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African leaders paid their final respects to former Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki in a state funeral service on Friday. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Ethiopia's Sahle-Work Zewde, President Salva Kiir of South Sudan and Tanzania's vice president, Philip Isdor Mpango, were some of several leaders at Kenya's Nyayo National Stadium, where thousands gathered for the service. "He was a great statesman," Ramaphosa said at the funeral. "For us as South Africans, we saw him in the mold in which we saw our own first president, President Nelson Mandela." Kibaki, whose death was announced last Friday, served two terms from 2002 to 2013 as Kenya's third president. He was 90 years old. Kenyans turned out en masse to watch a colorful military procession move to the national stadium amid a somber mood. Kibaki will be buried on Saturday in his hometown in central Kenya. Noted both as a statesman and economist, Kibaki served Kenya in several positions for over five decades, including as trade minister and vice president. He earned degrees from Uganda's Makerere University, attended the London School of Economics on a commonwealth scholarship and worked as a teacher before joining politics in the 1950s. Kibaki's election as president in 2002 broke the hold of decades of rule by the Kenya African National Union party under dictator Daniel Arap Moi. The new president ushered in economic, education and infrastructure reforms that boosted Kenya's stalled growth and anchored the country as east Africa's economic powerhouse. Although he is remembered as a gentleman, Kibaki's leadership was marred by widespread corruption scandals that saw his popularity wane. By 2007 when he sought reelection, several opinion polls placed his opponent Raila Odinga ahead of him. So, when the electoral commission announced Kibaki as winner of the vote and hurriedly swore him in, the opposition revolted. The conflict quickly turned deadly. More than 1,000 people died in the violence that followed as the political dispute took on ethnic and tribal colorations. More than 600,000 people were displaced. Former UN Secretary-General General Kofi-Annan brokered a fragile deal that saw Kibaki maintain his incumbency while creating a new role as prime minister for Odinga. In the aftermath of the chaos, Kibaki oversaw a referendum that endorsed a new constitution with significant checks and balances and with less power in the presidency. The constitution was adopted in 2010. Speaking at the service on Friday, President Uhuru Kenyatta said Kibaki was "a modest man" who "did not believe in shouting" while he worked. "His desire to contribute and to transform our country, Kenya, in a quiet and secluded place with no one watching is what makes him a legend," President Kenyatta said. sl/msh (Reuters, AFP)

7Politics

Four students in Hong Kong have been arrested for "advocating terrorism," police said on Wednesday. Senior Superintendent Steve Li said the arrests were made after several dozen Hong Kong University students passed a motion mourning the death of a 50-year-old who stabbed a police officer. All four of those detained were men between the ages of 18 and 20, he added. The arrests, made under the city's controversial national security law, could spark fresh concerns about freedom of expression in Hong Kong. Authorities have described the attacker as a "lone wolf." He punctured the police's officer lung before stabbing himself in the chest. The assailant died later in hospital, but the 28-year-old police officer survived. He had been on duty on July 1 earlier this year for the anniversary of the former British colony's return to Chinese rule. The Hong Kong University student union passed a motion that expressed "deep sadness" for the attacker's "sacrifice." The group's leaders have since withdrawn the motion, apologized and stood down from their posts. But the resignations failed to satisfy police, which last month raided the union's offices, the campus TV station and the university's undergraduate office. "[The motion] beautified, rationalized, glorified terrorism and an indiscriminate attack and encouraged suicidal acts," Li told reporters on Wednesday. The 30 students who signed the text have also been banned from campus. Advocating terrorism carries a sentence of up to 10 years in jail and is covered by Hong Kong's national security law. The legislation also covers offenses deemed to be subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces. Beijing imposed the national security law on the city last year after a series of huge pro-democracy protests. The legislation has quickly criminalized much dissent, sparking a crackdown on freedom of speech and the free press. In April, judges sentenced Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai, the founder of the Apple Daily tabloid, to 14 months in prison after being found guilty of unauthorized assembly. It led to countries, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, to offer sanctuary to Hong Kong residents who wanted to flee. Britain handed power over its former colony to China in 1997. The UK signed a treaty with China in 1984 in which Beijing pledged to respect Hong Kong's independence. Under the terms of the handover between Britain and China, both countries agreed Hong Kong should have its own legal system. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video They also agreed that fundamental rights such as freedom of assembly and free speech would be guaranteed for 50 years. The "one country, two systems" principle — named so because such rights do not exist elsewhere in China — is enshrined in Hong Kong's Basic Law. Many activists in Hong Kong as well as in exile have said the principle is no longer recognized by Beijing. jf/sms (AFP, Reuters) 

3Crime

US President Joe Biden and newly elected South Korean counterpart Yoon Suk Yeol are studying means of expanding the scope and scale of joint military exercises on and around the Korean Peninsula. Meeting during Biden's visit to Seoul on Saturday, as part of his first Asian tour as US president, the two leaders stressed their commitment to denuclearizing North Korea, saying it was in response to the "threat" posed by the autocratic country. North Korea has upped its missile tests this year, carrying out some 16 separate tests, after 14 months of quiet during the beginning of Biden's administration. US-South Korean joint exercises might further upset Pyongyang, which often describes them as invasion rehearsals. South Korea is the first leg of Biden's Asia tour, which is also meant to take him to Japan. He will unveil on Monday the new Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, a US initiative for regional trade. It's meant to set standards on labor, supply chains and the environment. However, his tour is seen as a subliminal message of countering China, despite White House officials' attempts to play it down. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A US official speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity said Biden's tour was about "demonstrating unity and resolve and strengthening the coordination between our closest allies." He added that Biden was also focused on setting up a "strong personal relationship" with Yoon, whose presidency only started less than two weeks ago. Ahead of the meeting, Seoul was worried that Washington might be moving back to its "strategic patience" policy toward North Korea, which was adopted by former President Barack Obama's administration and constituted ignoring the latter until it shows true intentions to denuclearize. However, many believed the approach allowed the North to further advance its nuclear arsenal instead. Biden stressed his country's commitment to defend South Korea with nuclear weapons if necessary, after Saturday's meeting. He also expressed readiness to meet the North Korean leader, but only if the latter showed sincere interest in serious talks. rmt/wd (Reuters, AFP, AP)

7Politics

Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva slammed President Jair Bolsonaro on Wednesday, criticizing his successor's handling of the coronavirus pandemic and economic policies. "Don't follow any imbecile decisions by the president of the republic or the health minister: Get vaccinated," Lula, now 75, told reporters, in reference to Bolsonaro's vaccine skepticism and defiance of medical advice. The coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 266,000 people in Brazil, making it the second-hardest-hit nation, after the United States. "This country has no government, this country doesn't take care of the economy, of job creation, wages, health care, the environment, education, young people," Lula said, in a press conference at the metalworkers' union he once headed in Sao Bernardo do Campo, outside Sao Paulo. Bolsonaro responded to Lula's attack on Wednesday, saying the leftist leader was launching his 2022 presidential campaign election by criticizing the president.    "Lula is already in campaign and he has nothing good to show, his campaign is based on lies and disinformation. He is rambling, he does not know what he is talking about," the president said in an interview with CNN Brazil.  The comments, made just days after a key victory in court, marked Lula's return to politics. On Monday, a Supreme Court judge annulled the former president's criminal convictions and reinstated his right to run for office. The decision paves the way for Lula to run against Bolsonaro in 2022. On Wednesday, Lula called himself the victim of the "biggest judicial lie in 500 years." He dismissed the corruption charges he had been convicted of as designed to keep him from winning the 2018 presidential race, which saw Bolsonaro take power.  Lula said he planned to "fight tirelessly" for Brazil, and that he wanted to resume touring the country once he receives the COVID-19 jab next week. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The leftist leader is a former metalworker and union leader who saw Brazil through an economic boom from 2003 to 2010.  "Brazil doesn't deserve this," he said on Wednesday. Lula didn't offer any information about whether he would run next year. "My head doesn't have time to think about a 2022 candidacy now," he told reporters. The former president was implicated in a scheme that saw politicians and executives receive billions of dollars from the state oil company, Petrobras. Lula spent 18 months in prison before being released in 2019. He is still seen as a heroic figure by leftists, who believe that Lula was the victim of a conspiracy. Bolsonaro ultimately made the lead judge in the Lula probe his justice minister. Supporters of the former president point to hacked phone messages as evidence of a setup. A poll released by the CNN Brasil news channel on Wednesday found Bolsonaro ahead of Lula if the two leaders square off in 2022. The survey shows Bolsonaro 10 points ahead of Lula in the first round, 31% to 21%, with former Justice Minister Sergio Moro in third place at 10% support. If no candidate receives more than 50% in the first round, the top two candidates face each other in a runoff. In this scenario, the survey shows Bolsonaro with 43% of the vote, with Lula garnering 39% support.  The CNN survey has a 3-point margin of error, with data being collected from 1200 Brazilians across the country.  lc, wd/dj (AFP, Reuters, AP)

7Politics

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan blamed each other for breaking the cease-fire deal reached by the two countries' presidents on Friday. Earlier the Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rakhmon met on the sidelines of a regional security summit in Uzbekistan and agreed on a cease-fire and troop pullback, following days of deadly clashes. The Kyrgyzstan border service claimed Tajikistan had opened fire on positions along their shared border hours after the cease-fire.  The Kyrgyz Health Ministry said 24 of its citizens were killed in the clashes and 87 were wounded, the Interfax news agency reported. The RIA news agency cited Kyrgyz national security chief Kamchybek Tashiev as saying that military casualties were high. It had been earlier reported that the fighting between the two Central Asian countries left several dead and more than 52 wounded. Meanwhile, the regional branch of the Red Crescent said 19,000 people had been evacuated from volatile border regions. The Kyrgyz border force said in a statement late on Thursday that they were still repelling Tajik attacks. "From the Tajik side, shelling of the positions of the Kyrgyz side continues, and in some areas intense battles are going on," it said. Earlier the Kyrgyz border service said Tajikistan used mortars, tanks and armored vehicles to shell Kyrgyzstan's positions. They also accused them of shelling an airport near the border town of Batken with multiple rocket launchers. In turn, Tajikistan said the Kyrgyz forces subjected Tajik villages near the border "to intensive mortar bombardment and shelling'' from "all types of available heavy weapons and firearms." It was not immediately clear what caused the fighting. However, there are frequent clashes over the poorly demarcated border but they usually de-escalate quickly. Last year 55 people died in clashes near the border in a dispute over water rights and the installation of surveillance cameras. There has been discord between the two former Soviet republics over exact position of the border since the Soviet Union broke up more than 30 years ago. Both countries host Russian military bases and are closely allied with Moscow. Russia had offered to mediate to help de-escalate fighting and look for a permanent solution. "We call on both sides to take urgent and comprehensive measures to bring the situation to political and diplomatic channels and to stop any attempts at escalation, including by provocations from third parties," the foreign ministry said. Moscow did not indicate who they thought the third-party provocateurs might be. lo/kb (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)

2Conflicts

"We go to Phuket every year or two, so why should it be different this year?" asked Yulia, a Russian national arriving in Bangkok. The Thai government reckons that 1 million Russian tourists will have visited the country by the end of the year, but Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, will not be one of them. He had been expected to arrive in Bangkok yesterday to attend a regional summit but he pulled out last week, citing a busy work schedule. Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov arrived in Bangkok on Thursday in his place for this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which starts today.  Putin also declined to visit Indonesia earlier this week for the annual G20 summit, missing a chance to meet face to face with his American and Chinese counterparts, among other world leaders. But his absence hasn't soothed Southeast Asian divisions over Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine that was launched in February this year. Singapore imposed its own sanctions on Russia, while Vietnam and Laos have consistently abstained on UN votes. Thailand, which prefers to hedge on all important international issues, has been hard to press down. It has voted against Russia on some UN General Assembly resolutionsbut abstained on more recent motions; it has condemned Russia's invasion but appealed to Moscow to boost trade.  "Some have suggested that, as host of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Thai appeasement was designed to entice President Putin to show up for the leaders' meeting [this week]," Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor at Thailand's Chulalongkorn University, pointed out. "But Mr Putin's attendance would be problematic for the host as other leaders may boycott due to sanctions against Russia's invasion," he wrote. Indeed, Russia's low-level participation in the Bangkok-hosted event has somewhat defused tensions within Thailand over the country's response to the war. An active member of the Ukrainian community, who asked not to be named, said discussions were held over whether to protest if Putin had arrived in Bangkok. "We understand that we are guests in Thailand and we want to respect local laws, however we felt that our voice should be heard," he said. There was no protest as Belousov, a low-key figure, arrived in the capital. Tensions have run high between members of the Russian and Ukrainian communities who call Thailand home. "The Ukrainian people whom I know stopped our relationship after the war began," said Michael, a Russian national who has lived in Thailand for seven years. Even though he opposes Putin's invasion, and even though Ukrainians "understand this is not my war, they can't feel comfortable communicating with someone from Russia." "On Facebook, some of them even urge [people] to quietly kill Russians here," he added. A prominent member of the Ukrainian community in Thailand understands the desire to avoid Russians. "We just don't want to have anything in common with them. We don't want to see them; we don't want to hear them; we don't want to deal with them in any way," he told DW.  "What makes us mad is that there are Russians who run away from mobilization but still support aggressive war," said a Ukrainian expatriate. Alexei, a young tech worker who arrived in Bangkok in September to avoid being called up when Putin announced a partial mobilization of reservists, says he expects more defectors to arrive in the Southeast Asian country. He reckons that "hundreds" of Russians have already "escaped" to Thailand, although DW cannot confirm any reliable estimate, which varies from the hundreds to thousands. "But it's difficult to stay for too long, because of visas, so maybe they prefer to go elsewhere," Alexei added.  Many Thais are also uneasy about Russian tourists, as well as their government's recent abstention at a UN vote that condemned Russia. The Thai government has attempted to muddle through the international crisis. This year marks the 125th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Thailand. Earlier in the year, Thailand voted in favor of several UN General Assembly resolutions that condemned Russia's invasion of its neighbor. But last month it abstained on a UN resolution condemning Russia for its illegal "annexation" of eastern regions of Ukraine, and it again abstained on last Monday's General Assembly motion regarding Russian war reparations to Ukraine. Thailand's foreign minister, Don Pramudwinai, made a quick visit to Moscow in September. Although its trade links with Russia are far smaller than those of other Southeast Asian states, like Vietnam, Thailand has been keen to boost trade. On the sidelines of a preliminary APEC meeting in May, Thailand and Russia agreed to expand bilateral trade to $10 billion (€9.65 billion) within a few years, up from around $2.7 billion in 2021. Thailand's tourism sector — which was decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic and which accounted for around between 10%-20% of GDP in 2019 — has also been keen to increase arrival numbers from Russia, a major source of visitors before the pandemic. Direct flights from Russia to Phuket, a resort island, resumed at the end of October after having been suspended due to the Ukraine war, and the Thai government reckons tourism numbers will peak over the winter. It aims to have attracted around 1 million Russian tourists this year. Disputes over the Ukraine war are expected to hamper the APEC summit. Thailand says that it will present a plan for a grand regional free trade agreement, the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), for leaders' approval today, although much of the summit's timetable will be taken up talking about global issues. Joe Biden, the US president, visited Cambodia and Indonesia last week for the annual ASEAN and G20 summits, respectively, but he has left Kamala Harris, the vice president, to attend the APEC summit. Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, will cap off a week of three summits in three Southeast Asian countries with a final visit to Bangkok. However, even without Putin's presence, Moscow has attempted to divide Southeast Asian nations. Speaking while in Cambodia last weekend, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Western leaders of looking to militarize Southeast Asia to contain Moscow's and Beijing's interests in the region. Edited by: Keith Walker

7Politics

Back in April Bavarian State Premier Markus Söder bowed out of the contest to be the conservative CDU/CSU bloc's candidate to succeed Chancellor Angela Merkel in Germany's September general election. "The die is cast. Armin Laschet will be the CDU/CSU's candidate for chancellor," Söder told a press conference in Munich on April 20. This brought to an end what was seen as an acrimonious power struggle, during which Söder and his growing number of supporters pointed to the CSU chair's better performance in opinion polls, which could make him a more competitive candidate.  Just weeks before the election, Armin Laschet lagging behind his competitors of the other parties and has been accused of pulling his party down. But Söder is showing restraint, with no alternative to showing a united front — at a time when his own regional Christian Social Union party is polling at a truly historic low of 30%. Few German politicians have seen their fortunes rise in public opinion during the coronavirus crisis as much as Markus Söder, Bavaria’s state premier and head of the Christian Social Union (CSU), the conservative Bavarian allies to Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU). As the chair to the council of state premiers, he has played a prominent part in crisis meetings. Söder began his latest tenure as state premier in April 2018, following his reelection, with a hymn to his home state: "Bavaria is seeing golden times. Bavaria is strong. Bavaria will grow. Bavaria is solid. Bavaria is safe. Here the world is still in order, and it will stay that way." The subtext of that speech was the CSU's age-old message: Bavaria is fine as long as the CSU is fine. But Söder's rise to the top was a long struggle that has seen delays, patience, haggling, and probably a fair bit of skullduggery and backroom dealing. Markus Söder spent a long time as a regional wannabe. After all, he was made CSU party leader as early as 2003, a post he held for four years. But there was little doubt: he was aiming for the top. Like Franz-Josef Strauss before him, he embodied the drive, the dynamism, and the pride that many Bavarians believe is their hallmark. Yet it took him another 11 long years before he was strong enough to overtake his predecessor Horst Seehofer — currently Germany's interior minister — to become Bavarian state premier. The rivalry between the two was bitter — and on occasion, simply out of control. Söder, CSU general secretary as long ago as 2003 to 2007, never made a secret of his sense of a higher calling. After 2007, he took on a string of posts in the Bavarian Cabinet: minister for federal and European affairs, minister for environment and health, minister of finance, development, and Heimat – that untranslatable patriotic German word whose closest equivalent is homeland. It was only in March 2018 that he finally took over from his longtime rival Horst Seehofer, the current federal interior minister, as head of the Bavarian government. Ironically, although the 54-year-old highlights his loyalty and dedication to Bavaria in almost every statement, he is in fact something of an outsider. He hails from a pocket of Bavaria called Franconia, where people fly their own flags, sing their own songs, and worship their own football team. Söder might have been Bavarian premier since 2018, but he is quick to point out that he was not born in the opulent state capital Munich, but rather in the historic city of Nuremberg, the capital of Franconia. Add to that: Söder is also a Protestant in a Bavaria that insists fiercely on its Catholic identity. And it goes without saying that the football team he supports so feverishly is not Bayern Munich, but 1.FC Nürnberg. As a youngster, Söder was not just a fan of his local football team, but also an admirer of the man who more than any other personified post-World War II Bavaria: Franz Josef Strauss. The mercurial, compelling and sometimes authoritarian Strauss led the CSU party — the Bavarian conservatives — for nearly three decades, during which he also served as a cabinet minister in Bonn and chief minister in Bavaria. The young Markus Söder was fascinated by Strauss — not least by his legendary rhetorical wizardry — and hung a picture of the fiery rabble-rouser above his bed. Söder has also been able to encompass the whole spectrum from the traditional to the modern. "We want to be modern but stay Bavarian," he said in his first government declaration in April 2018. "We will manage the future and care for the problems of every individual. Do and care — about the broad strokes and the small worries: that's our philosophy." But since the Bavarian state election in October 2018, which brought a historically poor 36.7% for the CSU, he has had to share his government with conservative rivals, the Freie Wähler (Free Voters). Yet he quickly became a strong partner for Merkel, ending the days when the Seehofer-led CSU occasionally appeared to act as the strongest opposition party to their CDU partners. Söder led the center-right attacks on the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), opposing both left and right-wing extremists. As the coronavirus crisis began, it was Söder who rose to be among the most popular politicians in Germany. His quick, clear declarations — from closing schools to stopping professional football — left other state premiers trailing behind him, particularly Armin Laschet, leader of Germany's most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia, who eventually beat him to be the conservative bloc's candidate to succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor. And today? "His only real political goal was to become chief minister of Bavaria. Well, he achieved that," Munich journalist Roman Deininger tells DW. The fact remains: Becoming the conservative candidate to replace Angela Merkel in September's national election was only one thing; however, winning that election is quite another. It will be interesting to see how the man who believes he would have been the better candidate, positions himself after the die has really been cast on September 26. This article has been translated from German. It was first published in April and has been updated to reflect latest developments. While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society, with an eye toward understanding this year’s elections and beyond. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter Berlin Briefing, to stay on top of developments as Germany enters the post-Merkel era.

