A twenty-one-year-old Syrian refugee killed a woman with a machete and injured two other people today before being arrested in the southern German city of Reutlingen, a police spokesman said. 
 
The man, who has been detained, &quot;had a dispute&quot; with the woman and killed her &quot;with a machete&quot; before injuring a second woman and a man, according to a police statement that offered no explanation on the cause of the attack. 
 
The Syrian man had been involved in previous incidents causing injuries to other people, he said. The spokesman had no immediate information on when the man arrived in Germany, or when the previous incidents took place. 
 
The assailant was apparently acting alone, the police official said. &quot;There is no danger to anyone else at this time,&quot; he said. 
 
News channel NTV said there were scenes of panic in the city centre following the attack. 
 
(Agencies)

German police said he 'had a dispute' with the woman and was apparently acting alone. There is no danger to anyone else they said

A twenty-one-year-old Syrian refugee killed a woman with a machete and injured two other people today before being arrested in the southern German city of Reutlingen, a police spokesman said. The man, who has been detained, "had a dispute" with the woman and killed her "with a machete" before injuring a second woman and a man, according to a police statement that offered no explanation on the cause of the attack. The Syrian man had been involved in previous incidents causing injuries to other people, he said. The spokesman had no immediate information on when the man arrived in Germany, or when the previous incidents took place. The assailant was apparently acting alone, the police official said. "There is no danger to anyone else at this time," he said. News channel NTV said there were scenes of panic in the city centre following the attack. (Agencies)

Syrian refugee arrested for killing woman with machete in Germany

At least nine people were shot dead and 16 wounded at a Munich shopping mall on Friday by a German-Iranian teenager who later committed suicide, investigators say. 
 
The gunman had no links with the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group, suffered depression and had an obsession with shooting sprees like the massacre five years ago by Norwegian rightwing fanatic Anders Behring Breivik.&nbsp;Here is what we know about the attack and the background against which it took place: 
 
 
What happened?&nbsp; 
 
The shooting began at a McDonald&#39;s fast-food restaurant at the Olympia shopping mall near Munich&#39;s Olympic stadium shortly before 1600 GMT on Friday. 
 
A video posted on social media appeared to show a man dressed in black walking away from the restaurant while firing repeatedly on people as they fled. 
 
At least nine people were killed and 16 injured, of whom three are in critical condition, Munich police said. 
 
Kosovo said three of its citizens were among the fatalities, while Ankara said three Turks had died. It was not immediately clear if they had dual nationality. 
 
Most of the casualties are young people aged 15 to 21, Bavarian public television said. 
 
 
Manhunt&nbsp; 
 
Initially believing three gunmen were involved, the authorities launched a city-wide manhunt, mobilising more than 2,000 police supported by the elite GSG-9 anti-terrorist unit and helicopters. 
 
Munich&#39;s main train station was closed and public transport suspended for several hours.&nbsp;Investigators later found the body of the suspected shooter, who appears to have acted alone and then killed himself with a shot to the head. 
 
 
Who was the gunman?&nbsp; 
 
Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae said the suspect was an 18-year-old dual-citizen German-Iranian from Munich.&nbsp;His name has not been made public.&nbsp;Investigations of his home and police files point to &quot;a classic act by a deranged person,&quot; Andrae said. 
 
&quot;There is absolutely no link to the Islamic State,&quot; he said, adding that the suspect had been obsessed with books and articles about mass killings &quot;linked to maniacs&quot;. 
 
He said German investigators have established an &quot;obvious link&quot; between Friday&#39;s shooting at a Munich mall and Breivik&#39;s mass killings on July 22, 2011. 
 
The city&#39;s chief prosecutor also said the suspect had suffered &quot;some form of depression&quot;, but voiced caution over reports he may have undergone psychiatric treatment. 
 
 
Wave of attacks&nbsp; 
 
The rampage is the latest in a string of jihadist attacks in western Europe but also on the fifth anniversary of the Breivik massacre that left 77 people dead. 
 
Four days earlier, a 17-year-old asylum-seeker, believed to be a &quot;lone wolf&quot; Afghan or Pakistani inspired by the IS, went on a rampage with an axe and a knife on a regional train in Bavaria, injuring five people, two of them critically. 
 
On July 14, Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel rammed a lorry into crowds enjoying a firework display on the seafront promenade in the French Riviera city of Nice, killing 84 people including children. 
 
It was the third major attack on French soil in the past 18 months.&nbsp;The IS group also claimed suicide bomb attacks at Brussels airport and a city metro station in March that killed 32 people. 
 
 
Migrant influx&nbsp; 
 
The focus on the suspected shooter&#39;s motives and background takes place in the context of a fierce debate about Germany&#39;s asylum policy and integration of its immigrants. 
 
Bavaria, in particular, became the main gateway for hundreds of thousands of migrants and asylum-seekers who have arrived in the last couple of years.&nbsp;Hate crimes and attacks against migrants exploded after arrivals, mostly from the Middle East and Africa, reached record levels in 2015. 
 
Some 923 offences against refugee shelters were reported in 2015 including 177 acts of violence, a sharp rise from the previous year, according to figures from the interior ministry. 
 
(AFP)

The 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman suffered from depression and had an obsession with shooting sprees. He had no links to the IS

At least nine people were shot dead and 16 wounded at a Munich shopping mall on Friday by a German-Iranian teenager who later committed suicide, investigators say. The gunman had no links with the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group, suffered depression and had an obsession with shooting sprees like the massacre five years ago by Norwegian rightwing fanatic Anders Behring Breivik. Here is what we know about the attack and the background against which it took place: What happened? The shooting began at a McDonald's fast-food restaurant at the Olympia shopping mall near Munich's Olympic stadium shortly before 1600 GMT on Friday. A video posted on social media appeared to show a man dressed in black walking away from the restaurant while firing repeatedly on people as they fled. At least nine people were killed and 16 injured, of whom three are in critical condition, Munich police said. Kosovo said three of its citizens were among the fatalities, while Ankara said three Turks had died. It was not immediately clear if they had dual nationality. Most of the casualties are young people aged 15 to 21, Bavarian public television said. Manhunt Initially believing three gunmen were involved, the authorities launched a city-wide manhunt, mobilising more than 2,000 police supported by the elite GSG-9 anti-terrorist unit and helicopters. Munich's main train station was closed and public transport suspended for several hours. Investigators later found the body of the suspected shooter, who appears to have acted alone and then killed himself with a shot to the head. Who was the gunman? Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae said the suspect was an 18-year-old dual-citizen German-Iranian from Munich. His name has not been made public. Investigations of his home and police files point to "a classic act by a deranged person," Andrae said. "There is absolutely no link to the Islamic State," he said, adding that the suspect had been obsessed with books and articles about mass killings "linked to maniacs". He said German investigators have established an "obvious link" between Friday's shooting at a Munich mall and Breivik's mass killings on July 22, 2011. The city's chief prosecutor also said the suspect had suffered "some form of depression", but voiced caution over reports he may have undergone psychiatric treatment. Wave of attacks The rampage is the latest in a string of jihadist attacks in western Europe but also on the fifth anniversary of the Breivik massacre that left 77 people dead. Four days earlier, a 17-year-old asylum-seeker, believed to be a "lone wolf" Afghan or Pakistani inspired by the IS, went on a rampage with an axe and a knife on a regional train in Bavaria, injuring five people, two of them critically. On July 14, Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel rammed a lorry into crowds enjoying a firework display on the seafront promenade in the French Riviera city of Nice, killing 84 people including children. It was the third major attack on French soil in the past 18 months. The IS group also claimed suicide bomb attacks at Brussels airport and a city metro station in March that killed 32 people. Migrant influx The focus on the suspected shooter's motives and background takes place in the context of a fierce debate about Germany's asylum policy and integration of its immigrants. Bavaria, in particular, became the main gateway for hundreds of thousands of migrants and asylum-seekers who have arrived in the last couple of years. Hate crimes and attacks against migrants exploded after arrivals, mostly from the Middle East and Africa, reached record levels in 2015. Some 923 offences against refugee shelters were reported in 2015 including 177 acts of violence, a sharp rise from the previous year, according to figures from the interior ministry. (AFP)

Munich mall shooting: what we know

Police were probing today the motives of the lone teenage German-Iranian gunman who went on a deadly rampage at a busy Munich shopping centre, the third bloody attack on civilians in Europe in just over a week. 
 
Nine people were killed and another 16 wounded as the black-clad gunman brought terror to Germany&#39;s third largest city on Friday evening, before committing suicide. 
 
&quot;Bloodbath in Munich,&quot; was the headline on the best-selling Bild newspaper as shockwaves reverberated across the continent. 
 
The killing spree sent the southern city into lockdown as elite police launched a massive operation to track down what had initially been thought to be up to three assailants. 
 
Chancellor to convene security council&nbsp; 
 
Chancellor Angela Merkel is to convene her security council today to address the shooting, which came just days after an axe rampage on a train in the same German state of Bavaria and just over a week after a truck attack in the French Riviera city of Nice that killed 84 people. 
 
Grieving Munich residents laid roses and lit candles in memory of the victims, with one placard bearing the simple plea: &quot;Why?&quot; 
 
Police chief Hubertus Andrae told reporters that the assailant was an 18-year-old dual national German-Iranian from Munich, who had no criminal record. 
 
&quot;The motive or explanation for this crime is completely unclear,&quot; he said. 
 
Armed with a handgun, the attacker opened fire at a McDonald&#39;s restaurant and continued along the street before entering the mall. 
 
A police patrol shot and wounded the gunman but he managed to escape, before police found the body of what they believed was the &quot;only shooter.&quot; 
 
Among the nine killed were three Kosovans, according to the foreign ministry in Pristina, while Munich police said the injured included children. 
 
Scenes of panic 
 
A video posted on social media appeared to show a man in black walking away from a McDonald&#39;s while firing repeatedly on people as they fled screaming. 
 
Survivors described terrifying scenes as shoppers rushed from the area, some carrying children in their arms. 
 
&quot;We entered McDonald&#39;s to eat... then there was panic, and people ran out,&quot; one woman told Bavarian television. 
 
Another video appeared to show the gunman on a car park roof exchanging a tirade of insults with a man on a nearby balcony. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m German, I was born here,&quot; the assailant replies after the man fired off a volley of swear words, including an offensive term for foreigners. 
 
Police initially believed there could be up to three assailants. 
 
But Andrae later said two others had &quot;absolutely nothing to do&quot; with the attack -- and that they were simply fleeing the scene. 
 
Munich&#39;s main train station was evacuated and metro and bus transport suspended for several hours while residents were ordered to stay inside, leaving the streets largely deserted. 
 
Earlier this morning, transport services were running again. 
 
&#39;Europe stands united&#39;&nbsp; 
 
President Joachim Gauck said he was horrified by the &quot;murderous attack&quot;, while US President Barack Obama voiced staunch support for Washington&#39;s close ally. 
 
&quot;Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all German people. Europe stands united,&quot; EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Twitter. 
 
The attack came just days after a 17-year-old asylum seeker went on a rampage with an axe and a knife on a train on Monday near Wuerzburg, also in Bavaria, injuring five people. 
 
Interior minister Thomas de Maiziere had said that assailant was believed to be a &quot;lone wolf&quot; who appeared to have been &quot;inspired&quot; by Islamic State group but was not a member of the jihadist network. 
 
The train attack triggered calls by some politicians to impose an upper limit on the number of refugees coming into Germany, which accepted a record 1.1 million migrants and refugees last year, many through Bavaria. 
 
&#39;No security anywhere&#39;&nbsp; 
 
The Munich mall is near the stadium for the 1972 Olympics and the athletes&#39; village which was the site of the hostage-taking of Israeli athletes by the Palestinian Black September group that ended in a massacre. 
 
Europe has been on high alert for terrorism after a string of attacks in neighbouring France and Belgium claimed by IS. 
 
&quot;It has reached us. People in Munich have long had a queasy feeling. Fears grew with every attack in Paris, Istanbul or Brussels,&quot; said the Abendzeitung newspaper&#39;s editor-in-chief Michael Schilling. 
 
&quot;There were particular concerns about the Oktoberfest. But since Friday it is clear that there can be no security anywhere, not even in the safest German city.&quot; 
 
The mall shooting occurred just eight days after 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel used a truck to mow down 84 people, including children, after a Bastille Day fireworks display in Nice, the third major attack on French soil in the past 18 months. 
 
In March, IS claimed suicide bombings at Brussels airport and a city metro station that left 32 people dead. 
 
