Fifteen teams battled it out for an unusual trophy in northern Germany - the 'Golden Handbag'.

Germany: Hand Bag Throwing Competition

Lionel Messi will bid to gild his legacy as the greatest footballer of his generation on Sunday, by ending Argentina&#39;s 23-year wait for a major title in a dream final against holders Chile in the Copa America Centenario.&nbsp; 
 
For Messi&#39;s many millions of admirers, the five-time world footballer of the year has already achieved enough in his glittering career to be considered in the same bracket as Pele and Diego Maradona.&nbsp; 
 
Yet the only hole in the Barcelona superstar&#39;s CV is a major tournament title with Argentina, which is invariably, and somewhat unfairly, cited as a justification to delay his elevation to football&#39;s pantheon.&nbsp; 
 
That could all change on Sunday before a sell-out crowd of 81,000 at East Rutherford&#39;s MetLife Stadium, the home of the NFL&#39;s New York Giants, when Argentina face the Chileans in a rematch of last year&#39;s Copa America final.&nbsp; 
 
It is the third final in as many years for Messi and his teammates, who suffered agonizing defeats in the 2014 World Cup final against Germany and to the Chileans on penalties in Santiago. 
 
On each occasion, Messi has borne the brunt of the backlash from critics in Argentina, who trot out a familiar laundry list of grievances. He has no passion. He doesn&#39;t sing the anthem. He doesn`t &quot;feel&quot; the shirt.&nbsp; 
 
Barely a ball had been kicked in this Copa America before Maradona, a regular sniper, accused him of lacking &quot;personality&quot; and &quot;leadership.&quot; Maradona amped up the rhetoric this week shortly after Argentina booked their place in the final with a 4-0 demolition of the United States.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We will certainly win on Sunday... and if we don&#39;t win, they shouldn&#39;t come back,&quot; Maradona told an Argentinian television network. 
&nbsp; 
Although Messi admits that losing another final would be a &quot;great disappointment&quot;, so far in the tournament he has shown no sign of being overburdened by pressure.&nbsp; 
 
After missing Argentina&#39;s opening group match - a 2-1 win over Sundayss opponents Chile -- he scored an electrifying 19-minute hat-trick against Panama after coming on as a substitute before going on to equal Gabriel Batistuta&#39;s Argentina goals record in the 4-1 quarter-final win over Venezuela.&nbsp; 
 
Against the US on Tuesday, he scored a magnificent curling freekick to become his country&#39;s leading international goalscorer with 55, while setting up two more goals in a magical all-round display.&nbsp; 
 
He even found the time to sign the shirt of an autograph-hunting fan who sprinted onto the pitch at the start of the second half. His smiling, laid back demeanor however masks a fierce determination to lift the title, revealing that Argentina have become a more formidable unit since suffering the pain of multiple final defeats. 
 
&quot;We have grown a lot as a team in the past year, and as a result we are stronger,&quot; Messi said. 
 
&quot;We&#39;ve been in spectacular form up to now, now it&#39;s up to us to do it again on Sunday. We don`t feel any pressure; we&#39;re used to playing in finals -- unfortunately we haven`t won one yet,&quot; he added. 
 
Yet while Argentinian fans -- and many neutrals -- will be willing Messi to victory, Chile have shown that they are more than capable of pulling off another ambush.&nbsp; 
 
Since the opening loss to Argentina on June 6, the Chileans have improved with each game to compile their best run of results since Juan Antonio Pizzi replaced Jorge Sampaoli as manager in January.&nbsp; 
 
They humiliated Mexico with a 7-0 thrashing in the quarter-finals and polished off Colombia 2-0 in the semi-finals.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;They are a team that presses you, and don&#39;t let you play,&quot; Messi warned on Friday. &quot;And when they have the ball they play very well.&quot; 
A dynamic, combative midfield led by Bayern Munich star Arturo Vidal will ensure that Argentina`s skilled attackers such as Messi, Nicolas Gaitan and Ever Banega have nothing like the freedom to operate they have enjoyed so far.&nbsp; 
 
And Chile&#39;s razor sharp attack, which features tournament top scorer Eduardo Vargas (six goals) and Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez, should also pose more questions than Argentina&#39;s back four has been required to answer en route to the final. 
 
(AFP)

It is the third final for Messi and his teammates, who suffered defeats in the 2014 World Cup final against Germany and Chile on penalties

Lionel Messi will bid to gild his legacy as the greatest footballer of his generation on Sunday, by ending Argentina's 23-year wait for a major title in a dream final against holders Chile in the Copa America Centenario. For Messi's many millions of admirers, the five-time world footballer of the year has already achieved enough in his glittering career to be considered in the same bracket as Pele and Diego Maradona. Yet the only hole in the Barcelona superstar's CV is a major tournament title with Argentina, which is invariably, and somewhat unfairly, cited as a justification to delay his elevation to football's pantheon. That could all change on Sunday before a sell-out crowd of 81,000 at East Rutherford's MetLife Stadium, the home of the NFL's New York Giants, when Argentina face the Chileans in a rematch of last year's Copa America final. It is the third final in as many years for Messi and his teammates, who suffered agonizing defeats in the 2014 World Cup final against Germany and to the Chileans on penalties in Santiago. On each occasion, Messi has borne the brunt of the backlash from critics in Argentina, who trot out a familiar laundry list of grievances. He has no passion. He doesn't sing the anthem. He doesn`t "feel" the shirt. Barely a ball had been kicked in this Copa America before Maradona, a regular sniper, accused him of lacking "personality" and "leadership." Maradona amped up the rhetoric this week shortly after Argentina booked their place in the final with a 4-0 demolition of the United States. "We will certainly win on Sunday... and if we don't win, they shouldn't come back," Maradona told an Argentinian television network. Although Messi admits that losing another final would be a "great disappointment", so far in the tournament he has shown no sign of being overburdened by pressure. After missing Argentina's opening group match - a 2-1 win over Sundayss opponents Chile -- he scored an electrifying 19-minute hat-trick against Panama after coming on as a substitute before going on to equal Gabriel Batistuta's Argentina goals record in the 4-1 quarter-final win over Venezuela. Against the US on Tuesday, he scored a magnificent curling freekick to become his country's leading international goalscorer with 55, while setting up two more goals in a magical all-round display. He even found the time to sign the shirt of an autograph-hunting fan who sprinted onto the pitch at the start of the second half. His smiling, laid back demeanor however masks a fierce determination to lift the title, revealing that Argentina have become a more formidable unit since suffering the pain of multiple final defeats. "We have grown a lot as a team in the past year, and as a result we are stronger," Messi said. "We've been in spectacular form up to now, now it's up to us to do it again on Sunday. We don`t feel any pressure; we're used to playing in finals -- unfortunately we haven`t won one yet," he added. Yet while Argentinian fans -- and many neutrals -- will be willing Messi to victory, Chile have shown that they are more than capable of pulling off another ambush. Since the opening loss to Argentina on June 6, the Chileans have improved with each game to compile their best run of results since Juan Antonio Pizzi replaced Jorge Sampaoli as manager in January. They humiliated Mexico with a 7-0 thrashing in the quarter-finals and polished off Colombia 2-0 in the semi-finals. "They are a team that presses you, and don't let you play," Messi warned on Friday. "And when they have the ball they play very well." A dynamic, combative midfield led by Bayern Munich star Arturo Vidal will ensure that Argentina`s skilled attackers such as Messi, Nicolas Gaitan and Ever Banega have nothing like the freedom to operate they have enjoyed so far. And Chile's razor sharp attack, which features tournament top scorer Eduardo Vargas (six goals) and Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez, should also pose more questions than Argentina's back four has been required to answer en route to the final. (AFP)

Messi ready for crowning glory in Copa final

Men in Germany and Austria, wrestle it out with fingers.

Finger Wrestling: A tradition to sport

The German company Goal Control has questioned UEFA&#39;s decision to award the goal-line technology contract for the Euro 2016 soccer championships to Hawk-Eye, a Sony subsidiary, citing it as a breach of antitrust regulations. 
 
&quot;The awarding (of the contract) to Sony Hawk-Eye for Euro 2016 and other European club tournaments, i.e. Champions League and Europa League mean that in most stadiums of the major leagues in Europe the system Sony Hawk-Eye can be found. That means that they monopolise the market,&quot; the lawyer for the German company Goal Control, Wolfgang Kau, told Reuters on Tuesday. 
 
Ligue 1 chose the Goal Control system back in 2015, so with it already installed in all the stadiums being used for Euro 2016, Kau said that it would have been better and cheaper to use Goal Control rather than Hawk-Eye. 
 
&quot;And we know from the world championship and the use in the French league that the Goal Control System works at least as well as the Sony Hawk-Eye System. And both are licensed by FIFA. So that cannot be the problem.&quot; 
 
Kau hinted that there might be some other influences in the decision by the UEFA, like the &quot;sponsorship contract between Sony and UEFA&quot; and that the other two competitors had no equal chance. 
 
In April, UEFA decided to use Hawk-Eye technology for its Euro 2016 goal-line technology to determine whether the ball has crossed the goal-line. The British company&#39;s camera-based system, used in tennis and cricket and at the 2014 World Cup final, is installed in all 10 stadiums hosting the tournament in France and also used in the Premier League and Bundesliga. 
 
The system uses seven cameras to track the flight of the ball, indicating to the referee&#39;s radio-controlled watch within one second with a vibration and visual signal whether a goal has been scored. Referees are still be helped by additional assistant referees. 
 
UEFA&#39;s cooperation with Hawk-Eye will continue, as goal-line technology is to be used in the UEFA Super Cup match in Trondheim and the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League, from the play-offs onwards. A decision concerning its implementation in the UEFA Europa League, from the group stage onwards in 2017/18, will be made at a later stage. 
 
(Reuters)

UEFA's cooperation with Hawk-Eye will continue and the technology is to be used in the UEFA Super Cup and the 2016//17 UEFA Champions League

The German company Goal Control has questioned UEFA's decision to award the goal-line technology contract for the Euro 2016 soccer championships to Hawk-Eye, a Sony subsidiary, citing it as a breach of antitrust regulations. "The awarding (of the contract) to Sony Hawk-Eye for Euro 2016 and other European club tournaments, i.e. Champions League and Europa League mean that in most stadiums of the major leagues in Europe the system Sony Hawk-Eye can be found. That means that they monopolise the market," the lawyer for the German company Goal Control, Wolfgang Kau, told Reuters on Tuesday. Ligue 1 chose the Goal Control system back in 2015, so with it already installed in all the stadiums being used for Euro 2016, Kau said that it would have been better and cheaper to use Goal Control rather than Hawk-Eye. "And we know from the world championship and the use in the French league that the Goal Control System works at least as well as the Sony Hawk-Eye System. And both are licensed by FIFA. So that cannot be the problem." Kau hinted that there might be some other influences in the decision by the UEFA, like the "sponsorship contract between Sony and UEFA" and that the other two competitors had no equal chance. In April, UEFA decided to use Hawk-Eye technology for its Euro 2016 goal-line technology to determine whether the ball has crossed the goal-line. The British company's camera-based system, used in tennis and cricket and at the 2014 World Cup final, is installed in all 10 stadiums hosting the tournament in France and also used in the Premier League and Bundesliga. The system uses seven cameras to track the flight of the ball, indicating to the referee's radio-controlled watch within one second with a vibration and visual signal whether a goal has been scored. Referees are still be helped by additional assistant referees. UEFA's cooperation with Hawk-Eye will continue, as goal-line technology is to be used in the UEFA Super Cup match in Trondheim and the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League, from the play-offs onwards. A decision concerning its implementation in the UEFA Europa League, from the group stage onwards in 2017/18, will be made at a later stage. (Reuters)

Goal Control complain to UEFA for using Hawk-Eye for goal-line technology at Euro 2016

FIFA&#39;s ethics committee today recommended a ban of at least four years from all football activities for former Thailand federation president Worawi Makudi. Worawi, a FIFA exective committee member until last year, is in the dock for violating the sports ruling body&#39;s &quot;general rules&quot; and &quot;forgery and falsification&quot;, FIFA&#39;s adjudicatory chamber revealed in a statement. 
 
The suspension was called for after a final report on Worawi was submitted by the investigatory arm of FIFA&#39;s ethics committee. &quot;The investigatory chamber recommends a ban from all football-related activity for no less than four years and a fine of CHF 25,000 ($25,000),&quot; the judging body announced. 
 