7Politics

Indian police are investigating an unsettling harassment campaign where more than 80 Muslim women were offered up for sale in online "auctions" without their knowledge or consent. The images of the outspoken Indian Muslim women were posted to the open software development site GitHub where they were labeled "sulli deal of the day." 'Sulli' is a racist insult against Muslim women in India. Those targeted in this harassment campaign say the matter highlights the growing problem of Islamophobia in the country. Hana Mohsin Khan, an airline pilot with over 12,000 Twitter followers, told DW she was alerted by a friend last week who directed her to a gallery of images of women and found she was the fourth person there. "Most of the women who have been targeted are vocal women, you know, people who are talking on the internet or on Twitter, and they're educated women," she said.   India's National Commission for Women notes this incident was focused on Muslim female researchers, analysts, artists and journalists. GitHub has reacted by suspending the users' accounts, noting numerous terms of service violations concerning harassment, discrimination and incitement to violence. Delhi police do not know who is responsible, so they have filed charges against unknown persons. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Sania Ahmad, 34, a target of the harassment campaign, blamed an online troll army of Hindu ultra-nationalists which she said has proliferated in recent years. These trolls engage in brigading, where numerous users harass the same target at once. Ahmad told AFP her heartbeat accelerates every morning when she opens her phone, "It starts with petty abuse and grows into death and rape threats." She believes these harassment campaigns have "political backing." The rise of Narendra Modi and the Hindu nationalist BJP party in 2014 has left many Muslims feeling treated as second class citizens in their own country.  Many of India's 170 million Muslims have felt terrorized after several lynchings of Muslim men for alleged violations of the sacred rites of cows. Other hate crimes as well have fed a climate of anxiety and concern in the community. Fatima Khan, a journalist included in the list told AFP, "Muslim men are lynched, Muslim women are harassed and sold online. When will this end?" "The women targeted here don't fit into their idea of a typical Muslim victim — docile, burkha-clad and abused. When we don't fit into that, they want to silence us," Khan said. ar, fa/csb (AFP, DW)

8Society

The prime ministers of France and the United Kingdom got their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine against coronavirus on Friday. Both the UK's Boris Johnson and France's Jean Castex said they intended to get the shot on Thursday, the same day that the EU's medical regulatory body deemed the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot "safe and effective." A number of EU countries, including France, temporarily halted administering the vaccine this week. They were concerned after blood clot disorders were reported in a small number of vaccine recipients. On Friday evening, Johnson received his first dose of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine. "I literally did not feel a thing. It was very good, very quick," the 56-year-old told reporters at a London hospital. The British leader also assured the public that the jab was safe for use. "Everybody, when you do get your notification to go for a jab, please go and get it. It's the best thing for you, the best thing for your family and for everybody else," he said. During the afternoon, Castex — who is 55 —received an AstraZeneca dose at a military hospital live on French TV. The event was broadcast in a bid to reassure citizens that the jab is safe. Almost a third of France's population will enter a new month-long, limited lockdown from Saturday, after the country recorded its highest new caseload in nearly four months. "There is no reason for the French people to turn down the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine," government spokesman Gabriel Attal told France's RTL radio on Friday. Though the vaccine returned to use in France, the national health regulator recommended it should only be given to people aged 55 and over, given the reported blood clots were only seen in younger people. A total of 13 EU member states temporarily halted vaccinations with the British-Swedish shotafter EU member states reported 30 cases of blood clot disorders. This included reports of a rare and difficult-to-treat condition called cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). The reports sparked an investigation by the EU's regulatory body, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) After the EMA declared the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine safe for use on Thursday, several European countries including Germany, began using the shot again. It said that it came to a "clear scientific conclusion" that the benefits of the vaccine far outweigh the risks. Emer Cooke, the executive director of the EMA, said the AstraZeneca vaccine is a "safe and effective option to protect citizens from COVID-19." At the same time, Cooke said the EMA could not "definitively rule out a link" between the vaccine and blood clots. On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that it was also carrying out an investigation into the blood clots in AstraZeneca vaccine recipients. But it also recommended that countries continue to administer jabs as they also believe the benefits outweigh the costs. The vaccine was developed and produced by a team from Oxford University and the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. The research team includes scientists from the Jenner Institute and the Oxford Vaccine Group. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video AstraZeneca's vaccine is a vector virus vaccine. It uses a harmless cold virus common to chimpanzees as a transport mechanism. The vaccine transports the surface protein of SARS-CoV-2 to human cells, where it triggers an immune response against the coronavirus. It is particularly beneficial because it does not have to be stored at ultra-low temperatures, like the BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. It also comes with a low price tag. kmm/rt (Reuters, AP)

5Health

As the snow blanketed Scandinavia on Wednesday evening, six customers and 25 employees at an IKEA near the city of Aalborg found themselves stranded and forced to spend the night on the beds and sofas of the Swedish furniture superstore. As up to 30 centimeters (12 inches) of snow fell outside, the group was trapped and forced to hygge it up and pass the night. IKEA's vast showroom transformed into the setting for an adult slumber party. Public broadcaster DR showed pictures of the stranded Danes drinking beer and coffee and noshing on cinnamon rolls as they watched soccer together. Michelle Barrett told DR Thursday morning after spending the night at IKEA, "Everyone was just so sweet, and we actually just laughed at the situation because we probably will not experience it again." Store manager Peter Elmose told the Ekstra Bladet tabloid people got to sleep in "the exact bed they always have wanted to try.'' He added, "It's been a good night. All fun.'' At the airport in Aalborg, 300 were stuck overnight as well. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The snowstorm snarled traffic on the roads and rails across Denmark and there were temporary power cuts in some places. Elsewhere in Denmark, the tarp on a truck full of packages ripped apart while crossing the Storebält Bridge between the islands of Funen and Zealand in the storm. A police spokeswoman told TV2, "The trailer was hanging over the water. I believe that some Christmas presents landed in the water." No fatalities due to the inclement weather were reported. ar/sms (AP, dpa)

6Nature and Environment

Russian President Vladimir Putin likes to think he is invincible. In his annual state of the nation address to both houses of parliament, the 68-year-old compared those who dare to stand up to the Kremlin to the jackal, Tabaqui, from Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Book." "There are all kinds of little Tabaqui's hanging around Shere Khan, howling to appease their sovereign," Putin said, referring to a man-eating tiger, the book's main antagonist — a not-so-subtle hint at the relationship between the US and its allies, as seen from the point-of-view of the Kremlin. Although he did not say as much, it transpires that the Russian strongman sees himself as Mowgli, the book's main hero, a man who vanquished the tiger.   The audience, consisting of the regime's pliant apparatchiks, exploded with servile laughter and applause at the comparison. Putin also promised a ‘devastating' response to those who trample on Russian interests. This was probably the most memorable moment from a speech which was otherwise dedicated to plans of a major social spending spree in a year of elections to the State Duma. In the run up to Wednesday's event at the Manezh, an exhibition hall in front of the Kremlin, speculation was rife that Putin would escalate the conflict with Ukraine and propose to officially recognize the separatist ‘republic' in the Kremlin-controlled area of eastern Ukraine. Pointing to the Russian armed forces massive buildup on the Ukrainian border, some analysts suggested a full-scale invasion could be on the cards to occupy the rest of eastern and southern Ukraine and secure an uninterrupted fresh water supply to the water-starved Crimea. However, Putin failed to mention Ukraine. In his address, he emphatically agreed with the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko's assertion of a plot by the West to kill him and his family. Putin's security services allegedly helped uncover it. True or not, the assertion chimes with Putin's conviction that the West is out to get him too, eventually. Rumors started to swirl that Lukashenko would either ask Putin to send Russian troops to Belarus to protect it from "NATO plots” or suggest the two countries merge. The Belarussian dictator is due to meet Putin in Moscow on Thursday. Putin will gladly render 'brotherly assistance' to his fellow authoritarian — especially since he needn't fear a reaction from the West. Lackluster sanctions by the EU and the US against the Minsk regime have all but convinced Putin that Brussels and Washington have given up on Belarus' pro-democracy movement. With Russian forces deployed to Belarus, the Kremlin will gain a new bridgehead on the northern border of Ukraine, a very short distance from the capital, Kyiv. This will not only increase pressure on the Ukrainian leadership, but will also boost chances of Germany's Angela Merkel and France's Emmanuel Macron entering the scene and offering mediation — a safe bet Putin learned he could always count on. What Putin ultimately wants is for Merkel and Macron to lean on Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a bid to wrangle a few concessions — if not to reopen the fresh water supply canal from the southern city of Kherson to the Crimea or lift a ban on pro-Russian TV channels, then at least to publicly recommit himself to the Minsk accords. Judging by his address, Putin wants to focus on playing the father figure — a father figure Russians can rely on and one who will crush once and for all those who oppose him, especially Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and his supporters. Wednesday's speech sounded like yet another signal by Putin to the West — as long as he is left 'home alone' to strangle the opposition, while at the same time securing Belarus, he may stop meddling in Ukraine, especially if it is made to 'behave.' But, as with anything to do with Putin, there is a good chance this is just deception.    

7Politics

German entrepreneur Alina Hepp-Chaudhary married her Indian husband, Bharat Chaudhary, in Denmark in 2016. However, this Scandinavian country wasn't their first choice: In Alina's native Germany, international couples face a long, bureaucratic and expensive process to tie the knot. In India, on the other hand, Bharat and Alina were taken aback by the extensive corruption that blight the legalities of marriage.  Losing hope in both their homelands, Alina and Bharat took a friend's advice and opted to get married in Denmark instead. In just two weeks, the Danish authorities pronounced them husband and wife. Surprised by the easy process, Alina decided to help other couples get married in Denmark too. After working in the Indian Consulate in Hamburg for three years, she decided to professionally consult for those who were in similar situations like her. Today, she runs a consultancy service, through which she claims to receive 20 to 30 clients every month, largely made up of Indians, Pakistanis or same-sex couples. In 1989, Denmark became the first country in the world to legally recognize same-sex couples who could register as domestic partners. This was  replaced in 2012 by a same-sex marriage law, which came into effect on 15 June 2012. Since then, this country has become a haven for same-sex couples looking to get married. According to Statbank Denmark, in 2021, 428 same-sex marriages took place: 171 were between two males while 257 marriages were between two females.  As Danish marriage law does not discriminate between locals and foreigners, international couples have also started to flock to Denmark to get married with minimal bureaucratic hassle. This isn’t the case in other European countries like Sweden or Germany or even in the USA or Canada, which requires foreigners to have residence status in order to get married there.  Pakistani citizen Gita Kirshan married her Indian husband Nitesh Naresh Bagda in August 2022. Both belong to the Maheshwari caste, a Hindu sub-group whose members today live in western Indian states and Pakistan, divided by the partition of 1947. Gita and Nitesh’s parents were able to organize this match through the strong cross-border ties that the Maheshwaris continue to cherish to this day, explained Nitesh. But given the factious political history that both countries share, Gita and Nitesh were aware of the chaos that awaited them. After all, it isn’t every day that an Indian marries a Pakistani or vice-versa. Even though Gita’s nationality didn’t bother him, Nitesh’s Indian friends weren’t too supportive of his choice and wondered why he ‘found a Pakistani of all people to marry’. A current resident of Canada, Nitesh remained undeterred. He said, "Relations between India and Pakistan have always been complicated. And there is very little hope that it will get better, so we had an idea of the bureaucratic difficulty. But we thought that it would not be so important at an individual level. We were pretty much confident that if I apply (for a Pakistani visa) from Toronto, it should not be difficult.” After multiple attempts to get a visa from both India and Pakistan, Gita and Nitesh gave up on the idea of getting married in either country. Gita explains, "We looked for countries with minimum bureaucratic processes for marriage, and that is how we came across Denmark. There, you can get married even on a tourist visa!” Alina noted the especially difficult situation that Indo-Pakistani couples face. She says, "I have seen up close how difficult it is for a Pakistani to get a visa for India. It is quite impossible. It is not only difficult for these couples to get married, but they cannot be so open about their relationship to begin with. Lots of couples keep their relationship a secret.” According to Nitesh, the problem isn’t with the law, as “technically it is possible for an Indian and a Pakistani to get married to each other.” It appears to be a combination of the unsaid social norms, narratives of hyper-nationalism and corruption that makes the task extremely difficult, if not impossible. In such cases, Denmark provides an avenue for those who can afford a marriage in this country. As a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, the Danish marriage certificate is valid in more than 120 countries, including India. This certificate is preferred by couples looking to move abroad, as it is available in English, German, Danish, French and Spanish. For Pakistan, it isn't automatically recognised, but requires a legalisation, which wasn't as much of a hassle as getting a visa was for Gita and Nitesh. As of July 2022, Pakistan has applied to be a member of this convention, but no decision has been made yet. Unlike Gita and Nitesh, Tripti and Surbhi G.* couldn't imagine getting married in India even though they are both Indian citizens. For them it wasn't the bureaucracy; it was the lack of legal provisions which came in the way of their married life together. In India, homosexuality has been decriminalised since 2018, but legal discussions on same-sex marriage are currently under judicial process. The Delhi High Court is hearing multiple petitions on one hand while parliamentarians are trying to debate amendments to the existing legal framework on the other. But despite same-sex relationships being decriminalised, Indian families aren’t on the same page and often pressure their children or express their disappointment, says Tripti. According to her, marrying Surbhi in Denmark was not just about convenience but also about social acceptance. She says, "We were already living together in India, but this makes things legal and easy as well. You can officially call someone your partner. This feels different. When the minister pronounced us as ‘wife and wife', it was a very happy moment for us because finally, somebody somewhere recognized us at least.” To their parents, they aren't ‘wife and wife' but "just good girl friends' having moved to the USA together, by chance." Surbhi said to DW, "We wanted to move out (of India) because of course you don't have a life in India with respect.” The Danish marriage certificate helped Tripti and Surbhi start a life together legally in a new country, where they feel accepted today. Despite the advantages of marrying in Denmark, the reality is that not everyone can afford a week-long trip to one of Europe's most expensive countries. Besides, all payments related to the Danish marriage ceremony need to be paid with European or international credit or debit cards, that aren't available to people easily, explains Surbhi. On average, getting married in Denmark could cost anywhere between €500 to €1,500 euros, excluding visa costs, flight fares and other extra expenses taking it to around €5,000 euros. But Tripti and Surbhi are both successful professionals who could afford to pay for the wedding. Most of Alina's clients, like Gita and Nitesh, are also either already in Europe or in other western countries or have the means to afford such a costly ‘destination wedding.' That is why this Scandinavian wedding destination cannot be an option for most other couples who are separated by law, bureaucracy or social stigma. * Full names have not been published to protect the interviewees' identities.  Edited by Brenda Haas

4Culture

Police are yet to comment on a potential link between three incidents that all took place on Thursday in different parts of Germany, saying that for the purposes of their investigation, nothing has been ruled in or out. Nevertheless, almost all the information currently known seems to lead back to a house in Rohrbach in Upper Bavaria that exploded.  One corpse was found among the rubble. Autopsy results made public on Saturday showed it was the 54-year-old woman who lived at the address.  Both she and her 55-year-old husband were missing since Thursday. Another body, burned beyond recognition, was found in a car registered to the Rohrbach home some 30 kilometers (roughly 20 miles) away. It was not immediately clear if the dead man's body was that of the woman's husband. Investigators will use DNA tests to try to establish his identity. On the same day, a top-floor apartment belonging to the same couple caught fire in Lugau in the eastern state of Saxony, with nobody injured in that incident at a large home incorporating several apartments.  The semi-detached house in Rohrbach, to the north of Munich, was almost completely destroyed by the explosion. The other half of the building was also severely damaged. Three of its residents were unharmed while two others sustained light injuries. In the wake of the blast, investigators said they suspected a gas explosion. They later added that gas canisters were found in the home.  Officials cannot yet comment on whether the woman inside the house died during the explosion or was already deceased. The authorities also found gas canisters in the car that crashed "almost head-on" into a large truck in Schrobenhausen on Thursday after driving down the wrong side of the road. The road accident was reported 20 minutes after the explosion at the home, which is located roughly 20-30 minutes' drive away. Meanwhile, at the site of the apartment fire in Lugau, around three hours' drive away from the Rohrbach house, police discovered flammable materials. The residence owned by the couple in Bavaria was not occupied or rented out.  Investigators are yet to comment on local media reports suggesting arson or to confirm the speculations that the three incidents are linked. "How this all happened, what the background is, that's what the coming investigations need to clear up," a police spokesman in nearby Ingolstadt, Karl Höpfl, said on Saturday. "From our point of view, everything is still completely open."  He said investigations were likely to extend into next week. msh/dj (AFP, dpa)

3Crime

The art world has an eye on Paris this week. It's not often that the personal collection of a pair of deceased artists gets sold off to the highest bidder. The duo of tireless packaging artists have collected these works over the course of their colorful lives. At the first part of the auction on Wednesday, sales soared to $9.8 million; the remaining lots are to be auctioned on Thursday. Jeanne-Claude died in 2009, Christo followed her in May of 2020. According to the will, the works are to be auctioned for the benefit of the family — 400 lots in total, supplemented by some Christo works from the estate. What is special about the Paris auction, however, is the personal connections that this art collection reveals: The common threads in the collections of Christo (1935-2020), who came from Bulgaria, and his wife Jeanne-Claude (1935-2009), from French Morocco, are the artists' contacts and friendships, first in Paris and later in New York, from where they organized their famous wrapping projects around the world. The majority of the works to be auctioned come from their early years together — the late 1950s and early 1960s — when Christo and Jeanne-Claude belonged to the Parisian avant-garde. This also included Yves Klein, the co-founder of the Nouveau Réalisme (new realism) art movement. Christo became friends with the inventor of the famous International Klein Blue (IKB). Both exchanged works: for one of his "packages" Christo received the small, completely blue canvas "Blue Monochrome (IKB 19)" from 1958. Sotheby's estimates it's worth at least €200,000 ($241,000). Quite a number of works in the auction tell of such friendships. Lucio Fontana's painting "Concetto Spaziale, Attesa" (1963), for example, which is valued at €300,000 to €500,000, is dedicated to Jeanne-Claude on the reverse. It once hung on a wall of the Chelsea Hotel on 23rd Street, where Jeanne-Claude and Christo initially stayed after moving to the USA. Below the picture was the only piece of furniture that the artist couple had taken with them from Europe — the modern "Hoge Stoel" by Gerrit Rietveld, one of Christo's lifelong favorites. The estimated price is now €80,000 to €120,000. The artists Daniel Spoerri and Claes Oldenburg also lived in the Chelsea Hotel at that time. Oldenburg offered that Christo and Jeanne-Claude take over his studio in an old factory building, where they lived from 1964. Here Christo tinkered his "Store Front" works, made from found objects from demolished houses. In exchange for an early "Store Front" work, Oldenburg gave Christo the sculpture duo "Bacon and Egg, Ice Cream and Beef Steak." It bears the dedication "to Christo from Claes". At the auction, it could bring in €40,000 to €60,000. Like many of the works here, it breathes a touch of art history. Adapted from German by Carl Holm

4Culture

It was 4 a.m, on June 24, 2016 and the midsummer sun was just beginning to light up the London sky. Nigel Farage, then-leader of the UK Independence Party and a decadeslong "Leave" evangelist, emerged to enrapture his supporters with the words: "Dare to dream that the dawn is breaking on an independent United Kingdom!" The referendum results, pouring in from across the country, were beginning to show an undeniable trend: After 43 years, Britain had decided to leave the European Union. "We have fought against the multinationals, we have fought against the big merchant banks, we have fought against big politics, we have fought against lies, corruption and deceit," said Farage. He chose to cast the moment of triumph in terms of the little guy taking on the world of high finance, and winning. Some thought this was a curious way to frame a vote on EU membership, but it was a telling insight into the terms upon which his side had conducted the campaign. The referendum had been remarkable for how dramatically different the Leave and Remain camps had approached the campaign.  The Remain side had been almost entirely focused on warning about the economic damage of Brexit, often drawing on the work of international bodies such as the International Monetary Fund to make its point. Even US President Barack Obama visited London two months before the vote to issue some dire warnings. "The UK is going to be in the back of the queue," the former president warned about Britain's post-Brexit prospects of striking a trade deal with the US. The tide of expertise about the economy was having the opposite effect to the one intended by the Remain side. Indeed, one of the most famous and prescient quotes of the entire campaign came when the conservative politician and Leave advocate Michael Gove said: "I think the people of this country have had enough of experts." In fact, the Leave side, barely mentioned the economy in its official messaging. Its campaign, led by political strategist Dominic Cummings, was based around one central slogan: "Take Back Control." It was a simple but seductive message that could be applied to anything. While leading Remain voices warned about the trading complexities and consequences of leaving the EU's single market or customs union, Leavers were talking about border control. The Vote Leave website, still online and enshrined as a digital monument to the campaign's triumph, is a stark reminder of the selling points which appealed to the 17,410,742 people who voted to leave the EU. "What would happen...if we vote to leave the EU," it invited the user to find out. "We will be able to save £350 million [€410 million/$488] per week," it went on, in a spectacular untruth regarding the cost of the UK's membership in the EU. That number became iconic during the campaign, with Leave saying this imaginary sum could be used to fund the country's widely beloved National Health Service. Despite having no basis in fact, it resonated with voters. The phrases "We'll be in charge of our own borders" and "We can control immigration" also featured prominently, and warnings about Turkey joining the EU were touted. Since the referendum, various studies have established a strong connection between those who voted Leave and anti-immigration sentiment. The only real economic benefit noted by Vote Leave was:"We'll be free to trade with the whole world." The campaign argued that the EU was preventing the UK from signing trade deals with "key allies like Australia or New Zealand, and growing economies like India, China or Brazil." Should the UK break up with the bloc, Vote Leave said Britain would be "free to seize new opportunities which means more jobs." Post-Brexit trade with the EU was barely mentioned by Vote Leave, but when it came up in debates it was almost exclusively sold as a given that the UK would continue to trade on the same terms with the rest of the EU after it left the bloc. A "no-deal" scenario, which came close to reality several times, was not even a discussion point. The 4 1/2 years which passed between the vote and the UK's full exit from both the EU and the post-Brexit transition period on December 31, 2020 were filled with endless twists, turns and political intrigue. Much of it was taken up with debates over competing visions of Brexit, particularly around membership of the single market and customs union. Theresa May, prime minister from July 2016 to July 2019, tried several times to secure a Brexit which would have kept the UK in the customs union, but she never garnered enough support. The EU and UK's Brexit deal, officially called the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, came into force in January 2021. The pandemic has greatly complicated meaningful economic analysis for the period since, but there is already evidence that Brexit has fundamentally changed the UK's economic relationship with the EU. Recent UK government figures showed that trade with the EU has fallen by 23% since January, while a study released in May by experts at Birmingham's Aston University found that Brexit had reduced UK services exports by around €128 billion over a four-year period. In terms of trade deals, the UK has so far struck just one that it did not already have as an EU member, that being the agreement it recently reached with Australia. Any potential benefits from that or other future deals are clouded by the continuing uncertainty over how the UK's trade relations with the EU, still its biggest trading partner, will evolve. The Northern Ireland Protocol, which concerns customs checks between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, remains a source of serious dispute. But, five years later, there is a sense of irrelevance to the economic arguments around Brexit. That's because they don't go to the heart of why so many voted to leave. Remain arguments about the economic consequences did not stick in the many regions of the UK where unemployment, deprivation and poverty were already high. The vagaries of customs unions or single market membership were not seriously considered by a majority of voters. As the years go on, it will become easier for economists to analyze just how positive or negative Brexit has been for the UK economy. Yet regardless of what that future data shows, it may not make much difference to those who voted Leave. Opinion polling shows that another referendum on EU membership would still be tight. A YouGov poll in May 2021 found that 45% felt the UK was right to leave, versus 44% who felt it wrong. The ruling Conservative Party, stacked with Leave voices in Cabinet, remains popular with voters. Most crucially, it is words like sovereignty and control that still appear to stir the passions of voters, not the lexicon of EU exports and imports. Clearly, for many millions, Brexit is a state of mind rather than a state of trade. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

0Business

Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic will reportedly be spending Saturday in an Australian immigration detention hotel in Melbourne, as he awaits a federal court decision on whether he will be deported. The hearing is due to take place Sunday morning. A witness for Reuters news agency reported seeing Djokovic arriving at the Park Hotel in Melbourne, which is the same immigration detention hotel where he was held for four days last last week. The Associated Press reported that the Djokovic had been seen on television footage in the back of a vehicle, wearing a facemask, "near an immigration detention hotel." Australian immigration authorities cancelled the star's visa for a second time on Friday, despite a court overturning the first visa cancelation. Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said on Friday that the decision was made "on health and good order grounds." Djokovic's legal team requested an injunction on his deportation, just hours after government's decision was made public. In court filings calling for his deportation, Australian authorities have argued Djokovic's continued presence in the country "may foster anti-vaccination sentiment." Djokovic's COVID-19 exemption, allowing him to play in the Australian Open, sparked heavy controversy. Australia has seen some of the world's most stringent lockdown measures since the global pandemic began. The original decision allowing exemption and entry to Australia to play in the events led to anger among many Australians. There has been much criticism over the star's vaccination status, but also the Australian government's handling of the situation. The unvaccinated star, who has won the Australian Open 9 times, was hoping to achieve a record 21st major title. If deported, Djokovic could be banned from entering Australia for three years.  kb/wmr (Reuters, AP)  