In May, a mentally unstable 27-year-old man carried out a knife attack on a regional train in Bavaria, killing one person and injuring three others. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

Chancellor Angela Merkel is to convene her security council today to address the shooting which came days after Bastille Day attack

Police were probing today the motives of the lone teenage German-Iranian gunman who went on a deadly rampage at a busy Munich shopping centre, the third bloody attack on civilians in Europe in just over a week. Nine people were killed and another 16 wounded as the black-clad gunman brought terror to Germany's third largest city on Friday evening, before committing suicide. "Bloodbath in Munich," was the headline on the best-selling Bild newspaper as shockwaves reverberated across the continent. The killing spree sent the southern city into lockdown as elite police launched a massive operation to track down what had initially been thought to be up to three assailants. Chancellor to convene security council Chancellor Angela Merkel is to convene her security council today to address the shooting, which came just days after an axe rampage on a train in the same German state of Bavaria and just over a week after a truck attack in the French Riviera city of Nice that killed 84 people. Grieving Munich residents laid roses and lit candles in memory of the victims, with one placard bearing the simple plea: "Why?" Police chief Hubertus Andrae told reporters that the assailant was an 18-year-old dual national German-Iranian from Munich, who had no criminal record. "The motive or explanation for this crime is completely unclear," he said. Armed with a handgun, the attacker opened fire at a McDonald's restaurant and continued along the street before entering the mall. A police patrol shot and wounded the gunman but he managed to escape, before police found the body of what they believed was the "only shooter." Among the nine killed were three Kosovans, according to the foreign ministry in Pristina, while Munich police said the injured included children. Scenes of panic A video posted on social media appeared to show a man in black walking away from a McDonald's while firing repeatedly on people as they fled screaming. Survivors described terrifying scenes as shoppers rushed from the area, some carrying children in their arms. "We entered McDonald's to eat... then there was panic, and people ran out," one woman told Bavarian television. Another video appeared to show the gunman on a car park roof exchanging a tirade of insults with a man on a nearby balcony. "I'm German, I was born here," the assailant replies after the man fired off a volley of swear words, including an offensive term for foreigners. Police initially believed there could be up to three assailants. But Andrae later said two others had "absolutely nothing to do" with the attack -- and that they were simply fleeing the scene. Munich's main train station was evacuated and metro and bus transport suspended for several hours while residents were ordered to stay inside, leaving the streets largely deserted. Earlier this morning, transport services were running again. 'Europe stands united' President Joachim Gauck said he was horrified by the "murderous attack", while US President Barack Obama voiced staunch support for Washington's close ally. "Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all German people. Europe stands united," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Twitter. The attack came just days after a 17-year-old asylum seeker went on a rampage with an axe and a knife on a train on Monday near Wuerzburg, also in Bavaria, injuring five people. Interior minister Thomas de Maiziere had said that assailant was believed to be a "lone wolf" who appeared to have been "inspired" by Islamic State group but was not a member of the jihadist network. The train attack triggered calls by some politicians to impose an upper limit on the number of refugees coming into Germany, which accepted a record 1.1 million migrants and refugees last year, many through Bavaria. 'No security anywhere' The Munich mall is near the stadium for the 1972 Olympics and the athletes' village which was the site of the hostage-taking of Israeli athletes by the Palestinian Black September group that ended in a massacre. Europe has been on high alert for terrorism after a string of attacks in neighbouring France and Belgium claimed by IS. "It has reached us. People in Munich have long had a queasy feeling. Fears grew with every attack in Paris, Istanbul or Brussels," said the Abendzeitung newspaper's editor-in-chief Michael Schilling. "There were particular concerns about the Oktoberfest. But since Friday it is clear that there can be no security anywhere, not even in the safest German city." The mall shooting occurred just eight days after 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel used a truck to mow down 84 people, including children, after a Bastille Day fireworks display in Nice, the third major attack on French soil in the past 18 months. In March, IS claimed suicide bombings at Brussels airport and a city metro station that left 32 people dead. In May, a mentally unstable 27-year-old man carried out a knife attack on a regional train in Bavaria, killing one person and injuring three others. (AFP)

Shocked Germany probes 'lone' mass killer

Iran today condemned a shooting spree at a busy shopping centre in Munich by a teenage German-Iranian gunman who killed nine people before committing suicide. 
 
Foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi denounced &quot;the killing of innocent and defenceless people&quot; and expressed Iran&#39;s solidarity with the German government and people, official IRNA news agency reported. 
 
Ghasemi also called for a &quot;relentless and comprehensive fight&quot; to eradicate violence. 
Sixteen people were also wounded in Friday&#39;s shooting spree in Munich, German police said, adding that the assailant was an 18-year-old 
 
German-Iranian who had no criminal record. 
 
A police spokesman in Germany had said on Friday that terrorism was suspected, without revealing any immediate indications of an Islamist link. 
 
The attack came just days after a teenage asylum seeker went on a rampage with an axe and a knife on a train on Monday near Wuerzburg, also in Bavaria, injuring five people. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

A police spokesman in Germany said that terrorism was suspected, without revealing any immediate indications of an Islamist link

Iran today condemned a shooting spree at a busy shopping centre in Munich by a teenage German-Iranian gunman who killed nine people before committing suicide. Foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi denounced "the killing of innocent and defenceless people" and expressed Iran's solidarity with the German government and people, official IRNA news agency reported. Ghasemi also called for a "relentless and comprehensive fight" to eradicate violence. Sixteen people were also wounded in Friday's shooting spree in Munich, German police said, adding that the assailant was an 18-year-old German-Iranian who had no criminal record. A police spokesman in Germany had said on Friday that terrorism was suspected, without revealing any immediate indications of an Islamist link. The attack came just days after a teenage asylum seeker went on a rampage with an axe and a knife on a train on Monday near Wuerzburg, also in Bavaria, injuring five people. (AFP)

Iran condemns shooting spree by German-Iranian gunman in Munich

United States President Barack Obama has offered full support to Germany in investigating the deadly terror attack that killed 10 people, including the gunman who allegedly shot himself in the head, in a busy shopping mall in Munich. 
 
Nine people, excluding the attacker, were killed in the shooting that began early yesterday evening, with 21 wounded according to the latest official toll. 
 
&quot;Germany is one of our closest allies, so we are going to pledge all the support that they may need in dealing with these circumstances,&quot; Obama said at the White House. 
 
The US condemns in the strongest terms the apparent terrorist attack that has claimed innocent lives in Munich, Germany, said his spokesman, Josh Earnest. 
 
&quot;We still do not know all of the facts, but we do know that this heinous act has killed and injured multiple individuals in the heart of one of Europe&#39;s most vibrant cities. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of the deceased, just as we wish those wounded a full recovery,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;In the midst of this tragedy, the US will work closely with our German partners to whom we will make available any resources that would assist their investigation, as the President pledged. The resolve of Germany, the United States, and the broader international community will remain unshaken in the face of acts of despicable violence such as this,&quot; Earnest said. 
 
State department spokesman John Kirby said the US is in close contact with German officials and stand ready to provide any and all assistance requested by our close friend and ally Germany in this time of crisis. 
 
Senator Mark Kirk asked the Obama Administration to take steps to ensure similar attacks do not happen on American soil. 
 
&quot;This year, it has become increasingly clear that keeping Americans safe from acts of terror must be our number one priority,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;We mourn alongside one of our closest allies tonight for the innocent lives taken by yet another act of terror. Now, more than ever, we must come together as a nation and fight to protect our freedoms. And we must win this fight, providing leadership to combat terrorism that threatens our very way of life,&quot; said Senator Ron Johnson, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. 
 
&#39;A disgusting terror attack&#39;

French President Francois Hollande today called the&nbsp;deadly shooting in Munich&nbsp;a &quot;disgusting terrorist attack&quot; aimed at stirring up fear in Germany after France was targeted last week.

&quot;The terrorist attack that struck Munich killing many people is a disgusting act that aims to foment fear in Germany after other European countries,&quot; Hollande said in a statement.

&quot;Germany will resist, it can count on France&#39;s friendship and cooperation,&quot; he said, adding that he would speak with German chancellor Angela Merkel today morning.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters, PTI)

Both Obama and Hollande have offered aid and cooperation to assist Germany in the Munich tragedy investigation

United States President Barack Obama has offered full support to Germany in investigating the deadly terror attack that killed 10 people, including the gunman who allegedly shot himself in the head, in a busy shopping mall in Munich. Nine people, excluding the attacker, were killed in the shooting that began early yesterday evening, with 21 wounded according to the latest official toll. "Germany is one of our closest allies, so we are going to pledge all the support that they may need in dealing with these circumstances," Obama said at the White House. The US condemns in the strongest terms the apparent terrorist attack that has claimed innocent lives in Munich, Germany, said his spokesman, Josh Earnest. "We still do not know all of the facts, but we do know that this heinous act has killed and injured multiple individuals in the heart of one of Europe's most vibrant cities. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of the deceased, just as we wish those wounded a full recovery," he said. "In the midst of this tragedy, the US will work closely with our German partners to whom we will make available any resources that would assist their investigation, as the President pledged. The resolve of Germany, the United States, and the broader international community will remain unshaken in the face of acts of despicable violence such as this," Earnest said. State department spokesman John Kirby said the US is in close contact with German officials and stand ready to provide any and all assistance requested by our close friend and ally Germany in this time of crisis. Senator Mark Kirk asked the Obama Administration to take steps to ensure similar attacks do not happen on American soil. "This year, it has become increasingly clear that keeping Americans safe from acts of terror must be our number one priority," he said. "We mourn alongside one of our closest allies tonight for the innocent lives taken by yet another act of terror. Now, more than ever, we must come together as a nation and fight to protect our freedoms. And we must win this fight, providing leadership to combat terrorism that threatens our very way of life," said Senator Ron Johnson, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. 'A disgusting terror attack' French President Francois Hollande today called the deadly shooting in Munich a "disgusting terrorist attack" aimed at stirring up fear in Germany after France was targeted last week. "The terrorist attack that struck Munich killing many people is a disgusting act that aims to foment fear in Germany after other European countries," Hollande said in a statement. "Germany will resist, it can count on France's friendship and cooperation," he said, adding that he would speak with German chancellor Angela Merkel today morning. (Reuters, PTI)

US, France condemn attack, pledge support to Germany

The likely, lone gunman in an attack&nbsp;that killed nine people and injured at least 16 others today was found dead near a shopping centre in Munich, Germany,&nbsp;a spokesman for the Munich police said on today. The attacker was an 18-year-old German-Iranian man who killed himself after carrying out the deadly shooting rampage, the Munich plice said.&nbsp; 
 
News agencies report varying number of those injured, from sixteen to twenty one. 
 
&quot;The perpetrator was an 18-year-old German-Iranian from Munich,&quot; police chief Hubertus Andrae told reporters after the massacre that left 10 people dead, including the gunman. 
 
&quot;The motive or explanation for this crime is completely unclear.&quot; 
 
Earlier police, citing eyewitness accounts, had said they were looking for up to three suspects in the shooting attack at the Munich Olympia Shopping Centre (OEZ) that sent shoppers running for their lives and shut traffic across the city. 
 
But early today, a Munich police spokesman said it was now believed likely that only one man was responsible for the shooting, the third attack against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. 
 
&quot;We can give a cautious &#39;all-clear signal.&#39; It looks like the body found near the OEZ was the gunman,&quot; a police spokesman said. 
 
Authorities had told the public to get off the streets as the city, Germany&#39;s third biggest, went into lockdown with transport halted and highways sealed off. 
 
A police spokesman initially said up to three gunmen were on the run after the shooting. The Bavarian capital was placed under a state of emergency as police hunted for them and special forces deployed in the city. 
 
Authorities found a 10th body about 1 km (0.6 miles) from the scene that was later determined to be the likely gunman. 
 
German radio station Bayerischer Rundfunk said the man had a red backpack similar to one used by a gunman seen at a McDonald&#39;s restaurant where the attack reportedly began. It said police were using a robot to investigate the backpack. 
 
German news magazine Focus said the dead man and suspected gunman had shot himself in the head. 
 
At the height of the incident, people in the Olympia shopping centre either fled or sought to hide. 
 
&quot;Many shots were fired, I can&#39;t say how many but it&#39;s been a lot,&quot; said a shop worker hiding in a store room inside the mall. 
 
It was the third major act of violence against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. Previous attacks in France and Germany were claimed by the Islamic State militant group. 
 
A police spokesman said there was no immediate indication that it was an Islamist attack but it was being treated as a terrorist incident. 
 
Friday is also the fifth anniversary of the massacre by Anders Behring Breivik in Norway in which he killed 77 people. Breivik is a hero for far-right militants in Europe and America. 
 
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the motive for the attack was not yet clear. 
 
&quot;The motives for this abhorrent act have not yet been completely clarified - we still have contradictory clues,&quot; Steinmeier said in a statement. 
 
Islamic State supporters celebrate 
 
There was no immediate claim of responsibility but supporters of Islamic State celebrated on social media. 
 
&quot;The Islamic state is expanding in Europe,&quot; read one tweet. 
 
Two witnesses told n-tv television that they saw a man dressed as Santa Claus walking away from the scene of the shooting with a crowd of people. One said the man had blonde hair, was not carrying a weapon but had a suitcase. 
 
A video posted online, whose authenticity could not be confirmed, showed a man dressed in black outside a McDonalds by the roadside, drawing a handgun and shooting towards members of the public. 
 
Witnesses had seen shooting both inside the mall and on nearby streets, police said. 
 
Several hours after the shooting, police said it was unclear if the shooters were still in Munich. As night closed in, the streets of the city were largely deserted. 
 
Thousands of people had been crowding the streets and squares in Munich&#39;s city centre in the afternoon, clinking glasses, eating sausages, and listening to bands at a beer festival. 
 
The festival was meant to last until Sunday but was evacuated shortly after the attack. 
 
Elena Hakes, wearing a blue traditional dress, had been with a friend in the Odeonsplatz square. 
 
&quot;We heard what had happened and decided to leave, it just seemed not befitting anymore to continue partying.&quot; 
 
&quot;Most of the people were very calm and composed. There were a few people who came running towards us who were screaming and in panic. But mostly it was surprisingly calm.&quot; 
 
Munich&#39;s main railway station was evacuated. BR television said police had sealed off many highways north of Munich and people were told to leave them. 
 
The shopping centre is next to the Munich Olympic stadium, where the Palestinian militant group Black September took 11 Israeli athletes hostage and eventually killed them during the 1972 Olympic Games. 
 
Friday&#39;s attack took place a week after a 17-year-old asylum-seeker assaulted passengers on a German train with an axe. Bavarian police shot dead the teenager after he wounded four people from Hong Kong on the train and injured a local resident while fleeing. 
 
German justice minister Heiko Maas told Bild newspaper&#39;s Friday edition before the mall attack that there was &quot;no reason to panic but it&#39;s clear that Germany remains a possible target&quot;. 
 
The incidents in Germany follow an attack in Nice, France, on July 14 in which a Tunisian drove a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day, killing 84. Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack. 
 
The Munich assault was also reminiscent of Islamist militant attacks in a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya, in September 2013 and in Mumbai, India, in November 2008. 
 