&quot;For reasons linked to privacy rights and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, the adjudicatory chamber will not publish further details at the moment,&quot; its statement added.&nbsp; 
 
Thai football has been mired in division and controversy after a cascade of scandals linked to the deposed Football Association of Thailand (FAT) chief. Worawi was found guilty in July 2015 by a Thai court of forgery in his re-election as head of FAT. He has denied all wrongdoing. 
 
Worawi was for years a staunch ally of disgraced ex-FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who has been banned from football for six years over ethics violation. 
 
(AFP)

Worawi was found guilty in July 2015 by a Thai court of forgery in his re-election as head of Football Association of Thailand

FIFA's ethics committee today recommended a ban of at least four years from all football activities for former Thailand federation president Worawi Makudi. Worawi, a FIFA exective committee member until last year, is in the dock for violating the sports ruling body's "general rules" and "forgery and falsification", FIFA's adjudicatory chamber revealed in a statement. The suspension was called for after a final report on Worawi was submitted by the investigatory arm of FIFA's ethics committee. "The investigatory chamber recommends a ban from all football-related activity for no less than four years and a fine of CHF 25,000 ($25,000)," the judging body announced. "For reasons linked to privacy rights and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, the adjudicatory chamber will not publish further details at the moment," its statement added. Thai football has been mired in division and controversy after a cascade of scandals linked to the deposed Football Association of Thailand (FAT) chief. Worawi was found guilty in July 2015 by a Thai court of forgery in his re-election as head of FAT. He has denied all wrongdoing. Worawi was for years a staunch ally of disgraced ex-FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who has been banned from football for six years over ethics violation. (AFP)

FIFA recommends four-year ban for ex-federation boss Worawi Makudi

This disco inside a phone booth will make you forget mega clubs! Check out Germany's Teledisko, the world's smallest (and, coolest?) club.

Germany's Teledisko: World's smallest club

Germany thumped Slovakia 3-0 with goals from Jerome Boateng, Mario Gomez and Julian Draxler to cruise into the Euro 2016 quarter-finals on Sunday and confirm their status as tournament favourites with a sparkling performance. 
 
Central defender Boateng, who had been passed fit after an injury, connected perfectly with a clearance in the eighth minute to volley home from 25 metres for his first international goal as the world champions took control from the start. 
 
The Germans, who next face either holders Spain or Italy, saw Mesut Ozil&#39;s weak 13th minute penalty saved but Gomez made no mistake two minutes from halftime when he tapped home a perfect cut back from the marauding Julian Draxler. 
 
Draxler, coming into the starting lineup for the lacklustre Mario Goetze, was then left with far too much space at the far post to volley in their third just past the hour as the Germans kept a fourth straight clean sheet at the finals. 
 
Comfortable with either foot, the winger utilised his speed and intelligence to good effect, helping his side pin the Slovaks in their own half for much of the opening period. 
 
Boateng opened the scoring with a deflected volley following a corner and ran to celebrate with team doctor Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt, who helped him recover from a muscle injury sustained in their last group game with Northern Ireland. 
 
Ozil&#39;s weak penalty, well saved by Matus Kozacik, was one of the few blemishes in an otherwise superb Germany performance. 
 
Slovakia may have got the better of the Germans in a pre-Euro 2016 friendly but, apart from a few forays forward, they were all at sea. 
 
Five minutes before halftime Juraj Kucka forced a flying save from Germany captain Manuel Neuer as he sent Peter Pekarik&#39;s cross toward the top corner. 
 
Germany hit back immediately, Draxler turning Kucka inside out before squaring for Gomez to stab the ball home from close range to make it 2-0. 
 
Slovakia were marginally better in the second half but when the excellent Draxler hooked a volley into the top corner in the 63rd minute there was no way back. 
 
Draxler and Boateng were replaced by Lukas Podolski and Benedikt Hoewedes nine minutes later as the game took on the air of a friendly with Germany&#39;s place in the last eight against Spain or Italy already booked. 
 
(Reuters)

Ozil's weak penalty, well saved by Matus Kozacik, was one of the few blemishes in an otherwise superb Germany performance

Germany thumped Slovakia 3-0 with goals from Jerome Boateng, Mario Gomez and Julian Draxler to cruise into the Euro 2016 quarter-finals on Sunday and confirm their status as tournament favourites with a sparkling performance. Central defender Boateng, who had been passed fit after an injury, connected perfectly with a clearance in the eighth minute to volley home from 25 metres for his first international goal as the world champions took control from the start. The Germans, who next face either holders Spain or Italy, saw Mesut Ozil's weak 13th minute penalty saved but Gomez made no mistake two minutes from halftime when he tapped home a perfect cut back from the marauding Julian Draxler. Draxler, coming into the starting lineup for the lacklustre Mario Goetze, was then left with far too much space at the far post to volley in their third just past the hour as the Germans kept a fourth straight clean sheet at the finals. Comfortable with either foot, the winger utilised his speed and intelligence to good effect, helping his side pin the Slovaks in their own half for much of the opening period. Boateng opened the scoring with a deflected volley following a corner and ran to celebrate with team doctor Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt, who helped him recover from a muscle injury sustained in their last group game with Northern Ireland. Ozil's weak penalty, well saved by Matus Kozacik, was one of the few blemishes in an otherwise superb Germany performance. Slovakia may have got the better of the Germans in a pre-Euro 2016 friendly but, apart from a few forays forward, they were all at sea. Five minutes before halftime Juraj Kucka forced a flying save from Germany captain Manuel Neuer as he sent Peter Pekarik's cross toward the top corner. Germany hit back immediately, Draxler turning Kucka inside out before squaring for Gomez to stab the ball home from close range to make it 2-0. Slovakia were marginally better in the second half but when the excellent Draxler hooked a volley into the top corner in the 63rd minute there was no way back. Draxler and Boateng were replaced by Lukas Podolski and Benedikt Hoewedes nine minutes later as the game took on the air of a friendly with Germany's place in the last eight against Spain or Italy already booked. (Reuters)

Germany cruise into last eight with 3-0 Slovakia win

Germany winger Leroy Sane has signed a five-year deal for Manchester City, both the Premier League side and his now former Bundesliga club Schalke 04 confirmed Tuesday. 
 
City tweeted a picture of the 20-year-old Sane signing a contract, which is reportedly worth $37 million plus add-ons, after he completed the medical examination in Manchester on Monday. 
 
&quot;One of the reasons I decided to join City was Pep Guardiola; he convinced me to come here and that I can continue to progress,&quot; said Sane on the Man City website. 
 
&quot;I know I will learn a lot under him and now I can take the next step in my career.&quot; If the figure is confirmed, it will make Sane the most expensive German signing of all time. &quot;We have given the green light for the transfer.&nbsp;Those in charge of Manchester City behaved professionally at all times. There were difficult, but fair discussions,&quot; said Schalke&#39;s director of sport Christian Heidel. 
 
Sane is a rising star in the Germany squad and has already posed for pictures with City fans in Manchester. 
 
The reported transfer figure seems astronomical given that Sane has made just 47 Bundesliga appearances, scoring 11 goals and creating seven more, since his debut in Germany&#39;s top flight in April 2014. 
 
The fleet-footed forward made the last of his four international appearances for the world champions as a late replacement in last month&#39;s 2-0 defeat to hosts France in the Euro 2016 semi-finals. 
 
Sane, who scored eight goals in 33 Bundesliga games last season, was missing when Schalke flew to their pre-season training camp in Austria on Monday. 
 
(AFP)

The $37 million figure seems astronomical given that he has made just 47 Bundesliga appearances since his debut with Germany in 2014

Germany winger Leroy Sane has signed a five-year deal for Manchester City, both the Premier League side and his now former Bundesliga club Schalke 04 confirmed Tuesday. City tweeted a picture of the 20-year-old Sane signing a contract, which is reportedly worth $37 million plus add-ons, after he completed the medical examination in Manchester on Monday. "One of the reasons I decided to join City was Pep Guardiola; he convinced me to come here and that I can continue to progress," said Sane on the Man City website. "I know I will learn a lot under him and now I can take the next step in my career." If the figure is confirmed, it will make Sane the most expensive German signing of all time. "We have given the green light for the transfer. Those in charge of Manchester City behaved professionally at all times. There were difficult, but fair discussions," said Schalke's director of sport Christian Heidel. Sane is a rising star in the Germany squad and has already posed for pictures with City fans in Manchester. The reported transfer figure seems astronomical given that Sane has made just 47 Bundesliga appearances, scoring 11 goals and creating seven more, since his debut in Germany's top flight in April 2014. The fleet-footed forward made the last of his four international appearances for the world champions as a late replacement in last month's 2-0 defeat to hosts France in the Euro 2016 semi-finals. Sane, who scored eight goals in 33 Bundesliga games last season, was missing when Schalke flew to their pre-season training camp in Austria on Monday. (AFP)

Leroy Sane leaves Schalke to join Pep Guardiola's Manchester City

Germany central defender Jerome Boateng returned to training today after overcoming a muscle injury, and appeared fit for Sunday&#39;s Euro 2016 round of 16 clash against Slovakia. 
 
Boateng picked up a calf muscle injury towards the end of their 1-0 victory over Northern Ireland this week, and his participation on Sunday was in doubt. 
 
He did not train with the team on Friday, undergoing an individual session involving cycling and jogging, and seemed fit on Saturday, as Germany prepare for their departure to Lille later in the day. 
 
The 27-year-old, who has resumed his World-Cup winning partnership in central defence with Mats Hummels, has helped the world champions keep a clean sheet in all three of their group stage matches in the tournament so far. 
 
The winner of the round of 16 match will next play either Italy or Euro holders Spain in the quarter-finals. 
 
(Reuters)

Boateng injured his calf towards the end of their 1-0 victory over Northern Ireland and his participation on Sunday was in doubt

Germany central defender Jerome Boateng returned to training today after overcoming a muscle injury, and appeared fit for Sunday's Euro 2016 round of 16 clash against Slovakia. Boateng picked up a calf muscle injury towards the end of their 1-0 victory over Northern Ireland this week, and his participation on Sunday was in doubt. He did not train with the team on Friday, undergoing an individual session involving cycling and jogging, and seemed fit on Saturday, as Germany prepare for their departure to Lille later in the day. The 27-year-old, who has resumed his World-Cup winning partnership in central defence with Mats Hummels, has helped the world champions keep a clean sheet in all three of their group stage matches in the tournament so far. The winner of the round of 16 match will next play either Italy or Euro holders Spain in the quarter-finals. (Reuters)

Germany's Jerome Boateng back in training for Slovakia game

Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger today announced his retirement from international duty with immediate effect. The 31-year-old Manchester United midfielder, who won his 120th and final cap in Germany&#39;s 2-0 defeat to France in the semi-finals of Euro 2016, revealed the news on his official Twitter account. 
 
He retires from die Mannschaft with his Old Trafford future in the balance having reportedly been told by United&#39;s new coach Jose Mourinho that he is one of nine players free to leave the club. Schweinsteiger still has two years left to run on his United contract. 
 
A knee injury in January flared up again in March, restricting him to just a handful of matches before he played at the European championships, netting a goal on his return against Ukraine in Germany&#39;s opening pool game. The defensive midfielder said now was the right time to retire from the national team ahead of Germany&#39;s first qualifier for the 2018 World Cup against Norway on September 9, four days after a home friendly against Finland. 
 