5Health

Should Russia decide to cut or even halt its pipeline natural gas supplies to Europe, it could get rather cold in Germany unless sufficient supplies of liquefied natural gas (LNG) are sourced. The problem is there are no LNG terminals in Germany for freighters to feed their cargo into the national pipeline system. But German Chancellor Olaf Scholz wants to change that as fast as possible. In response to Russia's war against Ukraine, he has announced the building of two LNG terminals in the country. Other European nations are better prepared. Across the continent, there are now 37 such terminals, out of which 26 are located in EU member states. According to the European Commission, LNG imports cover about a quarter of the bloc's overall gas demand. Germany currently has to get LNG deliveries via terminals in Belgium, France and the Netherlands. Hanseatic Energy Hub (HEH), which is planning a German LNG terminal in the northern city of Stade, said Germany must not rely on other European ports. "Going forward, other European terminals will keep receiving LNG," said HEH's Johann Killinger, pointing out that they were already approaching full capacity levels. "In the future, they won't be able to handle the overall demand on their own," he added. NGO Food & Water Action Europe disagrees. It claims that between January 2021 and January 2022 only some 40% of the terminals' capacity was used, saying there is still much room for maneuver. There have been plans for LNG terminals in Germany for years, with the potential locations most frequently mentioned being the northwestern cities of Stade, Brunsbüttel and Wilhelmshaven. A request for a building permit could be handed to the authorities in Stade over the next couple of weeks, according to Killinger. He said if everything goes according to plan, the terminal could be completed by 2026 and could take in 10% of Germany's gas requirements. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Germany aims to say goodbye to energy from fossil fuels by 2045. Until then, natural gas is considered to have a bridge function, as it is deemed to be less damaging to the environment in comparison to coal and oil. On the other hand, LNG has a bigger ecological footprint than pipeline gas. The cooling, liquefying and transport processes as well as the post-transport warming procedures require a lot of energy. The liquefying process alone commands between 10% and 25% of the gas' total energy content. So, is it really worth buying a new LNG port, which in the case of Stade would require an investment of €1 billion ($1.1 billion)? "We asked the German government whether it has an overview of LNG terminal capacities in its neighboring countries, and the answer was 'no, there's no complete overview yet'", said Sascha Müller-Kraenner from the German environmental pressure organization DUH. "If it emerges that storage capacities and imports are enough to meet gas demand — even if no more gas comes via Russian pipelines — we should not engage in this nonsense and focus solely on expanding renewable energy resources," he said. There's been criticism from other nature conservationists too, because LNG from the US in particular is based on the environmentally harmful fracking technology. "Fracking gas is no way of arriving at energy security, but it's part of a fossil fuel impasse," said Greenpeace's Gerald Neubauer. Terminal planners are aware of that criticism and fear a future where LNG is no longer desired. Killinger said help from the government is needed to make investments pay off nonetheless. He talks about assurances concerning the operating period of such terminals and the money operators will have to pay for feeding LNG into the national gas grid. In other nations, the fees paid for this are lower than those for pipeline gas, and Killinger hopes such indirect subsidies will become a reality in Germany as well. Constantin Zerger from the DUH lobby group said "granting a competitive edge for 25 years would be a severe blow to achieving climate neutrality by 2045." In Wilhelmshaven, earlier plans to build a terminal were buried toward the end of 2020 as demand for LNG slumped and the terminal would not have been profitable. But now things are moving again as policymakers want utility Uniper to reconsider the former project. Another option widely debated among planners is the possible conversion of LNG terminals into green hydrogen terminals in the future. The German government is very much in favor of using more hydrogen as a source of energy in the decades ahead. As not enough green hydrogen can be produced in Germany itself, it would have to be imported, and LNG terminals could be part of the solution, agrees German Economy Minister Robert Habeck. "We will need hydrogen terminals anyway, so we could use part of the LNG terminal infrastructure," he said. The question is how much you'd have to invest to turn LNG terminals into hydrogen terminals. "The transformation and retrofitting process is anything but simple," said the DUH's Müller-Kraenner. "Large parts of the installations will have to be replaced, and that's going to be very expensive again." Claudia Kemfert from the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) told public broadcaster NDR that "we'd need hydrogen terminals right from the start to implement the country's energy transition," adding that LNG terminals wouldn't make any sense as they would mean an investment in old technologies. If Germany succeeds in raising the share of renewables in its energy mix to 80% by 2030, dependence on Russian gas would decrease considerably," she said. On the other hand, LNG terminals could also handle gas made from renewables. But Müller-Kraenner argues there won't be a significant market in the near term for synthetic gas — hence the import of such gas would be technically feasible, but not practical. Gerald Neubauer agrees, saying that that the idea of importing synthetic methane or biogas boils down to greenwashing, all the more so since producing synthetic methane uses too much energy. "Biogas is only climate-friendly, if it's produced from residues, and available quantities of such gas are almost negligible." The US would profit from German LNG terminals. As a major gas exporter, the United States had been against Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline right from the start. For political reasons, that pipeline, which was built to pump Russian gas to many European countries, was halted over Russia's war in Ukraine. This article was originally written in German.

0Business

Nine-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic announced on Tuesday that he would defend his title at the January 17-30 event after receiving a medical exemption from getting vaccinated against COVID-19. He has previously refused to reveal whether he was vaccinated, putting his participation at the Melbourne tournament into doubt. Its organizers had stipulated that all participants must be vaccinated against the coronavirus or received a medical exemption issued by an independent panel of experts. "I've spent fantastic quality time with my loved ones over the break and today I'm heading Down Under with an exemption permission. Let's go 2022," he said said on Instagram. Djokovic's father, Srdjan, had told a Serbian television station in November that his son would probably not take part, calling Tennis Australia's insistence on mandatory vaccination "blackmail." Government officials in the eastern Australian state of Victoria, where the capital is Melbourne, had stated for months that only vaccinated players would be able to play. "They're the rules. Medical exemptions are just that — it's not a loophole for privileged tennis players," the state's Deputy Premier James Merlino said last month. Djokovic won the last three Australian Open titles in his record bag of nine. In Melbourne, he will vie for a record 21st Grand Slam title with archrival Rafael Nadal of Spain. Nadal recently recovered from COVID-19 and is already training in Melbourne. tj/msh (Reuters, AFP)       

9Sports

"It is totally normal here," reports Israeli vlogger Raz Gal-Or from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in northwest China. He then interviews two cotton farmers who state that there is no forced labor in the region. Through such videos, Gal-Or tries to show his personal view of political events in China. As the co-founder of "Y-Platform," Gal-Or is a successful media entrepreneur in China. The online network manages more than 30 influencers and video channels, followed altogether by more than 100 million subscribers on social media. On YouTube alone, which is officially blocked in China, Gal-Or has with his "Ychina" channel more than 250,000 subscribers, from abroad and from within China, where users access YouTube via a virtual private network (VPN). The Israeli media entrepreneur's own channel started with videos on cultural differences in everyday life, but Gal-Or is increasingly commenting on current political issues such as protests in Hong Kong, the persecution of Uyghurs in Xinjiang and the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. His videos are often quoted by the Chinese state media as showing "the real China." But along with the praise, Gal-Or's videos about Xinjiang have also been criticized by other social media users, who accuse him of "making blood money" and of having "staged" his content. His critics refer to reports from human rights organizations denouncing the persecution of Uyghurs, including through so-called re-education camps in Xinjiang. The United States and other countries even accuse China of committing genocide in the region. The government in Beijing rejects such accusations, yet does not authorize independent investigations in the area. Gal-Or did not respond to DW's interview request. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Gal-Or is not the only well-known vlogger in China who claims to promote the "truth" and defames Western criticism. British vlogger Jason Lightfoot also frequently posts videos with a similar narrative. His videos carry headlines such as "Western media lies about China" or "Western Media's Baseless Xinjiang Claims." This content is also reposted and quoted by state media. Earlier this year, the British daily The Times reported on Beijing's funding of various YouTubers from the UK to further support its propaganda war. Vlogger Jason Lightfoot was among those mentioned in the article. Even though he did not respond to the Times' requests for comment, shortly after the publication of the piece, he did criticize it in an interview with Chinese state broadcaster CGTN. He subsequently posted a video titled "Freedom of Expression in China?" in which he thanked the "lovely" broadcaster CGTN for the opportunity to express his views on the issue. According to the Times, Lightfoot had 35,000 followers on YouTube in January. That number has since increased to over 178,000. Commenting under his videos, countless users thank him for showing "the real China." Less frequent are comments in which viewers regret that Lightfoot no longer goes to different places with his wife to test food, as he used to do, but rather exclusively preaches about how perfect China is. In July, the BBC listed Gal-Or and Lightfoot among vloggers spreading Chinese Communist Party (CCP) disinformation. Here again, even though he refused to answer the BBC's questions, Lightfoot criticized the British broadcaster's publication in one of his YouTube videos. The vlogger did not react to DW's requests for comment either. The Chinese government often tries to defuse Western criticism by explicitly referring to favorable foreign commentators — for example in press conferences or on Twitter. This procedure even has a name in China: It's called "borrowing a mouth to speak."  It is nevertheless difficult to determine whether a YouTuber defending China is simultaneously collaborating with Beijing. For Bret Schafer, the strategy is to "find, promote, and amplify foreign voices that are essentially parroting China's arguments." Schafer is the head of the Information Manipulation Team at the Alliance for Securing Democracy in Washington, an institute that is part of the German Marshall Fund. "Regardless of whether the vloggers are funded (by the government or state media), they certainly receive benefits that average Chinese citizens or those who take a critical stance toward China are not entitled to," Schafer told DW. The vloggers can for example gain internet fame or media attention and possibly an extension of their residence permit in China. "Whether they are paid or not, I’d say it's likely that their affinity towards China or at least their antipathy towards the West is genuine," the expert adds, explaining that other countries too "have paid for-hire influencers to promote their causes/brands, but those tend to be short-term efforts." According to Schafer, Russia is another country that has been mobilizing "useful idiots" for the West for its own propaganda purposes. But while it has been doing this for years, "obviously it is new for China, and you can see from the amount of coverage in Chinese state media of these online commentators that there is a clear effort by the Chinese government to promote them to audiences abroad." Mareike Ohlberg, a Berlin-based Sinologist, also understands the idea behind deploying "independent Western voices" to make Chinese narratives more credible. What's new about the strategy, she says, is above all "an adaptation to the new media with their new channels and their new formats," she told DW, pointing out that the number of videos has extremely increased in the past year or two. Ohlberg has written her PhD thesis on Chinese foreign propaganda and is a Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund in Berlin, which focuses on transatlantic relations. Together with author Clive Hamilton, she has written a book called Hidden Hand: How the Chinese Communist Party is Reshaping the World. In the book, the experts discuss the ways in which China is trying to increase its influence in the West to become more powerful. Christoph Rehage is not surprised by the fact that the number of YouTubers like Gal-Or and Lightfoot is on the rise. The German author, who became famous for having walked through China and documenting his journey on Weibo (often described as the Chinese version of Twitter), had nearly 800,000 followers before censors deleted his account in 2015. For Rehage, there are definitely financial resources backing the influencer market, simply because "it is a market," he told DW. "At the end it's always about money, but not directly from the Communist Party of China, but from monetizing and advertisement," he says. Rehage has two YouTube channels, one in English and the other in Chinese, with a total of nearly 330,000 subscribers. The author not only knows China, he also speaks fluent Mandarin. He is certain that anyone who speaks good Chinese and has lived in China long enough would find it impossible not to know about the problems in the country. Rehage says that when he was active on Weibo from 2013 to 2015, he was invited by various Chinese platforms to cooperate with them. Their only condition was that he should not cross certain red lines. He never accepted this demand, but he can imagine that other influencers would, he says. But no one knows exactly where these red lines run. His impression is that as a result, everyone in China is constantly thinking about what can be said publicly and that this "keeps the population on a short leash." Experts like Ohlberg classify some of Gal-Or and Lightfoot's videos as clear propaganda, yet the researcher adds that it remains unclear "how such videos are received and who or where they are viewed because we don't have the relevant data." Accounts with six-figure followers are not uncommon among foreign YouTubers who claim to show the "real China." Many of their viewers who leave comments pose as grateful Chinese. Ultimately, according to the German Marshall Fund's China expert, Bret Schafer, "China is still interested in promoting its own brand, which is a harder sell for audiences in the West." Opinion polls suggest Beijing's strategy is not working: Even though China presents itself confidently online, its reputation in most Western countries has declined dramatically in recent years. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video  

4Culture

The National People's Congress, China's annual parliamentary event, opens Friday in Beijing. For the second straight year, it will be a mostly virtual event because of the coronavirus pandemic.    Although the NPC is China's main legislature, the Communist Party ensures that important decisions are made long before any proposals reach the body. The party sometimes uses the NPC to reveal major policy and personnel changes. The outlook for the economy and Hong Kong's future, among others, will be under discussion at the gathering, which lasts 10 to 14 days. China was able to get the pandemic under control relatively early and more effectively than most other countries, ensuring a quick economic recovery. Still, the health crisis' negative impact on the global economy and the continuing trade dispute with the US mean Chinese firms face a lot of uncertainty.  For Chinese economic planners, strengthening domestic demand and consumption remains key to ensuring sustained growth.  This issue has long preoccupied Beijing, said Caroline Meinhardt, a research associate at the Berlin-based China research institute MERICS. But following this strategy means the government faces a challenge in the long run, she added. "Significantly strengthening demand-led growth would require a significant redistribution of income to ordinary households," the expert told DW. Nis Grünberg, a colleague of Meinhardt's at MERICS, said: "The focus in the coming years will be on strengthening the country's own economy and industry, and expanding social systems, especially in health and education." Another area of focus is boosting domestic innovation and investment in future technologies. The trade row with the United States has highlighted China's vulnerabilities, particularly with regard to its heavy reliance on global suppliers for high-tech components such as semiconductors. "At the moment, China is still far from becoming technologically independent," Meinhardt said. "Thanks to enormous government support and private investment, China is likely to produce significant achievements in some subsectors in the coming years," she added.  "But how independent China can actually become depends, among other things, on whether and how US export controls are tightened, and Chinese companies can close their existing know-how gaps without access to foreign technologies," Meinhardt said. Once again, the NPC is likely to celebrate China's victory in the fight against poverty, a win that was already announced at the end of 2020. Officially, all municipalities across the country were able to lift their populations out of absolute poverty. The Chinese government views any household earning less than 4,000 yuan (€515/$620) per year or 11 yuan per day as poor. That is slightly lower than the World Bank's threshold of $1.90. As planned, the victory over poverty comes in the 100th year of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party in 1921. "However, the task now is to raise the hundreds of millions of Chinese living in precarious economic and employment conditions to a middle-class standard of living, and to combat growing inequality," Grünberg said. "More investment in education and the creation of jobs, also outside urban centers, will be necessary to maintain the standard achieved." Wu Qiang, a Beijing-based political analyst, has a similar view. Looking ahead to the five-year plan, he said, it will be about "managing the balance of power between the central government and the provinces, regulating the distribution of resources, and balancing the regional discrepancies in economic development." Transforming the Chinese economy to turn it into a "green economy" or a carbon-neutral one, is high on the list of priorities of the leadership in Beijing. The far-reaching goals of the party leadership are, however, sometimes at odds with priorities in the provinces, where new coal-fired power plants are still being connected to the grid. According to a recent directive from the State Council, China's targeted "green transformation" in the manufacturing, transportation and consumption sectors is expected to have taken "initial shape" by 2025. And, by 2035, the scope of "green industry" should have reached a whole new level, with all energy-intensive and polluting industries — from steel to paper production — required to switch to "green" production methods by then. The China experts at MERICS cite three reasons why the planned "greening" of China should be taken seriously. First, the Communist Party leadership sees its power and legitimacy guaranteed in the long term only with a sustainable economy and healthy environment. Second, the trade conflict with the United States has made the leadership aware of the need for an efficient and sustainable energy and food supply from its own sources. Third, the massive investment in green production and consumption offers China the prospect of technological world leadership. Climate policy is the only area where President Xi Jinping can currently win friends and allies on the international stage, especially in the West. Beijing's actions in Hong Kong and places such as Xinjiang have drawn sharp criticism from the EU and the United States. In June, the NPC Standing Committee passed the so-called National Security Law for Hong Kong. Since then, a number of pro-democracy politicians and activists have been brought to trial on charges of violating one or more of its far-reaching provisions. Still, it seems that Beijing seeks to further tighten its grip on the financial hub. Xia Baolong, director of the State Council Office for Hong Kong and Macao Affairs, recently stressed that Hong Kong must be ruled by "patriots." Wu said that suggested that an overhaul of the election law is on the way. "The defeat of the pro-Beijing camp in the November 2019 district council elections had shocked the Chinese leadership," Wu said. "Since then, they have been trying to prevent results unfavorable to Beijing by intervening in Hong Kong's electoral system." Pointing to the pandemic, authorities postponed elections to the Hong Kong Legislative Council by over a year. They are now expected to take place by December. Several opposition lawmakers have already had their mandates revoked because of their anti-government criticism and activities. China has been able to keep the number of new coronavirus infections at a manageable level by rigorously implementing contact-tracing, isolation and quarantine measures. For most Chinese, the health crisis seems to be long over. However, Wu said the pandemic remains a challenge for the Chinese leadership. "It remains a major issue," Wu said. "In recent weeks, controls on access roads to Beijing have been tightened again in preparation for the NPC meeting. The additional protective measures for delegates show that there is great fear of a new outbreak." The nearly 3,000 delegates must each undergo several PCR tests before traveling to Beijing and during their stay, and their body temperature is measured daily. They are practically only allowed to stay in the hotel and in the Great Hall of the People, the meeting venue. COVID vaccination has been "recommended" for all of them. The article was translated from German and was updated after the start of the NPC.

7Politics

The German football team's decision not to kneel before kick-off against Hungary is a bad look for all involved. Kneeling has become a powerful symbol of protest against racial inequality in the game since it was widely adopted in the wake of the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests in the United States. Against England, just days ago, Germany agreed to join the visiting team in kneeling as a sign of solidarity and a reaffirmation in their belief in the cause of anti-racism. But days later in Budapest, playing against Hungary, that solidarity was nowhere to be seen. That's the thing with showing support for racial inequality. If you really believe in it, you can't just do it because the opposition are doing it. Before their game against Germany, England's players kneeled in Budapest and were booed as a result. This England team has been steadfast in their show of support throughout the last year. But where was Germany's when a harder test for solidarity came? Were they afraid of being jeered too? Some might argue that shows of support like this are not that important, and when compared with more direct forms of anti-racism activism, they'd be right. But in an industry where the words and actions of individuals and organisations carry so much weight, even symbolic gestures matter. Take last summer, when Germany played Hungary during the Euros. After Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban passed horrendous anti-LGBTQ laws, Munich wanted to light up their stadium in rainbow colors as a show of support. UEFA denied them the chance to do so, calling the decision 'political.' Instead, many fans showed up in, or with, rainbow colors. Germany captain Manuel Neuer wore a rainbow armband and Leon Goretzka, scorer of their late equalizer, celebrated in front of the Hungary fans by shaping his hands into a heart. That display, off the back of a result that kept Germany in the tournament, revealed so much about the character of the team and the values it cares about. It would have been refreshing to see those displayed again in Budapest, to see Germany not just kneel before the game but also to have worn rainbow laces or armbands. That kind of support, particularly during pride month, would have shown that Germany acknowledges that the fight for racial equality continues, that the LGBTQ+ community in Hungary still needs support, and that its players still wear their values on their sleeves. Instead, all that's left is a feeling of disappointment at an opportunity missed. Edited by Ruairi Casey

9Sports

When the Earth shook the Los Angeles region on the night of January 17, 1994, many houses, bridges and power lines were toppled. At that moment, the brightly illuminated metropole was plunged into darkness. People torn from their beds emerged to the reality of having been hit by an earthquake. They also, according to local observatories and police stations who reportedly received phone calls to this effect at the time, emerged to alleged sightings of a "giant silvery cloud" in the sky. What they were seeing was actually the Milky Way and stars which until then, had remained obscured behind the dazzling city lights. The 19th-century invention of electric light was a genuine revolution, and over a century later, it is hard to imagine a life without it. Yet today, more than 80% of the world's population live under light-polluted skies. In Singapore, for example, nights have become so bright that people's eyes now struggle to adapt to real darkness.  Christopher Kyba, a scientist at the Potsdam-based German Research Center for Geosciences, describes the introduction of artificial light as "one of the most dramatic changes we've made to the biosphere." He says throughout evolution, there was a constant signal coming from the environment. "This is daytime, this is nighttime, this is the lunar month. In areas that experience strong light pollution, that signal has been dramatically changed."  Scientists estimate our planet is becoming 2% brighter every year, with the consequences of that increase growing ever more visible. People living in big cities are likely to be most affected by too much artificial light.  "It's just horrible. You can see the orange glow across the whole of Mumbai," said Nilesh Desai, an IT worker and light pollution activist in India's second-largest city.  "Lights used to be on until 12:00 a.m. or sometimes until 3:00 a.m.," he said, in reference to illuminated billboards, floodlights and streetlamps. "I used to get disturbed by those lights, you know, bright lights coming into my room, my bedroom, and it definitely impacted me because I could not sleep." When he lodged a complaint with the authorities in 2018, they ignored him. Science shows links between artificial light and eye injury, sleeplessness, obesity and in some cases, even depression. A US study on shift workers from 2007 even makes a connection with breast cancer. It is all related to melatonin, a hormone that is released when it gets dark. "When we don't get that hormone, when we don't produce that hormone because we're exposed to so much light in our apartment, or as a shift worker, then the whole working of this biological clock system becomes problematic,” Kyba said. It's not only humans that need a natural day-night rhythm. Wildlife also struggles to adapt to the use of artificial light at night. Corals, for example, don't reproduce as usual, migratory birds can lose their sense of orientation, and, rather than walking toward the sea, newly hatched turtles have been found walking inland, where they die.  "There is a tremendous change because the increase of brightness at nighttime is new to evolution," Sibylle Schroer, a scientist at the Leibniz Institute for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries in Berlin told DW. Insects are also affected. One study suggested that an estimated 100 billion nocturnal insects die in Germany each summer as a result of artificial light. Usually reliant on the moon for orientation, the critters become so distracted by bright streetlamps for example, that they fly around them all night. They then die from exhaustion, are too weak to reproduce or become easy prey for predators.   Another report published in 2016 showed that plants growing near streetlights are pollinated significantly less often at night and produce less fruit than their unlit counterparts. Even trees feel the impact of light at night, budding earlier and with later leaf fall than others. With fossil fuels still the main source of global electricity production, the unnecessary use of light at night also contributes to air pollution and climate change. According to Pavan Kumar, a scientist at the Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, "More than 12 million tons of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere each year due to extreme nighttime light."  With better light management and urban planning, those emissions could be significantly reduced, and resources and money could be saved, he continued. So far, movement on such measures has been slow. France and Croatia have taken the lead, introducing legal limits on excessive nighttime illumination by imposing bans on lights in eco-sensitive areas. In some places, like in parts of France, there are set times when lights in public spaces have to be dimmed or switched off. Back in Mumbai, after protests from citizens like Nilesh Desai, city representatives have indicated they are willing to reduce light pollution. In a victory for Desai, a stadium close to his home has been told to remove its floodlights. As there is very little legislation around the regulation of light pollution, Mumbai politicians have also called on the Indian environment ministry to implement laws.   Desai hopes it won't take a blackout to see the Milky Way over his city one night. This article was adapted from German by Tim Schauenberg.