Norwegian foreign minister Borge Brende said on Twitter: &quot;Horrible killings in Munich. Taking place on the same day as we mourn &amp; remember the appalling terror that hit Norway so hard five years ago.&quot; 
 
(Reuters, AFP)

Body found about 1km from the scene was later determined to be the likely lone gunman who, German media said, had shot himself in the head

The likely, lone gunman in an attack that killed nine people and injured at least 16 others today was found dead near a shopping centre in Munich, Germany, a spokesman for the Munich police said on today. The attacker was an 18-year-old German-Iranian man who killed himself after carrying out the deadly shooting rampage, the Munich plice said. News agencies report varying number of those injured, from sixteen to twenty one. "The perpetrator was an 18-year-old German-Iranian from Munich," police chief Hubertus Andrae told reporters after the massacre that left 10 people dead, including the gunman. "The motive or explanation for this crime is completely unclear." Earlier police, citing eyewitness accounts, had said they were looking for up to three suspects in the shooting attack at the Munich Olympia Shopping Centre (OEZ) that sent shoppers running for their lives and shut traffic across the city. But early today, a Munich police spokesman said it was now believed likely that only one man was responsible for the shooting, the third attack against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. "We can give a cautious 'all-clear signal.' It looks like the body found near the OEZ was the gunman," a police spokesman said. Authorities had told the public to get off the streets as the city, Germany's third biggest, went into lockdown with transport halted and highways sealed off. A police spokesman initially said up to three gunmen were on the run after the shooting. The Bavarian capital was placed under a state of emergency as police hunted for them and special forces deployed in the city. Authorities found a 10th body about 1 km (0.6 miles) from the scene that was later determined to be the likely gunman. German radio station Bayerischer Rundfunk said the man had a red backpack similar to one used by a gunman seen at a McDonald's restaurant where the attack reportedly began. It said police were using a robot to investigate the backpack. German news magazine Focus said the dead man and suspected gunman had shot himself in the head. At the height of the incident, people in the Olympia shopping centre either fled or sought to hide. "Many shots were fired, I can't say how many but it's been a lot," said a shop worker hiding in a store room inside the mall. It was the third major act of violence against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. Previous attacks in France and Germany were claimed by the Islamic State militant group. A police spokesman said there was no immediate indication that it was an Islamist attack but it was being treated as a terrorist incident. Friday is also the fifth anniversary of the massacre by Anders Behring Breivik in Norway in which he killed 77 people. Breivik is a hero for far-right militants in Europe and America. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the motive for the attack was not yet clear. "The motives for this abhorrent act have not yet been completely clarified - we still have contradictory clues," Steinmeier said in a statement. Islamic State supporters celebrate There was no immediate claim of responsibility but supporters of Islamic State celebrated on social media. "The Islamic state is expanding in Europe," read one tweet. Two witnesses told n-tv television that they saw a man dressed as Santa Claus walking away from the scene of the shooting with a crowd of people. One said the man had blonde hair, was not carrying a weapon but had a suitcase. A video posted online, whose authenticity could not be confirmed, showed a man dressed in black outside a McDonalds by the roadside, drawing a handgun and shooting towards members of the public. Witnesses had seen shooting both inside the mall and on nearby streets, police said. Several hours after the shooting, police said it was unclear if the shooters were still in Munich. As night closed in, the streets of the city were largely deserted. Thousands of people had been crowding the streets and squares in Munich's city centre in the afternoon, clinking glasses, eating sausages, and listening to bands at a beer festival. The festival was meant to last until Sunday but was evacuated shortly after the attack. Elena Hakes, wearing a blue traditional dress, had been with a friend in the Odeonsplatz square. "We heard what had happened and decided to leave, it just seemed not befitting anymore to continue partying." "Most of the people were very calm and composed. There were a few people who came running towards us who were screaming and in panic. But mostly it was surprisingly calm." Munich's main railway station was evacuated. BR television said police had sealed off many highways north of Munich and people were told to leave them. The shopping centre is next to the Munich Olympic stadium, where the Palestinian militant group Black September took 11 Israeli athletes hostage and eventually killed them during the 1972 Olympic Games. Friday's attack took place a week after a 17-year-old asylum-seeker assaulted passengers on a German train with an axe. Bavarian police shot dead the teenager after he wounded four people from Hong Kong on the train and injured a local resident while fleeing. German justice minister Heiko Maas told Bild newspaper's Friday edition before the mall attack that there was "no reason to panic but it's clear that Germany remains a possible target". The incidents in Germany follow an attack in Nice, France, on July 14 in which a Tunisian drove a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day, killing 84. Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack. The Munich assault was also reminiscent of Islamist militant attacks in a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya, in September 2013 and in Mumbai, India, in November 2008. Norwegian foreign minister Borge Brende said on Twitter: "Horrible killings in Munich. Taking place on the same day as we mourn & remember the appalling terror that hit Norway so hard five years ago." (Reuters, AFP)

Munich attack: 10 dead, including 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman

The teenager who shot dead nine people in Munich had likely hacked a Facebook account and used it to lure victims to the McDonald&#39;s outlet where he began his rampage, the German interior minister said today. 
 
Thomas de Maiziere told reporters in Berlin that the shooter, a German-Iranian 18-year-old, had likely used a hacked account to &quot;invite (the victims) to go to the branch, offering them special reductions&quot;. 
 
&quot;Some of our findings suggest that the killer&quot; broke into a girl&#39;s account and used it to send invitations to go to the restaurant at 4:00 pm (1400 GMT) on Friday. 
 
&quot;I will give you whatever you want, for not a lot of money,&quot; the online invite read, according to German media reports. 
 
The shooter, David Ali Sonboly, killed nine people and injured 16 others at the Olympia mall in Munich.&nbsp;He fled the shopping centre and then committed suicide, with his body found later Friday night a kilometre from the scene of the rampage. 
 
Most of the victims in Friday&#39;s attack were foreigners, including three Turkish nationals, three people from Kosovo and a Greek man.&nbsp;The casualties were mostly young, with three aged just 14 and two aged 15. 
 
De Maiziere said Sonboly had likely been bullied by other &quot;young people his age&quot;. 
 
(AFP)

The attacker hacked into a girl's account and sent online invitations. 'I will give you whatever you want, for not a lot of money', it read

The teenager who shot dead nine people in Munich had likely hacked a Facebook account and used it to lure victims to the McDonald's outlet where he began his rampage, the German interior minister said today. Thomas de Maiziere told reporters in Berlin that the shooter, a German-Iranian 18-year-old, had likely used a hacked account to "invite (the victims) to go to the branch, offering them special reductions". "Some of our findings suggest that the killer" broke into a girl's account and used it to send invitations to go to the restaurant at 4:00 pm (1400 GMT) on Friday. "I will give you whatever you want, for not a lot of money," the online invite read, according to German media reports. The shooter, David Ali Sonboly, killed nine people and injured 16 others at the Olympia mall in Munich. He fled the shopping centre and then committed suicide, with his body found later Friday night a kilometre from the scene of the rampage. Most of the victims in Friday's attack were foreigners, including three Turkish nationals, three people from Kosovo and a Greek man. The casualties were mostly young, with three aged just 14 and two aged 15. De Maiziere said Sonboly had likely been bullied by other "young people his age". (AFP)

Munich killer lured victims using Facebook

Chancellor Angela Merkel today said Munich had suffered a &quot;night of horror&quot; after a shooting spree in the southern German city left nine people dead. 
 
&quot;The people of Munich have come through a night of horror,&quot; she said in her first reaction to Friday&#39;s carnage, adding: &quot;A night like this is difficult for us all to bear.&quot; 
 
Speaking from her office in Berlin, the German leader said: &quot;All of us, and I say this on behalf of the whole government, are mourning with heavy hearts those who will never be able to return to their families.&quot; 
 
She paid tribute to Munich residents who had offered refuge in their homes to people fleeing the gunman, many of them using social media to spread the word. 
 
Their actions showed that &quot;we live in a free society and it showed humanity&quot;, she said, adding that &quot;our greatest strength&quot; lies in these values. 
 
(AFP)

She paid tribute to residents who had offered refuge in their homes to people fleeing the gunman, many using social media to spread the word

Chancellor Angela Merkel today said Munich had suffered a "night of horror" after a shooting spree in the southern German city left nine people dead. "The people of Munich have come through a night of horror," she said in her first reaction to Friday's carnage, adding: "A night like this is difficult for us all to bear." Speaking from her office in Berlin, the German leader said: "All of us, and I say this on behalf of the whole government, are mourning with heavy hearts those who will never be able to return to their families." She paid tribute to Munich residents who had offered refuge in their homes to people fleeing the gunman, many of them using social media to spread the word. Their actions showed that "we live in a free society and it showed humanity", she said, adding that "our greatest strength" lies in these values. (AFP)

Merkel deplores night of horror in Munich

Several people were killed on Friday in a shooting rampage by a lone gunman in a Munich shopping centre, police said. 
 
Police have cordoned off a wide area around the Olympia shopping centre in the southern part of the city after shots were fired, a spokeswoman for the police said. 
 
At least six people are believed to have been killed in the shooting rampage, police source said. Witnesses say they spotted three different people with firearms, who are believed to be still at large. A manhunt is under way. 
 
Authorities were evacuating people from the Olympia mall but many others were hiding inside. A Munich police spokeswoman said mulitple people were killed or wounded. 
 
&quot;We believe we are dealing with a shooting rampage,&quot; the spokeswoman said. More than one gunman was believed to be involved and no one had been arrested, she said. 
 
The Bild newspaper reported that the gunman ran through the mall, firing on several people before fleeing in the direction of a nearby metro station. 
 
Staff in the mall were still in hiding, an employee told Reuters by telephone. 
 
&quot;Many shots were fired, I can&#39;t say how many but it&#39;s been a lot,&quot; the employee, who declined to be identified, said from the mall in Munich. 
 
&quot;All the people from outside came streaming into the store and I only saw one person on the ground who was so severely injured that he definitely didn&#39;t survive.&nbsp;We have no further information, we&#39;re just staying in the back in the storage rooms. No police have approached us yet.&quot; 
 
Local TV images showed dozens of emergency vehicles outside the mall.&nbsp;NTV television reported that German police special forces had arrived at the scene.&nbsp;Munich police tweeted urging people to avoid the area. 
 
&quot;At the moment we have a major police operation on OEZ. Please avoid the area around the mall.&quot; &nbsp; 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-x-mtfrom-de">
Im Moment haben wir einen gro?en Polizeieinsatz am OEZ. Bitte meiden Sie den Bereich um das Einkaufszentrum.
&mdash; Polizei M?nchen (@PolizeiMuenchen) <a href="https://twitter.com/PolizeiMuenchen/status/756527978411094016">July 22, 2016</a> 
&nbsp;</blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script> 
Officials say the main train station in Munich has been evacuated, metro and bus transport have also been suspended. 
 
The U.S. State Department says &quot;our thoughts are with the victims and their families&quot; after gunmen went on a shooting rampage in a shopping mall in the southern German city of Munich. 
 
The shopping center is next to the Munich Olympic stadium, where the Palestinian militant group Black September took 11 Israeli athletes hostage and eventually killed them during the 1972 Olympic Games. 
 
Friday&#39;s attack took place a week after a 17-year-old asylum-seeker wounded passengers on a German train in an axe rampage claimed by Islamic State. Bavarian police shot dead the teenager after he wounded four people from Hong Kong on the train and injured a local resident while fleeing. 
 
German Justice Minister Heiko Maas told Bild newspaper&#39;s Friday edition that there was &quot;no reason to panic but it&#39;s clear that Germany remains a possible target&quot;. 
 
Interior minister Thomas de Maiziere said the teenager was believed to be a &quot;lone wolf&quot; attacker who appeared to have been &quot;inspired&quot; by the Islamic State group but was not a member of the jihadist network. 
 
The incidents in Germany follow an attack in Nice, France, on Bastille Day in which a Tunisian drove a truck into crowds, killing 84. Islamic State also claimed responsibility for that attack. 
 
(Reuters, AFP) 
&nbsp;

Munich Olympia shopping centre under fire. Three armed suspects are still at large: Reports

Several people were killed on Friday in a shooting rampage by a lone gunman in a Munich shopping centre, police said. Police have cordoned off a wide area around the Olympia shopping centre in the southern part of the city after shots were fired, a spokeswoman for the police said. At least six people are believed to have been killed in the shooting rampage, police source said. Witnesses say they spotted three different people with firearms, who are believed to be still at large. A manhunt is under way. Authorities were evacuating people from the Olympia mall but many others were hiding inside. A Munich police spokeswoman said mulitple people were killed or wounded. "We believe we are dealing with a shooting rampage," the spokeswoman said. More than one gunman was believed to be involved and no one had been arrested, she said. The Bild newspaper reported that the gunman ran through the mall, firing on several people before fleeing in the direction of a nearby metro station. Staff in the mall were still in hiding, an employee told Reuters by telephone. "Many shots were fired, I can't say how many but it's been a lot," the employee, who declined to be identified, said from the mall in Munich. "All the people from outside came streaming into the store and I only saw one person on the ground who was so severely injured that he definitely didn't survive. We have no further information, we're just staying in the back in the storage rooms. No police have approached us yet." Local TV images showed dozens of emergency vehicles outside the mall. NTV television reported that German police special forces had arrived at the scene. Munich police tweeted urging people to avoid the area. "At the moment we have a major police operation on OEZ. Please avoid the area around the mall." Im Moment haben wir einen gro?en Polizeieinsatz am OEZ. Bitte meiden Sie den Bereich um das Einkaufszentrum. — Polizei M?nchen (@PolizeiMuenchen) July 22, 2016 Officials say the main train station in Munich has been evacuated, metro and bus transport have also been suspended. The U.S. State Department says "our thoughts are with the victims and their families" after gunmen went on a shooting rampage in a shopping mall in the southern German city of Munich. The shopping center is next to the Munich Olympic stadium, where the Palestinian militant group Black September took 11 Israeli athletes hostage and eventually killed them during the 1972 Olympic Games. Friday's attack took place a week after a 17-year-old asylum-seeker wounded passengers on a German train in an axe rampage claimed by Islamic State. Bavarian police shot dead the teenager after he wounded four people from Hong Kong on the train and injured a local resident while fleeing. German Justice Minister Heiko Maas told Bild newspaper's Friday edition that there was "no reason to panic but it's clear that Germany remains a possible target". Interior minister Thomas de Maiziere said the teenager was believed to be a "lone wolf" attacker who appeared to have been "inspired" by the Islamic State group but was not a member of the jihadist network. The incidents in Germany follow an attack in Nice, France, on Bastille Day in which a Tunisian drove a truck into crowds, killing 84. Islamic State also claimed responsibility for that attack. (Reuters, AFP)

Shots fired at shopping centre in Munich, at least 8 dead, 10 wounded

German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Wednesday urged Turkey to restrict the state of emergency imposed after a failed coup attempt to only the truly necessary length of time and to end the measure as quickly as possible. 
 
Steinmeier issued a statement late on Wednesday in response to the declaration of emergency rule, urging the Turkish government to maintain both the rule of law and a sense of proportionality in its response to the coup attempt. 
 
&quot;The declaration of a state of emergency makes it clear once again: the attempted putsch is having a profound effect on Turkish politics and society,&quot; Steinmeier said. 
 