&quot;I have just told the national head coach (Joachim Loew) to no longer consider me for selection in the future, as I would like to retire,&quot; wrote Schweinsteiger. &quot;I would like to thank the fans, the team, the German Football Association and the coaches. In 120 internationals, I have been allowed to run out for my country and experience moments which were indescribably beautiful and successful.&quot; 
 
Schweinsteiger&#39;s finest moment in the famous white shirt was his battling performance in the 2014 World Cup final in Rio. He absorbed everything the Argentina midfield threw at him to help Germany secure a 1-0 extra-time victory as Mario Goetze&#39;s winning goal gave die Mannschaft a fourth title. &quot;Winning the 2014 World Cup was a historic and emotional moment for us, which will not be repeated again in my career,&quot; said Schweinsteiger. &quot;Therefore, it is the right time and sensible to finish now, and to wish the national team all the best for the qualifying stage and the 2018 World Cup. Finally, I just want to say to our fans, &#39;it was an honour to have been able to play for you, many thanks for everything that I was able to experience with you.&#39;&quot; 
 
Schweinsteiger said that he regrets Germany&#39;s Euro 2016 exit to France, as Antoine Griezmann netted twice in the hosts&#39; 2-0 semi-final win in Marseille, before losing the final 1-0 to Portugal in Paris. &quot;Jogi Loew knew what the Euro 2016 in France meant to me, the title I absolutely wanted to win, which hadn&#39;t been brought to Germany since 1996. &quot;It wasn&#39;t meant to be and I have to accept that.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The defensive midfielder said now was the right time to retire from the national team, before Germany's first 2018 World Cup qualifier

Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger today announced his retirement from international duty with immediate effect. The 31-year-old Manchester United midfielder, who won his 120th and final cap in Germany's 2-0 defeat to France in the semi-finals of Euro 2016, revealed the news on his official Twitter account. He retires from die Mannschaft with his Old Trafford future in the balance having reportedly been told by United's new coach Jose Mourinho that he is one of nine players free to leave the club. Schweinsteiger still has two years left to run on his United contract. A knee injury in January flared up again in March, restricting him to just a handful of matches before he played at the European championships, netting a goal on his return against Ukraine in Germany's opening pool game. The defensive midfielder said now was the right time to retire from the national team ahead of Germany's first qualifier for the 2018 World Cup against Norway on September 9, four days after a home friendly against Finland. "I have just told the national head coach (Joachim Loew) to no longer consider me for selection in the future, as I would like to retire," wrote Schweinsteiger. "I would like to thank the fans, the team, the German Football Association and the coaches. In 120 internationals, I have been allowed to run out for my country and experience moments which were indescribably beautiful and successful." Schweinsteiger's finest moment in the famous white shirt was his battling performance in the 2014 World Cup final in Rio. He absorbed everything the Argentina midfield threw at him to help Germany secure a 1-0 extra-time victory as Mario Goetze's winning goal gave die Mannschaft a fourth title. "Winning the 2014 World Cup was a historic and emotional moment for us, which will not be repeated again in my career," said Schweinsteiger. "Therefore, it is the right time and sensible to finish now, and to wish the national team all the best for the qualifying stage and the 2018 World Cup. Finally, I just want to say to our fans, 'it was an honour to have been able to play for you, many thanks for everything that I was able to experience with you.'" Schweinsteiger said that he regrets Germany's Euro 2016 exit to France, as Antoine Griezmann netted twice in the hosts' 2-0 semi-final win in Marseille, before losing the final 1-0 to Portugal in Paris. "Jogi Loew knew what the Euro 2016 in France meant to me, the title I absolutely wanted to win, which hadn't been brought to Germany since 1996. "It wasn't meant to be and I have to accept that." (AFP)

Bastian Schweinsteiger retires from Germany duty

Germany&#39;s defence will be put to the test in their opening Euro 2016 group match against Ukraine in Lille on Sunday with major questions still to be answered about the world champions&#39; new-look rearguard. 
 
Coach Joachim Loew&#39;s team will be without key central defender Mats Hummels, still recovering from a muscle injury, as they kick off their Group C campaign. 
 
Hummels&#39; replacement Antonio Ruediger was ruled out with torn cruciate knee ligaments this week. 
 
Holding midfielder and captain Bastian Schweinsteiger, still working on his comeback from injury, is also absent, further complicating Loew&#39;s defensive conundrum. 
 
Benedikt Hoewedes and Jerome Boateng are the two likely central defenders, but both had a long injury break late in the season and are in desperate need of match practice. 
 
Jonathan Tah, the 20-year-old who was only called up this week following Ruediger&#39;s injury, is expected to be on the bench. 
 
Toni Kroos, who will shoulder the biggest responsibility of connecting Germany&#39;s defensive and attacking game, is brimming with confidence following his Champions League win with Real Madrid. 
 
Assistant coach Thomas Schneider sounded confident on Friday that the team would quickly find their cohesion at the back. 
 
&quot;In the last few matches we thought a lot about our defensive operation and we came up with a few things, including for defensive set pieces,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;We have worked on that in training and everyone knows their job&quot;. 
 
Ukraine, while outsiders, are certain to test the Germans&#39; new-look defence with quick wingers Andriy Yarmolenko and Yevhen Konoplyanka capable of inflicting severe damage. 
 
It will be up to Loew&#39;s full backs to neutralise that threat but they must also break down a steely Ukraine defence. 
 
The Germans, eyeing their fourth Euro triumph but first since 1996, have never lost an opening match at the European Championship, and are aware a slip-up could prove costly. 
 
&quot;The first game is extremely important and it will determine our run in this tournament,&quot; attacking midfielder Julian Draxler said. 
 
Ukraine managed to keep six clean sheets in 10 qualifiers with coach Mykhailo Fomenko having taken over after the co-hosts&#39; disappointing Euro 2012 campaign. 
 
They then came out on top against Slovenia in a playoff last year, with the 67-year-old having moulded them into an efficient unit.

Joachim Loew's men are without key central defender Mats Hummels

Germany's defence will be put to the test in their opening Euro 2016 group match against Ukraine in Lille on Sunday with major questions still to be answered about the world champions' new-look rearguard. Coach Joachim Loew's team will be without key central defender Mats Hummels, still recovering from a muscle injury, as they kick off their Group C campaign. Hummels' replacement Antonio Ruediger was ruled out with torn cruciate knee ligaments this week. Holding midfielder and captain Bastian Schweinsteiger, still working on his comeback from injury, is also absent, further complicating Loew's defensive conundrum. Benedikt Hoewedes and Jerome Boateng are the two likely central defenders, but both had a long injury break late in the season and are in desperate need of match practice. Jonathan Tah, the 20-year-old who was only called up this week following Ruediger's injury, is expected to be on the bench. Toni Kroos, who will shoulder the biggest responsibility of connecting Germany's defensive and attacking game, is brimming with confidence following his Champions League win with Real Madrid. Assistant coach Thomas Schneider sounded confident on Friday that the team would quickly find their cohesion at the back. "In the last few matches we thought a lot about our defensive operation and we came up with a few things, including for defensive set pieces," he said. "We have worked on that in training and everyone knows their job". Ukraine, while outsiders, are certain to test the Germans' new-look defence with quick wingers Andriy Yarmolenko and Yevhen Konoplyanka capable of inflicting severe damage. It will be up to Loew's full backs to neutralise that threat but they must also break down a steely Ukraine defence. The Germans, eyeing their fourth Euro triumph but first since 1996, have never lost an opening match at the European Championship, and are aware a slip-up could prove costly. "The first game is extremely important and it will determine our run in this tournament," attacking midfielder Julian Draxler said. Ukraine managed to keep six clean sheets in 10 qualifiers with coach Mykhailo Fomenko having taken over after the co-hosts' disappointing Euro 2012 campaign. They then came out on top against Slovenia in a playoff last year, with the 67-year-old having moulded them into an efficient unit.

Ukraine speed to test new-look Germany defence

Holding midfielder Sami Khedira will miss Germany&#39;s Euro 2016 semi-final against host France after he sustained an adductor muscle injury in the quarter-final victory over Italy, coach Joachim Loew said on Monday. 
 
Khedira, who had played in all of Germany&#39;s matches at the tournament, was withdrawn early in Saturdays game after over-stretching during a challenge for the ball. 
 
&quot;Sami Khedira wont play for us on Thursday. We will do everything for him to be available for a potential final,&quot; Loew told reporters of the 29-year-old Juventus player. 
 
&quot;I will have to bring in new names. There will be personnel changes in the lineup.&quot; 
 
Germany are already without suspended central defender Mats Hummels and injured striker Mario Gomez, who will miss the rest of the tournament after also picking up an injury in the shootout victory over Italy. 
 
Gomez, who will remain with the team, is the only specialist striker in the German squad. 
 
Loew said he had enough options in midfield, naming Emre Can as one of Khediras possible replacements due to his versatility. 
 
&quot;He is a player who can be used in a lot of different positions. In training, he has been very convincing. Physically he is very strong and skilled. I think that a player like Can would do our game a lot of good.&quot; Captain Bastian Schweinsteiger was also a doubt with a knee ligament injury and if he did not fully recover by Thursday, he would not play, Loew said. 
 
&quot;We will not put our head in the sand. We will try everything with the players that are doubtful,&quot; the coach added. &quot;One thing is clear: I will definitely not let play anyone who is not 100 per cent fit. I hope and wish that Bastian can make it. 
 
&quot;I made the mistake many years ago (of fielding a player who was unfit) and I wont make it again,&quot; he said, refusing to name the match he was referring to. 
 
&quot;The thoughts we have should not go back to the past but go forward. I fully trust all my players. They are training at a high level, they are physically in very good shape.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Germany are already without suspended central defender Mats Hummels and injured striker Mario Gomez who will miss the rest of the tournament

Holding midfielder Sami Khedira will miss Germany's Euro 2016 semi-final against host France after he sustained an adductor muscle injury in the quarter-final victory over Italy, coach Joachim Loew said on Monday. Khedira, who had played in all of Germany's matches at the tournament, was withdrawn early in Saturdays game after over-stretching during a challenge for the ball. "Sami Khedira wont play for us on Thursday. We will do everything for him to be available for a potential final," Loew told reporters of the 29-year-old Juventus player. "I will have to bring in new names. There will be personnel changes in the lineup." Germany are already without suspended central defender Mats Hummels and injured striker Mario Gomez, who will miss the rest of the tournament after also picking up an injury in the shootout victory over Italy. Gomez, who will remain with the team, is the only specialist striker in the German squad. Loew said he had enough options in midfield, naming Emre Can as one of Khediras possible replacements due to his versatility. "He is a player who can be used in a lot of different positions. In training, he has been very convincing. Physically he is very strong and skilled. I think that a player like Can would do our game a lot of good." Captain Bastian Schweinsteiger was also a doubt with a knee ligament injury and if he did not fully recover by Thursday, he would not play, Loew said. "We will not put our head in the sand. We will try everything with the players that are doubtful," the coach added. "One thing is clear: I will definitely not let play anyone who is not 100 per cent fit. I hope and wish that Bastian can make it. "I made the mistake many years ago (of fielding a player who was unfit) and I wont make it again," he said, refusing to name the match he was referring to. "The thoughts we have should not go back to the past but go forward. I fully trust all my players. They are training at a high level, they are physically in very good shape." (Reuters)

EURO 2016: Germany lose Sami Khedira for semifinal

Boateng was injured during Germany's final group win against Northern Ireland

Germany will decide on the eve of their Euro 2016 round of 16 match against Slovakia on Sunday whether defender Jerome Boateng can help them to another clean sheet en route to what they hope is their fourth continental crown. Boateng did not train with the team on Friday, undergoing an individual session involving cycling and jogging as he battles to overcome a calf muscle injury. The central defender sustained the injury in their final group win over Northern Ireland, with coach Joachim Loew forced to wait until the eve of Sunday's game in Lille to find out if he can play. Boateng has been crucial for the German defence which has yet to concede a goal in this tournament. He had renewed his World Cup-winning partnership in the central defence with Mats Hummels, with both players only recently back from injury. They will need all the defensive prowess they can muster if they are not to replicate the mistakes that led to their 3-1 loss to the Slovaks in their friendly international on a rain-drenched pitch in May. A new pitch has been laid in Lille after heavy rain and frequent play had damaged it irreparably. Germany, who won the tournament in 1972, 1980 and 1996, are prepared for the game, keeper Manuel Neuer said. "We have to keep a clean sheet," Neuer told reporters on Friday. "We know that we can concede goals as well. But so far we have defended well and in knockout games we want to keep a clean sheet." Slovakia's Marek Hamsik and Vladimir Weiss will have their work cut out against the solid German backline, with full backs Jonas Hector and Joshua Kimmich in fine form. Hamsik has been in equally stellar form, drilling in one goal and setting up another in their 2-1 victory over Russia in the group. He had scored a similarly spectacular long-range effort against the Germans in their friendly victory last month but it is unlikely the world champions will give him so much space again. "You just have to look at a Youtube video with his goals," said Neuer of Hamsik. "It will be important that our holding midfielders stop him early and he does not get a chance to shoot." Slovakia's much bigger task, however, will be to somehow slow down their opponents' quick passing game that on a good day can rip any defensive plan to shreds. Despite having yet to find their perfect mix in attack, Germany have more than double the efforts on goal than their opponents in the entire tournament. With average possession of 65 'per cent and passing accuracy at a staggering 91 'per cent, Germany are expected to maintain their pressure throughout the game as they look for a last eight spot. "The huge euphoria is maybe not there yet (in Germany) but if we beat Slovakia and then play against a big opponent then we can say we have arrived at the tournament," Neuer said. (Reuters)

German defender Boateng faces fitness test before Slovakia

Didier Deschamps talented France block the path of Germany&#39;s spluttering juggernaut in Thursday&#39;s Euro 2016 semi-final and the world champions have mounting personnel problems. 
 
