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German railway boss says no long-distance service cuts in 2025
The boss of German state-owned railway Deutsche Bahn said on Monday that there will be no cuts to long-distance passenger service in 2025. "Our plans for the 2025 timetable, which were finalized in April, do not envisage any cuts," Deutsche Bahn chief executive Richard Lutz wrote in a letter obtained by dpa that was addressed to lawmakers from the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) from eastern Germany. His comments come after media reports about plans for potential cuts, including service reductions and elimination of certain routes, caused uproar among German politicians and parts of the public, especially in eastern Germany where the...
Man attacking officers with knife shot dead by police in Germany
A man who reportedly attacked three police officers with a knife near Nuremberg in Germany died after police shot him near a train station on Sunday, according to a police spokesman. The 34-year-old Iranian citizen died at the scene of the shooting in the southern town of Lauf an der Pegnitz, despite immediate first aid measures being initiated, the spokesman said on Monday. Details about the motive and the exact sequence of events are still unclear, and authorities said a thorough investigation would be conducted. "We are still at the very beginning of the investigation," said Heike Klotzbücher of the public prosecutor's office...
German farmers' association sees heavy rains hitting harvests
Heavy rains are jeopardizing the harvest in Germany, Joachim Rukwied, head of the German Farmers' Association said on Monday. The grain harvest is predicted to come in at 42 million tons, slightly below last year's result, Rukwied explained during a farm visit in Frankfurt. Warm and moist conditions were promoting rot in the potato crop, with the result that harvests could fail in the absence of pesticides, he said. Rukwied said that pesticides were needed, given flooding and waterlogging. "In combination with rising temperatures, the risk of fungal infestation is rising sharply in many crops," he added. Farmers needed a broad range of agents to maintain plant resistance, while fewer pesticides and agricultural substances were available in Germany, Rukwied said. Wet conditions in the autumn hit the sowing plans of many farmers in low-lying regions, with the result that the areas planted with winter wheat and rapeseed declined. Sowing was often postponed to the spring, with the result that the area sown to summer wheat almost tripled to 100,000 hectares. Nevertheless, winter wheat, with 2.6 million hectares sown, remains the most important grain crop in Germany by far, followed by winter barley at 1.3 million hectares.
Ofner forced to wing it at Wimbledon, but at least met Klopp
Austrian tennis player Sebastian Ofner turned up late for Wimbledon, but was consoled by meeting his idol Jürgen Klopp. Ofner lost the final of the grass tournament in Mallorca on Saturday to Chile's Alejandro Tabilo. But with former Liverpool football coach and new Mallorca resident Klopp in attendance, a handshake made him feel a little better. His luck worsened on Sunday though when his flight to London was late, meaning he had no time to practise at the hallowed turf of Wimbledon. "Now he has to start the tournament without training," his manager Moritz Thiem told the Austrian news agency APA on Monday before his first-round match with Australian Aleksandar Vukic at the third grand slam of the year.
Heavy rains cause flooding in eastern Czech republic
Heavy rains have caused flooding in the east of the Czech Republic, the emergency services reported on Monday. There were more than 300 callouts in Zlín, an industrial city some 250 kilometres south-east of Prague near the border with Slovakia, with pumps being used to drain cellars and ground floors and fallen trees cleared from roads, they said. In the village of Sazovice to the west of Zlín, the water rose to up to 1 metre on the streets. A dozen people had to be taken to safety from their homes. In Racková, a village to the north of Zlín, more than 40 buildings were flooded, including the municipal offices and the school. Streams in the areas turned into rivers. Damage was put at millions of euros.
Italian actress Maria Rosaria Omaggio dies at 67 in Rome
Italian actress Maria Rosaria Omaggio died on Monday in Rome at the age of 67 after a prolonged illness, her family reported. Born in Naples, the acclaimed actress was celebrated both in Italy and internationally for her diverse career. Omaggio appeared in more than 40 film and television productions, including "To Rome With Love" by US director Woody Allen. She received an award at the Venice Film Festival for her standout role as Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci (1929-2006) in Andrzej Wajda's 2013 film "Walesa. Man of Hope" about the Polish trade union leader Lech Wałęsa, who later served as the country's president. Beyond her acting career, Omaggio served as a dedicated ambassador for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). She leaves behind a legacy as a prominent figure in Italian theatre and cinema.