He said Germany was continuing to call on Turkey to exercise restraint in its response to the thwarted coup. 
 
&quot;Only provable involvement in illegal acts, not suspected political leanings, should trigger governmental action,&quot; Steinmeier said. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s also critical that the declaration of emergency be restricted to only the necessary duration and then be ended as quickly as possible,&quot; he said. 
 
Steinmeier said such an approach was in the interest of Turkey itself, since anything else would tear the country apart and weaken Turkey both internally and externally. 
 
(Reuters)

The German foreign minister urged the Turkish government to maintain the rule of law and a sense of proportionality in response to the coup

German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Wednesday urged Turkey to restrict the state of emergency imposed after a failed coup attempt to only the truly necessary length of time and to end the measure as quickly as possible. Steinmeier issued a statement late on Wednesday in response to the declaration of emergency rule, urging the Turkish government to maintain both the rule of law and a sense of proportionality in its response to the coup attempt. "The declaration of a state of emergency makes it clear once again: the attempted putsch is having a profound effect on Turkish politics and society," Steinmeier said. He said Germany was continuing to call on Turkey to exercise restraint in its response to the thwarted coup. "Only provable involvement in illegal acts, not suspected political leanings, should trigger governmental action," Steinmeier said. "It's also critical that the declaration of emergency be restricted to only the necessary duration and then be ended as quickly as possible," he said. Steinmeier said such an approach was in the interest of Turkey itself, since anything else would tear the country apart and weaken Turkey both internally and externally. (Reuters)

Germany urges swift end to emergency in Turkey

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility today for its first attack in Germany, an axe and knife assault on a train carried out by a 17-year-old Afghan refugee. 
 
German authorities said they had found a hand-painted IS flag among the belongings of the asylum seeker, who seriously injured four members of a family of tourists from Hong Kong in his rampage. The teenage assailant was killed as he tried to flee. 
 
&quot;The perpetrator of the stabbing attack in Germany was one of the fighters of the Islamic State,&quot; the IS-linked Amaq news agency said. 
 
The assault on a regional train near the southern city of Wuerzburg late Monday left two of the victims critically hurt, said Joachim Herrmann, the interior minister of Bavaria state. 
 
&quot;We hope that those who were gravely injured make it,&quot; Herrmann told ZDF public television. 
 
Germany has thus far escaped the kind of large-scale jihadist attack seen in the southern French city of Nice last week, in which 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel used a truck to mow down 84 people. That attack was also claimed by IS. 
 
The terrifying assault in Bavaria is likely to revive a heated national debate about integrating migrants and refugees after a record influx last year. 
 
&#39;Like a slaughterhouse&#39; 
 
The assailant had arrived as an unaccompanied minor in Germany about two years ago and had been staying with a foster family in the region for the last two weeks, Herrmann said. 
 
&quot;It is quite probable that this was an Islamist attack,&quot; said a ministry spokesman hours after the attack, adding that the assailant was heard shouting &quot;Allahu akbar&quot; (God is greatest). 
 
However, he stressed that the investigation was ongoing and that the teenager appeared to have acted alone. 
 
&quot;We must determine what the motive was and to what extent he really belonged to the Islamist scene or self-radicalised very recently,&quot; Herrmann said, adding that the assailant had no criminal record in Germany. 
 
The assault happened around 9.15 pm (1915 GMT) on the train which runs between the town of Treuchtlingen and Wuerzburg in Bavaria. 
 
An eyewitness who lives next to the railway station told DPA news agency that the train, which had been carrying around 25 people, looked &quot;like a slaughterhouse&quot; with blood covering the floor. 
 
The man, who declined to give his name, said he saw people crawl from the carriage and ask for a first-aid kit as other victims lay on the floor inside. 
 
&quot;The perpetrator was able to leave the train, police left in pursuit and as part of this pursuit, they shot the attacker and killed him,&quot; a police spokesman said. 
 
Herrmann later said the teenager was shot when he attacked police while trying to escape the scene. 
 
Political tensions 
 
Germany has been spared major Islamist attacks but in May, a mentally unstable 27-year-old man wielding a knife killed one person and injured three others on another Bavarian regional train. 
 
Early reports had suggested he had yelled &quot;Allahu akbar&quot; but police later said there was no evidence pointing to a religious motive. He is being held in a psychiatric hospital. 
 
In February, a 15-year-old girl of Turkish origin stabbed a policeman in the neck with a kitchen knife at Hanover train station in what prosecutors later said was an IS-inspired attack. 
 
And police in April arrested two 16-year-olds over an explosion that wounded three people at a Sikh temple, in what was believed to be an Islamist-motivated attack against an Indian wedding party at a temple in the western city of Essen. 
 
Germany let in nearly 1.1 million asylum seekers last year, with Syrians the largest group followed by Afghans. 
 
However the number of refugees arriving in Germany has fallen sharply as a result of the closure of the Balkans migration route and an EU deal with Turkey to stem the flow. 
 
Bavaria is governed by the Christian Social Union (CSU), sister party to Chancellor Angela Merkel&#39;s conservative Christian Democrats, which has been loudly critical of Merkel&#39;s welcoming stance toward asylum seekers. 
 
The split threatened the unity of the ruling coalition in Berlin and sent the government&#39;s approval ratings plunging. 
 
It has also put wind in the sails of a right-wing populist party, Alternative for Germany, which was founded as a eurosceptic protest outfit in 2013 but now mainly rails against Islam and Germany&#39;s refugee influx. 
 
Merkel&#39;s popularity has rebounded recently but the Bavaria attack is likely to stoke political tensions. 
 
(AFP)

German authorities had found a hand-painted IS flag in the belongings of the teenage Afghan attacker. The assailant was killed while fleeing

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility today for its first attack in Germany, an axe and knife assault on a train carried out by a 17-year-old Afghan refugee. German authorities said they had found a hand-painted IS flag among the belongings of the asylum seeker, who seriously injured four members of a family of tourists from Hong Kong in his rampage. The teenage assailant was killed as he tried to flee. "The perpetrator of the stabbing attack in Germany was one of the fighters of the Islamic State," the IS-linked Amaq news agency said. The assault on a regional train near the southern city of Wuerzburg late Monday left two of the victims critically hurt, said Joachim Herrmann, the interior minister of Bavaria state. "We hope that those who were gravely injured make it," Herrmann told ZDF public television. Germany has thus far escaped the kind of large-scale jihadist attack seen in the southern French city of Nice last week, in which 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel used a truck to mow down 84 people. That attack was also claimed by IS. The terrifying assault in Bavaria is likely to revive a heated national debate about integrating migrants and refugees after a record influx last year. 'Like a slaughterhouse' The assailant had arrived as an unaccompanied minor in Germany about two years ago and had been staying with a foster family in the region for the last two weeks, Herrmann said. "It is quite probable that this was an Islamist attack," said a ministry spokesman hours after the attack, adding that the assailant was heard shouting "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest). However, he stressed that the investigation was ongoing and that the teenager appeared to have acted alone. "We must determine what the motive was and to what extent he really belonged to the Islamist scene or self-radicalised very recently," Herrmann said, adding that the assailant had no criminal record in Germany. The assault happened around 9.15 pm (1915 GMT) on the train which runs between the town of Treuchtlingen and Wuerzburg in Bavaria. An eyewitness who lives next to the railway station told DPA news agency that the train, which had been carrying around 25 people, looked "like a slaughterhouse" with blood covering the floor. The man, who declined to give his name, said he saw people crawl from the carriage and ask for a first-aid kit as other victims lay on the floor inside. "The perpetrator was able to leave the train, police left in pursuit and as part of this pursuit, they shot the attacker and killed him," a police spokesman said. Herrmann later said the teenager was shot when he attacked police while trying to escape the scene. Political tensions Germany has been spared major Islamist attacks but in May, a mentally unstable 27-year-old man wielding a knife killed one person and injured three others on another Bavarian regional train. Early reports had suggested he had yelled "Allahu akbar" but police later said there was no evidence pointing to a religious motive. He is being held in a psychiatric hospital. In February, a 15-year-old girl of Turkish origin stabbed a policeman in the neck with a kitchen knife at Hanover train station in what prosecutors later said was an IS-inspired attack. And police in April arrested two 16-year-olds over an explosion that wounded three people at a Sikh temple, in what was believed to be an Islamist-motivated attack against an Indian wedding party at a temple in the western city of Essen. Germany let in nearly 1.1 million asylum seekers last year, with Syrians the largest group followed by Afghans. However the number of refugees arriving in Germany has fallen sharply as a result of the closure of the Balkans migration route and an EU deal with Turkey to stem the flow. Bavaria is governed by the Christian Social Union (CSU), sister party to Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats, which has been loudly critical of Merkel's welcoming stance toward asylum seekers. The split threatened the unity of the ruling coalition in Berlin and sent the government's approval ratings plunging. It has also put wind in the sails of a right-wing populist party, Alternative for Germany, which was founded as a eurosceptic protest outfit in 2013 but now mainly rails against Islam and Germany's refugee influx. Merkel's popularity has rebounded recently but the Bavaria attack is likely to stoke political tensions. (AFP)

IS claims first German attack with train axe assault

Audi will boost spending on digital technologies and electric cars over the next decade, sources at the German carmaker said, as it follows parent Volkswagen in reshaping its business in the wake of the diesel emissions scandal. 
 
Volkswagen&#39;s (VW) main profit contributor plans to invest about a third of its R&amp;D budget which totalled 4.24 billion euros ($4.69 billion) in 2015, in digital services, electric cars and autonomous driving by 2025, two sources at Audi told Reuters late on Monday on condition they not be identified because the plans are still confidential. 
 
Audi will offer on-demand mobility services for premium customers and increase the share of electric vehicles of its overall sales to about a fourth by 2025, the sources said. The Ingolstadt-based brand sold a record 1.8 million cars last year. 
 
Chief Executive Rupert Stadler plans to outline details of Audi&#39;s new business roadmap to more than 2,000 managers on Wednesday at a closed-door conference in Munich, the sources said. 
 
A spokesman at Audi declined comment. German business daily Handelsblatt reported late on Monday about Audi&#39;s transformation plans. 
 
To free up funds for the new strategy, Audi plans retrenchments in its conventional car programme including steps to reduce country-specific engine and transmission variants, the sources said, without being more specific.&nbsp; 
 
The changes come as three US states plan to unveil new lawsuits against Volkswagen on Tuesday tied to the automaker&#39;s sale of diesel vehicles with emissions-cheating software, even after they announced settlements with the German automaker in June. 
 
VW last month announced plans to spend billions of euros on electric cars, ride-hailing and automated driving to become a world leader in green transport by 2025. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

The German carmaker plans to invest a third of its R&D budget in digital services, electric cars & autonomous driving by 2025

Audi will boost spending on digital technologies and electric cars over the next decade, sources at the German carmaker said, as it follows parent Volkswagen in reshaping its business in the wake of the diesel emissions scandal. Volkswagen's (VW) main profit contributor plans to invest about a third of its R&D budget which totalled 4.24 billion euros ($4.69 billion) in 2015, in digital services, electric cars and autonomous driving by 2025, two sources at Audi told Reuters late on Monday on condition they not be identified because the plans are still confidential. Audi will offer on-demand mobility services for premium customers and increase the share of electric vehicles of its overall sales to about a fourth by 2025, the sources said. The Ingolstadt-based brand sold a record 1.8 million cars last year. Chief Executive Rupert Stadler plans to outline details of Audi's new business roadmap to more than 2,000 managers on Wednesday at a closed-door conference in Munich, the sources said. A spokesman at Audi declined comment. German business daily Handelsblatt reported late on Monday about Audi's transformation plans. To free up funds for the new strategy, Audi plans retrenchments in its conventional car programme including steps to reduce country-specific engine and transmission variants, the sources said, without being more specific. The changes come as three US states plan to unveil new lawsuits against Volkswagen on Tuesday tied to the automaker's sale of diesel vehicles with emissions-cheating software, even after they announced settlements with the German automaker in June. VW last month announced plans to spend billions of euros on electric cars, ride-hailing and automated driving to become a world leader in green transport by 2025. (Reuters)

Audi reshapes business strategy after emissions scandal

Germany issued a &nbsp;ten-year bond at a negative interest for the first time today, selling more than 4.0 billion Euros ($4.5 billion) with a yield of minus 0.05 per cent, the German central bank or Bundesbank said.&nbsp; 
 
The &nbsp;ten-year German government bond or &quot;Bund&quot; acts as a benchmark on the debt markets and regarded as one of the safest investments. 
 
It is the first time that investors have accepted negative returns in the first issue of a bond, meaning they will pay for the privilege of owning rock-solid German bonds amid fears about the consequences of the British vote to quit the European union and economic worries.&nbsp; 
 
While borrowers traditionally pay interest on the money they are loaned, in the face of heightened political and economic uncertainty, those interest rates have come down to record lows recently as investors flock to safe havens to park their cash. 
 
By accepting negative yields, investors are effectively ditching any hope of a return on their investment in what seems a reasonable price to pay to escape the uncertainties of falling stock markets or volatile commodities and currencies. 
 
Interest rates on sovereign debt have been low for some time as central banks snap up government bonds from investors in an effort to boost economic growth through increased liquidity. 
 
The European Central Bank has slashed its key interest rates to zero and launched a massive bond-buying programme known as quantitative easing (QE) in a bid to get the eurozone economy back on its feet and push inflation higher. 
 
Germany is just one of three countries in the euro area and six in the European Union to enjoy a top-notch triple-A rating on its sovereign debt.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

The bond or 'Bund' acts as a benchmark on the debt markets and regarded as one of the safest investments

Germany issued a ten-year bond at a negative interest for the first time today, selling more than 4.0 billion Euros ($4.5 billion) with a yield of minus 0.05 per cent, the German central bank or Bundesbank said. The ten-year German government bond or "Bund" acts as a benchmark on the debt markets and regarded as one of the safest investments. It is the first time that investors have accepted negative returns in the first issue of a bond, meaning they will pay for the privilege of owning rock-solid German bonds amid fears about the consequences of the British vote to quit the European union and economic worries. While borrowers traditionally pay interest on the money they are loaned, in the face of heightened political and economic uncertainty, those interest rates have come down to record lows recently as investors flock to safe havens to park their cash. By accepting negative yields, investors are effectively ditching any hope of a return on their investment in what seems a reasonable price to pay to escape the uncertainties of falling stock markets or volatile commodities and currencies. Interest rates on sovereign debt have been low for some time as central banks snap up government bonds from investors in an effort to boost economic growth through increased liquidity. The European Central Bank has slashed its key interest rates to zero and launched a massive bond-buying programme known as quantitative easing (QE) in a bid to get the eurozone economy back on its feet and push inflation higher. Germany is just one of three countries in the euro area and six in the European Union to enjoy a top-notch triple-A rating on its sovereign debt. (AFP)

Germany issues 10-year bond at negative interest rate for first time

The German parliament passed a landmark &quot;no means no&quot; rape law on Thursday, broadening the definition of sex crimes and making it easier to deport migrants and refugees who commit them. 
 