With an element of revenge in the air, France can expect near-fanatical support from home fans in Marseille as they seek a place in Sunday&#39;s Paris final. 
 
The hosts are buoyed by a 5-2 quarter-final thumping of plucky minnows Iceland when Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann and Dimitri Payet all netted at the Stade de France. 
 
Germany are also confident mood, despite missing key players with injury and suspension after their penalty shoot-out win over Italy in the last eight. 
 
France are unbeaten in their last nine games, while Germany have not lost in their last six. 
 
&quot;For us, there is no fear. We know that France are loaded with good individual players, but they are under pressure as hosts,&quot; said Germany forward Thomas Mueller. 
 
&quot;Iceland didn`t look so happy with the goals they conceded. 
 
&quot;They have our respect, but I am optimistic that we will find solutions (to the injury problems).&nbsp;For us there is no loss of quality.&quot; 
 
Germany&#39;s tense penalty shoot-out win in Bordeaux came at a high price. 
 
Centre-back Mats Hummels picked up a yellow card which sees him suspended in Marseille. 
 
Striker Mario Gomez and midfielder Sami Khedira picked up thigh and groin injuries respectively which rule them out of the semi-final. 
 
To compound their problems, Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger is highly doubtful with a knee strain. 
 
Germany coach Joachim Loew is set to resort to a 4-2-3-1 formation having used a 3-5-2 against Italy. 
 
With Gomez out, World Cup-winner Mario Goetze is set to start up front, but Loew said he may play his Bayern Munich team-mate Thomas Mueller alongside him in attack. 
 
Gomez&#39;s thigh tear means he will also miss the final, should Germany progress. 
 
With Hummels suspended, Shkodran Mustafi or Benedikt Hoewedes will partner Jerome Boateng at centre-back with Joshua Kimmich at right-back and Jonas Hector on the left. 
 
Loew has said he expects to introduce a new face into the midfield with Liverpool`s Emre Can or Julian Weigl of Borussia Dortmund set to partner Toni Kroos in the defensive midfield. 
 
France striker Giroud has scored against Manuel Neuer in each of the last three games for France and Arsenal, a threat the Germans must counter.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;He is a very dangerous poacher inside the box,&quot; said Neuer. 
 
&quot;He is strong in the air, he is dangerous for central defenders. 
 
&quot;But we know him and can prepare for him and they have a lot of other quality players.&quot; 
 
For France, defender Adil Rami and midfielder N`Golo Kante are back in contention after missing the win over Iceland through suspension. 
 
The French camp is full of praise for the world champions, but the message is clear. 
 
&quot;We&#39;d like to write another chapter in French football history,&quot; said Giroud while French sports daily L`Equipe ran the front-page headline `Thirsty for Revenge` on Tuesday. 
 
Just as it was for the Germans against Italy, the semi-final is a fixture steeped in history. 
 
Les Bleus lost to Germany in the 2014 World Cup quarter-finals at Rio de Janeiro&#39;s Maracana, thanks to Hummels` first-half header. 
 
And France has never fully forgiven Germany for their penalty shoot-out defeat in a bitterly contested World Cup semi-final in Spain in 1982. 
 
An epic 3-3 draw, with four goals scored in extra-time, came down to a penalty shoot-out which Germany won 5-4, but the match in Seville is remembered for a brutal incident. 
 
France&#39;s Patrick Battiston was knocked unconscious, with two teeth missing and three cracked ribs, after a collision with the German goalkeeper Harald Schumacher. 
 
However, the German camp has been eager to play down the historical significance to focus on the here and now. 
 
&quot;The chance to win two titles back-to-back is not something you get everyday. We`re looking forward to it,&quot; said Mueller as Germany look to add the European crown to their world title. 
 
(AFP)

France has never fully forgiven Germany for their penalty shoot-out defeat in a bitterly contested World Cup semi-final in Spain in 1982

Didier Deschamps talented France block the path of Germany's spluttering juggernaut in Thursday's Euro 2016 semi-final and the world champions have mounting personnel problems. With an element of revenge in the air, France can expect near-fanatical support from home fans in Marseille as they seek a place in Sunday's Paris final. The hosts are buoyed by a 5-2 quarter-final thumping of plucky minnows Iceland when Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann and Dimitri Payet all netted at the Stade de France. Germany are also confident mood, despite missing key players with injury and suspension after their penalty shoot-out win over Italy in the last eight. France are unbeaten in their last nine games, while Germany have not lost in their last six. "For us, there is no fear. We know that France are loaded with good individual players, but they are under pressure as hosts," said Germany forward Thomas Mueller. "Iceland didn`t look so happy with the goals they conceded. "They have our respect, but I am optimistic that we will find solutions (to the injury problems). For us there is no loss of quality." Germany's tense penalty shoot-out win in Bordeaux came at a high price. Centre-back Mats Hummels picked up a yellow card which sees him suspended in Marseille. Striker Mario Gomez and midfielder Sami Khedira picked up thigh and groin injuries respectively which rule them out of the semi-final. To compound their problems, Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger is highly doubtful with a knee strain. Germany coach Joachim Loew is set to resort to a 4-2-3-1 formation having used a 3-5-2 against Italy. With Gomez out, World Cup-winner Mario Goetze is set to start up front, but Loew said he may play his Bayern Munich team-mate Thomas Mueller alongside him in attack. Gomez's thigh tear means he will also miss the final, should Germany progress. With Hummels suspended, Shkodran Mustafi or Benedikt Hoewedes will partner Jerome Boateng at centre-back with Joshua Kimmich at right-back and Jonas Hector on the left. Loew has said he expects to introduce a new face into the midfield with Liverpool`s Emre Can or Julian Weigl of Borussia Dortmund set to partner Toni Kroos in the defensive midfield. France striker Giroud has scored against Manuel Neuer in each of the last three games for France and Arsenal, a threat the Germans must counter. "He is a very dangerous poacher inside the box," said Neuer. "He is strong in the air, he is dangerous for central defenders. "But we know him and can prepare for him and they have a lot of other quality players." For France, defender Adil Rami and midfielder N`Golo Kante are back in contention after missing the win over Iceland through suspension. The French camp is full of praise for the world champions, but the message is clear. "We'd like to write another chapter in French football history," said Giroud while French sports daily L`Equipe ran the front-page headline `Thirsty for Revenge` on Tuesday. Just as it was for the Germans against Italy, the semi-final is a fixture steeped in history. Les Bleus lost to Germany in the 2014 World Cup quarter-finals at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana, thanks to Hummels` first-half header. And France has never fully forgiven Germany for their penalty shoot-out defeat in a bitterly contested World Cup semi-final in Spain in 1982. An epic 3-3 draw, with four goals scored in extra-time, came down to a penalty shoot-out which Germany won 5-4, but the match in Seville is remembered for a brutal incident. France's Patrick Battiston was knocked unconscious, with two teeth missing and three cracked ribs, after a collision with the German goalkeeper Harald Schumacher. However, the German camp has been eager to play down the historical significance to focus on the here and now. "The chance to win two titles back-to-back is not something you get everyday. We`re looking forward to it," said Mueller as Germany look to add the European crown to their world title. (AFP)

France take on Germany, thirsting for revenge

From Bhubaneshwar to Germany: 11-year old slum boy made it to training at Bayern Munich football club.

Indian slum boy makes it to Bayern Munich Football Club

Berlin played down Turkey&#39;s decision to call in a high-ranking German diplomat today amid tensions over a rally in Cologne, saying such &quot;invitations&quot; were nothing extraordinary. 
 
&quot;In the day-to-day dealings between countries, it is a daily event, normal for a representative of a country to be called into the foreign ministry of his host country,&quot; Martin Schaefer, spokesman for the German foreign ministry told journalists. 
 
&quot;That happens in Turkey... That happens too in Berlin. Therefore that is not unusual,&quot; he said, adding that the meeting had likely to do with Sunday&#39;s demonstration. 
 
Tens of thousands of people had rallied in Cologne in support of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following the failed coup on July 15. 
 
But Ankara was angered by a German court&#39;s decision to ban the demonstration&#39;s organisers from screening live speeches from Turkey by politicians. 
 
Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin called the ban unacceptable and a &quot;violation of the freedom of expression and the right to free assembly&quot;. 
 
Germany is home to three million ethnic Turks, making up Turkey&#39;s largest diaspora, and tensions over the coup have put authorities there on the&nbsp;edge. 
 
(AFP) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

Martin Schaefer, spokesman for German foreign ministry, said that in the day-to-day dealings between countries, it is a daily event

Berlin played down Turkey's decision to call in a high-ranking German diplomat today amid tensions over a rally in Cologne, saying such "invitations" were nothing extraordinary. "In the day-to-day dealings between countries, it is a daily event, normal for a representative of a country to be called into the foreign ministry of his host country," Martin Schaefer, spokesman for the German foreign ministry told journalists. "That happens in Turkey... That happens too in Berlin. Therefore that is not unusual," he said, adding that the meeting had likely to do with Sunday's demonstration. Tens of thousands of people had rallied in Cologne in support of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following the failed coup on July 15. But Ankara was angered by a German court's decision to ban the demonstration's organisers from screening live speeches from Turkey by politicians. Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin called the ban unacceptable and a "violation of the freedom of expression and the right to free assembly". Germany is home to three million ethnic Turks, making up Turkey's largest diaspora, and tensions over the coup have put authorities there on the edge. (AFP)

Berlin plays down Turkey's decision to call German diplomat

German sportswear firm Puma is not worried about the possible imminent retirement of Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, the highest profile athlete it sponsors, believing Bolt could be just as valuable off the track. 
 
&quot;Usain is part of the Puma family,&quot; chief executive Bjorn Gulden told reporters today. &quot;If he decides not to run, we will probably work even closer with him,&quot; he said, adding Bolt would have more time for product development and could even take on a commercial role at Puma. 
 
Gulden made the comments after Puma reported a stronger-than-expected rise in second quarter sales, helped by the European soccer championships as well as popular women&#39;s products endorsed by singer Rihanna and celebrity Kylie Jenner. 
 
Puma reported a quarterly net profit of 1.6 million Euros ($1.8 million), compared with a loss of 3.3 million a year ago. Sales rose 7 per cent to 827 million Euros, beating analysts&#39; average forecast of 819 million. Bigger rival Adidas is expected to report even stronger growth for the quarter on August 4, with a Thomson Reuters Smart Estimate suggesting a 13 per cent rise in sales. 
 
Puma shares pared earlier gains to trade up 0.3 per cent by 08:50 GMT, while owner Kering rose 2.4 per cent. Adidas, which has been hitting a series of record highs in anticipation of bumper results, was up 1.6 per cent. 
 
Gulden said it was not clear whether the six-time Olympic sprint champion, who has been sponsored by Puma since he was 15 years old, would keep running after the upcoming Rio Olympics, saying Bolt might need time off to think about it. 
 
Gulden said the Jamaican was already helping Puma hunt for a successor, adding the company has a strong scouting operating in the Caribbean, &quot;We have to admit there won&#39;t be a second Usain but there will be something else,&quot; he said. 
 
While Bolt is Puma&#39;s highest profile athlete and the Olympics a major platform for the brand, Gulden said it was hard to measure a direct impact on sales as fans do not buy replica team shirts in the same way they do for sports like soccer. 
 
Quarterly sales grew fastest in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, up a currency-adjusted 23.5 per cent, boosted by Puma&#39;s sponsorship of five national soccer teams at Euro 2016, including Italy, plus players like top scorer Antoine Griezmann of France and Portugal goal keeper Rui Patricio. 
 
While sales of replica team shirts started already last November, Gulden said he was optimistic of a boost to soccer shoe sales when youngsters fired up by Euro 2016 start back at school. 
 
Gulden said Puma&#39;s partnerships with Rihanna and Jenner were helping it win more space at key retailers, which are all putting more focus on the women&#39;s business because it is growing faster than the men&#39;s. 
 