6Nature and Environment

After Wednesday's appointment of geology professor Najla Bouden Romdhane as the first female prime minister in the Arab World, the 63-year-old is facing mixed feelings in Tunisia. While some wonder if Bouden could become the symbol of women's progress and empowerment in Tunisia and the Middle East, others fear that President Kais Saied might exploit her limited political experience to his advantage. Lina Khatib, director of the Middle East and North Africa programme at the London-based think tank Chatham House, is convinced that choosing a woman was a strategic move by Saied. "But it remains to be seen whether this is a move towards retaining power in the presidency, while appeasing the public, or towards giving a platform to a competent face from outside the political parties to overcome the fragmentation and weakness that have marred Tunisia's previous governments," Khatib told DW. The past weeks strongly point towards the first line of thought. Only last week, Saied announced that he would begin to act by decree, select a new Cabinet and start to revamp Tunisia's hard-won 2014 constitution via a committee that he would appoint himself. Under the decree, he also has the power to appoint the PM. Bouden is the first person he has appointed since.   The emergency decree also means that, at least for now, he will remain in a position that would limit Bouden's political scope. "By choosing a publicly fairly unknown geologist, Saied raises hopes, since Bouden has never been accused of corruption. However, he also raises skepticism since one might wonder if he selected her as show-off since she is clearly lacking experience in the political field," Hoda Salah, political scientist at the University of Frankfurt, told DW. Despite some applause for the new prime minister on social media, it is not just Tunisian women's organizations that remain skeptical when it comes to forecasting Bouden's political future. Former Human Rights Minister Samir Dilou wrote on Facebook: "The decision deserves praise. Is it really a historic moment? Unfortunately not, the symbolism of appointing a woman to this "high" position coincides with the suspension of the constitution and the uniqueness of the president of the republic with pharaonic powers". Dilou added that "the pride that Tunisia has always carried when it comes to empowering women and equal opportunities remains tainted by the bitterness of being the head of the government of a country that is undergoing a coup against constitutional legitimacy." Some women's organizations are even more outspoken in their disbelief in Bouden's political scope. "The message that is screaming at us is "a woman only gets the job when the job is not important anymore." It would have been a different story if he appointed her instead of Mechichi or Fakhfakh," Fida Hammami, the Middle East and North Africa advocacy coordinator at the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom wrote on Twitter.  The former Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi had been dismissed by President Saied after he had granted himself emergency powers on July 25. Elyes Fakhfakh was Mechichi's predecessor and had left office in July 2020. "Kais Saied tokenizing a woman in this particular political context, setting her up to fail and giving her a void mandate is not a symbolic gesture, it's a farce," Fida Hammami believes. So far, Bouden hasn't said much in public, and her Twitter account only shows two tweets, one of which says "I am honored to be the first woman to hold the position of prime minister in Tunisia. I will work to form a coherent government to face the country's economic difficulties, fight corruption, and respond to the demands of Tunisians regarding their natural rights to transport, health, and education. However, she didn't say anything in the video message that Saied published to announce the new prime minister. In Tunisia's capital Tunis, the opinions vary among women about their new prime minister. "I am very happy with this appointment, based on the principle of feminist solidarity. The first Arab woman in this position is positive, previously, the position was reserved for men," Olfa Karamosli, a Tunis-based employee, told DW. However, pensioner Kawthar Al Hammami believes that "it would have been better if the president had appointed a strong man of confidence and integrity, who knows the needs of the people and has the ability to lead the government. That is because women are always in a position of weakness, and Bouden cannot be strong against some people," she told DW. Bouden is Tunisia's 10th prime minister since the 2011 uprising that ousted long-time President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Ever since, Tunisia has been at the forefront of Arab countries in terms of women's rights, granting women full legal equality, ending polygamy and granting them the right to marry non-Muslims or ´dress as they see fit. However, Saied has not been known as outspoken women's advocate. Recently, he rejected a bill on women being able to inherit. "Saied is a very conservative politician and outspoken against the LBGT community, human rights or youth rights but despite the skepticism, it is really important to point out that, overall, it is a wonderful step for Arab women that a woman is the new Tunisian prime minister," Hoda Salah added.  

7Politics

Female artistic gymnasts have been putting up with leotards for years. The standard for athletes taking part in international competition who did not have a religious reason for covering their whole body was outfits which showed their legs and were tight-fitting in other areas. But then three Germans at last week's European Championships decided to don full-body clothing, or a "unitard," in what their national federation said was a stand against "sexualization in gymnastics". Now one of the trio, Elisabeth Seitz, has told DW in an interview that she hopes more athletes across sports will take their lead and cover up at the Tokyo Olympics in July and August. "I would love to see more gymnasts wearing the so-called unitard but not just in gymnastics, I want every woman in every sport to have the opportunity to decide by herself what she wants to wear," said Seitz, who competed at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics and won bronze at the 2018 World Championships on the uneven bars. "[The governing bodies] should tell all the athletes that they can decide by themselves what they want to wear as long as it is possible in their sports to wear this." The Tokyo Olympics, delayed for a year by the coronavirus, needs some good publicity when it comes to female rights. One of two sexism rows led to the Games chief resigning and being replaced with a woman.    The sport of gymnastics has also been rocked by a series of scandals in recent years. In the US, Larry Nassar, a doctor at USA Gymnastics, was convicted of the sexual abuse of hundreds of young gymnasts. Olympic champion Simone Biles said she was one of his victims. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video There is nothing in the rules of gymnastics that stops women from wearing full-body outfits, but the leotard with bare legs has prevailed in the artistic version for decades. World governing body FIG told DW: "The possibility to wear unitards in competitions has been stated in the FIG rules for several years. In rhythmic gymnastics, for example, many gymnasts are used to wearing full-legged leotards. FIG is pleased to see that athletes know that they can choose attire they feel the most comfortable with to compete." Unitards are, therefore, perfectly legal in Tokyo as well. "The International Federations are responsible for establishing and enforcing the rules concerning the practice of their respective sports (Iincluding clothing)," the International Olympic Committee told DW. Gymnasts have long been nervous that their outfit might slip when doing the splits or jumps in certain events, revealing more than they would like. It's all a question of feeling comfortable, a major reason why Seitz, Sarah Voss and Kim Bui decided to wear the new outfit at the European Championships in the Swiss city of Basel. Voss made the move first and then the other two followed in the all-around final. Seitz then switched back to a shorter leotard. "It is not that we want to show everybody that you now have to wear this new suit," said Seitz, who looks well set to compete in Tokyo. "It is more about wearing what you want and whenever you want to wear it. I decided by myself what I wanted to wear and that is what everybody should do. "Nobody tried before to change things. We knew that when we wore this new leotard, everyone will look at us. It is good that everybody is now discussing it," she said. Their crusade might already be catching on. British-Jamaican gymnast Danusia Francis told the BBC that the suit "gives the power of choice back" to female gymnasts. The first test was the European Trampolining Championships in Sochi, which also comes under the auspices of gymnastics and started this week.  "The full body leotards are also allowed in trampoline, in fact in all disciplines. European Gymnastics supports gymnasts to make their own choice of leotards and feel comfortable to compete," European Gymnastics told DW. One Olympic sport where full body outfits become complicated is swimming. At the 2009 World Championships in Rome, suddenly all the competitors — both male and female — were wearing full-body suits. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video But this was nothing to do with covering up and instead to do with speed: The full-body suits allowed swimmers to power quicker through the water. The governing body promptly banned them as world records were falling every other race. Now female swimmers must wear suits that do not go past the shoulders or knees. But what about performance in gymnastics? Do longer suits help or hinder?  "For me it was easy to change the leotard because in training we often wear tights over our normal, traditional leotards so it wasn't that special for me," said Seitz. "I think you just have to train a little bit with the new suit and then it is totally fine."

9Sports

Germans take data protection seriously. And with good reason: Their experience under two dictatorships in the 20th-century have made people extremely aware of the dangers. This becomes even more apparent whenever the state wants to collect more private information. For example, a weekslong controversial debate was recently mounted about what data should be available in the federal government's coronavirus contact-tracing app. In the end, a compromise was agreed: Data could be collected if stored anonymously and decentrally. This is not the case in a draft bill that was approved this week. The bill allows data on foreigners living in Germany to be collected centrally, including in some cases highly sensitive personal information, such as political beliefs and sexual orientation. Experts warn that this could pose a danger to those affected. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The Central Register of Foreigners (AZR), the database that is to be expanded, already exists. Every non-German who stays in the country for more than three months has a file. In the case of refugees, additional information is stored, such as fingerprints and information on health status. The new law would add people's German addresses, their foreign identification number, and asylum files and court rulings on the asylum process, among other things. Until now, this information has been stored by approximately 600 local foreigner offices. Now it will move to the central register, where it will then be available to a large number of authorities: including job centers, the federal police and youth welfare offices. There are about 150,000 people authorized to access them, who can easily find individuals' most intimate details. Thilo Weichert of the German Association for Data Protection told DW that there is nothing wrong in principle with more digitization of foreigners' data. For example, asylum applications are often delayed when people move to different parts of the country. Files are often exchanged between authorities by mail and sometimes get lost. An asylum-seeker from Iraq told DW that this is how highly sensitive documents from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) ended up in the mailbox of the person who moved into his house after he left. Duplicate registration of individuals by authorities can also have devastating consequences for asylum seekers. A centralized database would prevent this. But Weichert, as well as numerous experts — among them charities, LGBTQ associations, privacy experts and even some administrators — believe that the law is unbalanced and flawed. Rarely have experts been as united as they were at a hearing on May 3, saying the draft focused on the benefits for the authorities but paid little attention to the rights of those affected. They would not have the opportunity to know what happens to their data and who can access it. "I also assume that the secret services of the persecuting states have employees in the German authorities," Weichert said. With the AZR, "data from people who are politically persecuted would now be delivered to them on a silver platter." There is hardly any control by the authorities over who sees the data. This is shown by the experiences of Amin L. (whose full name is known to DW but being protected here). He came to Germany as an asylum-seeker. In his home country, he said, he is on a death list. Amin learned German, made rapid progress and began training as a geriatric nurse. This gave him good prospects for a residence permit. He duly wrote in a Facebook group about his experience of the Skilled Worker Immigration Act as a way to come to Germany legally. Shortly afterward, he received a message via Facebook: The sender asked him not to give refugees false hope. As proof that he was a civil servant and therefore a person of authority, the sender sent an extract from the AZR the next day. This contained personal information, including Amin L.'s address. Amin became afraid, suspecting that the persecuting state would now also have access to his data and possibly target him in Germany as well. "I was shocked," he said. "that something like this could happen in Germany. I no longer felt safe, I got out of my apartment and seriously considered leaving the country." Despite filing charges against the sender of the messages, the prosecutor's office investigated for only a short time and then dropped the case. Journalists from the German public broadcaster ARD later found out that the perpetrator, in this case, was not a secret service agent, but an employee at the job center. The fact that an employee of any authority can gain unhindered access to sensitive information could indicate that the AZR is not sufficiently protected against being misused. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The government's draft has also met with opposition from politicians. Luise Amtsberg, a spokeswoman on refugee policy for the Greens, told DW: "We are responsible for the people who have sought protection in Germany. Now we are exposing them to danger." In addition, she said, the massive encroachment on the informational self-determination of foreigners is not justified. This article was translated from German. While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society, with an eye toward understanding this year's elections and beyond. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter Berlin Briefing, to stay on top of developments as Germany enters the post-Merkel era.

8Society

The Iranian Noor-2 satellite has reached a low orbit on the Ghased satellite carrier, state media reported on Tuesday. The launch comes as world powers await Tehran's decision over the country's nuclear deal. Placing a second satellite in space orbit would represent a major step for Iran's military, and raises concerns about Tehran's nuclear and missile programs. "Iran's second military satellite, named Noor-2, has been launched into space by the Qassed rocket of the aerospace wing of the Revolutionary Guards and successfully placed in orbit 500 kilometers [310 miles] above the Earth," the official IRNA news agency reported. The US claims that Iran's satellite launches breach a UN Security Council resolution. It has called on Tehran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. Washington has said the same long-range ballistic technology used to put satellites into orbit could also allow Tehran to launch longer-range weapons. It said these could even include nuclear warheads. Tehran has rejected US claims that its activities are a cover for the development of such ballistics. No pictures of the latest launch, also reported by the semiofficial news agency Tasnim, or the satellite, were initially released. The first Noor satellite, the name meaning "light," was launched by Iran in April 2020. The rocket used a similar combination of liquid and solid fuel that carried the first military satellite. The country has experienced several failed satellite launches in recent years due to technical issues. In December, Iran failed to put three payloads into orbit after the rocket carrying them was unable to reach the necessary speed, a Defense Ministry spokesman said. That attempted launch brought criticism from the United States, Germany and France. rc/rt (AP, Reuters)

7Politics

Israel's legislature announced on Monday it will vote on approving a new government, formed by opponents of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on June 14. "A session of parliament to establish the government will be set within seven days, that means by 14 June, 2021," parliamentary speaker Yariv Levin said, setting in motion preparations for a confidence vote in the new government to take place. "An announcement regarding a date for the session to establish [Israel's] 36th government will be conveyed down the line to members of parliament." Opposition leader Yair Lapid garnered enough support last week to form a new government comprising of an eight-party coalition. If approved in Monday's vote, the new administration would be made up of two left-wing, two centrist and three right-wing parties, along with an Arab Islamic conservative party. It will be the first time an Arab party has been part of the Israeli government. The cross-partisan coalition is held together by its willingness to unseat Netanyahu and end his 12 consecutive years in office. For the coalition to begin its work, a majority of the 120 legislators must vote in favor of the plan.  Should the June 14 vote pass, the coalition government leadership would lie with right-wing nationalist Naftali Bennett of the religious nationalist Yamina party for two years, followed by centrist opposition leader and former television personality Yair Lapid for the remaining two years. The current prime minister hit out at the deal to end his second stint in office, pointing to promises made by his former protege Naftali Bennett never to serve in government with Yair Lapid. Netanyahu accused his political rivals Sunday of "the greatest election fraud in the history of any democracy." Hours after the prime minister's comments, Bennett called on the country's longest-serving leader not to leave "scorched earth" and that he needed to accept that "people are allowed to establish a government — even if you don't head it." Netanyahu is not expected to give up his position without a fight. His supporters have been working to win backing from lawmakers unsure of Bennett's plans to form government with Jewish leftists and Arab conservatives. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The prime minister is also facing corruption charges stemming from 2019 which could result in jail time. The 71-year-old stands accused of accepting inappropriate gifts and attempting to trade regulatory favors with media moguls in exchange for positive coverage throughout his time in office. He is also accused of accepting cigars, champagne and jewelry worth in excess of 70,000 shekels (€180,000, $219,000) from rich acquaintances in exchange for favors. Netanyahu denies he acted inappropriately and maintains the charges are an attempt to have him removed from office. His trial got underway in May 2020, but as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hearings have been repeatedly postponed. The current political turmoil comes just weeks after clashes between Israel and Gaza. jlw/aw (Reuters, AP, AFP, dpa)

7Politics

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has died after being shot on Friday during a campaign event in western Japan, the hospital where he was treated confirmed. "Shinzo Abe was transported to [the hospital] at 12:20 p.m. (0320 GMT) He was in a state of cardiac arrest upon arrival. Resuscitation was administered. However, unfortunately, he died at 5:03 p.m.," Hidetada Fukushima, a doctor at the Nara Medical University Hospital, said. Police said a 41-year-old man had been arrested. Local media reported the suspect had served in the navy and left Japan's Self-Defense Force in 2005. According to public broadcaster NHK, the suspect confessed to police that he was unhappy with Abe and intended to kill him. The attack has shocked a nation with some of the world's strictest gun control laws. Police said that the shooter used a homemade gun. Journalist Sonja Blaschke in Tokyo told DW that lots of people have "condemned the violence as the country is not used to events like this... The question is how the attacker could get past security." An NHK reporter on the scene said they could hear two consecutive bangs during Abe's speech. Media reports said Abe was shot from behind and hit in the neck and chest area.  Abe, 67, collapsed and was bleeding from the neck, a source from his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) said. NHK footage showed Abe collapsed on the street, surrounded by several security guards. He was holding his chest with his shirt smeared with blood.  "He was giving a speech and a man came from behind," a woman at the scene told NHK.  "The first shot sounded like a toy. He didn't fall and there was a large bang. The second shot was more visible, you could see the spark and smoke," she added.  The Nara Medical University Hospital said that Abe arrived at the hospital already showing no vital signs. They said he had bullet wounds to the neck and chest and that he died from blood loss, despite attempts by doctors to administer large quantities of blood transfusions. Police later raided the home of the man who was arrested over the shooting, where they reportedly found possible explosives, according to NHK. Police also said they had confiscated "several handmade gun-like items." "The suspect stated that he held a grudge against a particular organization and that he committed the crime because he believed former prime minister Abe had a connection to it," a senior police officer said. Police were reportedly investigating the claim about the organization which Japanese media described as being a religious group. A government spokesperson said Prime Minister Kishida had suspended his election campaign following the news of the shooting. He and his Cabinet ministers are returning to Tokyo. Kishida called the shooting "unforgivable." He said Japan could not accept that this violent act took place during an election. "It is a barbaric act during election campaigning, which is the foundation of democracy, and it is absolutely unforgivable. I condemn this act in the strongest terms," he said. His government has reportedly set up a crisis team. Japan is due to hold elections for its upper house of parliament on Sunday, with the LDP projected to win convincingly. However, Kishida insisted that the election will go ahead as planned. "We must absolutely defend free and fair elections, which are the basis of democracy. We will proceed with our election campaign tomorrow as planned with the firm conviction that we will never yield to violence," he said. "Everyone, whether they are on the left or right in the Diet, is expressing their condolences," said Akitoshi Miyashita, a professor of international relations at Tokyo International University.  "Something like this is truly shocking in Japan, although there have been other attacks on politicians in the past," he said, pointing to the death of Koki Ishii in October 2002. Ishii, a member of the Democratic Party of Japan, was attacked by a man armed with a knife on the doorstep of his home in Tokyo. The assailant was later identified as a member of a far-right nationalist group that opposed his political views.  World leaders reacted with shock at the shooting. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he was "stunned and deeply saddened" by the news of Abe's death. Abe, a grandson of former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, was Japan's longest-serving premier. He was in office for a year in 2006 and then from 2012 to 2020. Abe was 52 when he first came into power. His first, turbulent term was marked by scandals and discord. His sudden resignation was initially thought to be due to political reasons, but he later cited a medical condition. He became prime minister again in 2012 and introduced "Abenomics" — a plan to revive Japan's economy, which involved vast government spending, massive monetary easing, and cutting red tape. His terms were also marked by a failed attempt to rewrite Japan's post-war pacifist constitution and his revisionist view on the country's imperialist past, both of which stemmed from his grandfather, Kishi, who served as an official in territories occupied by imperial Japan during the Second World War before becoming prime minister. He stepped down in August 2020, saying his chronic health problem had resurfaced.  Julian Ryall in Tokyo contributed to this report. ab, ss/rt (AP, AFP, Reuters)

7Politics

Germany recorded almost 5,000 coronavirus infections on Wednesday as Bavaria's State Premier Markus Söder said a fourth wave is inevitable. "What is clear is that this fourth wave is coming, and definitely in the autumn," Söder said, before warning "the current infection rates are not sufficient to be carefree." Söder said that vaccinations would remain voluntary, but that those who refused the jab would have to take some responsibility, and that taxpayers could not cover their tests forever. He urged people to get the vaccine, saying testing is not enough, and warned of further outbreaks. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 4,996 on Wednesday, according to data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases. This is the highest number since May. The reported death toll rose by 14, however the average weekly deaths are well down from peak levels. Here are the latest developments on coronavirus from around the world: South Korea has reported over 2,200 new COVID infections, a record since the country recorded its first case last year. The recent spike has been attributed to the more transmissible Delta variant and a rise in travel within the country over summer months, Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol said. "(We) are at a critical period that could be a turning point for further increases in infections if we fail to stop the current spread," President Moon Jae-in said, calling for continued cooperation from his fellow citizens.   To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video India has recorded over 32 million coronavirus infections since the pandemic began, the health ministry reported on Wednesday. More than 429,000 deaths were recorded. Authorities in the Australian city of Melbourne have extended the city’s stay-at-home orders for a second week after 20 new cases of the virus were reported. Australia’s second-largest city was set to exit its sixth lockdown on Thursday but Victoria state Premier Dan Andrews has confirmed the extension until at least August 19. "If we were to open, then we would see cases akin to what is happening, tragically, in Sydney right now," Andrews said, referring to an outbreak in the country’s most populous city. Sydney has reported thousands of cases despite being in week seven of a lockdown. Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine lowers the risk of hospitalization by 20 times compared to those who have not been vaccinated, Gamaleya Centre’s deputy director for scientific work Denis Logunov said. Logunov also said the vaccine was effective against newer strains of the virus.  To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Thousands of people in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius gathered to protest against the government’s planned restrictions for the unvaccinated and those who refuse to get tested. Protests turned violent late into the night as several people called for the resignation of the government.  US states are struggling to control another spike in infections linked to the Delta variant. Health officials in Texas reported that more than 10,000 people have been hospitalized with COVID-19 for the first time since early February. Hawaii is set to re-impose restrictions that limit social gatherings to prevent further straining the state's healthcare, Governor David Ige said, as the spread of the new variant pushed hospitalizations to a six-month high in the country. The rising number of cases also pushed the September 19 Emmy Awards ceremony outdoors.  "The Television Academy and CBS have decided to host all ceremonies ... on the Event Deck at L.A. LIVE, directly behind the Microsoft Theater," the Television Academy said in a statement. The Los Angeles event was initially set to be held indoors with a limited celebrity audience. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video see/aw (Reuters, AFP, AP, Interfax, dpa)

5Health

Archaeologists found the fossil remains of nine Neanderthal men in a cave near Rome, Italy's Culture Ministry said on Saturday. Eight of them date to between 50,000 and 68,000 years ago, while the oldest could be 90,000 or 100,000 years old, the ministry said in a statement. Archeologists made the major discovery in Grotta Guattari — prehistoric caves found more than 80 years ago — situated about 100 meters (328 feet) from the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea in San Felice Circeo in Italy's Lazio region. "Together with two others found in the past on the site, they bring the total number of individuals present in the Guattari Cave to 11, confirming it as one of the most significant sites in the world for the history of Neanderthal man," the ministry said. Culture Minister Dario Franceschini praised the find as "an extraordinary discovery which the whole world will be talking about." Archaeologists began conducting new research into the Guattari Cave in October 2019. The cave was initially found by accident by a group of workers in 1939. Paleontologist Albert Carlo Blanc discovered a well-preserved Neanderthal skull shortly afterward. The cave had been closed off by an ancient landslide. Excavations also uncovered bones, craniums and other body parts at the site, as well animal remains such as the aurochs — an extinct bovine — and elephant, rhinoceros, giant deer, cave bears, wild horses and hyenas. "Many of the bones found show clear signs of gnawing," the ministry statement said.  Neanderthals are the closest known ancient relatives of humans. In 2016, scientists found that Neanderthals from Siberia's Altai mountains may have shared 1-7% of their genetics with the ancestors of modern humans. "Neanderthal man is a fundamental stage in human evolution, representing the apex of a species and the first human society we can talk about," said local director of anthropology Mario Rubini.  Rubini said the discovery of the Neanderthal remains near Rome will shed an "important light on the history of the peopling of Italy." Neanderthals died out around 40,000 years ago. Scientists have suggested that factors including increased competition from modern humans as well as climate change which killed them off. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video mvb/jlw (Reuters, AFP)