After years of anguished discussion on the need for tougher treatment of rape by the German criminal justice system, the new legislation finally came together, following a spate of sexual assaults in crowds on New Year&#39;s Eve in the western city of Cologne. 
 
Deputies gave a standing ovation as the law passed the Bundestag lower house with an overwhelming majority, following an emotional debate. 
 
Dubbed the &quot;no means no&quot; law, it explicitly covers cases in which a victim withheld consent but did not physically fight back. It brings what critics call woefully lax legislation into line with that of many other developed countries. 
 
The law, entitled &quot;improving the protection of sexual self-determination&quot;, also lowers the bar for deporting sex offenders, classifies groping as a sex crime and targets assaults committed by large groups. 
 
Justice Minister Heiko Maas acknowledged that there were &quot;unacceptable gaps in protection&quot; against sexual coercion and assault in Germany. 
 
Chancellor Angela Merkel&#39;s cabinet signed off on the measures in March after the attacks in Cologne, where more than 1,000 women reported sexual assaults and robberies on New Year&#39;s Eve. These were blamed largely on Arab and North African men. 
 
The draft law was toughened again by the ruling left-right coalition last month. 
 
Cologne&#39;s police chief conceded earlier this year that most culprits may never be caught over the spate of assaults, which ranged from groping to rape, and inflamed public debate about a record influx of refugees and migrants.&nbsp; 
 
A first attempt at prosecution in May was thrown out by a court when the alleged victim said she could not identify the defendant as her attacker. 
 
A second trial stemming from the Cologne violence on Thursday saw a 21-year-old Iraqi man given a one-year suspended sentence for kissing and licking the face of a woman against her will. 
 
A 26-year-old Tunisian defendant received the same sentence for accessory to sexual assault and attempted sexual assault for another attack in the crowd.Currently, victims reporting a rape to police must demonstrate not only that they verbally declined sex but also that they resisted their assailant. 
 
The new law, which is set to come into effect in September after passage by the upper house, is intended to cover &quot;the actual situations in which most attacks occur&quot;, Maas said. 
 
These include cases in which the victim is taken by surprise, intimidated or threatened with other violence -- for example in an abusive relationship -- or is unconscious. 
 
&quot;Other countries implemented this principle of &#39;no means no&#39; long ago and it is high time that we have this paradigm shift in our own criminal law,&quot; lawmaker Carola Reimann of the Social Democrats told the Bundestag. 
 
Parliament had already in January made it easier to expel migrants and refugees convicted of crimes.&nbsp; 
 
But along with sexual offences, it required proof of additional &quot;violence, threats or physical endangerment&quot; and generally a prison sentence of at least one year before an attacker could be deported.&nbsp; 
 
The reform means any sex crime conviction can be used against an applicant in an immigration or asylum hearing. 
 
It also specifically upgrades groping to a sex crime with sentences of up to two years` jail or a fine. 
 
Merkel&#39;s conservative parliamentary group included a stipulation making it illegal to be part of a group committing assaults in a crowd. 
 
The leftist opposition withheld its support for that plank of the legislation on constitutional grounds, saying it opened the door to prosecution of innocent bystanders. 
 
Its abstentions meant that while the &quot;no means no&quot; plank passed with a unanimous 601 votes, the other two planks carried only with large majorities. 
 
News agency DPA cited figures that 8,000 rapes are reported in Germany each year but that only one in 10 victims files charges. Moreover, only one in 10 rape complaints leads to a conviction. 
 
The latest reform drive began in 2011 with the passage of a Council of Europe convention on preventing and combating violence against women, requiring signatories to penalise all non-consensual sexual acts. 
 
&quot;Rape cannot be limited to just physical assault,&quot; Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland said, adding that Germany`s law should encourage more countries to sign the convention. 
 
(AFP)

The new law will make it easier for the country to deport migrants and refugees who commit the crime

The German parliament passed a landmark "no means no" rape law on Thursday, broadening the definition of sex crimes and making it easier to deport migrants and refugees who commit them. After years of anguished discussion on the need for tougher treatment of rape by the German criminal justice system, the new legislation finally came together, following a spate of sexual assaults in crowds on New Year's Eve in the western city of Cologne. Deputies gave a standing ovation as the law passed the Bundestag lower house with an overwhelming majority, following an emotional debate. Dubbed the "no means no" law, it explicitly covers cases in which a victim withheld consent but did not physically fight back. It brings what critics call woefully lax legislation into line with that of many other developed countries. The law, entitled "improving the protection of sexual self-determination", also lowers the bar for deporting sex offenders, classifies groping as a sex crime and targets assaults committed by large groups. Justice Minister Heiko Maas acknowledged that there were "unacceptable gaps in protection" against sexual coercion and assault in Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet signed off on the measures in March after the attacks in Cologne, where more than 1,000 women reported sexual assaults and robberies on New Year's Eve. These were blamed largely on Arab and North African men. The draft law was toughened again by the ruling left-right coalition last month. Cologne's police chief conceded earlier this year that most culprits may never be caught over the spate of assaults, which ranged from groping to rape, and inflamed public debate about a record influx of refugees and migrants. A first attempt at prosecution in May was thrown out by a court when the alleged victim said she could not identify the defendant as her attacker. A second trial stemming from the Cologne violence on Thursday saw a 21-year-old Iraqi man given a one-year suspended sentence for kissing and licking the face of a woman against her will. A 26-year-old Tunisian defendant received the same sentence for accessory to sexual assault and attempted sexual assault for another attack in the crowd.Currently, victims reporting a rape to police must demonstrate not only that they verbally declined sex but also that they resisted their assailant. The new law, which is set to come into effect in September after passage by the upper house, is intended to cover "the actual situations in which most attacks occur", Maas said. These include cases in which the victim is taken by surprise, intimidated or threatened with other violence -- for example in an abusive relationship -- or is unconscious. "Other countries implemented this principle of 'no means no' long ago and it is high time that we have this paradigm shift in our own criminal law," lawmaker Carola Reimann of the Social Democrats told the Bundestag. Parliament had already in January made it easier to expel migrants and refugees convicted of crimes. But along with sexual offences, it required proof of additional "violence, threats or physical endangerment" and generally a prison sentence of at least one year before an attacker could be deported. The reform means any sex crime conviction can be used against an applicant in an immigration or asylum hearing. It also specifically upgrades groping to a sex crime with sentences of up to two years` jail or a fine. Merkel's conservative parliamentary group included a stipulation making it illegal to be part of a group committing assaults in a crowd. The leftist opposition withheld its support for that plank of the legislation on constitutional grounds, saying it opened the door to prosecution of innocent bystanders. Its abstentions meant that while the "no means no" plank passed with a unanimous 601 votes, the other two planks carried only with large majorities. News agency DPA cited figures that 8,000 rapes are reported in Germany each year but that only one in 10 victims files charges. Moreover, only one in 10 rape complaints leads to a conviction. The latest reform drive began in 2011 with the passage of a Council of Europe convention on preventing and combating violence against women, requiring signatories to penalise all non-consensual sexual acts. "Rape cannot be limited to just physical assault," Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland said, adding that Germany`s law should encourage more countries to sign the convention. (AFP)

Germany toughens rape law after Cologne mob assaults

The German parliament is set to pass a new law on Thursday broadening the definition of sex crimes and making it easier to deport foreign nationals who commit them. 
 
After years of debate on the need for tougher treatment of rape by the criminal justice system, the new legislation finally came together following a rash of sexual assaults in crowds on New Year&#39;s eve in the Western city of Cologne. 
 
Dubbed the &quot;No means No&quot; law by the media, it explicitly covers cases in which a victim withheld consent but did not physically fight back. 
 
The legislation, entitled &quot;improving the protection of sexual self-determination&quot;, also lowers the bar for deporting sexual offenders, classifies groping as a sex crime and targets assaults committed by large groups. 
 
&quot;It is crucial that we finally embed the principle &#39;No means No&#39; in criminal law and make every non-consensual sexual act a punishable offence,&quot; said deputy Eva Hoegl of the Social Democrats, one of the law&#39;s sponsors.&nbsp; 
 
Chancellor Angela Merkel&#39;s cabinet signed off on the measure in March after the attacks in Cologne, where more than 1,000 women reported sexual assaults and robberies on New Year&#39;s Eve. 
 
The attacks were blamed largely on Arab and North African men. 
 
The city&#39;s police chief conceded that most culprits may never be caught over the spate of assaults, which ranged from groping to rape and which inflamed public debate about a record influx of refugees and migrants. 
 
Justice Minister Heiko Maas acknowledged that under German law there were &quot;unacceptable gaps in protection&quot; against sexual coercion and assault. Currently, victims reporting a rape to police must not only demonstrate that they verbally declined sex but also that they physically resisted their assailant. 
 
The new law is intended to cover &quot;the actual situations in which most attacks occur&quot;, Maas said. 
 
These include cases in which the victim is taken by surprise, intimidated or threatened with other violence, for example in an abusive relationship. 
 
Parliament had already in January made it easier to expel migrants and refugees convicted of crimes.&nbsp; 
 
But along with sexual offences, it required proof of additional &quot;violence, threats or physical endangerment&quot; and generally a prison sentence of at least one year before an attacker could be deported.&nbsp; 
 
The reform means any sexual assault can be used against an applicant in an immigration or asylum hearing. 
 
It also specifically upgrades groping to a sex crime with sentences of up to two years&#39; jail or a fine. 
 
Merkel&#39;s conservative parliamentary group included a stipulation making it illegal to be part of a group committing assaults in a crowd, rather than requiring proof that a specific person attacked a victim. 
 
Anyone &quot;who at least tacitly accepts that crimes are committed by a group they are a part of&quot; can now be prosecuted. 
News agency DPA cited figures that 8,000 rapes are reported in Germany each year but that only one in 10 victims files charges. Moreover, only one in 10 rape complaints leads to a conviction. 
 
The latest reform drive began in 2011 with the passage of a Council of Europe convention on preventing and combatting violence against women, requiring signatories including Germany to penalise all &quot;non-consensual&quot; sexual acts. 
 
(AFP)

More than 1000 women had reported sexual assaults and robberies, mostly against Arab and North African men on New Year's Eve

The German parliament is set to pass a new law on Thursday broadening the definition of sex crimes and making it easier to deport foreign nationals who commit them. After years of debate on the need for tougher treatment of rape by the criminal justice system, the new legislation finally came together following a rash of sexual assaults in crowds on New Year's eve in the Western city of Cologne. Dubbed the "No means No" law by the media, it explicitly covers cases in which a victim withheld consent but did not physically fight back. The legislation, entitled "improving the protection of sexual self-determination", also lowers the bar for deporting sexual offenders, classifies groping as a sex crime and targets assaults committed by large groups. "It is crucial that we finally embed the principle 'No means No' in criminal law and make every non-consensual sexual act a punishable offence," said deputy Eva Hoegl of the Social Democrats, one of the law's sponsors. Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet signed off on the measure in March after the attacks in Cologne, where more than 1,000 women reported sexual assaults and robberies on New Year's Eve. The attacks were blamed largely on Arab and North African men. The city's police chief conceded that most culprits may never be caught over the spate of assaults, which ranged from groping to rape and which inflamed public debate about a record influx of refugees and migrants. Justice Minister Heiko Maas acknowledged that under German law there were "unacceptable gaps in protection" against sexual coercion and assault. Currently, victims reporting a rape to police must not only demonstrate that they verbally declined sex but also that they physically resisted their assailant. The new law is intended to cover "the actual situations in which most attacks occur", Maas said. These include cases in which the victim is taken by surprise, intimidated or threatened with other violence, for example in an abusive relationship. Parliament had already in January made it easier to expel migrants and refugees convicted of crimes. But along with sexual offences, it required proof of additional "violence, threats or physical endangerment" and generally a prison sentence of at least one year before an attacker could be deported. The reform means any sexual assault can be used against an applicant in an immigration or asylum hearing. It also specifically upgrades groping to a sex crime with sentences of up to two years' jail or a fine. Merkel's conservative parliamentary group included a stipulation making it illegal to be part of a group committing assaults in a crowd, rather than requiring proof that a specific person attacked a victim. Anyone "who at least tacitly accepts that crimes are committed by a group they are a part of" can now be prosecuted. News agency DPA cited figures that 8,000 rapes are reported in Germany each year but that only one in 10 victims files charges. Moreover, only one in 10 rape complaints leads to a conviction. The latest reform drive began in 2011 with the passage of a Council of Europe convention on preventing and combatting violence against women, requiring signatories including Germany to penalise all "non-consensual" sexual acts. (AFP)

Germany to bolster rape law after Cologne mob assaults

German Chancellor Angela Merkel rebuffed on Wednesday suggestions from Italy that EU deficit and banking aid rules be adjusted to take account of its fiscal and financial troubles following the Brexit referendum in Britain. 
 
&quot;I think the stability and growth pact has enough flexibility to work with. Even under the current circumstances. And we just came up with a whole new bunch of regulations regarding the banking union, regarding their bankruptcy and their recapitalisation. It does not make sense to change things every two years. It cost us a lot of energy. These are the first cases where the new rules are executed. 
 
&quot;There is enough leeway in these regulations to serve the specific needs of the member states,&quot; Merkel told reporters at the end of a two-day summit of European Union leaders in Brussels, referring to the bloc&#39;s rulebook on deficit and debt levels. 
 
Rome wants to prop up Italian banks in response to financial turmoil unleashed by the British referendum. EU rules allow member states to provide financial help to banks only in exceptional cases. Italian officials have also said they plan to seek more flexibility on EU fiscal rules. 
 