The firm confirmed it expects sales to grow by a high single-digit percentage this year, with gross profit margin remaining flat from last year&#39;s 45.5 per cent and operating earnings between 115 million and 125 million Euros. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Chief executive Bjorn Gulden said that should Usain retire after Rio, he would have more time for product development

German sportswear firm Puma is not worried about the possible imminent retirement of Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, the highest profile athlete it sponsors, believing Bolt could be just as valuable off the track. "Usain is part of the Puma family," chief executive Bjorn Gulden told reporters today. "If he decides not to run, we will probably work even closer with him," he said, adding Bolt would have more time for product development and could even take on a commercial role at Puma. Gulden made the comments after Puma reported a stronger-than-expected rise in second quarter sales, helped by the European soccer championships as well as popular women's products endorsed by singer Rihanna and celebrity Kylie Jenner. Puma reported a quarterly net profit of 1.6 million Euros ($1.8 million), compared with a loss of 3.3 million a year ago. Sales rose 7 per cent to 827 million Euros, beating analysts' average forecast of 819 million. Bigger rival Adidas is expected to report even stronger growth for the quarter on August 4, with a Thomson Reuters Smart Estimate suggesting a 13 per cent rise in sales. Puma shares pared earlier gains to trade up 0.3 per cent by 08:50 GMT, while owner Kering rose 2.4 per cent. Adidas, which has been hitting a series of record highs in anticipation of bumper results, was up 1.6 per cent. Gulden said it was not clear whether the six-time Olympic sprint champion, who has been sponsored by Puma since he was 15 years old, would keep running after the upcoming Rio Olympics, saying Bolt might need time off to think about it. Gulden said the Jamaican was already helping Puma hunt for a successor, adding the company has a strong scouting operating in the Caribbean, "We have to admit there won't be a second Usain but there will be something else," he said. While Bolt is Puma's highest profile athlete and the Olympics a major platform for the brand, Gulden said it was hard to measure a direct impact on sales as fans do not buy replica team shirts in the same way they do for sports like soccer. Quarterly sales grew fastest in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, up a currency-adjusted 23.5 per cent, boosted by Puma's sponsorship of five national soccer teams at Euro 2016, including Italy, plus players like top scorer Antoine Griezmann of France and Portugal goal keeper Rui Patricio. While sales of replica team shirts started already last November, Gulden said he was optimistic of a boost to soccer shoe sales when youngsters fired up by Euro 2016 start back at school. Gulden said Puma's partnerships with Rihanna and Jenner were helping it win more space at key retailers, which are all putting more focus on the women's business because it is growing faster than the men's. The firm confirmed it expects sales to grow by a high single-digit percentage this year, with gross profit margin remaining flat from last year's 45.5 per cent and operating earnings between 115 million and 125 million Euros. (Reuters)

Puma not worried by Bolt retirement, believes he will be as valuable off track

Tens of thousands of supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are planning to rally in the German city of Cologne on Sunday, as tensions over Turkey&#39;s failed coup put authorities on edge. 
 
Since the attempted military power grab on July 15, Erdogan&#39;s government has launched a crackdown on those allegedly linked to the putsch that has seen the detention of almost 19,000 people, sparking international concern. 
 
Erdogan on Saturday signalled plans to tighten his grip through constitutional changes which would bring the Turkish spy agency and the military chief of staff directly under his control. 
 
The political strife in Turkey has also found expression in Germany, which is home to the biggest Turkish diaspora. Up to 30,000 people are expected to answer a call to take to the streets from around 1300 GMT issued by a pro-Erdogan group: The Union of European-Turkish Democrats (UETD), police said. 
 
The North Rhine-Westphalia state, where Cologne is located, is home to about one third of Germany&#39;s three-million strong Turkish community. At the same time, several smaller counter-demonstrations are to take place, including one billed &quot;Stop Erdogan&quot;, and another called by far-right activists, raising fears the demonstrators could clash. 
 
Security services in Germany sought to head-off any potential violence between the different camps, with some 2,700 officers, including several Turkish speakers, deployed to keep the peace. 
 
Cologne&#39;s police chief Juergen Mathies warned: &quot;One thing I want to make clear is that we will intervene against any kind of violence quickly, decisively and forcefully.&quot; 
 
Amid fears that the crowd could be further riled by live screenings of speeches made from Turkey by politicians including Erdogan, Germany&#39;s constitutional court banned an application for such broadcasts. 
 
Nevertheless, Turkey&#39;s sports minister will attend, said Mathies, adding that he had been able to stop the foreign minister from participating. 
 
The tension comes at a time when relations between Germany and Turkey are already strained over the German parliament&#39;s recent decision to brand as genocide the World War I-era Armenian massacre by Ottoman forces.&nbsp;German politicians, led by Chancellor Angela Merkel, have issued strongly worded statements against Erdogan&#39;s crackdown following the putsch. 
 
The hardline response &quot;flouts the rule of law&quot;, Merkel&#39;s spokesman Steffen Seibert has said, also blasting &quot;revolting scenes of caprice and revenge&quot; in the wake of the failed coup. 
 
At the same time, Ankara is demanding that Germany extradite suspects linked to US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom Erdogan accuses of masterminding the power snatch. 
 
The 75-year-old has strongly denied any involvement. Erdogan enjoys a large support base among the diaspora in Germany, home to some 1.5 million people with Turkish nationality who can vote in Turkish elections. 
 
His AKP party garnered 60 per cent in the country in last November&#39;s election, a bigger share of the vote than in Turkey. Germany&#39;s integration commissioner Aydan Ozoguz underlined Erdogan&#39;s influence, saying he was concerned that &quot;the relationships of people living here with Turkey are being massively exploited politically.&quot; 
 
In the days following the botched coup, pro-Erdogan activists have stormed locations in Germany popular with Gulen&#39;s followers. Critics of the Turkish president have also complained of abuse and threats against them on social media. 
 
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Saturday warned in an interview with Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily: &quot;It is not right to bring Turkey&#39;s domestic political tensions here... and intimidate people who have other political convictions.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

Since the botched coup, German authorities worry that activists from both camps will clash in the streets. Millions of Turks live in Germany

Tens of thousands of supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are planning to rally in the German city of Cologne on Sunday, as tensions over Turkey's failed coup put authorities on edge. Since the attempted military power grab on July 15, Erdogan's government has launched a crackdown on those allegedly linked to the putsch that has seen the detention of almost 19,000 people, sparking international concern. Erdogan on Saturday signalled plans to tighten his grip through constitutional changes which would bring the Turkish spy agency and the military chief of staff directly under his control. The political strife in Turkey has also found expression in Germany, which is home to the biggest Turkish diaspora. Up to 30,000 people are expected to answer a call to take to the streets from around 1300 GMT issued by a pro-Erdogan group: The Union of European-Turkish Democrats (UETD), police said. The North Rhine-Westphalia state, where Cologne is located, is home to about one third of Germany's three-million strong Turkish community. At the same time, several smaller counter-demonstrations are to take place, including one billed "Stop Erdogan", and another called by far-right activists, raising fears the demonstrators could clash. Security services in Germany sought to head-off any potential violence between the different camps, with some 2,700 officers, including several Turkish speakers, deployed to keep the peace. Cologne's police chief Juergen Mathies warned: "One thing I want to make clear is that we will intervene against any kind of violence quickly, decisively and forcefully." Amid fears that the crowd could be further riled by live screenings of speeches made from Turkey by politicians including Erdogan, Germany's constitutional court banned an application for such broadcasts. Nevertheless, Turkey's sports minister will attend, said Mathies, adding that he had been able to stop the foreign minister from participating. The tension comes at a time when relations between Germany and Turkey are already strained over the German parliament's recent decision to brand as genocide the World War I-era Armenian massacre by Ottoman forces. German politicians, led by Chancellor Angela Merkel, have issued strongly worded statements against Erdogan's crackdown following the putsch. The hardline response "flouts the rule of law", Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert has said, also blasting "revolting scenes of caprice and revenge" in the wake of the failed coup. At the same time, Ankara is demanding that Germany extradite suspects linked to US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom Erdogan accuses of masterminding the power snatch. The 75-year-old has strongly denied any involvement. Erdogan enjoys a large support base among the diaspora in Germany, home to some 1.5 million people with Turkish nationality who can vote in Turkish elections. His AKP party garnered 60 per cent in the country in last November's election, a bigger share of the vote than in Turkey. Germany's integration commissioner Aydan Ozoguz underlined Erdogan's influence, saying he was concerned that "the relationships of people living here with Turkey are being massively exploited politically." In the days following the botched coup, pro-Erdogan activists have stormed locations in Germany popular with Gulen's followers. Critics of the Turkish president have also complained of abuse and threats against them on social media. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Saturday warned in an interview with Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily: "It is not right to bring Turkey's domestic political tensions here... and intimidate people who have other political convictions." (AFP)

Tension ahead of pro-Erdogan rally in Germany

German police have searched a mosque and eight apartments in Hildesheim that are believed to be a hotbed of a radical Salafist community, the interior minister of the northern state of Lower Saxony said today. 
 
Germany is on high alert after a spate of attacks since July 18 left 15 people dead - including four attackers - and dozens injured. Two assailants, a Syrian asylum seeker and a refugee from either Pakistan or Afghanistan, had links to Islamist militancy, officials say. 
 
&#39;Search was important step in banning the organisation&#39; 
 
Interior Minister Boris Pistorius said in a statement that up to 400 police - including mobile squads and a special forces police commando - were involved in the raids on Wednesday in the Hildesheim area, which is a short drive south of Hanover. 
 
&quot;The German-speaking Islamic circle (DIK) in Hildesheim is a nationwide hotspot of the radical Salafist scene that Lower Saxony security authorities have been monitoring for a long time,&quot; the state official said. 
 
Pistorius said the search followed months of planning and was an important step towards banning the association, which security authorities say has radicalised Muslims and encouraged them to take part in jihad in combat zones. 
 
Hotbed of Salafists&nbsp; 
 
Numerous members of the mosque have travelled to Syria and Iraq to join Islamic State, while sermons, seminars and speeches call for &quot;hate against non-believers,&quot; the ministry said. 
 
Germany has seen sharp increases in the number of ultra-conservative Islamists known as Salafists in recent years, with the total number of sympathisers now seen at 8,900, up from 7,000 at the end of 2014, German officials have said. 
 
Security authorities say the DIK in Hildesheim is believed to have become the focal point of Salafist activities in Lower Saxony, the second-largest of Germany&#39;s 16 states after Bavaria. 
 
&quot;We will not put up with Salafist associations and their backers flouting our rules and bringing our rule of law into question and convincing young people that they want to join the so-called IS,&quot; Pistorius said. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m convinced that our freedom is stronger than the inhuman ideology of the extremists,&quot; he added. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

Germany is on high alert after a spate of attacks since July 18 left 15 people dead - including four attackers - and dozens injured

German police have searched a mosque and eight apartments in Hildesheim that are believed to be a hotbed of a radical Salafist community, the interior minister of the northern state of Lower Saxony said today. Germany is on high alert after a spate of attacks since July 18 left 15 people dead - including four attackers - and dozens injured. Two assailants, a Syrian asylum seeker and a refugee from either Pakistan or Afghanistan, had links to Islamist militancy, officials say. 'Search was important step in banning the organisation' Interior Minister Boris Pistorius said in a statement that up to 400 police - including mobile squads and a special forces police commando - were involved in the raids on Wednesday in the Hildesheim area, which is a short drive south of Hanover. "The German-speaking Islamic circle (DIK) in Hildesheim is a nationwide hotspot of the radical Salafist scene that Lower Saxony security authorities have been monitoring for a long time," the state official said. Pistorius said the search followed months of planning and was an important step towards banning the association, which security authorities say has radicalised Muslims and encouraged them to take part in jihad in combat zones. Hotbed of Salafists Numerous members of the mosque have travelled to Syria and Iraq to join Islamic State, while sermons, seminars and speeches call for "hate against non-believers," the ministry said. Germany has seen sharp increases in the number of ultra-conservative Islamists known as Salafists in recent years, with the total number of sympathisers now seen at 8,900, up from 7,000 at the end of 2014, German officials have said. Security authorities say the DIK in Hildesheim is believed to have become the focal point of Salafist activities in Lower Saxony, the second-largest of Germany's 16 states after Bavaria. "We will not put up with Salafist associations and their backers flouting our rules and bringing our rule of law into question and convincing young people that they want to join the so-called IS," Pistorius said. "I'm convinced that our freedom is stronger than the inhuman ideology of the extremists," he added. (Reuters)

German police clamps down on Salafists, raids mosque and apartments

Police special forces in Germany&#39;s fourth largest city were searching an employment agency building yesterday after witnesses told police they saw an armed woman, a police spokesman said. 
 