4Culture

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the world is in a "sorry state" while speaking in Davos at the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting on Wednesday. Guterres said a number of issues, including climate change and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, are "piling up like cars in a chain reaction crash." The UN chief said that increasing geopolitical division is undermining efforts to tackle global challenges such as soaring inflation and supply-chain disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He added that high debt levels are "pounding" developing countries. Guterres said the world is "looking into the eye of a Category 5 hurricane." "Our world is being plagued by a perfect storm on a number of fronts," he added. Guterres called climate change an "existential challenge" for humanity. He added that the commitment to limit the Earth's temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius "is nearly going up in smoke," referring to the target set by the Paris Agreement in 2015. He said that the "battle is being lost" and that every week brings "a new climate horror." Guterres also criticized oil firms for promoting skepticism on climate change, referring to a recent study that found scientists at US oil and gas giant ExxonMobil made predictions with "shocking accuracy" several decades ago at a time when the company publicly doubted global warming. "We learned last week that certain fossil fuel producers were fully aware in the 1970s that their core product was baking our planet," he said in his speech. "Some in Big Oil peddled the big lie." "Just like the tobacco industry, they rode rough-shod over their own science," Guterres said. "And like the tobacco industry, those responsible must be held to account." ExxonMobil is the target of a number of lawsuits in the United States. sdi/ar (AP, Reuters, dpa) To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

7Politics

The United Nations warned Ethiopia on Friday that it has no legal right to expel seven UN officials it accused of "meddling'' in the country's affairs, as famine looms in the conflict-mired region of Tigray. A UN spokesperson said a diplomatic note sent to Ethiopia's UN Mission and conveyed to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed during a phone call with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had stated that a country's ability to declare someone persona non grata, or unwelcome, does not apply to UN personnel.  "The application of this doctrine to United Nations officials is contrary to obligations under the Charter of the United Nations and the privileges and immunities to be afforded to the United Nations and its officials,'' said deputy spokesman Farhan Haq. The doctrine of declaring someone persona non grata applies between states, the spokesman said, and "we are not a state." Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry on Thursday said it had "declared a 'persona non grata' for seven individuals who are working for various international NGOs in Ethiopia for meddling in the internal affairs of the country." The ministry said the officials must leave Ethiopia within 72 hours. They include the UN deputy humanitarian coordinator in the country, Grant Leaity, and UNICEF representative Adele Khodr. In the diplomatic note, seen by Reuters, the UN Office of Legal Affairs said it had not received information to support Ethiopia's accusation that the officials were meddling in internal affairs. UN deputy spokesman Haq didn't answer directly when asked whether the UN staff members would remain in Ethiopia, and not leave within 72 hours.  When issues are raised regarding UN staff, the spokesman said, "the requirement is that such concerns are appropriately conveyed to the organization.'' "It's then for the secretary-general to make the necessary determinations and take the necessary steps to address the matter,'' Haq added. Ethiopia's war with its own restive province of Tigray, which broke out 11 months ago and has displaced more than 2 million people, has faced stern criticism from the UN. Politicians from Tigray ruled Ethiopia for decades, spending most of that time in conflict with neighboring Eritrea. Ethiopia's current prime minister was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for improving relations with Eritrea soon before the fighting in Tigray broke out, with Ethiopian and Eritrean military now both accused of violence against Tigray's population.  The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) published a report late Thursday warning of "unprecedented" malnutrition among pregnant and lactating women in Tigray. The report also described "alarming" malnutrition among children, as fears of famine grow. UNOCHA released the report soon after Ethiopia ordered the UN staff, five of whom work for UNOCHA, to leave. "Of the more than 15,000 pregnant and lactating women screened during the reporting period, more than 12,000 women, or about 79%, were diagnosed with acute malnutrition," the report said. The level of moderate malnutrition among children under the age of 5 "is also exceeding the global emergency threshold of 15%, at about 18%, while cases of children with severe malnutrition is 2.4%, above the alarming 2% level," the report said. mvb/msh (Reuters, AP, AFP)

7Politics

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video When the Rainbow Choir reunited for its first rehearsals after the pandemic last summer, the sense of excitement was palpable. "Louder," bellowed the ensemble's maestro, snapping his fingers as he paced around the room. The young singers needed little encouragement — grinning in unison, they soared through another verse of an Italian movie soundtrack. Run by the Teatro Massimo, Palermo's majestic opera house, the Rainbow Choir unites children from the city's many migrant communities, from Romanian to Philippine to Bangladeshi. The ensemble's appearances in concerts and international opera productions can provide life-changing experiences for its often disadvantaged members. And, after a long, grueling lockdown, the young singers were keen to get back to work. "When I sing, I feel like I have been reborn," said Carmela, an 11-year-old Ghanaian member (photo above). "I want to do opera, I hope to become a professional [...] I also want to go to the conservatory." The choir was launched in 2014 by the Teatro Massimo and the Consulta delle Culture, an elected body representing migrants' interests. Initially intended to draw migrant parents into the theater, the ensemble ultimately became a lifeline for many of its young members. The initiative is a testament to the pioneering vision of Leoluca Orlando, Palermo's veteran mayor. Since freeing the city from the grip of the Mafia in the 1980s and 1990s, Orlando has sought to transform the Sicilian capital into a beacon of migrants' rights. However, with Italian right-wing leader Matteo Salvini's popularity growing locally, and Orlando preparing to step down before local elections in spring 2022, the long-term survival of the mayor's project hangs by a thread. Few Italian cities appear as welcoming to migrants as Palermo. With residents from 127 countries and an immigrant population that has almost tripled in nearly two decades, to 24,000, Palermo is Italy's most ethnically diverse city. The walls of its historic center are plastered with multilingual street signs in Italian, Hebrew and Arabic. An architectural patchwork of Moorish domes, sweeping Norman arches and dazzling Byzantine mosaics testifies to centuries of sociocultural and ethnic mixing. Yet Italy's bureaucracy turns many undocumented migrants — they numbered roughly 600,000 in 2020, according to government estimates — into second-class citizens. Those without work or residence permits are often forced into illegal employment and barred from access to public health care and social services, said Ibrahima Kobena, president of the Consulta delle Culture, in an interview. Moreover, Italy's birthright laws do not bestow citizenship on children who do not have an Italian parent. Despite being born in Italy, Carmela, who lives with Sicilian foster parents, will not be entitled to Italian citizenship until she is 18. The choir has helped redress the balance. "Italians feel like the boss. If your skin is a different color, they treat you badly," said Angela Assare, a 13-year-old member who is also from Ghana. "In the choir, we are all equals. It helps us understand that we are not animals." Whole families have been lifted by the choir's work. One parent, Rudy Chateau, relocated from Mauritius to Palermo as an undocumented migrant in the early 2000s, picking up irregular work at a parking lot, and supporting his family on €500 ($587) a week. Rudy and his wife, Stephanie, would skip meals to feed their son, Niguel. Today, they have work permits and steady jobs. "When the conductor chose Niguel [to sing in the choir] we were so proud," said a beaming Stefania. "We entered the theater for the first time, and we were like 'Wow.'" The choir is one of a rich array of local policies and initiatives benefiting migrants. Orlando has described Italy's residence permit as a "new form of slavery," offered newcomers to Palermo "honorary citizenship" and, in 2018, locally overruled the then-Interior Minister Salvini's order to close Italy's ports to migrant boats. Launched by Orlando's administration in 2013, the Consulta delle Culture has united Christian and Muslim leaders in mosques, organized multicultural parades through the city and helped draft Palermo's pro-migrant manifesto. But a battle for the heart and soul of Palermo is brewing ahead of next year's elections. A string of defections of conservative politicians to Salvini's League hint that the party is on the way to becoming the dominant right-wing force in Palermo. Meanwhile, Orlando's popularity has slumped. After an economically suffocating pandemic and perceived chaos at city hall, which culminated a year ago with the resignation of two deputy mayors, in July the veteran was voted the third least popular of 105 mayors in a poll by newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore. Last summer, many in the city's impoverished historic center voiced open dissent. "Palermo is not like once upon a time. Now there are foreigners here, and we don't get on well," said Ottavio Pensionato, 70, in the working-class Capo district. "Orlando has abandoned us. He doesn't think about us Palermitans," said Francesco Paolo, an unemployed 30-year-old, in a piazza surrounded by crumbling buildings in the Vucciria district. "Salvini's first concern is the Italians. He's getting my vote." Orlando remains resolute: "There is only one way to combat populism. By having respect for time," he said during an interview in the sumptuous villa of Palermo's mayors. Yet time may be running out. "There is no indication that the mayor's vision will continue," said Kobena. "If there is no successor, the Palermo he has created will die." A victory for the right would spell the end of the Mediterranean's most ambitious integration project. Yet Orlando's legacy will live on in those lives that have been transformed. "We are all from different nations," said Carmela of the Rainbow Choir. "We are many different voices that come together as a single, more beautiful voice." This project was realized with the support of The GroundTruth Project.

8Society

In a crowded Kabul cellar earlier this week, seven men acted out a desperate, terrifying scenario: One of them pretended to be a Taliban militant, the others had to convince them that they were students — not men who had spent years working for the German army. "We practiced our role: We are studying this, we are studying here," one of the men told DW over the phone. They had to be perfect: "We're trying to save ourselves," he said. For like countless others, the men were terrified of the Taliban forces that had swept across Afghanistan and captured the capital, Kabul. As the militant group advanced, countless men, women and their families went into hiding, fearing for their lives: among them, interpreters, cooks and drivers who had served foreign governments and international aid organizations. One of the men who had practiced lying to the Taliban told DW that the militants could come knocking on his door: "I think they are looking for me." He had fled to Kabul during the group's offensive. He told his family and friends to destroy any photos and documents that might link them to him.  As Kabul fell to the Taliban over the weekend, foreign governments scrambled to evacuate their nationals. Thousands of Afghan people who had worked for international forces and aid organizations, however, remain trapped in Kabul, unable to reach the airport. Across the capital, they were waiting for a phone call to safety after the US took control of the international airport, allowing more evacuation flights to arrive.  But the first German flight evacuated only seven people due to "the chaotic circumstances at the airport," according to officials in Berlin. Later on Tuesday, a second aircraft carried 125 people to Uzbekistan, followed by a third shortly after. Officials announced that more would follow, with the German air force planning an air bridge out of Afghanistan. Yet on the ground, information remained sparse. DW reached one man who had spent 20 years working for the German military. He was hiding out in a cellar with his family. While he was on a list compiled by the German Foreign Ministry of those it would evacuate, he was still waiting for his summons to make his way to the airport. "They told us they will call us tomorrow, or the day after, but we have to make our own way to the airport." That thought filled him with dread. He did not know, he said, whether his family would make it. He was still deliberating whether to take a taxi or ask a trusted friend to take him and his family there. But it remains unclear if they could reach safety. Many, though, have not made it on the list at all, despite working for the German government. German authorities have been criticized for their overly bureaucratic handling of visa applications. Applicants, DW was told by Afghans, had to make the often dangerous trip to Kabul to apply, as an office that was promised to handle cases in Mazar-el-Sharif was never opened due to security concerns, according to officials. The visa section of the German embassy in Kabul has been closed since 2017, when it was the target of a bomb attack. The offices handling the applications of those who had worked for the government would have been operated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Only those directly employed by the army or government were seemingly entitled to a visa, while those who worked for subcontractors were not. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas admitted on Tuesday that the government, the intelligence services and the international community had "failed to accurately assess the situation" and had underestimated the speed of the Taliban's advances. None of the men in the cellar made it onto the German evacuation list. One of the men had repeatedly tried to contact the German army, they told DW, only to reach an answering machine. "No one emailed us, no one contacted us," he said. He provided DW with the number he had unsuccessfully tried to call. On Wednesday, DW reached a woman who tersely told the reporter to get off the phone: "We don't have time for this," she said. The man showed DW copies of letters of recommendation he had received, including a stamped and signed "certificate of appreciation" for his outstanding services at a field office of the German defense administration. And yet, he said, his voice level, he had never received a response. "We were working like friends; when they needed our help, we helped them." Instead, he said, Afghans had been told to wait — and that they could not apply for a visa from a third country. "They delayed and delayed; we lost months," he said. "We could have done something, gone somewhere." The man in the cellar felt abandoned, he said, angry. As he spoke to DW, he was agonizing whether to destroy his documents proving he had worked for the German army, lest the Taliban find them — but scared that he might not be able to prove who he was to the Germans.  While a Taliban spokesman said that the group would not seek revenge, this assertion contradicted reports that the militants were seeking out the houses of those known to have worked with foreign governments and aid organizations — including the houses of three of DW's local staff. No one DW spoke to believed the Taliban's assurances. "They say that and the next day, they do the opposite," said the man who had spent 20 years working for the German army. A devout Muslim, according to those who have worked with him, he prays five times a day — yet was dreading life under the Taliban. Behind the scenes, high-ranking German diplomats are negotiating safe passage to the airport for their local staff. He was harrowed by the ordeal, his children terrified that the Taliban would kill their father. "I didn't do anything wrong," he told DW from his hiding place. "I only wanted to feed my family. I didn't harm anyone." He was, he added, "so very scared," as he and his family continued to wait for the phone call to safety. Update August 18, 2021: DW has learnt that the man who used to work for the German army and his family safely made it to the airport. "The trip was terrifying," he told DW. They were twice stopped by Taliban fighters on the way. "I have no idea why we got through," he said, as he waited for his flight out of Afghanistan. A few hours later, he sent DW a picture from the crowded flight. The seven men in the cellar, however, are still desperately trying to find a way out. Julia Bayer, Esther Felden, Lewis Sanders and Nina Werkhäuser contributed to this report.

2Conflicts

A tornado hit a small Italian island in the Mediterranean on Friday, killing at least two people and seriously injuring at least nine. The largely arid island lies between Sicily and Tunisia and has just a few thousand inhabitants. According to the Italian news agency ANSA, an off-duty firefighter who was stationed on the island and an 86-year-old man were among the dead. The victims were in separate cars which were among some 10 vehicles that were flipped into the air by the force of the tornado, ANSA added. At least one car landed on its roof while another ended up on its smashed front end. Video from the civil protection agency showed images of several overturned vehicles and a building hit by a car thrown in the air. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Meanwhile, a hospital helicopter from nearby Lampedusa island was prepared to provide help once the weather conditions improved, ANSA reported. mm, dvv/dj (AFP, AP, dpa)

1Catastrophe

Mycelium, the silky thread that binds fungus, is being adapted to create everything from shoes to coffins to packaging and robust building materials. Best of all, it literally feeds on trash and agricultural byproducts, detoxifing them along the way. The biodegradable material that is also grown vertically to save space and uses little water, has emerged as a low emission, circular economy solution in the bid to transition from extractive, carbon-based products. There are up to five million types of fungus that constitute a "kingdom on their own," says Maurizio Montalti, a Dutch-based designer and researcher who has been working with mycelium for a decade. Fungi are the "fundamental agents that enable the transformation of not only nutrition but also information across living systems. We couldn't live without it," said Montalti of what has also been called natures's internet.  To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Having experimented with mycelium furniture design, in 2018 Montalti founded Mogu, a company commercializing fungi-based bio-material products — including sound-absorbing acoustic panels created from mycelium grown on corn crop refuse, rice straw, spent coffee grounds, discarded seaweed and even clam shells. But fungi aren't changing the world just yet. "There is a lot of excitement these days when talking about mycelium," Montalti said, adding that the challenge is in designing a "product that works and can compete in the market."  And although shoe and apparel giant Adidas as well as fashion labels Stella McCartney and Gucci have all recently hopped on the fungi bandwagon to try and meet that challenge, mycelium is yet to go mass-scale.  Here are four products that could herald the start of a revolution.   "Are you waste or compost?" That is the question according to Netherlands-based mycelium coffin manufacturer, Loop. The company is offering the dead a chance to birth new life via their "living cocoon" coffin, which it claims was the first of its kind. As bodies decompose within a fully compostable mycelium cocoon, they can become part of the solution to reviving biodiversity that has depleted to the point where more than a million species are at risk of extinction.  "To be buried, we cut down a tree, work it intensively and try to shut ourselves off as well as possible from microorganisms," Loop said in a statement in reference to conventional coffins. "And for those that don't want to be buried, we waste our nutrient-rich body by burning it with cremation, polluting the air and ignoring the potential of our human body. It's as if we see ourselves as waste, while we can be a valuable part of nature." Mycotech, based in Bandung, Indonesia, was growing gourmet mushrooms in 2012 before it shifted its business to use fungi to create a sustainable alternative to leather products, especially shoes. Founder, Adi Reza Nugroho says it has great environmental advantages over traditional leather. "We consume less water, we don't have to kill animals, we can do vertical farming so we can save some space,” he said, adding that it also produces fewer emissions and requires none of the chemicals used in plastic-based materials. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Feeding on agricultural waste such as sawdust, it only takes the mycelium a few days to grow to the point where it is ready to be harvested, tanned and further processed. The resulting material is breathable, flexible, robust and can last for years. While Mycotech is still creating limited runs of its fungi shoes, the company has orders up until 2027. And this relatively small-scale start-up is not alone. While leather continues to dominate Adidas' sneaker lines, the German company is now also marketing mycelium shoes. Released in April, the Stan Smith Mylo is made using the brand's "Mylo" mycelium material. Fungi-based footwear is also being touted by eco-conscious grassroots designers because the shoes can literally biodegrade — as illustrated by these Mycoflex-based slippers designed by Charlotta Aman.  Since they feed on trash, mushrooms can also detoxify our waste and transform it into usable materials that are non-extractive, offering a neat solution for closing the loop on unrecylable plastic, for example. Established in 2018, US-based Mycocycle uses fungi to remove toxins from building materials like asphalt or petrochemical-based waste. "We are actually using mushrooms to cycle these toxins, make them non-toxic and available for reuse in a closed loop economy," said company founder, Joanne Rodriguez.  A response to the fact that 85% of landfill space in the US has already been used up, Mycocycle aims to help in the shift to zero waste by decontaminating toxic building materials like asphalt that previously could not be reused. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Mycocycle claims that its trash-fed mycelium is fire and water-resistant and can be manufactured into a host of new products such as styrofoam, insulation, packaging and building materials.  "We take trash and make treasure, decarbonizing waste and creating a new value stream in the circular economy," said Rodriguez. A fully compostable, zero-emissions mushroom tower called the Hy-Fy was constructed with 10,000 mycelium bricks in New York back in 2014. Numerous prototypes have been built since but mushroom-building largely remains in the conceptual stage.  "Co-create with fungi," is the mantra for the My-Co Space, a mycelium tiny house currently being exhibited in Frankfurt's Metzlerpark. Designed for two occupants, the facade of the 20-square-meter structure has a plywood frame thatched in honeycomb-shaped mycelium blocks grown with a mushroom straw substrate. The intimate, organic shape plays on the fundamental interrelation between humans and fungi. "We want to transform dead plant matter, which comes from agriculture or from forestry, and we want to transform this into composite materials. And we do this with fungi," explains Vera Meyer, a biotechnology professor at the Technical University of Berlin and founder of the MY-CO-X collective that created My-Co Space. For Meyer, fungi are the "most important microorganisms" that can help make the transition from fossil to bio-based resources.  

6Nature and Environment

This seems the most obvious pick of the lot, considering he's the reigning FIFA Best Male Player. His 23 league goals this term are more than the team totals of Augsburg, Bielefeld, Cologne, Mainz and Schalke. Bayern Munich have also been particularly reliant on their Polish superstar this season. The treble champions have dropped points in three of the four league games in which he didn't find the back of the net. The 21-year-old's goal contributions (10 goals, three assists) are less than those of the highly touted Erling Haaland (14 goals, two assists). But Wamangituka has been a revelation on Stuttgart's right flank and a key part of the recently promoted club's success. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video He was particularly impressive in a 5-1 win in Dortmund in December, scoring twice and assisting a third. Afterwards, Stuttgart coach Pellegrino Mattarazo said Wamangituka's potential was "limitless." His €10 million ($12 million) move from Mainz to Wolfsburg didn't make many headlines. But Baku has been one of the main reasons for Wolfsburg's ascent up the table this campaign. Used mostly as a midfielder in Mainz, Baku has developed into arguably the best right-back in Germany. His rise has also caught the eye of  Germany coach Joachim Löw, who gave the 22-year-old his first international cap in November. Leverkusen could have taken a step back after losing two attacking stalwarts, Kai Havertz (to Chelsea) and Kevin Volland (to Monaco). Instead, Peter Bosz has the club third at the halfway point. The "Werkself" have profited from Bosz's uncompromising attacking philosophy. His side's goal difference of 14 is tied with Leipzig for second-best in the division. Though the race for a top four spot is crowded, Leverkusen remain on course to return to the Champions League. In just their second-ever season in the top-flight, Union have made themselves one of the Bundesliga's toughest teams to face. They have held their own against some of the division's heavy hitters, beating Dortmund and Leverkusen and earning a point against league leaders Bayern. Urs Fischer has the side playing compact, counterattacking football. They have benefitted greatly from Max Kruse's return to Germany but have not become dependent on the mercurial 32-year-old, earning 12 points in eight games since he went down with a muscle strain. While Union's crosstown rivals Hertha remain a mess, the "Iron Ones" could earn a spot in the top six by season's end. The last time Dortmund were outside the top four 18 games into a Bundesliga campaign was 2014-15. That was Jürgen Klopp's last season in the Ruhr valley, and his side spent most of the campaign in the division's bottom half, before a late surge led to a seventh-place finish. Seventh is where they currently sit, not where a team with some of the most exciting young talent in Europe wants to be. After sacking Lucien Favre in December, Dortmund has yet to develop fresh impetus under interim coach Edin Terzic. Last season's runners-up surely have the talent to find their way back to the top four. But with Leipzig, Leverkusen, Wolfsburg, Gladbach and even Union putting together strong campaigns, a return to the Champions League will not be a given. Stop us if this sounds familiar. The reigning treble champions are a notch below the dominant form they showed at the end of last season. Their jam-packed schedule — they have played 25 game in four months — has also done its part to keep them from fulfilling their potential. But Hansi Flick's side are still the kings of the mountain, and their seven-point cushion over Leipzig in second is enough to bet on them to lift their ninth straight league crown. Maybe someone can stop them next year? Their 30-game winless run in the league made headlines for all the wrong reasons. Though a 4-0 win over Hoffenheim, powered by a heroic hat trick from American Matthew Hoppe, ended the hellish run, it was only a brief reprieve from the misery — Schalke have lost all three games since that victory. The returns of club heroes Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Sead Kolasinac may provide a much-needed boost in the dressing room. But with just seven points in 18 games this term, the club's first relegation since 1988 appears inevitable — no team has started so poorly and stayed in the division.