(Reuters)

Germany refuses to alter rules which would give Italy EU funds to prop up banks after Brexit vote

German Chancellor Angela Merkel rebuffed on Wednesday suggestions from Italy that EU deficit and banking aid rules be adjusted to take account of its fiscal and financial troubles following the Brexit referendum in Britain. "I think the stability and growth pact has enough flexibility to work with. Even under the current circumstances. And we just came up with a whole new bunch of regulations regarding the banking union, regarding their bankruptcy and their recapitalisation. It does not make sense to change things every two years. It cost us a lot of energy. These are the first cases where the new rules are executed. "There is enough leeway in these regulations to serve the specific needs of the member states," Merkel told reporters at the end of a two-day summit of European Union leaders in Brussels, referring to the bloc's rulebook on deficit and debt levels. Rome wants to prop up Italian banks in response to financial turmoil unleashed by the British referendum. EU rules allow member states to provide financial help to banks only in exceptional cases. Italian officials have also said they plan to seek more flexibility on EU fiscal rules. (Reuters)

EU must implement existing rules: Angela Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Saturday for clear-headed negotiations with &quot;close partner&quot; Britain over its departure from the European Union. 
 
Foreign ministers of the European Union&#39;s (EU) six founding members had earlier said Britain should leave the bloc as soon as possible after Britons voted on Thursday to quit the 28-member bloc. However, Merkel struck a more conciliatory tone. 
 
&quot;The negotiations must take place in a businesslike, good climate,&quot; Merkel said after a meeting of her conservative party in Hermannswerder, outside Potsdam, to the west of Berlin. 
 
&quot;Britain will remain a close partner, with which we are linked economically,&quot; she said, adding that there was no hurry for Britain to invoke Article 50 of the EU treaty, the first step it must take to set in motion the exit process. 
 
&quot;It should not take ages, that is true, but I would not fight now for a short time frame,&quot; Merkel said, in contrast with the more urgent call by the foreign ministers of Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, who were meeting to the north of the German capital. 
 
They pressed for Britain to trigger the process for exiting the bloc after Britons voted by 52-48 percent to exit the EU, which it joined more than 40 years ago. 
 
&quot;We now expect the UK government to provide clarity and give effect to this decision as soon as possible,&quot; they said in a joint statement. 
 
Schulz piles pressure on Britain&nbsp; 
 
The president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, also piled pressure on Britain, calling for it to trigger the Leave process at a summit of EU leaders next Tuesday. 
 
&quot;We expect the British government to deliver now,&quot; Schulz told Germany`s Bild am Sonntag newspaper. &quot;The summit on Tuesday is the appropriate moment to do so.&quot; 
 
EU officials said there was no real problem if it took a few months to begin the process for Britain to leave, though waiting until the end of the year could get in the way of the next round of EU budget talks and European election campaigning. 
 
The officials said they were worried that British Prime Minister David Cameron, who resigned on Friday, could hand over to someone with a strategy to drag out the country`s departure. 
 
Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the Vote Leave campaign, said Britain should begin informal negotiations on a full settlement governing its post-Brexit relationship with the EU before invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. 
 
&#39;Period of uncertainity could result in economic, political consequences&#39;&nbsp; 
 
France also pressed for a swift start to the exit process, with Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault saying negotiations must move quickly and that the remaining EU member states also needed to give fresh impetus to the European project. 
 
&quot;We have to give a new sense to Europe, otherwise populism will fill the gap,&quot; he said, adding that the EU could not wait for Cameron to depart in October before the exit process begins. 
 
Ayrault said other EU leaders would put &quot;a lot of pressure&quot; on Cameron at Tuesday`s summit to act quickly. 
 
French President Francois Hollande said the separation &quot;will be painful for Britain but ... as in all divorces, it will be painful for those who stay behind, too&quot;. 
 
Pertinently, France and Germany have drafted a 10-page paper mapping out three areas of immediate concern for the remaining EU members: security, migration and refugees, and jobs and growth which diplomatic sources say they want to use as a basis to shore up the EU, while building a more flexible union. 
 
Notably, global stock markets plunged on Friday, and sterling saw its biggest one-day drop in more than 30 years, while ratings agency Moody`s downgraded Britain`s credit outlook. 
 
The six foreign ministers said the EU was losing &quot;not just a member state but history, tradition and experience&quot;. 
 
Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn told Reuters: &quot;I believe you can destroy the European Union with referenda. We have to communicate better what the EU has done, and we have to work harder on issues such as migration where we have failed.&quot; 
 
Both Ayrault and Asselborn warned Britain not to play games by drawing out the exit process. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s in Britain`s interest and in the interest of Europeans not to have a period of uncertainty that would have financial consequences, and that could have economic and political consequences,&quot; he told a news conference after the meeting.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

The president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, also piled pressure on Britain, calling for it to trigger the Leave process?

German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Saturday for clear-headed negotiations with "close partner" Britain over its departure from the European Union. Foreign ministers of the European Union's (EU) six founding members had earlier said Britain should leave the bloc as soon as possible after Britons voted on Thursday to quit the 28-member bloc. However, Merkel struck a more conciliatory tone. "The negotiations must take place in a businesslike, good climate," Merkel said after a meeting of her conservative party in Hermannswerder, outside Potsdam, to the west of Berlin. "Britain will remain a close partner, with which we are linked economically," she said, adding that there was no hurry for Britain to invoke Article 50 of the EU treaty, the first step it must take to set in motion the exit process. "It should not take ages, that is true, but I would not fight now for a short time frame," Merkel said, in contrast with the more urgent call by the foreign ministers of Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, who were meeting to the north of the German capital. They pressed for Britain to trigger the process for exiting the bloc after Britons voted by 52-48 percent to exit the EU, which it joined more than 40 years ago. "We now expect the UK government to provide clarity and give effect to this decision as soon as possible," they said in a joint statement. Schulz piles pressure on Britain The president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, also piled pressure on Britain, calling for it to trigger the Leave process at a summit of EU leaders next Tuesday. "We expect the British government to deliver now," Schulz told Germany`s Bild am Sonntag newspaper. "The summit on Tuesday is the appropriate moment to do so." EU officials said there was no real problem if it took a few months to begin the process for Britain to leave, though waiting until the end of the year could get in the way of the next round of EU budget talks and European election campaigning. The officials said they were worried that British Prime Minister David Cameron, who resigned on Friday, could hand over to someone with a strategy to drag out the country`s departure. Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the Vote Leave campaign, said Britain should begin informal negotiations on a full settlement governing its post-Brexit relationship with the EU before invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. 'Period of uncertainity could result in economic, political consequences' France also pressed for a swift start to the exit process, with Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault saying negotiations must move quickly and that the remaining EU member states also needed to give fresh impetus to the European project. "We have to give a new sense to Europe, otherwise populism will fill the gap," he said, adding that the EU could not wait for Cameron to depart in October before the exit process begins. Ayrault said other EU leaders would put "a lot of pressure" on Cameron at Tuesday`s summit to act quickly. French President Francois Hollande said the separation "will be painful for Britain but ... as in all divorces, it will be painful for those who stay behind, too". Pertinently, France and Germany have drafted a 10-page paper mapping out three areas of immediate concern for the remaining EU members: security, migration and refugees, and jobs and growth which diplomatic sources say they want to use as a basis to shore up the EU, while building a more flexible union. Notably, global stock markets plunged on Friday, and sterling saw its biggest one-day drop in more than 30 years, while ratings agency Moody`s downgraded Britain`s credit outlook. The six foreign ministers said the EU was losing "not just a member state but history, tradition and experience". Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn told Reuters: "I believe you can destroy the European Union with referenda. We have to communicate better what the EU has done, and we have to work harder on issues such as migration where we have failed." Both Ayrault and Asselborn warned Britain not to play games by drawing out the exit process. "It's in Britain`s interest and in the interest of Europeans not to have a period of uncertainty that would have financial consequences, and that could have economic and political consequences," he told a news conference after the meeting. (Reuters)

Merkel in 'no hurry' as EU members await clarity after Brexit

A gunman, who police shot dead on Thursday after he took hostages at a German cinema, appeared to have been a &quot;disturbed man&quot;, the interior minister of the state of Hesse said. He also said none of the patrons was injured. 
 
&quot;We have no information that anyone was injured,&quot; Hesse interior minister Peter Beuth&nbsp;told the state parliament, after confirming that the lone gunman was killed in a struggle with police in the western town of&nbsp;Viernheim.&nbsp;

Initial reports suggested that up to 50 were hurt in the firing, however,&nbsp;Bild&nbsp;daily&nbsp;had reported the police as saying&nbsp;that&nbsp;about 25&nbsp;were&nbsp;exposed to tear gas.&nbsp;

The gunman had a rifle or &quot;long gun&quot; and special forces intervened and shot him, Beuth said. &nbsp;

A police spokeswoman also confirmed the gunman had been shot and said nobody was injured.&nbsp;

AFP cited&nbsp;Beuth&nbsp;as telling&nbsp;Hesse parliament that no patrons of the German cinema complex stormed by the armed man&nbsp;were hurt and all have been released.&nbsp;

(Agencies)&nbsp;

Earlier reports suggested up to 50 were hurt in the Viernheim 'shooting', however, later officials said 25 were affected by tear gas

A gunman, who police shot dead on Thursday after he took hostages at a German cinema, appeared to have been a "disturbed man", the interior minister of the state of Hesse said. He also said none of the patrons was injured. "We have no information that anyone was injured," Hesse interior minister Peter Beuth told the state parliament, after confirming that the lone gunman was killed in a struggle with police in the western town of Viernheim. Initial reports suggested that up to 50 were hurt in the firing, however, Bild daily had reported the police as saying that about 25 were exposed to tear gas. The gunman had a rifle or "long gun" and special forces intervened and shot him, Beuth said. A police spokeswoman also confirmed the gunman had been shot and said nobody was injured. AFP cited Beuth as telling Hesse parliament that no patrons of the German cinema complex stormed by the armed man were hurt and all have been released. (Agencies)

Armed man breaks into German cinema, shot dead, no patrons hurt

The boss of German auto giant Volkswagen, on Wednesday, issued an apology to angry shareholders over the emissions cheating scandal that has plunged the group into an unprecedented crisis. 
 
Facing an annual general meeting for the first time since the scandal erupted in September, Matthias Mueller said: &quot;On behalf of the Volkswagen Group and everyone who works here, I apologise to you shareholders for your trust in Volkswagen being betrayed. 
 
&quot;This misconduct goes against everything that Volkswagen stands for,&quot; he added nine months after the start of the &quot;Dieselgate&quot; affair, when it emerged VW had installed emissions-cheating software into 11 million diesel engines worldwide. 
 
Volkswagen is still far from drawing a line under the scandal, with the costs of the affair still incalculable, while it remains unclear if VW&#39;s own internal investigation will pinpoint the major culprits behind the scam. 
 
The auto giant, which owns 12 brands ranging from Volkswagen and Porsche to Audi and SEAT, still faces a myriad of regulatory fines and lawsuits from customers and shareholders. 
 
Shareholders are expected to use the annual general meeting in the northern city of Hanover to let off steam at the way management has handled the affair. 
 
Two days ahead of the meeting, prosecutors provided more fodder to the irate shareholders when they said they were investigating former VW boss Martin Winterkorn for having allegedly manipulated the market by holding back information about emissions cheating at the car giant. 
 
A second former member of the board was also under probe, prosecutors said, without giving the individual&#39;s name, but a Volkswagen spokesman told AFP that the suspect was Herbert Diess -- who is in charge of the VW brand. 
 
Listed companies are required to disclose information that could affect market prices immediately. 
 
But VW complied with its disclosure obligation only on September 22, 2015, prosecutors said, four days after US regulators went public that they were charging the company for emissions cheating. 
 
Crisis has opened doors 
 
The allegations struck at the heart of shareholders&#39; misgivings, as they have since early on in the scandal also accused management of dragging their feet in informing them about the scam, which led to a stunning 40-percent drop in the company&#39;s share price last autumn. 
 
The stock has since recovered somewhat, but is still 26 per cent below the levels before the scandal broke last September, and the company&#39;s finances also remain weak. 
 
After it was forced to set aside 16 billion Euros ($18 billion) in provisions to cover the costs of the affair so far, it sank to a net loss of 1.6 billion Euros, its first loss in two decades. 
 
Giving an update of the company&#39;s internal investigation into the affair, chairman Hans Dieter Poetsch said some 550 interviews had been carried out by the US consultants charged with the probe, Jones Day. 
 
Nevertheless, a number of shareholder lobby groups are demanding special enquiries into who should be held responsible for the affair, arguing that Jones Day is not sufficiently independent. 
 
Seeking to reassure shareholders of management&#39;s commitment to regain their trust, Mueller said the crisis could eventually prove to be &quot;beneficial&quot;. 
 
&quot;The crisis has also opened doors. It forced us to strengthen and speed up overdue changes, and to set new priorities. To turn this crisis into an opportunity has been my goal from the beginning,&quot; he said. 
 
Mueller hinted in a newspaper interview on Tuesday that the car giant could abandon diesel engine technology in the wake of the scandal. 
 
&quot;We have to ask ourselves whether... we want to spend more money on the further development of diesel,&quot; Mueller told the business daily Handelsblatt, promising that VW would take a &quot;fundamental&quot; look at the issue. 
 
The move appeared to be in line with the group&#39;s plans to reposition itself as a leading player in environmentally sustainable modes of transport, with more than 30 all-electric models to be unveiled by 2025. 
 
Regardless of any doubts, small shareholders may have over VW&#39;s path forward, the power they wield remains limited. 
 
They hold just 11 per cent of the voting rights in VW, while the founding families Porsche and Piech hold 52 per cent, the regional state of Lower Saxony 20 per cent and the state of Qatar 17 per cent. 
 
