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Scholz reassures lawmakers 2025 budget to be agreed by end of July
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has once again assured the Bundestag, the lower house of the German parliament, that his Cabinet will adopt the national budget for 2025 by the end of July. Scholz did not commit to an exact date when questioned by lawmakers in parliament. "We will adopt the budget this month in the federal Cabinet as planned," he said. The Bundestag typically discusses the budget after the summer break until the end of the year. "There will be no disruption to this schedule," Scholz added. Scholz, Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck of the Greens and Finance Minister Christian Lindner of the pro-business...
Japan issues new banknotes for the first time in 20 years
Japan's central bank is issuing a new banknote series for the first time in 20 years. The new notes in denominations of 10,000, 5,000 and 1,000 yen (approximately $60, $30 and $6) come "with the latest security features, including 3D holograms", the Governor of the Bank of Japan, Kazuo Ueda said in a statement on Wednesday. Efforts have also been made to improve the "universal design" of the notes, he said. The banknotes have been available in Japan since Wednesday morning. The 10,000-yen note features a portrait of Shibusawa Eiichi, an entrepreneur from the Meiji period (1868 to 1912) known as the "father of Japanese capitalism." The 5,000-yen note shows the teacher Tsuda Umeko, who died in 1929, and the 1,000-yen note shows the doctor and bacteriologist Kitasato Shibasaburo, who died in 1931. The backs of the new notes feature images of Tokyo Station, the Japanese wisteria climbing plant and images from the colour woodcut series "36 Views of Mount Fuji" by the artist Katsushika Hokusai. Ueda noted the trend towards cashless payment, but said that "cash is a secure means of payment that can be used by anyone, anywhere and at any time, and will continue to play an important role."
Romania thank Germany for Euro 2024 hospitality
Romania have thanked Euro 2024 hosts Germany for their hospitality in a letter left in their dressing room after a 3-0 defeat against the Netherlands in the round of 16. The ruling body UEFA on Wednesday posted a photo of the letter in the dressing on social media platform X. "Euro 2024 was one of our most important experiences in football and we are very happy that Germany was the stage where it took place," the letter said. "Every game, every emotion, every result brought us together to feel the magic of football ... Thank you for giving us the feeling to be at home." The team said they were leaving with the feeling "to have given our all for Romania and we are grateful for everything we have experienced here."
UEFA probe: Turkey's Demiral in hot water over celebration gesture
Turkey defender Merih Demiral is under investigation by the ruling body UEFA over a controversial gesture after scoring in the Euro 2024 last 16 match against Austria. Demiral made the wolf-salute with his fingers, a gesture associated with Turkish far-right movement Grey Wolves which is politically represented there via the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). The gesture was condemned by German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, politicians and rights groups, who called for a UEFA probe, while Turkey meanwhile hit out at the criticism and probe. UEFA said on Wednesday it was looking into potential "inappropriate behaviour" from Demiral and that "further information regarding this...
German shipyard hands over second of four submarines to Singapore
The Kiel shipyard Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) in northern Germany is handing over the second of four submarines to Singapore. Passers-by in the harbour were able to watch as the 70-metre boat was loaded onto a special ship. The Invincible is to be transported to Singapore using the Rolldock Star. A TKMS spokesman did not comment on this when asked. In April, the last of four submarines was christened Inimitable at a ceremony at the Kiel shipyard in the presence of German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and Singapore's former deputy prime minister and current Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean. "Singapore is an important partner for us in security policy and our cooperation is not limited to defence cooperation," Pistorius said. A large proportion of world trade passes through the Straits of Singapore in South East Asia. The four Invincible-class boats for Singapore are 70 metres long and are among the largest submarines to have been built in Germany since World War II. They have an air-independent fuel cell propulsion system. They are designed for a crew of 28 people. The total value of the defence contract is likely to be in the billion-euro range.