9Sports

North Korea fired at least two short-range missiles over the weekend, Seoul officials said on Wednesday, confirming earlier reports by Washington.  The launch is Pyongyang's first since US President Joe Biden took office in January. It came just days after Washington's foreign policy and defense chiefs visited the region for talks with allies.  US officials said Pyongyang fired two short-range, non-ballistic missiles that did not fall under the UN security council bans. Washington tried to downplay the launch as "common" military testing.  South Korea said they appeared to be cruise missiles fired towards China rather than Japan, a US ally.  Biden responded to reporters asking about the launch, saying: "We have learned that nothing much has changed." A US official also told reporters that Pyongyang's launch would not affect Washington's intent to restart nuclear talks with North Korea. The US is reviewing its approach towards Pyongyang after former President Donald Trump and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un had a tumultuous relationship that started with threats of war, moved on to summits and handshakes, and ultimately delivered little tangible progress in denuclearizing Pyongyang.   South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Seoul had monitored the test in real-time. The JSC typically reports Pyongyang's advanced weapon testing nearly in real-time, faster than it announces lower-grade missiles testing.  Also on Wednesday, a spokesperson for North Korea's Foreign Ministry slammed the recent European Union sanctions against Pyongyang officials, calling them a "sinister political tool" triggered by the bloc's "inveterate repugnancy coupled with a psychotic way of thinking." The EU had announced sanctions on individuals and entities in six countries, including China, Russia and North Korea, over human rights violations on Monday.  North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping exchanged messages earlier this week, where they spoke of the strong alliance between Pyongyang and Beijing.  Pyongyang has so far ignored Biden's administration's diplomatic efforts, saying it won't engage in meaningful talks with Washington until the US abandons what it sees as "hostile policies," referring primarily to US sanctions.  fb/msh (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters) 

7Politics

Germany is bracing itself for an election campaign overshadowed by cyber threats.  "The cyber security situation this year could be particularly serious," Arne Schönbohm, the president of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), told reporters Tuesday. Malicious actors, he warned, could use hacking attacks and disinformation campaigns to disrupt the country's upcoming vote.  In September, Germans will elect a new parliament and determine who will succeed veteran Chancellor Angela Merkel. As the campaign is gathering speed, recent cyber incidents have authorities and lawmakers worried about what's to come.  In January, intruders brought down the live stream of an online summit of Merkel's CDU party by bombarding it with traffic. In March, hackers broke into the accounts of several dozen national and regional lawmakers.  Against this backdrop, the BSI is working with candidates, political parties and other institutions to help them shield themselves from hacking, Schönbohm said. The agency is also working with Germany's federal returning officer, who oversees the election, to safeguard technology used to report early results on election night from attacks.  Such efforts to prevent hacking are important.   But they won't do much to help counter the second major cyber threat to the election: The spread of false or misleading information to sway public opinion or raise doubts over the vote's integrity.  And the writing's on the wall.  At the beginning of this year, false information about how postal ballots could be manipulated began circulating online. In recent weeks, falsehoods about how ballots are stored have also skyrocketed on encrypted messenger services, according to Federal Returning Officer Georg Thiel.  In response, his office has set up a website with facts about the electoral process. Cybersecurity agency BSI is also in contact with social media companies like Facebook, Google and Twitter to monitor disinformation on their platforms.  But such attempts to identify and debunk disinformation can only do so much — not the least because they're a cat-and-mouse game: Once disinformation is labeled or deleted on one platform, it often quickly reappears on another one.   What's more, research has shown that even after false information is debunked, it often still leaves traces of doubt among those who initially believed it.   That's why experts say the fight against disinformation needs to start earlier. What's equally important, they argue, is to train people in recognizing false information meant to manipulate them.  For years, however, Germany missed its chance to do that.   As early as a decade ago, lawmakers in the Bundestag's Enquete Commission on Internet and Digital Society urged the country to boost educational efforts in what they called "media literacy" among Germans.   But their non-binding recommendations fizzled. And, unlike countries like Finland, which has since 2016 taught "multi-platform information literacy" in secondary schools, Germany has not introduced similar large-scale initiatives.   That has led to a situation wherein a recent study by think-tank Stiftung Neue Verantwortung found that just over a fifth of Germans is good at distinguishing between reliable and unreliable information they find online.   It's a sobering number. And it illustrates that — as disinformation increasingly spreads on little-regulated messengers like Telegram, making it ever-more difficult to monitor — boosting media literacy is more important than ever.   The problem is: Such educational efforts take time. Four months ahead of the September vote, Germany has run out of it — this time around.  But it's not too late to start them, quite the contrary. The problem of online disinformation is here to stay.  

8Society

"Democracy has prevailed," Biden said in his inaugural speech The National Mall, facing the US Capitol has been decorated with some 200,000 flags to represent the absent crowds Biden has signed several executive orders, addressing the pandemic, the US economy, climate change and racial injustice All updates in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC/GMT) 03:25 As Tom Hanks lays down his microphone, so do we. Thanks for joining throughout the inauguration of the 46th president of the United States and stay up to date with the DW news page, as Joe Biden gets to work on his first full day in office. 03:10 With the show coming to an end, check out this article on the reaction of leaders across the globe. 03:00 As "Celebrating America" comes to a conclusion, and with fireworks lighting the Washington sky, Joe Biden and his family give a wave from the balcony of the White House to herald a new beginning, both at home and abroad. 02:25 Vice President Kamala Harris has been speaking, in front of the reflecting pool, where yesterday she and Joe Biden stood to remember the 400,000 people who have died of the coronavirus in the US. "It is my honor to be here, to stand on the shoulders of those who came before, to speak tonight, as your vice president," she began. "In many ways this moment embodies our character as a nation. It demonstrates who we are, even in dark times. We not only dream, we do. We not only see what has been, we see what can be. We shoot for the moon, and then we plant our flag on it. We are bold, fearless and ambitious. We are undaunted in our belief that we shall overcome, that we will rise up. This is American aspiration." 02:05 Joe Biden has spoken once more, at the Lincoln Memorial, as part of the "Celebrating America" event to welcome in the new president. "I've never been more optimistic about America than I am this very day," he said. "Because of you, democracy has prevailed. That's why Jill and I, Kamala and Doug, wanted to make sure that our inauguration was not about us, but about you, the American people," he said, referencing both his wife, the vice president and her husband. Biden continued: "America's story depends not on any one of us, not on some of us, but on all of us — on we, the people. That's the task before us, the only way we'll get through the darkness around us." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 01:50 A number of leaders across Asia have hailed the inauguration of the new president. South Korean President Moon Jae-In even took a thinly veiled swipe at Biden's predecessor as he tweeted: "@JoeBiden, congratulations on your inauguration. America is back. America’s new beginning will make democracy even greater. Together with the Korean people, I stand by your journey toward 'America United'." Meanwhile, the Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen said in a statement: "President Tsai wishes the new Biden administration smooth policy implementation, and looks forward to building on the strong foundation of the Taiwan-US partnership to further our bilateral collaboration, as well as the prosperity of, and friendship between, the people of both countries." Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has written a letter to the new president. "Strong American leadership will make a decisive difference to our collective recovery and the shape of the post-COVID-19 world." "There is a deep reservoir of goodwill for the US in our region, because of the vital role the United States has played anchoring regional stability and economic prosperity for over half a century." Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga took to Twitter to say: "Congratulations to President @JoeBiden and Vice President @KamalaHarris on your inauguration. Japan and the United States are allies tied firmly by bonds and shared universal values. I look forward to working with you and your team to reinforce our alliance and to realize a Free and Open Indo-Pacific." 01:45  Tom Hanks followed Springsteen's performance with the words "In the last few weeks, in the last few years, we've witnessed deep divisions and a troubling rancor in our land. But tonight we ponder the United States of America." The star of "Toy Story" is hosting the event that is available via a live stream. 01:40 Bruce Springsteen has kicked off the evening's proceedings, singing "Land of hope and dreams" as the "Celebrating America" event gets underway.  01:10 Asked what it was like for Joe Biden to finally head into the White House more than 30 years after his first bid to become president, Press Secretary Psaki said he felt "an incredible sense of calm, some joy, and he felt like he was coming home." 01:00 Joe Biden will leave the "mechanics" of how to proceed with former President Donald Trump's impeachment trial to the US Senate, the newly installed White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters. "We are confident that ... the Senate ... can do their constitutional duty while continuing to conduct the business of the American people." 00:30 Joe Biden's first telephone call to a foreign leader will be with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and it will happen on Friday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in her first media briefing. Psaki said the pair will discuss bilateral issues as well as the new president's decision to revoke the permit needed to build the Keystone XL oil pipeline. 00:10 Swearing in some 1,000 appointees, Biden told his staff that if he ever heard them disrespect someone else he'd fire them "on the spot," the Washington Post has reported. "No ifs, ands or buts." The president, who replaces someone known for his acerbic tone, told them: "We have a chance to change things." Biden also said he'd be holding himself to high standards. "I'm going to make mistakes," Biden said. "And when I make 'em, I'll acknowledge 'em." 00:05 Further information is emerging on the actions Biden signed, including an order to establish a new White House office coordinating the response to the coronavirus and halting the process of withdrawing from the World Health Organization. 23:40 Wall Street has hit new records and stock markets across the globe climbed after Joe Biden's inauguration, with traders heartened by the new president's plan to inject even more stimulus into the economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The Dow and S&P 500 posted all-time highs, but none increased more than the Nasdaq, which gained 2% thanks in part to Netflix, which reported a share price surge in its quarterly update. 22:25 President Joe Biden has revealed that Donald Trump had left him a "very generous" letter in the Oval Office, in keeping with tradition of other outgoing presidents. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 22:20 Joe Biden has signed a raft of executive actions to overturn some of Donald Trump's most controversial policies. Biden put pen to paper on the first order which was regarding the coronavirus, including a proposal on wearing face masks for 100 days. He then signed an order on racial equality, before signing a third one — rejoining the Paris climate accord, reversing Donald Trump's decision to leave the international treaty. 22:15 Here's a review of today's events in pictures. 21:55 Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has offered his congratulations to Joe Biden, despite spending several weeks to recognize the US president's election victory. "I congratulate Joe Biden, 46th president of the United States. The relationship between Brazil and the United States is old, solid and founded on high values, such as the defense of democracy and individual freedoms," tweeted Bolsonaro. "I remain engaged and ready to work for the prosperity of our nations and the well-being of our citizens." I addressed a letter to the President of the USA, Joe Biden, congratulating him on his inauguration and explaining my vision of an excellent future for the Brazil-USA partnership The Brazilian president also said he has sent a letter to Biden explaining his "vision of an excellent future partnership" between the two nations. 21:40 An emotional Lady Gaga has already performed a dramatic version of the US national anthem, Garth Brooks has sung a cappella, and Jennifer Lopez gave a shoutout in Spanish but there's still plenty more to come. The show will later see a two-hour special broadcast across six television networks, as well as social media, hosted by Hollywood actor Tom Hanks. The evening will also include performances from Bruce Springsteen, Katy Perry, Tim McGraw, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Justin Timberlake, Demi Lovato, and John Legend. 21:10 Kamala Harris and her husband also arrived at the White House for the first time after being sworn in as vice president. 21:00 Following in the footsteps of the president, Kamala Harris and her family have also gotten out of their vehicles and are walking the remaining stretch to the White House. When asked by a reporter what her first job of the day would be after arriving at the White House, Kamala  responded: "Walking to work." 20:52 Joe Biden and his family have walked into the White House for the first time since he was sworn into office as president. 20:45 Joe Biden and his family have gotten out of the presidential motorcade to walk the remaining distance to the White House. Biden walked to the sidelines to fist-bump reporters and the scattered few spectators. It was speculated that he would remain in the vehicle due to security concerns. 20:07 German Chancellor Angela Merkel has congratulated Biden and Harris, saying she looks forward to a new chapter in bilateral relations.  "Congratulations Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on your inauguration, which was a celebration of American democracy. I look forward to a new chapter of German-American friendship and cooperation," she said in a statement shared by her spokesman Steffen Seibert. And German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has also welcomed the new administration, voicing hope for a change in Washington's foreign policy approach after Trump. "Over the last four years we saw what 'America First' meant: no coordination, no consultations," Maas told public broadcaster ZDF.  He said he was "very glad" that Biden has vowed to take a different foreign policy course than his predecessor. "Because we need the United States in order to get a handle again on the big challenges, on the crises of this time." 19:45 Three former presidents —Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush — and their spouses are watching on as Biden and Harris pay their respects to the US military dead during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. 19:20 Pope Francis offered his "cordial good wishes and the assurance of my prayers" to Joe Biden, urging for him to be a unifying force in the United States. "Under your leadership, may the American people continue to draw strength from the lofty political, ethical and religious values that have inspired the nation since its founding," he said. "At a time when the grave crises facing our human family call for far-sighted and united responses, I pray that your decisions will be guided by a concern for building a society marked by authentic justice and freedom," the pope said in a statement.  Biden is the second Roman Catholic to become US president since John F. Kennedy. 19:15 President Joe Biden reviewed US troops for the first time as president before heading to a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. Ceremonial troops and military bands marched by the new president and vice president, in a tradition that dates back to the first US President, George Washington. 19:00 "Europe is ready for a fresh start," said European Council President Ursula von der Leyen in a congratulatory message on Twitter. "Thank you for your inspiring inaugural address and for the offer to cooperate," she wrote. 18:44 French President Emmanuel Macron has welcomed US President Joe Biden's intent to rejoin the Paris climate accord in a post on Twitter. "Best wishes on this most significant day for the American people! We are together. We will be stronger to face the challenges of our time. Stronger to build our future. Stronger to protect our planet. Welcome back to the Paris Agreement," Macron wrote. The European Commission has echoed Emmanuel Macron's statements, saying it welcomes the US return to the Paris climate accord. "We are ready to fight climate change together again," it said in a statement on Twitter. Biden's team has said he will sign an order to rejoin the Paris climate accord late on Wednesday and set a new path on the environment. He plans to enact a $2 trillion (€1.65 trillion) climate plan, which he says will prioritize green action in the economy and the country's recovery from COVID-19. 18:30 Joe Biden has signed his first orders as president, signing documents officially designating his Cabinet nominees, as well as an Inauguration Day order. Later in the day, Biden is due to sign nearly a dozen executive orders addressing the coronavirus pandemic as well as rolling back several Trump-era policies, including the travel ban on Muslim-majority countries and rejoining the Paris Climate Accord. 18:00 Chinese state media outlet CCTV is reporting that China has imposed sanctions on 28 US nationals, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. They and their families are reportedly barred from entering China, Hong Kong and Macau. Their associated companies and institutions are also reportedly restricted from doing business with Chinese entities The list includes appointees from the Trump administration including Peter Navarro, Robert C. O'Brien and Matthew Pottinger, according to CCTV. 17:55 Joe Biden has taken over the official @POTUS Twitter account, telling users he is heading to the Oval Office in the White House to start work. "There is no time to waste when it comes to tackling the crises we face. That's why today, I am heading to the Oval Office to get right to work delivering bold action and immediate relief for American families." Kamala Harris has likewise taken over the vice presidential Twitter handle, posting a short message: "Ready to serve." All Trump's tweets under that handle have been archived under @POTUS45, but his infamous @realDonaldTrump remains suspended and inaccessible. 17:50 Standing on the steps of the US Capitol, Kamala Harris and her husband Douglas Emhoff officially said goodbye to Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen Pence. The former and current vice presidents shared a laugh before the Pences got into a car and drove away. 17:45 The Russian Foreign Ministry has said that it hopes Biden's administration will be more constructive and work with Russia on principles of equality and mutual interests. In a statement, it denounced the Trump administration for wrecking multiple treaties in a pursuit of dominance. It called for a five-year extension of the START Treaty, a bilateral agreement on the reduction and limitation of weapons. 17:30 The inauguration ceremony has concluded. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and their spouses will now go meet members of the military. Later, they will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery along with former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. They will also be joined by former first ladies Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Due to the pandemic and security concerns, many of the Inauguration Day traditions will not be taking place as usual this year. Biden and Harris will still travel to the White House with a military escort. A televised "Parade Across America" will take the place of the traditional in-person inaugural parade, followed by another televised event in the evening (local time) called "Celebrating America." 17:25 Leaders of the world are offering their congratulations to the freshly sworn-in president and vice president. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sent his well wishes to the Biden-Harris administration, saying they will work to fight climate change and curb the COVID-19 pandemic. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Biden to strengthen the Israel-US alliance. Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin says as an Irish-American, Biden is a "true friend of Ireland." 17:15 Biden concludes his first address as president, in a speech dominated by a message of unity and cooperation for a divided nation. "May God bless America and may God protect our troops. Thank you America." 17:13 In a nod to the rest of the world and Washington's allies, Biden vows to return the US to the world stage. "America has been tested and we've come out stronger for it. We will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again. Not to meet yesterday's challenges but today's and tomorrow's challenges. And we will lead not merely by the example of our power but by the power of our example." "We will be a strong and trusted partner for peace, progress and prosperity." 17:10 In his "first act as president," Biden asks those watching the inauguration to hold a moment of silence in remembrance of those who have lost their lives in the coronavirus pandemic. "In the work ahead of us, we're going to need each other," he said. "Let's set aside politics and face this pandemic as one nation." 17:05 Biden continues to call for civility and for people to come together. "We must end this uncivil war, that pits red against blue, or rural versus urban, conservative versus liberal. We can do this, if we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts. If we show a little bit of tolerance and humility, and if we are … willing to stand in their shoes." 17:00 Biden notes the tense political climate in the US, addressing both his supporters and the ones who did not vote for him. "My whole soul is in this. Bringing America together, uniting our people uniting our nation. I ask every American to join me in this cause." "Hear me clearly. Disagreement must not lead to disunion. I pledge this to you. I will be a president for all Americans. I will fight as hard for those who did not support me as for those who did." 16:55 Speaking after being sworn in, Joe Biden has appealed for national unity. "My fellow Americans, this is America’s day. This is democracy’s day. A day of history and hope, of renewal and resolve." "On this hallowed ground, where just a few days ago violence sought to shake the Capitol's very foundation, we come together as one nation, under God, indivisible, to carry out the peaceful transfer of power as we have for centuries." 16:50 Joe Biden has taken the oath of office, becoming the 46th president of the United States. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts swore him in. 16:42 Kamala Harris has been sworn in as vice president of the United States. She was sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina member of the country's highest court. 16:40 Trump has arrived at his home in Mar-a-Lago, in West Palm Beach, Florida. His motorcade passed throngs of supporters waving American flags, according to a local reporter. He is the first US president in 150 years to skip the inauguration of his successor. 16:38 Holding a golden microphone and wearing a dove symbolizing peace, pop star Lady Gaga sang the US national anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner." 16:35 Republican Senator Roy Blunt, who took five weeks to acknowledge that Biden won the election, spoke at length on American democracy. "Once again we renew our commitment to our determined democracy, forging a more perfect union." 16:30 Shortly after Donald Trump left Washington, DW's Ines Pohl reports that a small group of people progressed towards the White House, celebrating Joe Biden's inauguration. Unlike in years past, the ceremony is closed to the public out of safety and coronavirus pandemic concerns. 16:28 Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar delivered the opening address, recalling the attack on the US Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters. "This is the day our democracy picks itself up, brushes off the dust, and does what America always does: goes forward as a nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all," she said. 16:19 President-elect Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden have also been formally introduced, with the ceremony to swear him into office officially kicking off. 16:11 Vice President-elect Kamala Harris has arrived on the platform of the US Capitol where she will shortly be sworn in as the first woman to hold the post. She will also be the first Black person and first person of South Asian descent to be vice president. 16:05 Eugene Goodman, the Capitol Police Officer who was celebrated for leading rioters away from the Senate chambers on January 6, will take part in escorting Kamala Harris at the inauguration. CBS News reports that Goodman has been promoted to Acting Deputy Sergeant of Arms. 16:00 Prominent guests including former US presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton have arrived on Capitol Hill for the inauguration.  Although Donald Trump is absent from the ceremony, outgoing Vice President Mike Pence will attend, after skipping Trump's departure ceremony. The participation of former presidents is part of a traditional show of unity and celebration of a new president. 15:45 Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg took one last jab at outgoing President Donald Trump. "He seems like a very happy old man looking forward to a bright and wonderful future. So nice to see!" the 18-year-old activist posted on Twitter along with a picture of Trump leaving the White House. The quote is almost an exact copy of what Trump wrote on Twitter in 2019 after Thunberg delivered an emotional speech at the United Nations. 15:28 Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, along with their spouses, have now arrived at the US Capitol ahead of the swearing-in ceremony. 15:15 Annalena Baerbock, co-leader of Germany's Green Party, tells DW that Joe Biden's presidency represents a chance to open a new chapter in transatlantic relations. Europe should step up and engage more with issues of foreign and security policy rather than only wait for input from the US. "The Obama administration called in the past for Europe to engage more, and I think it really has to face this challenge," she told DW. Baerbock said Biden's signaling already ahead of taking office show he is committed to the key issue of fighting climate change. "This is now the chance also for Europe, together with the United States of America, that we have a new coalition for climate neutral[ity] in the world," she said. Shortly after being sworn in, Biden is expected to sign an executive order to have the US re-join the Paris Climate Accord. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 13:30 Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, along with their spouses Jill Biden and Doug Emhoff, attended a mass at Saint Matthew's Cathedral in Washington, DC, in the first event of the inauguration festivities. They were accompanied by Democratic and Republican leaders of Congress at Biden's encouragement, in a symbol of unity ahead of his swearing in.  Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, as well as Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell and House leader Kevin McCarthy, were all in attendance. 13:18 Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador urged President-elect Biden to grant legal status to Mexicans who are currently working in the US. "We have been proposing that our compatriots who have been working for years should be regularized, contributing to the development of that great nation," Lopez Obrador told reporters at his regular news conference. He also wished in the incoming US leader a peaceful inauguration. 12:45 Donald Trump addressed supporters at Joint Base Andrews. "We've accomplished so much together," the outgoing president said. "I will always fight for you." Trump spent much of his goodbye address praising some of his administration's policies, including founding a new branch of the military called Space Force, appointing conservative judges to the Supreme Court and courts across the country, as well as his pandemic response. The president claimed to have presided over great economic performance during his term, which in his view was only marred by the pandemic, calling it "the China virus." He also gave his administration credit for the COVID-19 vaccine and its historically fast roll out. Trump did not mention Joe Biden by name and abstained from discussing the election, but he wished the incoming administration well.  "I wish the new administration great luck and great success. I think they'll have great success, they have the foundation to do something really spectacular," he added. "Have a good life, we will see you soon," Trump said, in his last words as president. 12:22 President Donald Trump left the White House for the final time and headed to Joint Base Andrews by helicopter, where he will say farewell remarks to supporters gathered there, before flying to Florida. Trump will not attend the inauguration of Joe Biden nor meet with him, an extraordinary break with tradition. He is the first president to skip his successor's inauguration since Andrew Johnson, who did so in 1869. "It's been a great honor, the honor of a lifetime. The greatest people in the world, the greatest home in the world," Trump told reporters gathered on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding the helicopter. "We accomplished a lot.'' 11:12 UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he looked forward to working with Joe Biden on their "shared priorities," ahead of the inauguration. "As I said when I spoke with him on his election as president, I look forward to working with him, and with his new administration, strengthening the partnership between our countries and working on our shared priorities: from tackling climate change, building back better from the pandemic and strengthening our transatlantic security," Johnson said in Parliament. 11:00 Russia reacted to Joe Biden's inauguration by saying that relations between the two countries were up to his administration to determine. Moscow and Washington have been at odds since the US has accused Russia of meddling in the 2016 election in favor of Donald Trump and more recently, for a massive cyberattack on US government systems. "Russia will live as it has lived for hundreds of years: seeking good relations with the United States," the Kremlin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. Whether Washington works towards achieving the same goal "will depend on Mr. Biden and his team," Peskov added. In particular, the Kremlin hopes Biden will share Russia's commitment to extending the New START nuclear arms control treaty, Peskov said. 10:30 German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he felt relief on the day of Joe Biden's inauguration, calling it a "good day for democracy." "I am greatly relieved that Joe Biden will be inaugurated as president today and move into the White House," Germany's head of state said. "I know this feeling is shared by many people in Germany."  Steinmeier added that US institutions had proven their strength in the face of "great tests" and "hostility" during Trump's term. 09:20 Shortly after he is sworn in, Joe Biden is set to sign 17 executive orders and actions to reverse many of the policies of departing President Donald Trump. His administration hopes to immediately set new paths on immigration, the environment, fighting COVID-19 and the economy. Among the executive orders are ending Trump's controversial travel ban on majority-Muslim countries, halting the construction of the US-Mexico border wall, rejoining the Paris Climate Accord and the World Health Organization, and revoking the approval of the Keystone XL oil pipeline. Biden will also set a face mask mandate on federal properties, restore protections of nature reserves removed by Trump and seek freezes on evictions and protection for millions behind on their mortgage payments due to the pandemic. Advisors of the president said in a statement that Biden sought to "take action, not just to reverse the gravest damages of the Trump administration, but also to start moving our country forward." 08:30 Global shares rose ahead of Joe Biden's inauguration, as markets were hopeful over the new US president's planned economic stimulus and the possibility for new measures to curb the pandemic in the country. But Asian and European stock indexes only rose moderately, as concerns about the toll the pandemic is taking in Europe and the US still linger. 08:00 European Council President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed Joe Biden's inauguration, saying Europe now has a friend in Washington. "This time-honored ceremony on the steps of the US Capitol will be a demonstration of the resilience of American democracy," Von der Leyen said.  "And the resounding proof that, once again, after four long years, Europe has a friend in the White House," she added. 07:27 Residents in the tiny Indian village of Thulasendrapuram, near the southern coastal city of Chennai, cheered for Kamala Harris' inauguration as US vice-president. Harris' grandfather was from the village and moved to Chennai decades ago. Special prayers for her success were held at the town temple during which the idol of Hindu deity Ayyanar, a form of Lord Shiva, was washed with milk and decked with flowers by the priest. Harris' late mother was born in India and emigrated to the US to study at the University of California, where she married a Jamaican man, and they named their daughter Kamala, a Sanskrit word for "lotus flower.'' 06:45 Iranian President Hassan Rouhani welcomed Joe Biden's inauguration by urging his administration to return to the 2015 nuclear deal and lift crippling sanctions on the Islamic Republic. "The ball is in the US court now. If Washington returns to Iran's 2015 nuclear deal, we will also fully respect our commitments under the pact," Rouhani said in a televised cabinet meeting. The Iranian president celebrated the departure of President Donald Trump, who had led a policy of "maximum pressure" on Iran. Rouhani said a "tyrant's era came to an end and today is the final day of his ominous reign."  "Someone for whom all of his four years bore no fruit other than injustice and corruption and causing problems for his own people and the world," the Iranian president added. aw, rs, jcg, jsi/msh (Reuters, AFP, AP, dpa)