Speaking for Qatar, Hessa Al Jaber said she believes that VW&#39;s management &quot;genuinely wants to turn the company around.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The auto giant, which owns 12 brands ranging from Volkswagen and Porsche to Audi and SEAT, faces a myriad of regulatory fines and lawsuits

The boss of German auto giant Volkswagen, on Wednesday, issued an apology to angry shareholders over the emissions cheating scandal that has plunged the group into an unprecedented crisis. Facing an annual general meeting for the first time since the scandal erupted in September, Matthias Mueller said: "On behalf of the Volkswagen Group and everyone who works here, I apologise to you shareholders for your trust in Volkswagen being betrayed. "This misconduct goes against everything that Volkswagen stands for," he added nine months after the start of the "Dieselgate" affair, when it emerged VW had installed emissions-cheating software into 11 million diesel engines worldwide. Volkswagen is still far from drawing a line under the scandal, with the costs of the affair still incalculable, while it remains unclear if VW's own internal investigation will pinpoint the major culprits behind the scam. The auto giant, which owns 12 brands ranging from Volkswagen and Porsche to Audi and SEAT, still faces a myriad of regulatory fines and lawsuits from customers and shareholders. Shareholders are expected to use the annual general meeting in the northern city of Hanover to let off steam at the way management has handled the affair. Two days ahead of the meeting, prosecutors provided more fodder to the irate shareholders when they said they were investigating former VW boss Martin Winterkorn for having allegedly manipulated the market by holding back information about emissions cheating at the car giant. A second former member of the board was also under probe, prosecutors said, without giving the individual's name, but a Volkswagen spokesman told AFP that the suspect was Herbert Diess -- who is in charge of the VW brand. Listed companies are required to disclose information that could affect market prices immediately. But VW complied with its disclosure obligation only on September 22, 2015, prosecutors said, four days after US regulators went public that they were charging the company for emissions cheating. Crisis has opened doors The allegations struck at the heart of shareholders' misgivings, as they have since early on in the scandal also accused management of dragging their feet in informing them about the scam, which led to a stunning 40-percent drop in the company's share price last autumn. The stock has since recovered somewhat, but is still 26 per cent below the levels before the scandal broke last September, and the company's finances also remain weak. After it was forced to set aside 16 billion Euros ($18 billion) in provisions to cover the costs of the affair so far, it sank to a net loss of 1.6 billion Euros, its first loss in two decades. Giving an update of the company's internal investigation into the affair, chairman Hans Dieter Poetsch said some 550 interviews had been carried out by the US consultants charged with the probe, Jones Day. Nevertheless, a number of shareholder lobby groups are demanding special enquiries into who should be held responsible for the affair, arguing that Jones Day is not sufficiently independent. Seeking to reassure shareholders of management's commitment to regain their trust, Mueller said the crisis could eventually prove to be "beneficial". "The crisis has also opened doors. It forced us to strengthen and speed up overdue changes, and to set new priorities. To turn this crisis into an opportunity has been my goal from the beginning," he said. Mueller hinted in a newspaper interview on Tuesday that the car giant could abandon diesel engine technology in the wake of the scandal. "We have to ask ourselves whether... we want to spend more money on the further development of diesel," Mueller told the business daily Handelsblatt, promising that VW would take a "fundamental" look at the issue. The move appeared to be in line with the group's plans to reposition itself as a leading player in environmentally sustainable modes of transport, with more than 30 all-electric models to be unveiled by 2025. Regardless of any doubts, small shareholders may have over VW's path forward, the power they wield remains limited. They hold just 11 per cent of the voting rights in VW, while the founding families Porsche and Piech hold 52 per cent, the regional state of Lower Saxony 20 per cent and the state of Qatar 17 per cent. Speaking for Qatar, Hessa Al Jaber said she believes that VW's management "genuinely wants to turn the company around." (AFP)

VW chief apologises to shareholders for emissions scandal

Volkswagen&#39;s former boss Martin Winterkorn is under investigation for having allegedly manipulated the market by holding back information about emissions cheating at the automobile giant, German prosecutors said today. 
 
&quot;The initial suspicion of market manipulation is directed against two former board members of the VW Group. Among them is the former chief executive of the Volkswagen group, Professor Dr Martin Winterkorn,&quot; said prosecutors in a statement. 
 
Investigators in Brunswick, in Lower Saxony state where VW is based, did not name the second suspect but said the individual was not the group&#39;s current chairman. 
 
Listed companies are required to disclose information that could affect market prices immediately. 
 
But VW complied with its disclosure obligation only on September 22, 2015, prosecutors said, four days after US regulators went public that they were charging the company for fitting devices designed to skew emissions data in their vehicles. 
 
&quot;There are sufficient indications suggesting that the obligation to make a disclosure statement could have been met at an earlier date,&quot; prosecutors said. 
 
Shares in VW plunged 17.14 percent on Monday September 21, 2015 the first trading day after the US charge was made public. 
 
They sank another 19.82 percent on Tuesday, wiping out 25 billion euros in market capitalisation in two days.

Investigators in Brunswick, in Lower Saxony state where Volkswagen is based, did not name the second suspect

Volkswagen's former boss Martin Winterkorn is under investigation for having allegedly manipulated the market by holding back information about emissions cheating at the automobile giant, German prosecutors said today. "The initial suspicion of market manipulation is directed against two former board members of the VW Group. Among them is the former chief executive of the Volkswagen group, Professor Dr Martin Winterkorn," said prosecutors in a statement. Investigators in Brunswick, in Lower Saxony state where VW is based, did not name the second suspect but said the individual was not the group's current chairman. Listed companies are required to disclose information that could affect market prices immediately. But VW complied with its disclosure obligation only on September 22, 2015, prosecutors said, four days after US regulators went public that they were charging the company for fitting devices designed to skew emissions data in their vehicles. "There are sufficient indications suggesting that the obligation to make a disclosure statement could have been met at an earlier date," prosecutors said. Shares in VW plunged 17.14 percent on Monday September 21, 2015 the first trading day after the US charge was made public. They sank another 19.82 percent on Tuesday, wiping out 25 billion euros in market capitalisation in two days.

VW ex-boss probed for market manipulation: prosecutors

Australia secured their place in the final of the 36th Hero Champions Trophy with a 2-0 win over Belgium in the preliminary league, while defending champions Germany were out of contention after being held 1-1 by Great Britain. 
Title holders Germany are without a victory from four outings, drawing three and losing one. This puts them out of contention from the title encounter. 
Britain stay in the hunt for the second spot in the final with five points from four matches and need to win the last fixture against Belgium tomorrow to stay in contention. 
World No. 1 Australia boosted their points tally to 10 from four matches to ensure that they would feature in the title showdown irrespective of any result in other matches. 
India are in the second place with seven points, followed by Britain on five and Belgium on four. 
Open play goals from Glenn Turner in the 38th minute and Tristan White in the 49th gave Australia the upper hand against the Belgians, who tried to put up a good contest but suffered from poor shooting. 
Australia, winners of the Champions Trophy for a record 13 times, take on India in their last round-robin league fixture tomorrow. That match is extremely important for India, who are on seven points from four outings. 
Germany today took the lead through a penalty corner goal by Tobias Hauke, who made good use of a rebound from the goalkeeper in the 29th minute. 
Britain shot back through a penalty corner strike of their own through Ashley Jackson to equalise in the 48th minute and split two points with Germany, who had won the title two years ago in Bhubaneswar

Open play goals from Glenn Turner in the 38th minute and Tristan White in the 49th gave Australia the upper hand against the Belgians

Australia secured their place in the final of the 36th Hero Champions Trophy with a 2-0 win over Belgium in the preliminary league, while defending champions Germany were out of contention after being held 1-1 by Great Britain. Title holders Germany are without a victory from four outings, drawing three and losing one. This puts them out of contention from the title encounter. Britain stay in the hunt for the second spot in the final with five points from four matches and need to win the last fixture against Belgium tomorrow to stay in contention. World No. 1 Australia boosted their points tally to 10 from four matches to ensure that they would feature in the title showdown irrespective of any result in other matches. India are in the second place with seven points, followed by Britain on five and Belgium on four. Open play goals from Glenn Turner in the 38th minute and Tristan White in the 49th gave Australia the upper hand against the Belgians, who tried to put up a good contest but suffered from poor shooting. Australia, winners of the Champions Trophy for a record 13 times, take on India in their last round-robin league fixture tomorrow. That match is extremely important for India, who are on seven points from four outings. Germany today took the lead through a penalty corner goal by Tobias Hauke, who made good use of a rebound from the goalkeeper in the 29th minute. Britain shot back through a penalty corner strike of their own through Ashley Jackson to equalise in the 48th minute and split two points with Germany, who had won the title two years ago in Bhubaneswar

Australia enter Hero Champions Trophy final, Germany knocked out

Dreadlocked German Dustin Brown will have the chance to follow up last year&#39;s Wimbledon heroics after being handed a wildcard for the championships on Wednesday. 
 
Brown, ranked 87th in the world, provided the shock of the tournament 12 months ago when he came through qualifying before overwhelming twice former champion Rafael Nadal in the second round with a scintillating display of attacking tennis. 
 
The 31-year-old posted a photograph of himself celebrating on his Twitter account @DreddyTennis and expressed his thanks to tournament organisers. 
 
Czech veteran Radek Stepanek, 37, has also been handed one of the Wimbledon wildcards. 
 
The former world number four came within two points of knocking eventual finalist Andy Murray out of the French Open in the first round. 
 
Slovakia&#39;s former top-10 player Daniela Hantuchova and Britain&#39;s former junior champion Laura Robson received wildcards into the women&#39;s main draw. 
 
Wimbledon begins on June 27. 
(Reuters)

The 31-year-old posted a photograph of himself celebrating on his Twitter account @DreddyTennis expressing thanks to organisers

Dreadlocked German Dustin Brown will have the chance to follow up last year's Wimbledon heroics after being handed a wildcard for the championships on Wednesday. Brown, ranked 87th in the world, provided the shock of the tournament 12 months ago when he came through qualifying before overwhelming twice former champion Rafael Nadal in the second round with a scintillating display of attacking tennis. The 31-year-old posted a photograph of himself celebrating on his Twitter account @DreddyTennis and expressed his thanks to tournament organisers. Czech veteran Radek Stepanek, 37, has also been handed one of the Wimbledon wildcards. The former world number four came within two points of knocking eventual finalist Andy Murray out of the French Open in the first round. Slovakia's former top-10 player Daniela Hantuchova and Britain's former junior champion Laura Robson received wildcards into the women's main draw. Wimbledon begins on June 27. (Reuters)

Nadal conqueror Brown handed Wimbledon wildcard

<div style="text-align: justify;">The Syrian government said today that German special forces were present, alongside French and American military personnel, in northern Syria. Germany has denied their presence.&nbsp; 
 
Syrian state media said the government strongly condemned the presence of French and German forces in Ain al-Arab, also known as Kobani, and Manbij. 
 
&quot;Syria considers it explicit and unjustified aggression towards (Syria&#39;s) sovereignty and independence,&quot; state news agency SANA quoted the foreign ministry as saying. 
 
The US-backed Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) are staging an offensive against Islamic State near Manbij, while Kobani is under the control of the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, part of the SDF. 
 
Germany&#39;s defence ministry said repeated claims by the Syrian government that German special forces were in northern Syria were not and had never been true. 
 
&quot;There are no German special forces in Syria. The accusation is false,&quot; a ministry spokesman said. 
 
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the Syrian civil war now in its sixth year, said French special forces were building a base for themselves near Kobani. 
 
France&#39;s defence minister said last week that there were special forces operating in Syria helping the SDF advance towards Manbij. 
 
The Observatory also said German, French and American military advisers, and French and American special forces, were assisting the SDF in its fight against Islamic State but had so far remained in a support role and had not fought on front lines. 
(Reuters)</div>

Damascus says presence of German forces is 'unjustified aggression' on their sovereignty, Germany denies they are even there

The Syrian government said today that German special forces were present, alongside French and American military personnel, in northern Syria. Germany has denied their presence. Syrian state media said the government strongly condemned the presence of French and German forces in Ain al-Arab, also known as Kobani, and Manbij. "Syria considers it explicit and unjustified aggression towards (Syria's) sovereignty and independence," state news agency SANA quoted the foreign ministry as saying. The US-backed Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) are staging an offensive against Islamic State near Manbij, while Kobani is under the control of the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, part of the SDF. Germany's defence ministry said repeated claims by the Syrian government that German special forces were in northern Syria were not and had never been true. "There are no German special forces in Syria. The accusation is false," a ministry spokesman said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the Syrian civil war now in its sixth year, said French special forces were building a base for themselves near Kobani. France's defence minister said last week that there were special forces operating in Syria helping the SDF advance towards Manbij. The Observatory also said German, French and American military advisers, and French and American special forces, were assisting the SDF in its fight against Islamic State but had so far remained in a support role and had not fought on front lines. (Reuters)

German special forces in Syrian territory, claims Assad government

Olympic skating champion Claudia Pechstein&#39;s claim damages against the International Skating Union (ISU) over a doping ban was ruled as inadmissible by a German court today. This dealt her years-long effort for compensation a crushing blow. 
 
The Federal Court of Justice decided the domestic courts should not hear her case after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), considered the highest sports tribunal, had rejected Pechstein&#39;s appeal over her ban. 
 
The five-time Olympic champion was seeking more than 4 million euros in damages from the ISU after it banned her for two years in 2009 over irregular blood results, although the German never failed a drugs test. 
 
She insisted, providing extensive scientific data, that she had a hereditary blood condition that her father also had. 
 
Her case had been seen as a litmus test, with a win potentially triggering a flood of doping cases being challenged in domestic courts around the world and eroding the position of CAS. She vowed to fight on at the Constitutional Court. 
 
The Federal Court, Germany&#39;s highest for civil and criminal jurisdiction, said an arbitration agreement between her and the ISU at the time she had tested positive, which ruled out taking the case to a domestic court, was valid. 
 
&quot;The anti-trust division of the Federal Court of Justice did not follow the argumentation of the plaintiff,&quot; it said in a statement. &quot;It decides that her suit is inadmissible as it is opposed by the defence of the arbitration agreement.&quot; 
 
The CAS rejected her appeal as did the Swiss Federal Tribunal. However, a Munich court said in 2015 that it would allow the 44-year-old skater to go ahead with a lawsuit. 
 
The skater said she would now take the case to the next stage, the Federal Constitutional Court. 
 
&quot;Despite this verdict I am not considering giving up,&quot; she wrote on her website. &quot;The battle for justice will be continued at the Federal Constitutional Court.&quot; 
 
Pechstein, who missed the 2010 Vancouver Games due to the ban, competed at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, narrowly missing out on medals in the 3,000m and 5,000m. 
 
The athlete has said she wants to compete at the 2018 winter Olympics in Pyeongchang in what would be her seventh Games.