Berlin literature festival to host 150 international authors
Berlin's biggest literature festival, taking place in September, will feature around 150 authors from 50 countries, organizers announced on Wednesday. Notable authors such as Rachel Cusk, Olivia Laing, and Elif Shafak will present their new works to literature enthusiasts at the event, which welcomes around 20,000 visitors every year. Festival curator Helon Habila had highlighted themes like collective trauma, environmental issues, and human rights as key topics, reflecting the current global climate of pandemics, wars, and climate change. Young visitors are also catered for at the 24th edition of festival, with free workshops and a complementary book for all participants. Besides the main programme at the festival from September 5-14, there will be a discussion about the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD), featuring politicians such as former Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière. The festival starts less than a week after the state elections in the right-leaning states of Thuringia and Saxony.
UN human rights chief sounds alarm on populists after French election
The rise of populist politicians in Europe and other regions of the world is a major concern for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk. Türk said in Geneva that hate speech is increasingly being employed during election campaigns in Europe, the United States and India, arguing that there should be no tolerance for such conduct in politics. Asked about France, where Marine Le Pen's far-right nationalist National Rally won the first round of parliamentary elections on Sunday, Türk asserted: "I am always worried when I hear narratives that denigrate and dehumanize the other, that make scapegoats of migrants,...
Russia says Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant employees injured by Ukraine
Eight employees of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant have been injured in a drone attack on a substation in the southern Ukrainian city of Enerhodar, Russian forces said on Wednesday. The men were engaged in repair work to restore the power supply when they were deliberately targeted, said Alexey Likhachev, head of the Russian nuclear authority Rosatom. He added that the Ukrainian attack was an "ostentatious violation" of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regulations on nuclear safety. The substation is part of the infrastructure of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and supplies electricity to the city of Enerhodar, according to Likhachev. He stated that there had been three drone attacks on the facility within an hour and called for the IAEA to respond. Russia occupied Europe's largest nuclear power plant shortly after its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has held it ever since. Both sides of the conflict have repeatedly blamed each other for attacks on the plant and sabotage, with Russian complaints about Ukrainian drone attacks increasing in recent weeks. Due to safety concerns, the reactors were shut down in 2022, but they still require cooling. IAEA observers are stationed on the site.
Report: Bayern Munich close to signing Portugal's Palhinha
Bayern Munich are close to signing Portugal midfielder Joao Palhinha from Fulham after failing to get him last year, Sky TV reported on Wednesday. The report said that Bayern will pay a transfer fee of €46 million ($50 million), plus add-ons. Palhinha, 28, is to receive a contract until 2028, with the deal to be completed after a medical which will not take place until after Euro 2024 where Portugal face France in the quarter-finals on Friday. There has been no official confirmation from either of the two clubs. Bayern already wanted the holding midfielder last summer but a deal collapsed on transfer deadline day because Fulham couldn't get a replacement. Portugal coach Roberto Martinez had recently encouraged Bayern to sign Palhinha. "He is not only good enough for Bayern, he would even make Bayern stronger. He makes players around him better. He deserves everything that is coming. And he is even better as a human being," Martinez said.
Scholz gives 'guarantee' Germany won't be party to war in Ukraine
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has tried to reassure citizens that Germany will not become a party to the war in Ukraine by continuing to support Kiev in the fight against Russian forces. "Yes, I give this guarantee," he said in response to a question in the Bundestag parliament on Wednesday, echoing comments he had made before. "That's what I stand for as chancellor." Russian President Vladimir Putin has however long regarded Germany and the Western military alliance NATO as a party to the war. Scholz rejected the idea that there should be a ceasefire in Ukraine on Russian terms. "In my view, a ceasefire that involves Ukraine surrendering is something that we as Germany should never support." The chancellor said that this was not an abstract question, "as you can see from this strange peace offer from Mr Putin." "He has said that he is prepared to agree to a ceasefire if Ukraine also gives him more annexations for free, so to speak." This shows that Putin has no intention of ending the war, Scholz said.
Germany nominates another 215 athletes for Paris Olympics
Modern pentathlete Annika Zillekens has been named into Germany's team for the Paris Olympics, three years after her much-publicised fiasco with an assigned horse at the Tokyo Games. Competing under her maiden name Schleu at the time, she dropped from first to last after the show-jumping part of the competition which she could't complete because her horse refused to jump over several obstacles. Zillekens was criticised for excessive use of the whip and German coach Kim Raisner kicked out of the Games for punching the horse. But there was also criticism on the sport for assigning horses to riders by lot, and modern...
