that`s all I can say, I`m not thinking about the Australian Open or anything else," said Djokovic. 
 
"It’s unfortunate we lost the tie. That`s what this competition is all about. It`s about the team, not about winning one match, (a) singles match. We`ll try another time." 
 
A year after crashing out of the inaugural ATP Cup with a huge tally of double-faults, Zverev`s serving demons returned under pressure against Djokovic in the singles and again in the doubles on Friday. 
 
He was broken at 5-5 in the second set of the doubles after two double-faults but nailed his serves when Germany grabbed match points in the super tiebreak. 
 
Djokovic consoled himself that he had an excellent warmup against Zverev in the singles. 
 
"I thought it was a great match. I thought we both played well ... He definitely had a big serving match. It was so difficult to play against him today," he said. 
 
With Rafa Nadal still sidelined with a back problem, Pablo Carrena Busta guided a depleted Spain into the last four by claiming a 6-3 6-4 win against Greece`s Michail Pervolarakis at John Cain Arena. 
 
Though eliminated, Greece ended up winning the tie 2-1, with Stefanos Tsitsipas easing past Roberto Bautista Agut 7-5 7-5. 
 
Spain retired after losing the opening game of the doubles, handing Greece the win. 
 
In a dead rubber between Austria and France in the evening, world number three Dominic Thiem`s hopes of getting some match practice were cut short when his French opponent, Benoit Paire, retired while trailing 6-1. 
&nbsp;

Alexander Zverev shrugged off a tight loss to Novak Djokovic to end Serbia`s ATP Cup title defence with victory in the doubles as Germany advanced to the semi-finals of the team-based event in Melbourne on Friday.

Alexander Zverev shrugged off a tight loss to Novak Djokovic to end Serbia`s ATP Cup title defence with victory in the doubles as Germany advanced to the semi-finals of the team-based event in Melbourne on Friday. Germany will meet Russia in the last four, with Spain to take on Italy. Zverev, beaten 6-7(3) 6-2 7-5 in a high-quality match by world number one Djokovic earlier on Friday, stepped up to partner Jan-Lennard Struff to a rousing 7-6(4) 5-7 (10-7) victory over Djokovic and Nikola Cacic on Rod Laver Arena. "I was quite frustrated with how the singles ended in a way," Zverev said on court. "Still got to give myself some time. "We played well, both of us," he added of his doubles match with Struff, who beat Dusan Lajovic 3-6 6-3 6-4 in the opening singles rubber. Djokovic`s 11-match winning streak in the team tournament was broken, and he will have no more match practice before his Australian Open title defence. "I am upset that we lost, that`s all I can say, I`m not thinking about the Australian Open or anything else," said Djokovic. "It’s unfortunate we lost the tie. That`s what this competition is all about. It`s about the team, not about winning one match, (a) singles match. We`ll try another time." A year after crashing out of the inaugural ATP Cup with a huge tally of double-faults, Zverev`s serving demons returned under pressure against Djokovic in the singles and again in the doubles on Friday. He was broken at 5-5 in the second set of the doubles after two double-faults but nailed his serves when Germany grabbed match points in the super tiebreak. Djokovic consoled himself that he had an excellent warmup against Zverev in the singles. "I thought it was a great match. I thought we both played well ... He definitely had a big serving match. It was so difficult to play against him today," he said. With Rafa Nadal still sidelined with a back problem, Pablo Carrena Busta guided a depleted Spain into the last four by claiming a 6-3 6-4 win against Greece`s Michail Pervolarakis at John Cain Arena. Though eliminated, Greece ended up winning the tie 2-1, with Stefanos Tsitsipas easing past Roberto Bautista Agut 7-5 7-5. Spain retired after losing the opening game of the doubles, handing Greece the win. In a dead rubber between Austria and France in the evening, world number three Dominic Thiem`s hopes of getting some match practice were cut short when his French opponent, Benoit Paire, retired while trailing 6-1.

Germany end Serbia's ATP Cup defence to reach semis

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">novel coronavirus </a>has led to the creative use of various things and brought out resourcefulness that was not previously considered.

Who would have thought earlier that sniffer dogs that are used to find criminals and pieces of evidence will be used to detect Covid-19 too?

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-decode-how-coronavirus-damages-lung-cells-within-hours-360434">Scientists decode how coronavirus damages lung cells within hours</a>

In a first, a veterinary clinic in Germany has trained sniffer dogs to detect the deadly virus from human saliva samples, claiming 94 per cent accuracy.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-finds-more-coronavirus-cases-with-concerning-mutation-361033/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The dogs are conditioned to identify the "corona odour" that appears from cells in people infected with coronavirus, said Esther Schalke, a vet at Germany's armed forces school for service dogs.

"We did a study where we had dogs sniffing samples from Covid-positive patients and we can say that they have a 94 per cent probability in our study ... that they can sniff them out," Holger Volk, head of the veterinary clinic, was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters. &nbsp;

He added that these dogs can sniff out coronavirus cases of both asymptomatic and symptomatic patients.&nbsp;

Filou, three-year-old Belgian Shepherd, and Joe Cocker, one-year-old Cocker Spaniel, are two dogs that are being trained for this purpose at the Hanover's University of Veterinary Medicine.

Stephan Weil, premier of Lower Saxony, said he was impressed with the research and called for feasibility tests before these dogs can be used to detect Covid-19.

Last September, Finland started training dogs to detect the virus at Finland's Helsinki-Vantaa airport for the passengers.&nbsp;

Santiago international airport in Chile is also using canine detectors. 
&nbsp;

The novel coronavirus has led to the creative use of various things and brought out resourcefulness that was not previously considered. Who would have thought earlier that sniffer dogs that are used to find criminals and pieces of evidence will be used to detect Covid-19 too?

The novel coronavirus has led to the creative use of various things and brought out resourcefulness that was not previously considered. Who would have thought earlier that sniffer dogs that are used to find criminals and pieces of evidence will be used to detect Covid-19 too? Also read | Scientists decode how coronavirus damages lung cells within hours In a first, a veterinary clinic in Germany has trained sniffer dogs to detect the deadly virus from human saliva samples, claiming 94 per cent accuracy. Watch | The dogs are conditioned to identify the "corona odour" that appears from cells in people infected with coronavirus, said Esther Schalke, a vet at Germany's armed forces school for service dogs. "We did a study where we had dogs sniffing samples from Covid-positive patients and we can say that they have a 94 per cent probability in our study ... that they can sniff them out," Holger Volk, head of the veterinary clinic, was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters. He added that these dogs can sniff out coronavirus cases of both asymptomatic and symptomatic patients. Filou, three-year-old Belgian Shepherd, and Joe Cocker, one-year-old Cocker Spaniel, are two dogs that are being trained for this purpose at the Hanover's University of Veterinary Medicine. Stephan Weil, premier of Lower Saxony, said he was impressed with the research and called for feasibility tests before these dogs can be used to detect Covid-19. Last September, Finland started training dogs to detect the virus at Finland's Helsinki-Vantaa airport for the passengers. Santiago international airport in Chile is also using canine detectors.

Sniffer dogs detect coronavirus in Germany, study claims efficacy is of 94%

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