After the International Skating Union had banned her for two years in 2009, the speed skater sought for more than 4 million euros in damages. However, she never failed a drug test

Olympic skating champion Claudia Pechstein's claim damages against the International Skating Union (ISU) over a doping ban was ruled as inadmissible by a German court today. This dealt her years-long effort for compensation a crushing blow. The Federal Court of Justice decided the domestic courts should not hear her case after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), considered the highest sports tribunal, had rejected Pechstein's appeal over her ban. The five-time Olympic champion was seeking more than 4 million euros in damages from the ISU after it banned her for two years in 2009 over irregular blood results, although the German never failed a drugs test. She insisted, providing extensive scientific data, that she had a hereditary blood condition that her father also had. Her case had been seen as a litmus test, with a win potentially triggering a flood of doping cases being challenged in domestic courts around the world and eroding the position of CAS. She vowed to fight on at the Constitutional Court. The Federal Court, Germany's highest for civil and criminal jurisdiction, said an arbitration agreement between her and the ISU at the time she had tested positive, which ruled out taking the case to a domestic court, was valid. "The anti-trust division of the Federal Court of Justice did not follow the argumentation of the plaintiff," it said in a statement. "It decides that her suit is inadmissible as it is opposed by the defence of the arbitration agreement." The CAS rejected her appeal as did the Swiss Federal Tribunal. However, a Munich court said in 2015 that it would allow the 44-year-old skater to go ahead with a lawsuit. The skater said she would now take the case to the next stage, the Federal Constitutional Court. "Despite this verdict I am not considering giving up," she wrote on her website. "The battle for justice will be continued at the Federal Constitutional Court." Pechstein, who missed the 2010 Vancouver Games due to the ban, competed at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, narrowly missing out on medals in the 3,000m and 5,000m. The athlete has said she wants to compete at the 2018 winter Olympics in Pyeongchang in what would be her seventh Games.

German court drops Claudia Pechstein's doping ban damages suit

Turkey&#39;s president warned Germany on Tuesday that its plans to declare the 1915 mass killing of Armenians a genocide would damage bilateral ties, raising new concerns about an EU-Turkey migrant deal championed by Chancellor Angela Merkel.

German lawmakers are expected to approve a symbolic resolution on Thursday that labels the killings of up to 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman forces &quot;genocide&quot;, a description that Turkey strongly rejects.

The vote had been scheduled to take place over a year ago, on the 100th anniversary of the massacre, but Merkel&#39;s allies in parliament pushed it back repeatedly out of concern that it could hurt relations with Ankara.

Now they have run out of time and may be wishing they had let the vote take place sooner.

The opposition Greens have pushed the resolution onto the agenda at an extremely awkward time for Merkel, the driving force behind an agreement between the EU and Ankara that has helped slash the number of illegal migrants entering Europe.

The deal has eased political pressure on Merkel at home. But it has been under a cloud since its strongest proponent in the Turkish government, Ahmet Davutoglu, was pushed out as prime minister this month. Since then, President Tayyip Erdogan has questioned aspects of the agreement and some of his allies have even threatened to unleash a new wave of refugees on Europe.

In comments to reporters before he left for an official visit to&nbsp;Africa, Erdogan lashed out at those who he said were trying to &quot;deceive&quot; Germany over the 1915 events, without accusing anyone in particular.

&quot;If Germany is to be deceived by this, then bilateral diplomatic, economic, trade, political, and military ties - we are both NATO countries - will be damaged,&quot; he said.

The comments came after he spoke to Merkel by telephone to express his concern about the resolution. Sources in both capitals said Erdogan had initiated the call.

&nbsp;

GERMAN HISTORY

The resolution, which is formally supported by Merkel&#39;s conservative bloc, the centre-left Social Democrats and the Greens, uses the word &quot;genocide&quot; in the headline and text.

&quot;The fate of the Armenians is exemplary in the history of mass exterminations, ethnic cleansing, deportations and yes, genocide, which marked the 20th century in such a terrible way,&quot; it reads.

The resolution also touches on the &quot;inglorious&quot; role of the German Empire, a military ally of the Ottomans, because it did nothing to stop the massacre.

Turkey argues that the there was no organised campaign to wipe out the Armenians, who are Christian, and no evidence of any such orders from the Ottoman authorities.

Cem Oezdemir, a leader of the Greens with Turkish roots, told Reuters he had experienced weeks of personal attacks from Turkish nationalists on social media and via email because of his role in championing the resolution.

&quot;It wasn&#39;t our goal to hold this vote now,&quot; Oezdemir said. &quot;But the timing is not that important. The Bundestag is doing this because this is also a part of German history. The Ottoman and German empires were essentially brothers in arms.&quot;

The vote coincides with deepening public scepticism in Germany towards Turkey and Erdogan in particular. Critics accuse Merkel of going soft on Ankara over human rights because of her desire to stem the flow of migrants.

Last month she drew fire for allowing German prosecutors to look into charges against a comedian who mocked Erdogan in a crude poem. The comedian, Jan Boehmermann, has accused Merkel of serving him &quot;up for tea to a highly strung despot&quot;.

Merkel and other top ministers are expected to vote for the resolution, although some, including Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, have questioned the wisdom of it in public.

Some officials fear it could stir tensions with the roughly 3 million people of Turkish origin who live in Germany.

Last year, German President Joachim Gauck condemned the killings of Armenians as &quot;genocide&quot; in a speech to mark the 100th anniversary of the massacres. Germany had previously avoided using the term in connection with the massacre.

Turkey's president warned Germany on Tuesday that its plans to declare the 1915 mass killing of Armenians a genocide would damage bilateral ties, raising new concerns about an EU-Turkey migrant deal championed by Chancellor Angela Merkel

Turkey's president warned Germany on Tuesday that its plans to declare the 1915 mass killing of Armenians a genocide would damage bilateral ties, raising new concerns about an EU-Turkey migrant deal championed by Chancellor Angela Merkel. German lawmakers are expected to approve a symbolic resolution on Thursday that labels the killings of up to 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman forces "genocide", a description that Turkey strongly rejects. The vote had been scheduled to take place over a year ago, on the 100th anniversary of the massacre, but Merkel's allies in parliament pushed it back repeatedly out of concern that it could hurt relations with Ankara. Now they have run out of time and may be wishing they had let the vote take place sooner. The opposition Greens have pushed the resolution onto the agenda at an extremely awkward time for Merkel, the driving force behind an agreement between the EU and Ankara that has helped slash the number of illegal migrants entering Europe. The deal has eased political pressure on Merkel at home. But it has been under a cloud since its strongest proponent in the Turkish government, Ahmet Davutoglu, was pushed out as prime minister this month. Since then, President Tayyip Erdogan has questioned aspects of the agreement and some of his allies have even threatened to unleash a new wave of refugees on Europe. In comments to reporters before he left for an official visit to Africa, Erdogan lashed out at those who he said were trying to "deceive" Germany over the 1915 events, without accusing anyone in particular. "If Germany is to be deceived by this, then bilateral diplomatic, economic, trade, political, and military ties - we are both NATO countries - will be damaged," he said. The comments came after he spoke to Merkel by telephone to express his concern about the resolution. Sources in both capitals said Erdogan had initiated the call. GERMAN HISTORY The resolution, which is formally supported by Merkel's conservative bloc, the centre-left Social Democrats and the Greens, uses the word "genocide" in the headline and text. "The fate of the Armenians is exemplary in the history of mass exterminations, ethnic cleansing, deportations and yes, genocide, which marked the 20th century in such a terrible way," it reads. The resolution also touches on the "inglorious" role of the German Empire, a military ally of the Ottomans, because it did nothing to stop the massacre. Turkey argues that the there was no organised campaign to wipe out the Armenians, who are Christian, and no evidence of any such orders from the Ottoman authorities. Cem Oezdemir, a leader of the Greens with Turkish roots, told Reuters he had experienced weeks of personal attacks from Turkish nationalists on social media and via email because of his role in championing the resolution. "It wasn't our goal to hold this vote now," Oezdemir said. "But the timing is not that important. The Bundestag is doing this because this is also a part of German history. The Ottoman and German empires were essentially brothers in arms." The vote coincides with deepening public scepticism in Germany towards Turkey and Erdogan in particular. Critics accuse Merkel of going soft on Ankara over human rights because of her desire to stem the flow of migrants. Last month she drew fire for allowing German prosecutors to look into charges against a comedian who mocked Erdogan in a crude poem. The comedian, Jan Boehmermann, has accused Merkel of serving him "up for tea to a highly strung despot". Merkel and other top ministers are expected to vote for the resolution, although some, including Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, have questioned the wisdom of it in public. Some officials fear it could stir tensions with the roughly 3 million people of Turkish origin who live in Germany. Last year, German President Joachim Gauck condemned the killings of Armenians as "genocide" in a speech to mark the 100th anniversary of the massacres. Germany had previously avoided using the term in connection with the massacre.

Erdogan warns Germany ahead of Armenian genocide vote

German prosecutors are investigating claims by 26 women that they were sexually harassed at a music festival in the western city of Darmstadt at the weekend and police have arrested three men with Pakistani backgrounds, a police spokesman said on Wednesday.

By late on Tuesday, 26 women had come forward and 14 formal complaints had been made.

&quot;The women complained that they were surrounded by small groups of men who then touched them inappropriately,&quot; the spokesman said, adding the matter was now with prosecutors.

The incident has set off alarm bells in Germany after mass sexual attacks on women at New Year&#39;s Eve in Cologne, which fuelled a backlash against Chancellor Angela Merkel&#39;s open-door migrant policy.

Hundreds of women said they were groped, attacked and robbed outside the Cologne train station and police said the suspects were mainly of North African and Arab appearance.

Darmstadt police said they had on Sunday arrested three male suspects aged between 28 and 31. Two are seeking asylum, and a third is also from Pakistan but has been living in Germany for a long time. It is unclear if he was also seeking asylum.

More women came forward once they heard about the arrests at the four-day music festival which attracted a total of 300,000-400,000 people, the spokesman said.

Despite a fall in her own and her conservative party&#39;s popularity since her welcome to migrants, Merkel told Bunte magazine that even with hindsight, she would allow people in humanitarian need to enter Germany again, as she did last year.

&quot;I recommend anyone who is fearful to take the opportunity to personally get to know someone who has fled to us. These are people who have experienced and suffered a lot and have their worries and hopes just as much as we do,&quot; she told Bunte.

German prosecutors are investigating claims of 26 women who say they were were sexually harassed in a music festival in Darmstadt

German prosecutors are investigating claims by 26 women that they were sexually harassed at a music festival in the western city of Darmstadt at the weekend and police have arrested three men with Pakistani backgrounds, a police spokesman said on Wednesday. By late on Tuesday, 26 women had come forward and 14 formal complaints had been made. "The women complained that they were surrounded by small groups of men who then touched them inappropriately," the spokesman said, adding the matter was now with prosecutors. The incident has set off alarm bells in Germany after mass sexual attacks on women at New Year's Eve in Cologne, which fuelled a backlash against Chancellor Angela Merkel's open-door migrant policy. Hundreds of women said they were groped, attacked and robbed outside the Cologne train station and police said the suspects were mainly of North African and Arab appearance. Darmstadt police said they had on Sunday arrested three male suspects aged between 28 and 31. Two are seeking asylum, and a third is also from Pakistan but has been living in Germany for a long time. It is unclear if he was also seeking asylum. More women came forward once they heard about the arrests at the four-day music festival which attracted a total of 300,000-400,000 people, the spokesman said. Despite a fall in her own and her conservative party's popularity since her welcome to migrants, Merkel told Bunte magazine that even with hindsight, she would allow people in humanitarian need to enter Germany again, as she did last year. "I recommend anyone who is fearful to take the opportunity to personally get to know someone who has fled to us. These are people who have experienced and suffered a lot and have their worries and hopes just as much as we do," she told Bunte.

Germany investigates sexual attacks on women at music festival

Four people died and several more were injured in southern Germany after violent storms with torrential rains caused severe flooding, authorities said on Monday. 
 
One of those killed was a 13-year-old girl who was hit by a train Sunday while seeking shelter from the rains under a railway bridge. 
A boy, 12, who was with her was not physically injured but had to receive trauma counselling, said police in the southern city of Aalen.&nbsp; 
 
In Schwaebisch Gmuend near the city of Stuttgart, a volunteer firefighter died on Sunday trying to rescue a man trapped in a shaft of a flooded railway station, municipal authorities said. 
The man who was trapped was also presumed dead although neither body has been recovered, according to local police. 
 
In Weissbach, just to the north, a 60-year-old man died in a flooded underground garage on the same day.&nbsp; 
 
The regional authorities in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg put the number of injured at around 10. 
 
A number of people had to be rescued from cars trapped in the floods. 
 
National news agency DPA said a river broke its banks in Braunsbach, destroying one house and damaging several others. 
Eyewitnesses posted videos on social network sites showing cars being carried away by the floods and crashing into shop windows. 
&nbsp; 
The head of one rural district in Schwaebisch Hall, Michael Knaus, said that more rain fell in the space of a few hours than normally falls over several months.&nbsp; 
 
State authorities said that as many as 7,000 firefighters, police and rescue workers were called out in some 2,200 incidents.&nbsp;

Four people died and several more were injured in southern Germany after violent storms with torrential rains caused severe flooding, authorities said on Monday.

Four people died and several more were injured in southern Germany after violent storms with torrential rains caused severe flooding, authorities said on Monday. One of those killed was a 13-year-old girl who was hit by a train Sunday while seeking shelter from the rains under a railway bridge. A boy, 12, who was with her was not physically injured but had to receive trauma counselling, said police in the southern city of Aalen. In Schwaebisch Gmuend near the city of Stuttgart, a volunteer firefighter died on Sunday trying to rescue a man trapped in a shaft of a flooded railway station, municipal authorities said. The man who was trapped was also presumed dead although neither body has been recovered, according to local police. In Weissbach, just to the north, a 60-year-old man died in a flooded underground garage on the same day. The regional authorities in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg put the number of injured at around 10. A number of people had to be rescued from cars trapped in the floods. National news agency DPA said a river broke its banks in Braunsbach, destroying one house and damaging several others. Eyewitnesses posted videos on social network sites showing cars being carried away by the floods and crashing into shop windows. The head of one rural district in Schwaebisch Hall, Michael Knaus, said that more rain fell in the space of a few hours than normally falls over several months. State authorities said that as many as 7,000 firefighters, police and rescue workers were called out in some 2,200 incidents.

Four dead in Germany floods

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