The spokesman said that they had just detained a suspect on another matter at the employment agency when witnesses said they had seen an armed woman walking around in the building. 
 
Bild newspaper had reported the special forces operation while the local Express newspaper had reported that an apparently armed man had been seen in the building. 
 
(Reuters)

A police spokesman said they had detained a suspect on another matter when witness reports of an armed woman came in

Police special forces in Germany's fourth largest city were searching an employment agency building yesterday after witnesses told police they saw an armed woman, a police spokesman said. The spokesman said that they had just detained a suspect on another matter at the employment agency when witnesses said they had seen an armed woman walking around in the building. Bild newspaper had reported the special forces operation while the local Express newspaper had reported that an apparently armed man had been seen in the building. (Reuters)

Police search job agency after reports of armed woman in Germany

Volkswagen AG&#39;s $14.7 billion settlement of its US diesel emissions cheating scandal cleared another legal hurdle yesterday, as a federal judge gave the automaker preliminary approval to buy back up to 475,000 vehicles. 
 
US District Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco set an October 18 hearing for final approval. Preliminary approval means Volkswagen will soon enable owners of the 2.0 liter diesel-powered vehicles to access a website to learn how much they are eligible to receive. 
 
The settlement, announced in June, centers around the largest-ever automotive buy-back offer in the United States. Coupled with possible vehicle repairs and payments to governmental agencies, that component of the settlement carries a $10 billion price tag. 
 
Volkswagen said it continues to work with regulators to get fix approvals. VW told dealers last week that a planned fix could consist of software upgrades and some new catalytic converters. 
 
Volkswagen also plans to offer a new proposal to fix 85,000 polluting 3.0 liter vehicles after regulators rejected an earlier plan, a Justice Department lawyer said on Tuesday. Earlier this month, the California Air Resources Board rejected as insufficient a plan to fix the vehicles, which include VW and Audi luxury cars from model years 2009-2016. 
 
At the hearing, Justice Department lawyer Joshua Van Eaton said the German automaker had been meeting with regulators in recent weeks and planned to offer a new fix proposal in August. 
 
Breyer said he wants another update on the 3.0 liter vehicle talks at an August 25 hearing. 
 
German carmaker set to make hirings to process claims&nbsp; 
 
VW plans to hire between 250 to 300 people in Michigan to process settlement claims and will be overseen full-time by 40 VW Group of America employees. If needed VW could double the number of people it is hiring to process claims, said VW lawyer Sharon Nelles. VW is contracting for storage space to house vehicles it repurchases, she said. 
 
German carmaker admitted in September that it installed secret software that allowed US vehicles to emit up to 40 times legally allowable pollution. 
 
Under the Justice Department deal, VW will provide $2 billion over 10 years to fund programs to promote construction of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and development of zero-emission ride-sharing fleets and other efforts. 
 
VW also agreed to put up $2.7 billion over three years to enable government and tribal agencies to replace old buses or to fund infrastructure to reduce diesel emissions. 
 
Separately, VW reached a settlement with 44 US states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico that will cost at least $600 million, bringing the total to as much as $15.3 billion. 
 
Last week, three states filed new lawsuits, saying that VW violated state environmental laws and seeking hundreds of millions in additional penalties. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The settlement, announced in June, centers around the largest-ever automotive buy-back offer in the United States?

Volkswagen AG's $14.7 billion settlement of its US diesel emissions cheating scandal cleared another legal hurdle yesterday, as a federal judge gave the automaker preliminary approval to buy back up to 475,000 vehicles. US District Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco set an October 18 hearing for final approval. Preliminary approval means Volkswagen will soon enable owners of the 2.0 liter diesel-powered vehicles to access a website to learn how much they are eligible to receive. The settlement, announced in June, centers around the largest-ever automotive buy-back offer in the United States. Coupled with possible vehicle repairs and payments to governmental agencies, that component of the settlement carries a $10 billion price tag. Volkswagen said it continues to work with regulators to get fix approvals. VW told dealers last week that a planned fix could consist of software upgrades and some new catalytic converters. Volkswagen also plans to offer a new proposal to fix 85,000 polluting 3.0 liter vehicles after regulators rejected an earlier plan, a Justice Department lawyer said on Tuesday. Earlier this month, the California Air Resources Board rejected as insufficient a plan to fix the vehicles, which include VW and Audi luxury cars from model years 2009-2016. At the hearing, Justice Department lawyer Joshua Van Eaton said the German automaker had been meeting with regulators in recent weeks and planned to offer a new fix proposal in August. Breyer said he wants another update on the 3.0 liter vehicle talks at an August 25 hearing. German carmaker set to make hirings to process claims VW plans to hire between 250 to 300 people in Michigan to process settlement claims and will be overseen full-time by 40 VW Group of America employees. If needed VW could double the number of people it is hiring to process claims, said VW lawyer Sharon Nelles. VW is contracting for storage space to house vehicles it repurchases, she said. German carmaker admitted in September that it installed secret software that allowed US vehicles to emit up to 40 times legally allowable pollution. Under the Justice Department deal, VW will provide $2 billion over 10 years to fund programs to promote construction of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and development of zero-emission ride-sharing fleets and other efforts. VW also agreed to put up $2.7 billion over three years to enable government and tribal agencies to replace old buses or to fund infrastructure to reduce diesel emissions. Separately, VW reached a settlement with 44 US states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico that will cost at least $600 million, bringing the total to as much as $15.3 billion. Last week, three states filed new lawsuits, saying that VW violated state environmental laws and seeking hundreds of millions in additional penalties. (Reuters)

VW emission scandal: Car giant clears hurdle with $14.7 billion settlement

An explosion went off around 200 metres (220 yards) from a reception centre for migrants in a town close to Nuremberg, Germany on Wednesday, German broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk said, adding that it was not yet known whether there were any casualties. 
 
The broadcaster said on its website that a suitcase filled with aerosols was detonated in Zirndorf, saying it was not known who was behind the explosion. It had earlier reported that the explosion took place near a migration office. 
 
Bayerischer Rundfunk cited police as saying witnesses had reported hearing a loud bang before finding a burning suitcase in an allotment garden. 
 
Police could not immediately be reached for comment. 
 
Television images showed police standing near a partially destroyed suitcase lying in a small alley. 
 
(Reuters) 
 
&nbsp;

German broadcaster said a suitcase filled with aerosols was detonated in Zirndorf, saying it was not known who was behind the explosion

An explosion went off around 200 metres (220 yards) from a reception centre for migrants in a town close to Nuremberg, Germany on Wednesday, German broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk said, adding that it was not yet known whether there were any casualties. The broadcaster said on its website that a suitcase filled with aerosols was detonated in Zirndorf, saying it was not known who was behind the explosion. It had earlier reported that the explosion took place near a migration office. Bayerischer Rundfunk cited police as saying witnesses had reported hearing a loud bang before finding a burning suitcase in an allotment garden. Police could not immediately be reached for comment. Television images showed police standing near a partially destroyed suitcase lying in a small alley. (Reuters)

Explosion near migration reception centre in Nuremberg, Germany

A patient shot and killed a doctor before turning the gun on himself at a Berlin hospital today, police said, adding there was no sign the incident was a terrorist attack. 
 
A police spokeswoman told AFP that several shots were fired at a university hospital in the well-heeled southwestern Steglitz neighbourhood of the German capital. 
 
&quot;According to preliminary information, a patient at the hospital shot a doctor and then killed himself,&quot; she said. 
 
&quot;The doctor is in intensive care,&quot; the spokeswoman said, adding there was &quot;no indication this was a terror attack&quot;. 
 
Berlin police later tweeted that the doctor had died of his wounds. 
 
The shooting came with Germany already on edge after four brutal attacks in the south of the country. 
 
A Syrian asylum seeker blew himself up outside a music festival and wounded 15 other people in Ansbach on Sunday, six days after four passengers on a train and a passer-by were wounded in an axe attack by another asylum seeker in Wuerzburg. 
 
The Islamic State group claimed both attacks. 
 
On Friday, nine people were killed in a shopping centre shooting spree in Munich by a German-Iranian teenager with a history of psychological problems but no apparent links to jihadists. 
 
And a Syrian refugee killed a 45-year-old Polish woman with a large kebab knife Sunday at a snack bar in the southwestern city of Reutlingen. 
 
Police concluded that the incident, in which three others were injured, was likely a &quot;crime of passion&quot;. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The incident follows four other attacks in Germany since July 18 that left 10 people dead and dozens injured

A patient shot and killed a doctor before turning the gun on himself at a Berlin hospital today, police said, adding there was no sign the incident was a terrorist attack. A police spokeswoman told AFP that several shots were fired at a university hospital in the well-heeled southwestern Steglitz neighbourhood of the German capital. "According to preliminary information, a patient at the hospital shot a doctor and then killed himself," she said. "The doctor is in intensive care," the spokeswoman said, adding there was "no indication this was a terror attack". Berlin police later tweeted that the doctor had died of his wounds. The shooting came with Germany already on edge after four brutal attacks in the south of the country. A Syrian asylum seeker blew himself up outside a music festival and wounded 15 other people in Ansbach on Sunday, six days after four passengers on a train and a passer-by were wounded in an axe attack by another asylum seeker in Wuerzburg. The Islamic State group claimed both attacks. On Friday, nine people were killed in a shopping centre shooting spree in Munich by a German-Iranian teenager with a history of psychological problems but no apparent links to jihadists. And a Syrian refugee killed a 45-year-old Polish woman with a large kebab knife Sunday at a snack bar in the southwestern city of Reutlingen. Police concluded that the incident, in which three others were injured, was likely a "crime of passion". (AFP)

Patient fatally shoots doctor at university clinic in Berlin

The danger of attacks in Germany remains high, an interior ministry spokesman said today after a spate of four attacks over the last week that have left 10 people dead and 34 injured. 
 
&quot;The danger of attack has been high for a long time and remains high,&quot; interior ministry spokesman Tobias Plate told a regular government news conference. 
 
Meanwhile, a local newspaper has reported today that Germany&#39;s federal criminal police have 410 leads on possible terrorists among refugees there. The Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung newspaper said so, compared with 369 leads in mid-May since the beginning of the migrant crisis last year. 
 
Investigations have been launched in 60 cases, the newspaper said. It cited federal BKA police as saying they did not currently have any concrete indications of attack plans. 
 
&quot;In view of continuing migration to Germany we must assume that there could be active and former members, supporters and sympathisers of terrorist organisations or Islamist-motivated war criminals among the refugees,&quot; the newspaper quoted federal police as saying. 
 
(Reuters)

A local newspaper has reported today that Germany's federal criminal police have 410 leads on possible terrorists among refugees there

The danger of attacks in Germany remains high, an interior ministry spokesman said today after a spate of four attacks over the last week that have left 10 people dead and 34 injured. "The danger of attack has been high for a long time and remains high," interior ministry spokesman Tobias Plate told a regular government news conference. Meanwhile, a local newspaper has reported today that Germany's federal criminal police have 410 leads on possible terrorists among refugees there. The Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung newspaper said so, compared with 369 leads in mid-May since the beginning of the migrant crisis last year. Investigations have been launched in 60 cases, the newspaper said. It cited federal BKA police as saying they did not currently have any concrete indications of attack plans. "In view of continuing migration to Germany we must assume that there could be active and former members, supporters and sympathisers of terrorist organisations or Islamist-motivated war criminals among the refugees," the newspaper quoted federal police as saying. (Reuters)

Danger of attack in Germany remains high, says interior ministry

Germany&#39;s legendary Bayreuth opera festival, dedicated to the works of Richard Wagner, opened Monday with extremely tight security in the wake of a series of deadly attacks in the country. 
 
&quot;We have to send a message&quot; that fear will not stop the festival, film actor Michaela May told the DPA news agency at the event. 
 
Out of respect for those killed or wounded in attacks over the last week in Ansbach, Munich and Wuerzburg, all in the state of Bavaria, organisers cancelled the lavish banquet that traditionally follows the first performance of the festival. 
 
Also cancelled was the usual red carpet procession. 
 
The 140-year-old festival, one of the highlights of Germany&#39;s social and cultural calendar, opened with a performance of Wagner&#39;s final opera, &quot;Parsifal&quot; in a brand new production by German director Uwe Eric Laufenberg. 
 