Thousands to be released in Belarus amnesty
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has issued an amnesty for thousands of prisoners, on the anniversary of the liberation of the capital Minsk from Nazi occupation. The World War II anniversary was also celebrated with a military parade on Wednesday. Deputy Interior Minister Gennady Kazakevich said earlier that 7,850 convicts would be covered by the amnesty, according to the Belarusian media. Independent Belarusian media in exile reported however that the text of the amnesty means it is unlikely to cover political opponents of Lukashenko, who is sometimes referred to as Europe's last dictator. Lukashenko announced on Tuesday that political prisoners suffering from cancer, for example,...
Beer price at Germany's Oktoberfest exceeds €15 for first time
The price of beer at Germany's Oktoberfest is to rise by an average of 3.9% and exceed the €15 ($16) mark for the first time, the City of Munich announced on Wednesday. A 1-litre glass of beer at the festival in the Bavarian capital will cost between €13.60 and €15.30 this year, the city said. Last year, the price range for a litre of festival beer was between €12.60 and €14.90. As the organizer of the Oktoberfest, the city checks whether the prices calculated by the pub owners are reasonable. To do this, it compares them with the prices charged by large catering...
Germany's Kroos confident Spain won't send him into retirement
Germany midfielder Toni Kroos is confident that the Euro 2024 quarter-final against Spain will not mark the end of his glittering career which he wants to end with the continental title that is eluding him. Kroos, 34, ended his club career with victory in the Champions League final with Real Madrid's victory over Borussia Dortmund. He said he will quit for good after the Euros where he wants to lift the trophy with Germany on July 14. Kroos upbeat despite poor German record Saturday's date with Spain, widely considered the best team so far in the tournament, will be a huge challenge for...
Ukraine receives €2-billion boost in government funding from IMF
Ukraine has received more than €2 billion ($2.2 billion) in funding from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Wednesday on the messaging platform Telegram. The tranche is part of an ongoing loan programme amounting to some €15 billion, Shmyhal said. It will be used to fund vital government expenditure such as welfare spending and salaries for state employees, including doctors and teachers, he said. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Kiev has received more than €80 billion in aid from foreign partners for its government expenditure, Ukrainian figures show. British magazine The Economist on Sunday...
Stopping antidepressants? Withdrawal symptoms uncommon, reseach shows
If you have been taking antidepressants for a spell and are considering stopping taking them but are worried about any withdrawal symptoms, then have no fear, say scientists. Those who experience discontinuation symptoms are often influenced by negative expectations, rather than by the medication itself, according to a new study. That means if you expect symptoms, you are more likely to experience them, say scientists from Berlin and Cologne. It is an area that is ripe for research as some have been concerned about stopping taking their antidepressants. The good news is that only 16% to 17% of people actually suffer medication-related discontinuation symptoms,...
Third defendant in Wirecard fraud case to testify for first time
A third defendant in Germany's sprawling fraud trial involving disgraced payments group Wirecard plans to testify for the first time. The defendant identified only as E, the former chief accountant of the group, is to break his year and a half-long silence on July 17, presiding judge Markus Födisch of the Munich court said on Wednesday. In mid-2020, the former DAX-listed group collapsed because €1.9 billion ($2 billion) in alleged revenues could not be found. The trial began in December 2022. E confirmed his personal details at the start of the trial, but otherwise has not given any statements. The Munich Regional Court under...
Israel kills four Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants in West Bank
Four militants from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) group have been killed in an Israeli military operation in the West Bank. The PIJ, which is active in both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, said the four men were members of its organization. According to the Ministry of Health in Ramallah, the four men were between 20 and 24 years old. The Israeli military confirmed that it conducted an operation in Tulkarm, in the north-east of the West Bank. It said an army aircraft "struck a terrorist cell in the Nur Shams area" which was allegedly planting an explosive roadside device. Local...
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