Court rules Bavaria can put the far-right AfD under surveillance
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party organization in the southern German state of Bavaria may be placed under surveillance as a suspected extremist group, a court in Munich ruled on Monday. The decision, which rejected a lawsuit brought by the Bavarian AfD, clears the way for the use of undercover agents and intercepted communications to monitor the group. Two lower courts had already made similar rulings. At the beginning of the hearing, the AfD's Bavarian state chairman Stephan Protschka said that he did not expect the complaint to be successful and announced that the party would continue with further appeals. AfD party organizations...
Court rules Bavaria can put the far-right AfD under surveillance
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party organization in the southern German state of Bavaria may be placed under surveillance as a suspected extremist group, a court in Munich ruled on Monday. The decision, which rejected a lawsuit brought by the Bavarian AfD, clears the way for the use of undercover agents and intercepted communications to monitor the group. Two lower courts had already made similar rulings. At the beginning of the hearing, the AfD's Bavarian state chairman Stephan Protschka said that he did not expect the complaint to be successful and announced that the party would continue with further appeals. AfD party organizations...
Man attacking officers with knife shot dead by police in Germany
A man who reportedly attacked three police officers with a knife near Nuremberg in Germany died after police shot him near a train station on Sunday, according to a police spokesman. The 34-year-old Iranian citizen died at the scene of the shooting in the southern town of Lauf an der Pegnitz, despite immediate first aid measures being initiated, the spokesman said on Monday. The man is said to have initially targeted a police patrol car, and then tried to attack the three officers while brandishing a knife when they got out of their vehicle, according to an initial police investigation. A female federal...
South Africa's president unveils new Cabinet with 12 opposition posts
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa announced his new Cabinet on Monday, confirming the handover of 12 ministerial posts to opposition parties in a televised speech. The largest opposition party, the economically liberal Democratic Alliance (DA), will take on six positions with DA party leader, John Steenhuisen, named to head the Ministry of Agriculture, Ramaphosa said. With 20 ministries, including key ministries such as Foreign Affairs, Defence, Energy and Finance, the African National Congress (ANC) retains the lion's share of Cabinet posts. With a total of 32 ministerial posts, the Cabinet is two seats larger than in previous years. The new government consists of 11...
Expert says young voters key in second round of French election
The votes of young people could be the deciding factor in the second round of the parliamentary elections in France, according to German politician and France expert Franziska Brantner. Many are disappointed with President Emmanuel Macron, said Brantner, who is a lawmaker in the German lower house, or Bundestag, and also a deputy member of the Franco-German Parliamentary Assembly, in an interview on Monday with public radio Deutschlandfunk. It now depends on whether young people who voted in favour of the left-wing alliance in the first round on Sunday are still prepared to support a candidate from Macron's alliance. "Whether the mobilization works...
Fabián Ruiz, Williams hailed as player of the tournament candidates
The middle of the Euros last 16 is a bit early for picking potential players of the tournament but a flurry of football fans on social media believe Spain duo Fabián Ruiz and Nico Williams must be in the running. The former has scored two goals at Euro 2024 already, a superb finish in the opening 3-0 win over Croatia and a crucial goal for a 2-1 lead against the Georgians. But he has also been commanding in midfield - pressing, tackling and creating in equal measure. His pass for winger Williams' first goal of the tournament in Sunday's 4-1 comeback win...
Bayern buy back Sieb and loan forward to Mainz
Bayern Munich have recalled 21-year-old striker Armindo Sieb from second tier Greuther Fürth and sent him on loan to Bundesliga rivals Mainz for two seasons, the club said on Monday. Bayern have exercised their option to re-sign Sieb after he was allowed to join Fürth in 2022. He has received a new contract in Munich until 2027. He was top scorer for Fürth last season with 12 goals. "We always followed Armindo closely during his two years in Fürth. He developed very well, especially last season - he was one of the top scorers in the second division in his age group," explained Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund. "Armindo is an extremely fast, aggressive type of player. He certainly fits in very well with Mainz with his manner and the Bundesliga is now the next logical step for him."