7Politics

The Taj Mahal, India's top tourist attraction, opened for visitors Wednesday after being closed for two months. Several monuments were closed in the country on April 15 to break the spread of COVID-19. Visitors will have to book their tickets online, as offline facilities remain shut. Only 650 people will be allowed at a time. India reported 62,224 new infections and 2,542 deaths over the last 24 hours, a significant drop from a peak of over 400,000 per day in early May. Crowded malls and markets as various states ease COVID-19 restrictions have raised alarm. Precautionary measures, such as social distancing and mask-wearing, remain in place. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Here's a roundup of the latest major coronavirus developments around the world. Japan could allow up to 10,000 fans at sports events after a coronavirus state of emergency ends on June 20. The decision to allow spectators, if any, at the Olympics will be decided after that. Australia's most populous city Sydney recorded a single case of locally acquired COVID-19, the first in more than a month. A man in his 60s has been infected, though it's not clear how. China reported 21 new COVID cases in the mainland on Tuesday, up from 20 cases a day previously, the country's national health authority reported. The cases originated from overseas, it added. Singapore is working on the timing of easing COVID restrictions, originally planned for next Monday, after a new cluster of cases were detected. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Malaysia will receive 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines made by China's drugmaker Sinovac BioTech. European Union governments reopened nonessential travel for the United States from the end of June, regardless of travelers' vaccination status. Five other countries are also on the travel list, though individual EU states can still opt-in to demand a negative COVID-19 test or impose quarantine restrictions. The EU is also planning for permanent capacity to produce 300 million vaccines in the first six months of any new health emergency. EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides told a news conference that the bloc must be ready for the "age of pandemics."  To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Germany's coronavirus cases have increased by 1,455 to 3,717,625 on Wednesday. The death toll rose by 137 to 90,074. Germany has removed some regions, including the US, Canada and Austria, from the travel risk list. The removal of restrictions went into effect on June 13. Slovenia has ended a state of emergency after eight months. It reopened cultural and sports events at 75% capacity for people who could demonstrate they don't pose a risk. In Russia, Moscow officials have ordered mandatory vaccinations for service industry workers. Retail, education, health care, public transport and other industries that provide services to a large number of people are now required to ensure that 60% of staff are vaccinated. Authorities want service workers to have at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine by July 15 and be fully vaccinated by August 15. South Africa will receive 2 million Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine doses by the end of June, President Ramaphosa has announced. The doses will make up for the amount lost due to contamination at a production plant in the US. New York will lift several COVID-19 restrictions, as 70% of adults there have been vaccinated, Governor Andrew Cuomo said. Movie theatres will no longer have to leave empty spaces between patrons and restaurants don't have to ensure that parties sit at least 6 feet (2 meters) apart. Some restrictions, like wearing masks in schools and subways, continue to remain in place. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A new study — one of the largest conducted so far — has said that the first cases of the coronavirus had reached America in December 2019. A public health official said the cases were sporadic and the infection wasn't widespread until February 2020. Brazil has recorded 52 cases related to the Copa America soccer tournament, three days after the event kicked off. Venezuela, Bolivia and Colombia delegations reported cases among players and staff. Mexico has presented a plan to reopen the border with the US. The plan centers on its ability to effectively vaccinate its population. Currently, 29% of the population has received a single dose. rm/rt (Reuters, AP)

5Health

The Russian army’s blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea ports and the ripple effects of Western sanctions against Moscow have raised international food and fuel prices, leaving millions of Africans facing an "unprecedented food emergency" this year, the World Food Programme has said.  Kenya, Somalia and large parts of Ethiopia are at risk of acute food insecurity, theUN's Food & Agriculture Organization saidthis week. In Sahel and West Africa, more than 40 million people could go hungry in 2022, according to the FAO, up from 10.8 million people in 2019.  Even before the Russian invasion in late February, the pandemic and a long period of drought had already hit African economies hard. The war in Ukraine made things critically worse since the continent imported about a third of its wheat from Russia and Ukraine. With food prices skyrocketing in global markets, even those countries not reliant on imports from Russia and Ukraine are suffering. Over the past decade, Africa's food import bill has nearly tripled, but its agricultural sector has also been growing steadily. The continent has immense potential for feeding itself, with vast amounts of arable lands. But why is it still dependent on imported grain? A major part of African farmlands is used to grow crops such as coffee, cocoa, and cottonseed oil for export, while the staple crops of the African diet, wheat, and rice, mainly come from outside of the continent. Much of this imported food could be produced locally,according to the World Bank, while African countries' self-sufficiency could also be boosted by replacing foreign cereal with regional crops such as fonio, teff, sorghum, amaranth, and millet. African countries could trade these crops between themselves, creating much-needed jobs for their youth and income for their farmers. The crops would also serve as the basis for a healthy diet. "Indigenous crops could offer much healthier alternatives to the cereals currently in use," Pauline Chivenge, a researcher at the African Plant Nutrition Institute in Morocco, told DW. "They have  benefits that go beyond sustaining food security. They are more nutritious, so in addition to the necessary callories, they contain higher amounts of protein and vitamins." Yet indigenous crops have been neglected for decades, largely due to states and international companies pushing for the mass production of maize and wheat and promoting them as staples. "Research and development and mechanization have focused on maize, rice, and wheat, and producing them in large, mono-crop fields at the expense of the region’s biodiversity," Chivenge said. "But the fact is that grains like maize and wheat are not really suitable for growing in most regions of Africa, where water is in short supply," she added. "They are very much dependent on regular rainfall, which is becoming a real challenge in the wake of climate change." Wolfgang Bokelmann, food and agriculture economist at Humboldt University in Berlin, agrees that local crops are underutilized. Between 2015 to 2018 he oversaw a study on the local production and consumption of a group of indigenous vegetables in Kenya. "The vegetables we studied had previously fallen out of fashion and used to be known as the poor man's food, due to dominance of the foreign produce that colonialization brought to Kenya," he told DW. That view changed once NGOs and the government began to support the local production of vegetables. "They first found their way to the local day markets, and soon after were introduced in chain supermarkets at a national level," he said. In addition to their health benefits and ecological advantages, "indigenous crops can empower subaltern communities, especially female farmers," Bokelmann said. "There are many types of crops that can grow in home gardens in cities' margins within a short period of time." With the continuous trend of migration from villages to cities in Africa, constellations of small plots of indigenous crop farms around the cities can count for vital food sources for the ever-expanding population of slums and marginal communities, he noted. But Chivenge is aware that boosting indigenous crop production faces many hurdles. The smallholder farmers who grow them have limited access to fertilizers, which keeps their productivity low. They also lack the means to process and market their harvests, and fresh, unprocessed food needs quick shipment, which is not an option in most intra-African markets.  Furthermore, African countries cannot simply switch to the production of indigenous crops when exporting cash crops to richer countries is more profitable. "Most of these nations are faced with a dilemma," Bokelmann said. "They are forced to choose between the mass production of crops for exporting, which brings them more price value, or feeding the majority of their population by supporting small-scale farming of indigenous crops." "Some say that larger, mono-crop farms are easier to manage and mechanize and therefore more productive," Chivenge pointed out." Another argument is that that bulk harvest is easier to market and transport."  The mass production of exportable crops, its proponents argue, helps Africa’s agriculture develop and modernize and gives African nations economic sway in the global market. But with the war in Ukraine threatening global food supplies, production and distribution will need to adapt. The idea of having a globally integrated market used to be popular decades ago, with every country exporting what they it best produce themselves while importing what it needs from other countries, pointed out Bokelmann. "But from the look of the post-pandemic world, it seems that food sovereignty, the ability of each country and community to grow its own food, is much more important," he said.  Edited by: Jane Paulick

7Politics

The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on Friday said it expected to see 420 cases per 100,000 people for the week ending August 1. That prediction, in the agency's latest weekly report, compares with a figure of just under 90 last week. The agency, which covers the European Union as well as Norway and Iceland and Liechtenstein, expects the figure to rise to more than 620 new cases per 100,000 population for the week ending August 8. However it warned that its models' likely accuracy decreased the further forward they charted. "The current continuing deterioration of the epidemiological situation in many countries is expected to continue given the rapid increase in the delta variant," the ECDC said in the report. However, the number of hospitalizations and deaths is expected to increase at a much slower pace, the ECDC said, with particular thanks to the vaccination campaign.  The number of deaths related to COVID-19 is expected to exceed the 10 per million threshold, compared to 6.8 last week. The ECDC forecast increasing cases in 20 countries with an increase in deaths in nine of them. These were Cyprus, Greece, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain. "In the most affected countries, the steepest increases and highest notification rates were reported among 15 to 24-year-old's, with limited increases in persons aged over 65 years," the ECDC said. Younger people tend to be among the last to be offered vaccinations, because they are at less risk of death or serious illness than the elderly if they catch COVID. Between July 5 and 11, the number of new cases in the EU leaped by more than 60% — an increase for the second week in a row. According to the ECDC this was due to "relaxation of non-pharmaceutical interventions and increasing spread of delta variant" first detected in India. The Stockholm-based agency last month warned that the delta variant looked set to be behind 90% of new cases by the end of August. As a result, the ECDC has said it was essential that Europe accelerates vaccination campaigns so as to close immunity gaps as quickly as possible. rc/msh (AFP, dpa)

5Health

At least two people were killed after security forces attempted to detain Chad's opposition presidential candidate Yaya Dillo on Sunday. Dillo, who plans to run in the election in April, told Reuters he was attacked at home by members of the presidential guard on Sunday morning. He said that five family members were killed, including his mother. The government released a statement that said security forces were trying to arrest Dillo after he refused to answer to two judicial mandates and were met with armed resistance. The ensuing gunfight resulted in two deaths and five injuries, according to the statement. A government spokesman said Dillo fired first, before security forces retaliated. It is not clear if Dillo has been taken into custody. Dillo is a former rebel leader who fought against President Idriss Deby in 2006 before joining his government. Dillo recently served as Chad's representative to the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC). He is one of 16 people who have said they will run against Deby in April's election. Deby has been in power since 1990. In a new constitution that was adopted three years ago, he could be allowed to stay in power until 2033. Hundreds of protesters against Deby's presidential candidacy took to the streets earlier this month. kbd/mm (AFP, Reuters)

7Politics

Chad's presidency on Wednesday released a "transition charter" that will repeal the country's constitution and serve as the "basic law of the republic." The military council in temporary control had already announced that President Idriss Deby's son Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno would take over the reins of power in the Central African country after the killing of his father on Monday by rebels, but sought to solidify that position on Wednesday. The younger Deby, a 37-year-old general, will now head a Military Transitional Council consisting of himself and 14 military leaders who were allies and supporters of his father. He has been named "Supreme Head of the Armed Forces" and will "occupy the functions of the president of the republic," as well as assuming the leadership of the councils of ministers and of defense. Mahamat Idriss Debby Itno himself signed a decree on Tuesday tasking the military council with heading an 18-month transition toward "free and democratic elections." The move, which followed the controversial re-election of the elder Deby to a sixth presidential term on Sunday and his killing just hours later on Monday, have raised concerns that the country, and ultimately the entire region, could fall into a state of violent chaos. "The potentially explosive consequences of President Deby's death cannot be underestimated — both for the future of Chad and across the region," the non-governmental organization (NGO) Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a statement. France, the former colonial ruler of what is today Chad, is also keenly watching developments, with Defense Minister Florence Parly saying, "What's central to us now is that a process of democratic transition can be implemented and the stability of Chad preserved." The Elysee Palace said President Emmanuel Macron would attend Deby's funeral. Chad has played a pivotal role in the West's war on Islamic terror in the Sahel region and has been praised by France for its steadfast allegiance in battling groups such as Boko Haram, al-Qaida and Islamic State in the Sahel. Still, as HRW said in a statement, "For years, international players have propped up Deby's government for its support for counterterrorism operations ... while largely turning a blind eye to his legacy of repression and violations of social and economic rights at home." As if to highlight the uncertainty in Chad, the US State Department on Wednesday issued a statement merely saying it was monitoring the situation closely and that it would be "concerned" by "anything that would stand in the way of a democratic transition of power in Chad." The most immediate threat to Chad's "stability" would appear to be presented by the rebel group FACT (Front for Change and Concord in Chad), which claimed responsibility for the injuries that killed Deby. The group, which was formed by dissident military officers in 2016 and is not linked to jihadist groups, has now vowed to depose the younger Deby, saying: "Chad is not a monarchy. There can be no dynastic devolution of power in our country."  The group, which had been based in southern Libya until flooding into Chad on April 11 — election day — has claimed that it is "heading toward N'djamena this very moment," though it is unclear just how close the group is to the country's 1-million-resident capital. A spokesman for the group said: "We took up arms because there was no democratic space in Chad. A peaceful solution was not imaginable. We saw that Deby didn't want to quit power. We don't want to seize power to hold power. Our objective is for democratic transitions to be a reality." In response, the Military Transitional Council said its fight with the rebels was far from over, "the security situation remains highly serious given the persistence and magnitude of the terrorist threat." A spokesman for the council said the military would fight to "prevent the country from sinking into chaos and anarchy." The circumstances surrounding President Deby's death remain unclear, with some arguing it had been a coup rather than a rebel attack that ended his life. Those circumstances may never be resolved, still Chad expert Seidick Abba tells DW that what has happened since is unmistakable: "There is a constitutional mechanism for such instances [the transition of power after the death of a president] and it should have worked. The fact that the army decided to seize power and name Deby's son his successor is definitely a coup!" Abba says that after 30 years of increasingly autocratic rule under Deby, who himself came to power in a 1990 coup, Chad has the chance to make a fresh start: "The way I see it, Chad has the opportunity to begin a new chapter after the end of the Deby years." Some in the military agree. On Wednesday, General Idriss Abderamane Dicko, speaking for like-minded military officers, called on the army to disband the Military Transition Council: "We are many. We represent the national and republican armies [though not the presidential guard]. We have decided to support the will of the people and ask that you [the Military Transition Council] heed the wishes of the people and put the nation's sovereignty back in their hands. The role of the army is to support the people of Chad."   Opposition politicians, many of whom boycotted the election and complained of repression during campaigning before the vote, also called for a return to civilian rule. Succes Masra, leader of the opposition party "Transformers," told DW that he, too, rejects the Military Transitional Council led by the ex-president's son: "Do Chadians want a dynastic transfer of power? No. Do Chadians want a continuation of the Deby system that they rejected? Apparently not. Do Chadians want chaos and armed conflict till the bitter end? Apparently not. But there is also a smarter approach, a path of collective intelligence that includes the Chadian people." Masra said a strong military was necessary but emphasized that it had "so much to do in order to guarantee the country's security but also in the fight against terror. Its place is in the barracks, and it must remain entirely neutral." Cameron Hudson, a senior fellow at the Africa Center of the US think tank Atlantic Council, said: "There is a great deal of uncertainty around how events in Chad will unfold. Whether the army will stay loyal to Deby's son and continue the effort to repel the rebels." Hudson says that after 30 years of Deby's rule, Chadians are fed up and may well demand different leadership but warns this, too, "presents a high risk of civilian casualties and a likelihood that fleeing civilians or soldiers could export Chad's instability to neighboring states." Libya on Wednesday ordered increased surveillance of its borders with Chad. That uncertainty has become palpable in the capital, with residents fleeing to escape potential conflict or stocking up on food and supplies as reports of approaching rebels swirl and an eerie quiet blankets the city. "I went to the market to stock up on food for home. We have no idea what the coming days will bring. We have been told the rebels are coming and that they aren't far away. I'm really terrified," as Helene Madi told DW.

7Politics

The Chinese cable channel CGTN no longer has permission to be broadcast in Germany, a press spokesperson for the state media authority of North Rhine-Westphalia confirmed to DW on Friday. "We are currently informing cable providers that Ofcom has revoked this channel's UK license and that the program can therefore not be broadcast in Germany anymore," they said, referring to the decision made by the UK broadcasting regulator on February 4.  According to an agreement among several European countries, CGTN's license in Germany had been approved by Ofcom as part of a license sharing initiative. With the Ofcom license revoked, CGTN has been left without permission to broadcast in Germany. Vodafone Germany also reported on Friday that it had ended distribution of the channel over its cable network in Nordrhine-Westphalia, Hesse and Baden-Württemberg, according to Reuters. "We are currently in discussions regarding the withdrawal of the license both with regional media authorities and the broadcaster's representatives in order to clarify the legal situation," the company said. The British Office of Communications (Ofcom) said that the media company holding CGTN's UK license, Star China Media Limited (SCML) had "no editorial control over its programs" as the UK law requires. The regulator determined that the state-owned channel was "ultimately controlled by the Chinese Communist Party" after carrying out an investigation into complaints about fairness and accuracy. In response, Chinese regulators banned the UK's BBC World News service from broadcasting in China on Thursday, citing violations of the country's broadcasting rules. The "transfrontier television" agreement signed in 1989 states that a distribution license in one European country is valid across the continent. The deal was signed under the Council of Europe, of which the UK is still a member — CGTN's licensing troubles have no connection to Brexit. The agreement was signed by all EU member states as well as most of the Balkans and Ukraine. This means that CGTN may have to be switched off across the whole of Europe, although it is possible that being granted a license in one country could allow distribution to resume across the board.

7Politics

Caught in an energy crisis and hungry for alternatives to Russian gas, European leaders have spent months eyeing fossil fuel projects across Africa. Their counterparts are willing to sell. Senegal and Mauritania are planning to ship liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Germany. The Senegalese government expects to supply Europe's biggest economy with 2.5 million tons of gas from 2023 and as much as 10 million tons by 2030. The African Union is pushing for more energy infrastructure, including fossil gas. Countries like South Africa and Tanzania are home to untouched fields that could net them billions of dollars. "This is indeed a great moment for Africa," African Union Executive Director Rashid Ali Abdallah told DW. "It's not just Europe, there are global crises and Africa can help meet global demand." So far, just 6% of the world's fossil gas is produced in Africa, a continent where climate change is wreaking havoc on crops and homes and 600 million people do not have access to electricity. From Nigeria to Egypt and Algeria to Mozambique, countries across the continent are pushing to extract more gas – for both them and Europeans to burn.  "Africa has woken up and we are going to exploit our natural resources," said Ugandan Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu ahead of the COP27 climate conference in Egypt. The 55 member states of the African Union have adopted a common position to promote the expansion of energy infrastructure. The African Energy Commission, the agency responsible for coordinating energy policy across the continent, has made a case for gas and nuclear to play a decisive role in development alongside renewable sources. "If global environmentalists call for an immediate end to fossil fuel use, developing countries in Africa will suffer economically and socially," the energy agency found in a report. But stopping the planet from heating 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial temperatures — the level to which world leaders promised to halt global warming by the end of the century — does not allow for further exploration of oil and gas fields, according to the International Energy Agency, an organization led by energy ministers mostly from rich countries. Cutting emissions quickly enough would mean that by 2035, just 5% of electricity would be made by burning fossil gas unchecked. Environmentalists have warned rich countries against negotiating new gas supplies with African counterparts during the climate summit. Representatives of environmental nonprofit groups Powershift Africa, Greenpeace and Climate Action Network said the summit risks becoming a festival of greenwashing. Mohamed Adow, director of Power Shift Africa, a think tank based in Nairobi, told journalists at the conference in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday that Europe was trying to make Africa its "gas station" but not giving enough money for renewable energy. "We cannot allow Africa, which has missed out on fossil fuel-driven industrialization, to now become the victim of short-sighted, selfish colonialist interests, especially from Europe."   Oil and gas exports are a major source of revenue for many African countries, accounting for 50% to 80% of total government revenue in some countries. Most of the gas produced in Africa is exported. Still, African countries contribute minimally to global warming. The continent's share of climate-damaging greenhouse gas emissions is less than 4%. The US, the EU, and China together account for more than 50% of global emissions.  The EU declared fossil gas a transition fuel this year, describing it as "sustainable" in regulations that guide investments. This should also apply to African production, said Abdallah. "Our per capita consumption of fossil fuels or petroleum products in Africa is only one-third of the global average. To say that those who contribute so little should save more is simply not fair."  In light of plans to clean up its economy, "Europe's appetite for gas from the global South, in this case Africa, will fizzle out," said Kofi Mbuk, cleantech analyst at the think tank Carbon Tracker. Investments worth billions in new African gas pipelines run a high risk of losing value within a few years.    The LNG projects under construction or planned across the world would — if implemented — consume 10% of the remaining carbon budget, according to a report published Wednesday by Climate Action Tracker, a research project by two environmental research institutes. By 2030, there would also be an oversupply of LNG equivalent to nearly five times the EU's Russian gas imports in 2021. "The energy crisis has replaced the climate crisis," said Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics, one of the organizations behind the tracker. "Our analysis shows that the LNG facilities proposed, approved and under construction far exceed what is needed to replace Russian gas."  The African Union expects gas exports to decline in the medium term as rich countries move away from fossil fuels. Gas should be used on the domestic market to drive electrification for the approximately 600 million Africans who still live without electricity today, it found.  Juan Pablo Osorio, the head of the climate diplomacy program at climate think tank E3G, said fossil fuels are not needed for this. "Electricity from renewables is the cheapest in the world and is well suited for rapid access to power in remote areas. In the short term, it can lift millions of people out of energy poverty." This article was adapted from German.