Inside the theatre, a message projected on the curtain said,&quot;The Bayreuth festival dedicates today&#39;s performance to all victims of the violent acts in recent days and to their loved ones.&quot; 
 
The month-long festival opened the day after a man set off a bomb near another music festival in the southern town of Ansbach, just an hour&#39;s train ride from Bayreuth, killing himself and wounding 15 people. 
 
Authorities said he was a 27-year-old Syrian refugee. 
 
On Friday, an 18-year-old German-Iranian went on a shooting rampage in a Munich shopping centre killing nine people before shooting himself. 
 
On July 18, five people were injured in an axe attack on train in Wuerzburg that was claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group. 
 
Bags, cushions banned 
 
Tighter security on Bayreuth&#39;s mythic Green Hill, on which the world-famous Festspielhaus festival theatre stands, has been in place since the start of rehearsals in June. 
 
Town authorities called for stepped-up measures following suggestions that this year&#39;s production of &quot;Parsifal&quot; might be perceived as critical of Islam, a charge denied by director Laufenberg. 
 
Unlike past editions of the festival, all bags and cushions have been banned from the auditorium and cloakrooms while patrons have to carry photo ID with them at all times. 
 
Meanwhile, the approach road up the Green Hill to the Festspielhaus has been blocked to cars. 
 
Star tenor Klaus Florian Vogt, who is singing the title role in &quot;Parsifal&quot;, was stopped and questioned by security personnel during a rehearsal break, because he was wearing army fatigues as part of his costume. 
 
The festival runs from July 25 until August 28 with 30 performances of seven different operas. 
 
(AFP)

The festival dedicated its opening performance?to 'all victims of the violent acts in recent days and to their loved ones.'

Germany's legendary Bayreuth opera festival, dedicated to the works of Richard Wagner, opened Monday with extremely tight security in the wake of a series of deadly attacks in the country. "We have to send a message" that fear will not stop the festival, film actor Michaela May told the DPA news agency at the event. Out of respect for those killed or wounded in attacks over the last week in Ansbach, Munich and Wuerzburg, all in the state of Bavaria, organisers cancelled the lavish banquet that traditionally follows the first performance of the festival. Also cancelled was the usual red carpet procession. The 140-year-old festival, one of the highlights of Germany's social and cultural calendar, opened with a performance of Wagner's final opera, "Parsifal" in a brand new production by German director Uwe Eric Laufenberg. Inside the theatre, a message projected on the curtain said,"The Bayreuth festival dedicates today's performance to all victims of the violent acts in recent days and to their loved ones." The month-long festival opened the day after a man set off a bomb near another music festival in the southern town of Ansbach, just an hour's train ride from Bayreuth, killing himself and wounding 15 people. Authorities said he was a 27-year-old Syrian refugee. On Friday, an 18-year-old German-Iranian went on a shooting rampage in a Munich shopping centre killing nine people before shooting himself. On July 18, five people were injured in an axe attack on train in Wuerzburg that was claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group. Bags, cushions banned Tighter security on Bayreuth's mythic Green Hill, on which the world-famous Festspielhaus festival theatre stands, has been in place since the start of rehearsals in June. Town authorities called for stepped-up measures following suggestions that this year's production of "Parsifal" might be perceived as critical of Islam, a charge denied by director Laufenberg. Unlike past editions of the festival, all bags and cushions have been banned from the auditorium and cloakrooms while patrons have to carry photo ID with them at all times. Meanwhile, the approach road up the Green Hill to the Festspielhaus has been blocked to cars. Star tenor Klaus Florian Vogt, who is singing the title role in "Parsifal", was stopped and questioned by security personnel during a rehearsal break, because he was wearing army fatigues as part of his costume. The festival runs from July 25 until August 28 with 30 performances of seven different operas. (AFP)

Wagner festival kickstarts despite attacks jolting Germany

FIFA&#39;s ethics committee today banned Wolfgang Niersbach, former president of the German Football Association (DFB), for one year over misconduct surrounding the country&#39;s successful 2006 World Cup bid. 
 
&quot;Mr Niersbach has been banned for one year from all football-related activities,&quot; a statement from FIFA&#39;s in-house court said, noting that the German official &quot;failed to report findings about possible misconduct concerning the awarding of the 2006 FIFA World Cup&quot;. 
 
Niersbach served as vice-president of the 2006 World Cup organising committee. 
 
He resigned from the German federation last November amid accusations that the DFB used a slush fund of 10 million Swiss francs (6.7 million euros, $8 million, according to the exchange rate at that time) in 2000 to buy the right to host the tournament. 
 
The 65-year-old has said he will now consider whether to appeal the decision. &quot;This decision hits me very hard,&quot; Niersbach told SID, an AFP subsidiary. 
 
&quot;I think this sanction is inappropriate and over the top.&quot; &quot;I will let my lawyer advise me as to whether I will appeal against the decision.&quot; 
 
&quot;After the hearing in Zurich, I was confident that the Ethics Commission would impose no sanction. I have once again acknowledged and regretted my mistakes.&quot; 
 
Niersbach had insisted that quitting his job should have been punishment enough because he was not directly accused of paying bribes or financially benefitting from corruption. 
 
FIFA prosecutors sought a two-year ban, however, arguing that Niersbach should have spoken up sooner when he learned of possible wrongdoing. 
 
The ethics committee suspension will force his immediate removal from posts he currently holds on the FIFA Council and UEFA executive committee. 
 
FIFA opened a probe on March 22 targeting six people including Niersbach and Franz Beckenbauer, the German football legend and World Cup organising committee chief, over their roles in the bidding process, amid allegations of bribery. 
 
The FIFA investigation followed the release of a report commissioned by the DFB which found that Germany may have bought votes to secure the tournament. 
 
The report linked Beckenbauer to a suspect deal with disgraced former FIFA bigwig Jack Warner. 
 
(AFP)

FIFA prosecutors sought a two-year ban, however, arguing that Niersbach should have spoken up sooner when he learned of possible wrongdoing

FIFA's ethics committee today banned Wolfgang Niersbach, former president of the German Football Association (DFB), for one year over misconduct surrounding the country's successful 2006 World Cup bid. "Mr Niersbach has been banned for one year from all football-related activities," a statement from FIFA's in-house court said, noting that the German official "failed to report findings about possible misconduct concerning the awarding of the 2006 FIFA World Cup". Niersbach served as vice-president of the 2006 World Cup organising committee. He resigned from the German federation last November amid accusations that the DFB used a slush fund of 10 million Swiss francs (6.7 million euros, $8 million, according to the exchange rate at that time) in 2000 to buy the right to host the tournament. The 65-year-old has said he will now consider whether to appeal the decision. "This decision hits me very hard," Niersbach told SID, an AFP subsidiary. "I think this sanction is inappropriate and over the top." "I will let my lawyer advise me as to whether I will appeal against the decision." "After the hearing in Zurich, I was confident that the Ethics Commission would impose no sanction. I have once again acknowledged and regretted my mistakes." Niersbach had insisted that quitting his job should have been punishment enough because he was not directly accused of paying bribes or financially benefitting from corruption. FIFA prosecutors sought a two-year ban, however, arguing that Niersbach should have spoken up sooner when he learned of possible wrongdoing. The ethics committee suspension will force his immediate removal from posts he currently holds on the FIFA Council and UEFA executive committee. FIFA opened a probe on March 22 targeting six people including Niersbach and Franz Beckenbauer, the German football legend and World Cup organising committee chief, over their roles in the bidding process, amid allegations of bribery. The FIFA investigation followed the release of a report commissioned by the DFB which found that Germany may have bought votes to secure the tournament. The report linked Beckenbauer to a suspect deal with disgraced former FIFA bigwig Jack Warner. (AFP)

FIFA bans former German boss Wolfgang Niersbach

A Syrian asylum seeker who blew himself up outside a German music festival had made a video pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group, authorities said today, in a week of attacks that has shaken the country. 
 
The 27-year-old assailant wounded 15 people, four of them seriously, in the southern city of Ansbach Sunday night when he set off the bomb in his rucksack, killing himself. 
 
&quot;A video made by the assailant was found on his mobile phone in which he threatened an attack,&quot; Bavarian state interior minister Joachim Herrmann told reporters. 
 
&quot;After that he announced in the name of Allah that he pledged allegiance to (IS chief) Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the well-known Islamist leader, and announced an act of revenge against Germans because they were standing in the way of Islam.&quot; 
 
Europe&#39;s economic powerhouse was already reeling after nine people were killed in a shopping centre shooting rampage in Munich on Friday and four people were wounded in an axe attack on a train in Wuerzburg on July 18. 
 
All three assaults were in Bavaria which has been a gateway for tens of thousands of refugees under Chancellor Angela Merkel&#39;s liberal asylum policy. 
 
Merkel&#39;s deputy spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer expressed the government&#39;s &quot;shock&quot; after the rash of attacks but also warned against branding all refugees a security threat. 
 
&quot;Most of the terrorists who carried out attacks in recent months in Europe were not refugees,&quot; she told reporters. 
 
&quot;The terrorism threat (among refugees) is not larger or smaller than in the population at large.&quot; 
 
Police said the man intended to target the open-air festival but was turned away as he did not have a ticket, and detonated the device outside a nearby cafe. 
 
&quot;If he had made it inside, there would certainly have been more victims,&quot; a police spokesman said. 
 
The explosion went off in the centre of the city of Ansbach, not far from where more than 2,500 people had gathered for the concert, at around 10 pm (2000 GMT). 
 
Attacker known to police&nbsp; 
 
The attacker, who came to Germany two years ago but had his asylum claim rejected after a year, had tried to kill himself twice in the past and had spent time in a psychiatric clinic, authorities said. 
 
He was facing imminent deportation to Bulgaria, where he was first registered within the European Union as an asylum seeker, a German interior ministry spokesman said. 
 
The assailant, who lived in Ansbach, was already known to police, having been linked to a drug-related offence. 
 
However a social worker who knew him, Reinhold Eschenbacher, described him as &quot;friendly, inconspicuous and nice&quot; when he came to his office pick up his welfare benefits, DPA news agency reported. 
 
Stephan Mayer, a deputy from Merkel&#39;s conservative bloc, insisted that it was &quot;completely wrong&quot; to blame the government&#39;s refugee policy for the spate of assaults. 
 
But Mayer told the BBC that the 1.1 million migrants and refugees Germany let in last year represented a &quot;big challenge&quot; for law enforcement, even as the influx has dwindled in recent months. 
 
&quot;We were not able to register and control all the migrants that crossed the German border,&quot; said Mayer. 
 
Europe has been on edge for months after a string of deadly attacks claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group, including bombings in Brussels and the carnage at Bastille Day celebrations in the southern French city of Nice. 
 
&#39;Obsessed with mass murder&#39; 
 
Meanwhile, police released more details on Munich mall attacker David Ali Sonboly, saying the 18-year-old was depressed and had spent two months in a psychiatric unit last year. 
 
The teen, who had German and Iranian nationality, was obsessed with mass killings and spent a year preparing for the shooting spree, police said. 
 
At least 35 people were also wounded during Sonboly&#39;s attack, which began at a McDonald&#39;s franchise and ended with him turning his 9 mm Glock pistol on himself. 
 
Investigators have ruled out any link with IS jihadists, although he appeared to have planned the assault with chilling precision for a year. 
 
Police have also arrested a 16-year-old Afghan friend in connection with the shooting. 
 
The two were in psychiatric treatment together last year and allegedly met at the scene of the attack shortly before it began, prosecutors said today. 
 
Hundreds of people, many of them in tears, gathered on Sunday outside the Munich shopping centre where the attack took place to pay tribute to the victims. 
 
Already steeped in grief and shock, Germans were further rattled by news that a Syrian refugee had killed a 45-year-old Polish woman with a large kebab knife at a snack bar in the southwestern city of Reutlingen. 
 
Police, who had initially said the murder weapon was a machete, added that Sunday&#39;s incident in which three others were injured was likely a &quot;crime of passion&quot;. 
 
Three people were also injured in the attack, which ended when the 21-year-old assailant was deliberately struck by a BMW driver trying to stop the man. 
 