Work begins to set up festival grounds for Munich's famed Oktoberfest
Builders began putting up the festival grounds for Munich's famous Oktoberfest on Monday morning, about two and a half months before the beer-soaked festivities will kick off on the Theresienwiese fairgrounds, known locally as the Wiesn. Oktoberfest, which bills itself as the largest folk festival in the world and draws millions of visitors each year, is scheduled to run from September 21 to October 6. This year, set-up work began even earlier than usual, after the operators of the tents and kitchens at the festival complained that preparations have become increasingly complex. A big remaining question is how much beer will cost. City...
Expert says young voters key in second round of French election
The votes of young people could be the deciding factor in the second round of the parliamentary elections in France, according to German politician and France expert Franziska Brantner. Many are disappointed with President Emmanuel Macron, said Brantner, who is a lawmaker in the German lower house, or Bundestag, and also a deputy member of the Franco-German Parliamentary Assembly, in an interview on Monday with public radio Deutschlandfunk. It now depends on whether young people who voted in favour of the left-wing alliance in the first round on Sunday are still prepared to support a candidate from Macron's alliance. "Whether the mobilization works...
British mining firm Anglo American halts work at Queensland mine
British mining company Anglo American said on Monday that it has suspended production at a mine in Australia after an incident. The mine concerned was the Grosvenor steelmaking coal mine in Queensland, where production was suspended following an underground coal gas ignition incident. The workforce was safely evacuated from the mine, Anglo American said, adding that the mine team is working with specialist teams and the regulatory authorities to extinguish the underground fire. Anglo American said the procedures are expected to take several months as a result of the likely damage underground. The group said it will provide an update to steelmaking coal production guidance once more information is available.
Mauritanian president re-elected for second term
Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani has been re-elected to office after winning 56.12% of the vote, provisional results showed. His main rival, Biram Dah Abeid, an anti-slavery human rights activist, came in second place after winning 22% of the vote, while Hamadi Sidi Mokhtar of the Islamist Tawasul Party, got 12.76%. Elections were held on Saturday in Mauritania, a former French colony in north-west Africa. Results were announced late Sunday after 99% of the votes were counted. Before the announcement, Abeid alleged there was fraud, and riot police dispersed his supporters demonstrating against the results using tear gas, witnesses said. Mauritanians are hoping the president will work on improving their living conditions, decrease unemployment, and fight corruption and poverty. Ould Ghazouani, 67, has promised to focus on supporting the youth during his second term. Ould Ghazouani, a former defence minister, was elected in 2019 in the country's first peaceful transition of power. His predecessor Mohamed Ould Abdel-Aziz took office after a 2008 military coup.
Germany achieves 58% renewable energy share in first half of 2024
Germany achieved a new record for renewable energy generation, covering some 58% of its electricity consumption in the first half of 2024 with wind, solar, biomass and hydropower. This is the result of projections by the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research in the south-western state of Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) and the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW), which were made available to dpa on Monday. Of the 58% of Germany's renewable energy generation, 24% came from onshore wind generation, 14% from photovoltaics, 9% from biomass, 5% from hydropower, 5% from offshore wind power and 1% from electricity generation from...
Aquila Clean Energy places order for turbines with Germany's Nordex
Aquila Clean Energy has placed an order for wind turbines with a generating capacity of 123.9 megawatts (MW) in Spain with Germany's Nordex Group, Nordex announced on Monday. From summer 2025, Nordex will supply and install 21 N163/5.X turbines for the Baza cluster in the province of Granada in southern Spain, it said. The order also includes the premium service package for the turbines over a period of 20 years. "In recent years, we have been able to maintain our market share of new orders in Spain at over 30% per year," said Patxi Landa, chief sales officer of the Nordex Group.
Scientists in Switzerland race to freeze feces to improve gut health
In Switzerland, a bold initiative is underway: freezing human feces to preserve global biodiversity. However, this isn't just about safeguarding nature's diversity of plants and animals — human gut biodiversity is also at stake. "We have discovered that we are losing biodiversity in the gut," medical microbiologist Adrian Egli from the University of Zurich tells dpa. "There is much more diversity in Amazon populations compared to those in the West. This has to do with stress, antibiotics and diet." Saving the stool "There are a thousand billion bacteria in one gram of stool, 125 times as many as there are people on the planet,"...
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