(AFP) 
 
 
 
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Bavarian state interior minister said a video was found where he announced it was revenge against Germans for standing in the way of Islam

A Syrian asylum seeker who blew himself up outside a German music festival had made a video pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group, authorities said today, in a week of attacks that has shaken the country. The 27-year-old assailant wounded 15 people, four of them seriously, in the southern city of Ansbach Sunday night when he set off the bomb in his rucksack, killing himself. "A video made by the assailant was found on his mobile phone in which he threatened an attack," Bavarian state interior minister Joachim Herrmann told reporters. "After that he announced in the name of Allah that he pledged allegiance to (IS chief) Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the well-known Islamist leader, and announced an act of revenge against Germans because they were standing in the way of Islam." Europe's economic powerhouse was already reeling after nine people were killed in a shopping centre shooting rampage in Munich on Friday and four people were wounded in an axe attack on a train in Wuerzburg on July 18. All three assaults were in Bavaria which has been a gateway for tens of thousands of refugees under Chancellor Angela Merkel's liberal asylum policy. Merkel's deputy spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer expressed the government's "shock" after the rash of attacks but also warned against branding all refugees a security threat. "Most of the terrorists who carried out attacks in recent months in Europe were not refugees," she told reporters. "The terrorism threat (among refugees) is not larger or smaller than in the population at large." Police said the man intended to target the open-air festival but was turned away as he did not have a ticket, and detonated the device outside a nearby cafe. "If he had made it inside, there would certainly have been more victims," a police spokesman said. The explosion went off in the centre of the city of Ansbach, not far from where more than 2,500 people had gathered for the concert, at around 10 pm (2000 GMT). Attacker known to police The attacker, who came to Germany two years ago but had his asylum claim rejected after a year, had tried to kill himself twice in the past and had spent time in a psychiatric clinic, authorities said. He was facing imminent deportation to Bulgaria, where he was first registered within the European Union as an asylum seeker, a German interior ministry spokesman said. The assailant, who lived in Ansbach, was already known to police, having been linked to a drug-related offence. However a social worker who knew him, Reinhold Eschenbacher, described him as "friendly, inconspicuous and nice" when he came to his office pick up his welfare benefits, DPA news agency reported. Stephan Mayer, a deputy from Merkel's conservative bloc, insisted that it was "completely wrong" to blame the government's refugee policy for the spate of assaults. But Mayer told the BBC that the 1.1 million migrants and refugees Germany let in last year represented a "big challenge" for law enforcement, even as the influx has dwindled in recent months. "We were not able to register and control all the migrants that crossed the German border," said Mayer. Europe has been on edge for months after a string of deadly attacks claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group, including bombings in Brussels and the carnage at Bastille Day celebrations in the southern French city of Nice. 'Obsessed with mass murder' Meanwhile, police released more details on Munich mall attacker David Ali Sonboly, saying the 18-year-old was depressed and had spent two months in a psychiatric unit last year. The teen, who had German and Iranian nationality, was obsessed with mass killings and spent a year preparing for the shooting spree, police said. At least 35 people were also wounded during Sonboly's attack, which began at a McDonald's franchise and ended with him turning his 9 mm Glock pistol on himself. Investigators have ruled out any link with IS jihadists, although he appeared to have planned the assault with chilling precision for a year. Police have also arrested a 16-year-old Afghan friend in connection with the shooting. The two were in psychiatric treatment together last year and allegedly met at the scene of the attack shortly before it began, prosecutors said today. Hundreds of people, many of them in tears, gathered on Sunday outside the Munich shopping centre where the attack took place to pay tribute to the victims. Already steeped in grief and shock, Germans were further rattled by news that a Syrian refugee had killed a 45-year-old Polish woman with a large kebab knife at a snack bar in the southwestern city of Reutlingen. Police, who had initially said the murder weapon was a machete, added that Sunday's incident in which three others were injured was likely a "crime of passion". Three people were also injured in the attack, which ended when the 21-year-old assailant was deliberately struck by a BMW driver trying to stop the man. (AFP)

German festival suicide bomber 'pledged allegiance' to IS

One person was killed and at least 12 others were injured by an explosion at a bar in the southern German city of Ansbach late on Sunday. The man killed was the one who set off the blast, local police said.&nbsp; 
 
The explosion went off close to a bar in the city centre at around 10:00 pm (2000 GMT).&nbsp;Some 2,500 people were gathered nearby for an open-air music festival, which local media reported may have been the real target.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;An explosion went off in the city centre and a man, which the latest enquiries show caused it, was killed in the event,&quot; police said in a statement. &nbsp; 
 
A dozen people were injured in the explosion, three of them seriously, added a spokeswoman, without giving any more details.&nbsp; 
Police have blocked off the city centre and emergency services were on the scene. Bomb experts were on their way to determine the cause of the explosion.&nbsp; 
 
Ansbach police said in a statement early today that &nbsp;they were alerted to an explosion in the city center shortly after it occurred.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
&quot;The explosion was set off deliberately,&quot; said Michael Siefener, a spokesman for the regional interior ministry, adding that authorities were trying to establish the exact cause.&nbsp; 
 
(PTI, AFP) 
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Ansbach police said they were alerted to an explosion in the city centre yesterday after 10 PM

One person was killed and at least 12 others were injured by an explosion at a bar in the southern German city of Ansbach late on Sunday. The man killed was the one who set off the blast, local police said. The explosion went off close to a bar in the city centre at around 10:00 pm (2000 GMT). Some 2,500 people were gathered nearby for an open-air music festival, which local media reported may have been the real target. "An explosion went off in the city centre and a man, which the latest enquiries show caused it, was killed in the event," police said in a statement. A dozen people were injured in the explosion, three of them seriously, added a spokeswoman, without giving any more details. Police have blocked off the city centre and emergency services were on the scene. Bomb experts were on their way to determine the cause of the explosion. Ansbach police said in a statement early today that they were alerted to an explosion in the city center shortly after it occurred. "The explosion was set off deliberately," said Michael Siefener, a spokesman for the regional interior ministry, adding that authorities were trying to establish the exact cause. (PTI, AFP)

At least 12 injured in bar explosion in Ansbach, south Germany, 'suspected' bomber killed

The danger of attacks in Germany remains high, an interior ministry spokesman said today after a spate of four attacks over the last week that have left 10 people dead and 34 injured. 
 
&quot;The danger of attack has been high for a long time and remains high,&quot; interior ministry spokesman Tobias Plate told a regular government news conference. 
 
Germany&#39;s federal criminal police have 410 leads on possible terrorists among refugees there, a local newspaper reported today. The Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung newspaper said so, compared with 369 leads in mid-May since the beginning of the migrant crisis last year. 
 
Investigations have been launched in 60 cases, the newspaper said. It cited federal BKA police as saying they did not currently have any concrete indications of attack plans. 
 
&quot;In view of continuing migration to Germany, we must assume that there could be active and former members, supporters and sympathisers of terrorist organisations or Islamist-motivated war criminals among the refugees,&quot; the newspaper quoted federal police as saying. 
 
(Reuters)

The danger of attacks in Germany remains high, an interior ministry spokesman said today after a spate of four attacks over the last week that have left 10 people dead and 34 injured. "The danger of attack has been high for a long time and remains high," interior ministry spokesman Tobias Plate told a regular government news conference. Germany's federal criminal police have 410 leads on possible terrorists among refugees there, a local newspaper reported today. The Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung newspaper said so, compared with 369 leads in mid-May since the beginning of the migrant crisis last year. Investigations have been launched in 60 cases, the newspaper said. It cited federal BKA police as saying they did not currently have any concrete indications of attack plans. "In view of continuing migration to Germany, we must assume that there could be active and former members, supporters and sympathisers of terrorist organisations or Islamist-motivated war criminals among the refugees," the newspaper quoted federal police as saying. (Reuters)

Danger of attack in Germany remains high: Interior ministry

Senior German officials called today for a review of Germany&#39;s already strict gun laws after Friday&#39;s deadly shooting in Munich that claimed the lives of nine people and the gunman, a deranged 18-year-old who was obsessed with mass killings. 
 
&quot;Gun control is an important issue. We must continue to do all we can to limit and strictly control access to deadly weapons,&quot; German vice chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, leader of the centre-left Social Democrats, told Funke Mediengruppe, which owns a series of German newspapers. 
 
Gabriel said German authorities were investigating how the German-Iranian dual national had gained illegal access to the weapon - identified by police as a 9 mm Glock 17 pistol, the most widely used law enforcement weapon worldwide - despite signs that he had significant psychological issues. 
 
&quot;Clearly we will have to have a discussion in the near future about whether the current gun control laws are sufficient,&quot; said German lawmaker Stephan Mayer, a spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel&#39;s ruling conservatives in Parliament. 
 
&quot;The biggest priority is to combat the illegal arms trade since that could also reduce crime and terrorism,&quot; he said in a statement today. 
 
The gunman, named by German media as Ali David Sonboly, opened fire near a busy shopping mall on Friday evening, killing nine and wounding 35 more, before turning the gun on himself as police approached. 
 
The Munich shooting was the third act of violence against civilians in Western Europe - and the second in southern Germany - in eight days. Officials said there were no signs of any links in this case to Islamist extremist groups. 
 
German interior minister Thomas de Maiziere, also a member of Merkel&#39;s Christian Democrats, told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper in an interview that he planned to review German gun laws after the attack, and seek improvements where needed. 
 
De Maiziere said German gun laws were already very strict, which he considered appropriate, and it was critical to understand how the shooter gained access to the pistol used. 
 
&quot;Then we have to evaluate very carefully if and where further legal changes are needed,&quot; he said in an interview published today. 
 
Mayer and De Maiziere also cited the current debate within the European Union about a package of reforms that would tighten gun controls within the bloc and make it easier to trace the origin of guns purchased legally. 
 
The proposed changes, which must still be enacted by EU member states, would also set more stringent rules for deactivating previously fully-functioning guns and making them available for sale as so-called decorations. 
 
Member states have different criteria for what does and does not constitute a deactivated weapon, a legal loophole exploited by criminals to import weapons that have only been superficially modified to appear non-functioning. 
 
The Glock 17 used by the Munich gunman, which police said had had its serial number filed away, was such a &quot;reactivated&quot; weapon from the Slovakia, the Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily reported today, citing law enforcement sources. 
 
Sonboly obtained the gun on the Internet, it said. 
 
(Reuters)

German interior minister said laws in Germany are already very strict and it is critical to understand how the shooter got the weapon

Senior German officials called today for a review of Germany's already strict gun laws after Friday's deadly shooting in Munich that claimed the lives of nine people and the gunman, a deranged 18-year-old who was obsessed with mass killings. "Gun control is an important issue. We must continue to do all we can to limit and strictly control access to deadly weapons," German vice chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, leader of the centre-left Social Democrats, told Funke Mediengruppe, which owns a series of German newspapers. Gabriel said German authorities were investigating how the German-Iranian dual national had gained illegal access to the weapon - identified by police as a 9 mm Glock 17 pistol, the most widely used law enforcement weapon worldwide - despite signs that he had significant psychological issues. "Clearly we will have to have a discussion in the near future about whether the current gun control laws are sufficient," said German lawmaker Stephan Mayer, a spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling conservatives in Parliament. "The biggest priority is to combat the illegal arms trade since that could also reduce crime and terrorism," he said in a statement today. The gunman, named by German media as Ali David Sonboly, opened fire near a busy shopping mall on Friday evening, killing nine and wounding 35 more, before turning the gun on himself as police approached. The Munich shooting was the third act of violence against civilians in Western Europe - and the second in southern Germany - in eight days. Officials said there were no signs of any links in this case to Islamist extremist groups. German interior minister Thomas de Maiziere, also a member of Merkel's Christian Democrats, told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper in an interview that he planned to review German gun laws after the attack, and seek improvements where needed. De Maiziere said German gun laws were already very strict, which he considered appropriate, and it was critical to understand how the shooter gained access to the pistol used. "Then we have to evaluate very carefully if and where further legal changes are needed," he said in an interview published today. Mayer and De Maiziere also cited the current debate within the European Union about a package of reforms that would tighten gun controls within the bloc and make it easier to trace the origin of guns purchased legally. The proposed changes, which must still be enacted by EU member states, would also set more stringent rules for deactivating previously fully-functioning guns and making them available for sale as so-called decorations. Member states have different criteria for what does and does not constitute a deactivated weapon, a legal loophole exploited by criminals to import weapons that have only been superficially modified to appear non-functioning. The Glock 17 used by the Munich gunman, which police said had had its serial number filed away, was such a "reactivated" weapon from the Slovakia, the Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily reported today, citing law enforcement sources. Sonboly obtained the gun on the Internet, it said. (Reuters)

German officials urge close look at gun laws in wake of shooting

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