6Nature and Environment

Hundreds of thousands of French protesters marched nationwide on Saturday, decrying plans to reform the pension system and push back retirement age by two years. Protests took place in Paris, as well as other cities such as Nice, Marseille, Toulouse and Nantes. In addition, air traffic controllers at Paris's second largest airport, Orly, walked off their jobs in solidarity. The strike caused the cancellation of up to half the flights scheduled to take off on Saturday. Protesters included many young people, including students who said they hadn't been able to join previous demonstrations due to their studies. Many of them held banners with slogans about their parents being affected by the planned reforms. "I don't want my parents to die at work,'' one banner held by a teenage boy read. Protests against the pension reform plans have recently intensified, as the government of President Emmanuel Macron gears up for inking the plans. Reforming the country's pension system was on Macron's platform both during the 2017 and 2022 elections. The president and his administration argue that the reforms are "indispensable" for the pension system's survival. He says the pension fund is experiencing a looming deficit that must be dealt with, as France's population gets older. Macron argues that the population would have to work a little more to keep the pension fund in balance. To achieve this, the new system raises the retirement age from 62 to 64. However, critics insist the government must find alternative ways to finance the pension fund. They also argue that increasing the years of work in some strenuous, manual labor professions would not be physically possible. Despite nationwide resistance, Macron is set on delivering his campaign promise and reforming the retirement system. Earlier this week, lawmakers began debating the new pension bill in parliament, where Macron's centrist party lost its absolute majority last year. They now have to rely on the opposition conservative Republicans to pass the bill. However, the bill faces reservations from many members of parliament, including from Macron's own faction, who fear it might instigate crippling strikes. Labor unions and left-wing lawmakers are working hard to block the bill. In a joint statement on Saturday, unions condemned the government as "deaf," urging for the bill to be scrapped. They threatened to conduct a nationwide strike on March 7 that could "bring France to a standstill" should their demands go unanswered. Saturday's protest was the fourth large-scale demonstration against the pension reform this year. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video rmt/dj (AP, dpa)

7Politics

Some observers believe that the Polish prime minister's appearance at the recent EU summit in Brussels was somewhat less belligerent than his previous blistering attack on the bloc in the European Parliament. But these are just diplomatic nuances. The fact is that Mateusz Morawiecki continues to fight for the political principle that Polish law should prevail over EU law whenever the government in Warsaw fancies. The Polish government argues that it never agreed to cede as much sovereignty to the European Union as it is currently being asked to. However, after much wrangling, Poland signed the Lisbon Treaty in 2007, which forms the negotiating basis for policy in today's European Union. Lech Kaczynski, Poland's president at the time, had envisioned a different European Union: a purely economic alliance that would serve to distribute money among nation-states. Now, his brother, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the head of Poland's ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS), is trying to revive that old idea. But there was no majority for it then, and there is no majority for it now in the European Union. Backed internationally by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and former US President Donald Trump, Poland's government is trying to hollow out the European Union from the inside. This is not about defending domestic law against judicial overreach from the EU. In almost all areas — whether criminal law, taxes, health, education or public administration — EU member states remain as autonomous as ever. This is as true for Poland as it is for Italy or Denmark. The European Court of Justice only issues rulings on the domestic affairs of EU member states when stated democratic principles are at stake. The cases can involve, for example, the principle of equality for all EU citizens, as in the case of LGBTQ communities — an issue on which the ECJ has already ruled against Poland's government. Or they can involve the core democratic principle that a country's judiciary must be free and independent from the political class. For years, the EU and the ECJ have been at loggerheads with Warsaw over the systematic expulsion of independent judges and the filling of their posts with loyalists of the ruling PiS party. The state structure that Poland's government is striving for would clearly not be a democracy in line with EU rules. The development points to a kind of controlled rule with autocratic features. That path usually involves dismantling the independent judiciary and then the free press and finally crushing civil society. Once that's done, elections are a mere formality for the ruling circle. Vladimir Putin's Russia shows what this looks like in the end. In its current state, Poland would fail to meet some of the admission criteria for the European Union. And the type of authoritarian regime that Kaczynski and his supporters are currently trying to establish would have no place at all in the EU. The other member states made a terrible mistake when they didn't oppose Viktor Orban as he delivered a blueprint to other newer EU members for how to dismantle a democracy and replace it with authoritarian kleptocratic rule. The European Union must prevent similar developments in Poland. The country is too big and strategically too important. When Britain left the European Union, it was clear-cut. The country terminated its membership and, after lengthy negotiations, left. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video But Poland's government appears intent on remaking the European Union. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and others have recognized the gravity of the situation and have declared that their patience is exhausted by Poland's actions. Perhaps it's even time to retire the "Merkel Method": the German chancellor's engaging in endless dialogue — even with the most recalcitrant EU member states. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis has just been voted out of office; Slovenia's Janez Jansa may soon follow him. Domestic voters may prove the European Union's first line of defense. If Poland's government no longer wants to play by the EU's rules, the country will have to leave the European Union. Another option is to rethink the old idea of a core of member states with a secondary tier of associated countries, to which Poland would belong. In any case, the European Union must fend off attacks from Poland and use financial sanctions if needed. Why should German, Dutch and French taxpayers finance the autocracy of Jaroslaw Kaczynski? The European Union must stop him — now.  This commentary was translated from German.

7Politics

Several common German idioms use the words "cold," "chill," and "cool." But of course, a literal translation does not quite convey their meaning, as idioms often use images to describe a situation. When Germans say, "Das ist kalter Kaffee" or "That's cold coffee!", they are likely not referring to the temperature of their beverage, but rather to the news value of a piece of information. You'll find more from Meet the Germans on YouTube, Instagram and at dw.com/MeetTheGermans.

4Culture

A controversy has erupted in recent days in the southern Karnataka state, ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), over revisions of school textbooks, with detractors slamming the government for trying to promote its Hindu nationalist agenda through the changes.    The extent of the changes is not yet known, as the books have not been made public. But media report that chapters on such social reformers as Periyar and Narayana Guru; Bhagat Singh, an Indian freedom fighter executed by British authorities in 1931; and other figures have been removed from the syllabus. It has also been reported that the curriculum will include a speech by K H Hegdewar, the founder of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, or RSS, a sprawling Hindu nationalist organization with some 5-6 million members. The RSS, where Modi began his political career, has close ideological and organizational ties to the BJP. BJP-ruled states such as Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Haryana have also announced the introduction of the Hindu holy book, the Bhagavad Gita, to the school curriculum beginning in the upcoming academic year. "The National Education Policy will be implemented in the upcoming session. We will be including Vedas, Gita, Ramayana and the history of Uttarakhand in the syllabus after taking suggestions from the public and consulting the academicians," Uttarakhand Education Minister Dhan Singh Rawat announced in May. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Education experts, government critics and opposition political parties have sharply criticized the BJP for the proposed changes, arguing that it is an effort to rewrite Indian history in a way that aligns with the party's worldview.  "The proposed changes in school textbooks at the state level in Gujarat and Karnataka is a matter of great concern, as clearly it is not academic considerations but the politics of our times that is the deciding factor," R Mahalakshmi, professor at the Center for Historical Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, told DW. Since Modi came to power in 2014, Hindu right-wing groups such as the RSS have expanded their influence across much of India's government, particularly over new education policies, opponents of the BJP say. Last year, a parliamentary panel on education chaired by BJP MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe called for changes in school textbooks. The committee noted that many of the historical figures and freedom fighters have been portrayed in "an incorrect manner as offenders" and this "wrong portrayal should be corrected" in history textbooks. It also suggested that ancient wisdom, knowledge and teachings from ancient Hindu scriptures such as the Vedas should be included in the school curriculum. "There is no truth that we are changing the syllabus to suit our ideological stance," Sahasrabuddhe told DW. "Did Congress not have a political agenda when it rewrote the syllabus to keep an eye on vote bank politics?" he said, referring to the Indian National Congress, the country's main opposition party. "We are portraying the right history to people and this is a project long overdue," he said. "School textbooks play a key role in shaping up the mindset of children," he added, "so it is important to update them from time to time." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Mahalakshmi said it was a "blatant attempt to present an obscurantist and sectarian view" of history.  "The bogey of the neglected and marginalized histories, events and figures is simply a way of inserting communal and politically motivated elements into the school curriculum," she said. In Karnataka state, critics of textbook revisions are planning to take to the streets next week in protest. In an open letter, prominent figures from across the state, including academicians and writers, have questioned the proposed changes, arguing that such decisions should not be made by political actors but by the experts in the field.  Historian Narayani Gupta said any revision of school books should be done only after thorough research and with the aim of improving the quality of education. "Curriculum or textbook changes should be made after due notice. Any innovation should be in use for at least five years. There should be forms online where individuals can give opinions," she told DW. "There is not enough consultation with schoolteachers, no vetting of textbooks, overlong chapters and no room for imagination. Hurting sentiments is not a valid reason for changes in textbooks," she said. Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru

8Society

Since Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine, Europeans have begun to discuss their dependencies on countries, which do not necessarily share their values.  So where does Turkey fit in? Ankara's aspirations for a greater role on the global stage is accompanied by their increasingly aggressive and nationalistic rhetoric towards its Western partners. Today, Turkey, a candidate for accession to the European Union, is not what the West exactly wants it to be — but is still an important player in global politics. Here are a number of reasons why Western capitals are dependent on Ankara.  The Russian war in Ukraine meant many things for the international community, but for Turkey it provided a diplomatic opportunity. Already in the first days of the invasion, Turkey emerged as an irreplaceable mediator between Russia and Ukraine as Western countries were not enthusiastic about talking to Russia. Ankara enjoys good relations with both Moscow and Kyiv — which is a rare breed nowadays. Turkey started to serve as a channel for solving major problems such as the export of Ukrainian grain from Ukrainian ports. Prior to the war, Ukraine was one of the world's largest exporters of wheat, corn, barley and sunflower oil. The export agreement between Russia and Ukraine was signed under the mediation of Turkey and the UN in July in Istanbul. Moreover, to this day, Turkey remains as the most plausible option on the table with regard to the location of possible future peace negotiations between the two parties.  Turkey has been a member of NATO since 1952. The fact that it constitutes the second largest army of the alliance after the United States, and that it is located at the southeastern flank, makes Turkey a major security provider to the transatlantic alliance. Currently, Sweden and Finland are trying to convince Turkey to approve their NATO membership. Last week, Sweden's new prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, wrote a letter to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan requesting a meeting about the issue. Now both parties are set to meet in Turkey. Ankara accuses Sweden and Finland of being a safe haven for the members of the PKK, the Kurdistan Workers' Party, an armed entity which is listed as a terrorist organization by both Turkey as well as the EU and the United States.  The growing importance of Turkey's defense industry has made it an important player which directly affects Western interests. The Turkish-made Bayraktar TB-2 armed drones have proven themselves very effective in multiple conflicts in the past years. According to a 2021 report of BAKS, the think tank of the German Armed Forces, the Turkish drones played a decisive role in the in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. They're also having an impact in the war in Ukraine and have reportedly been helping the Ukrainian army to defend its territory against Russian forces. Last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy honored Haluk Bayraktar, the CEO of Baykar, the manufacturer of Bayraktar drones, with the Order of Merit, 1st class, as a sign of gratitude for its support. When the Ukrainian people raised funds in order to buy new drones for their armed forces, Baykar responded by donating these drones to "the patriotic Ukrainian people to achieve the goal they set." The low cost of the Bayraktars makes Turkey a unique partner for countries who cannot afford high-cost military equipment or research, but are looking for an alternative. According to a recent report by the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), the "arms sales to Africa are skyrocketing and have made Turkey a rising arms sup­plier on the continent." The fact that Turkey borders many of the countries to the South and to the East does not only provide Turkey with capabilities in terms of its defense policy but also in terms of a vulnerability of the European Union, namely its migration policy. Erdogan has not hesitated to threaten Brussels, Berlin and other European capitals multiple times in the past with "opening the doors," which would technically mean that refugees have open access to Europe.  Ankara's threats have objectively been successful and paid off in the form of the 2016 refugee deal between the EU and Turkey, which foresaw the payment of €6 billion ($6 billion) to Turkey. In return Turkey would accommodate the refugees on its territory. "More than 60% of Turks in Germany voted for Erdogan," ran the headline in many German newspapers in 2018 after Turkey's general election. Indeed, a remarkable percentage of the Turkish community in Germany identifies or sympathizes with the Turkish state. Another component of this issue is domestic security: According to the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, there are multiple radical ideologies threatening the German constitution. In addition to the Islamist groups, the ultranationalist Grey Wolves, the Kurdish PKK sympathizers as well as left-wing extremist groups are under state observation. The developments in Turkey impact on the dynamics between these groups, and in some cases, the Turkish state exerts direct influence on these groups, such as the Grey Wolves. Edited by: Rob Mudge To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

7Politics

When Bernadette Dierks-Meyer announced the imminent arrival of a new litter on the homepage of the Labrador Club of Germany, the dog breeder had no idea what she was in for. "Probably about ten inquiries - as usual," thought the woman who confesses to remember her dogs' birthdays better than those of her children. But within a few days, Dierks-Meyer was bombarded with requests for the little dogs, who are not even born yet. "I already have over 60 inquiries. I haven't published my phone number, luckily, otherwise, people might even call me at night. And I know of breeders who have many more inquiries," Dierks-Meyer told DW. As the coronavirus pandemic rages, Germans are discovering their love of animals. Cats and dogs, the traditional favorite animals in this country, are in particular in demand. Even before the pandemic began, one in four German households had a cat, and one in five had a dog. Now, in times of contact restrictions and lockdowns, people are lonely and many who are in furlough or home office have the time to look after a pet. So the requests are shooting up massively. According to the German Kennel Club (VDH), about 20% more dogs were purchased in 2020 than in previous years. "Maybe it's the need for a partner," is Dierks-Meyer's explanation. The Labrador lover, whose basement is filled with trophies from national and international sporting dog competitions, is currently getting heaps of mail from people who are spilling all their family history and raving about their deceased four-legged friend. "These are very, very nice emails," she says. "But I can't give them all a dog, I don't have that many." The trained veterinarian charges €1,500 ($1,800) for each of her puppies - comparatively little for a pedigree dog. For people who, unlike Dierks-Meyer, do not adhere to the breeders' strict guidelines (two litters in two years) and who see only a lucrative business in the animals, the pandemic has brought golden times. For some animals, however, these times are anything but golden.  Julia Zerwas knows a lot of animal stories without happy endings. And this is what drives her. She quit her studies in veterinary medicine in Munich to return to where she belongs, and where she started working ten years ago: The Albert Schweitzer animal shelter in Bonn. "We had a case the other day where a person brought their animal back here because it hadn't settled in after three days," Zerwas says. The shelters are worried that many animals will end up with them once the pandemic is over and people are tired of their newfound hobby. Already, some 48 dogs, 52 cats and 175 small animals are romping around the area next to a highway in Bonn; even snakes, lizards and pigeons have found a home here. Zerwas and her 20 colleagues are, if you will, intensive care workers for pets: They are there when no one else will help. Whether it's the emergency call from the Eifel region when 125 dogs are discovered in a single house or 100 hamsters who suddenly need a new home in one swoop or a dog that ends up stranded at the shelter after 13 owners gave up on it in despair. Julia Zerwas is used to making the impossible possible, but the coronavirus crisis has presented her with huge new challenges. "We've had to massively limit public traffic and now only allow visits by appointment. Of course, that means we only find new homes for far fewer animals than before. At the same time, inquiries have increased sharply during the coronavirus crisis," says Zerwas. The financial situation of the shelter is also a headache for her. "People who visited always used to leave a donation, and we're missing this money now. We just had to start a new appeal because of that."  And what advice does Zerwas have for people who are thinking about getting a pet? "To think really hard about what happens after the coronavirus. Will I still have the time then? And the desire? So does a pet fit into my normal life, or just right now?" "People have been asking shelters if they could have a dog for three months now, just for when they're working from home," confirms Hester Pommerening from the German Animal Welfare League. "And there have been shelters that have gotten 500 requests in a single weekend." Pommerening says she wants to act as a voice for the animals, which is a full-time job in Germany. Just recently she was in front of a camera demanding an end to the killing of male chicks, she is strongly opposed to animal testing, and has a list of reform demands for agriculture. But now there is a problem that is more topical than ever for her: The illegal puppy trade. The trade in pets is now considered the third-largest source of illegal income in the European Union after organized drug and arms trafficking. The German Animal Welfare Federation said between January and October 2020  75 illegal pet trades were reported, involving more than 800 animals (mainly dogs.) The number of unreported cases is probably much higher. "The cute pet is just a mouse click away. But we're talking about a living being here that you can't take back to the store as easily as a sweater or a toy," says Pommerening. And yet the prospect is so tempting: If inquiries at breeders or animal shelters are unsuccessful, one look at eBay Classifieds is enough for a huge selection of thousands of faithful pairs of eyes. "But behind these ads there are often sick animals that have been separated from their mothers too early, are behaviorally disturbed, and are produced under cruel conditions in Eastern Europe," says Pommerening, "Many animals then also die because they have not received any vaccinations at all." The organized criminal operations in Romania, Hungary, Serbia and Turkey are often very professional: The advertisements can hardly be distinguished from respectable businesses, the prices are normal, and written inquiries get friendly replies. But on delivery, prospective customers should become a little suspicious: "They often make excuses, so the delivery will have to take place on a parking lot." And illegal animal traders often even get orders for more than just dogs and cats: Some people want exotic animals such as snakes and even kangaroos. Pommerening has one main demand for animal lovers during the coronavirus crisis, but also the time after: "Animals should not be sold on the internet. Hands off!" This article has been translated from German.

8Society

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that the United States had ignored obligations under outer space treaties, putting astronauts at risk. Chinese space station Tiangong had to maneuver to avoid colliding with a Starlink satellite — produced by a division of Elon Musk's SpaceX — according to a note submitted by China to the United Nations space agency earlier this month. The Chinese station was forced to move two times, once in July and another time in October. The note said the incidents "constituted dangers to the life or health of astronauts aboard the China Space Station." Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian called on the US to act responsibly in space. "The US... ignores its obligations under international treaties, posing a serious threat to the lives and safety of astronauts," Lijian said during a press conference. Beijing said in its note to the UN that members of the Outer Space Treaty, which forms the basis of international space law, are also responsible for actions by their nongovernment entities. The private American company SpaceX is independent of the US military and civilian space agency NASA. Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics warned that any collision would likely "completely demolish" the Chinese space station and kill everyone on board. "We've really noticed the increase in the number of close passes since Starlink started getting deployed," he told French news agency AFP. According to McDowell, this is because more objects are entering Earth's orbit and with higher frequency. Starlink operates some 2,000 satellites that aim to provide widespread internet access. The core module of China's Tiangong, meanwhile, entered orbit earlier this year and is expected to become fully operational next year. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Beijing's warning on Tuesday prompted Chinese internet users to lash out at Musk. The billionaire is typically widely admired in China for his business accomplishments; his electric car company, Tesla, sells tens of thousands of vehicles in China each month. "Prepare to boycott Tesla," said one user of the popular Chinese social media platform Weibo. "How ironic that Chinese people buy Tesla, contributing large sums of money so Musk can launch Starlink, and then he (nearly) crashes into China's space station," another person wrote. mvb/rt (Reuters, AFP)

0Business

The European Union warned on Wednesday that the UK could face tariffs and quotas if it makes any unilateral action on Northern Ireland. The vice president of the European Commission overseeing EU-UK relations, Maros Sefcovic, said the bloc is considering a possible legal challenge over the UK's stance on Northern Ireland.  Sefcovic said at a news conference after a meeting with his British counterpart David Frost, "If the UK were to take further unilateral action in the coming weeks, the EU will not be shy in reacting swiftly, firmly and resolutely to ensure that the UK abides by its international law obligations." A UK source close to the negotiations with the EU told Reuters the UK was keeping open its options, including possibly extending a transition period on checks on chilled meat to Northern Ireland. Sefcovic noted the same standards had applied on sausages for several decades but there was no guarantee that would last in post-Brexit Britain. Sefcovic noted the US is following the issue closely and the upcoming G7 meeting was likely to turn to discussion of Northern Ireland and Brexit. "Pacta sunda servanda," Sefcovic said, Latin for "agreements must be kept". But a UK government source hit back at the European Commission, saying its position on Northern Ireland had "more than a whiff of protectionism about it." "There is a range of problems around the question that the UK should simply dynamically align to EU legislation," the senior official said. "It doesn't really take into account to political realities at both ends." Many newspapers in Britain have dubbed the row a "sausage trade war" over the EU's insistence that meat products be subjected to border checks when being shipped from the mainland to the province. Another British source close to the talks said there was "no evidence that sausages from the rest of the UK post a risk to biosecurity in Northern Ireland or the environment." Currently a deadline is set for June 30 for a deal to be reached. EU officials say without an agreement, there would be an effective ban on fresh meat that imports into Northern Ireland moves from Great Britain. The European Commission says that Britain may seek to diverge from their food safety standards as a post-Brexit policy, arguing this puts EU citizens' health at risk. ar/aw (AFP, Reuters)

0Business

A new report released Monday by Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the Stanford Law School's Human Rights and Conflict Resolution Clinic says the Chinese government has committed crimes against humanity against Uyghur Muslims and other Turkic minorities in Xinjiang. The report, entitled "'Break their lineage, break their roots': China's crimes against humanity targeting Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims," compared existing research, media reports, government documents and data from China, concluding that Beijing is carrying out widespread and systematic policies of mass detention, torture, cultural persecution and other offenses. "Chinese authorities have systematically persecuted Turkic Muslims — their lives, their religion and their culture," said Sophie Richardson, China director at HRW, in the report. "Beijing has said it's providing 'vocational training' and 'deradicalization,' but that rhetoric can't obscure a grim reality of crimes against humanity." According to the report, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court defines crimes against humanity as serious specified offenses that are "knowingly committed" as part of a widespread or systematic attack against any civilian population. The alleged crimes highlighted in the report include imprisonment, deprivation of liberty in violation of international law, persecution of an identifiable ethnic or religious group, enforced disappearance, torture, murder, inhumane acts intentionally causing great suffering or serious injury to mental or physical health, forced labor and sexual violence. The report urges the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to create a commission of inquiry (COI) to investigate the crimes. "The COI should have a mandate to establish the facts, identify the perpetrators, and make recommendations to provide accountability," the report said. "The COI should be comprised of eminent persons, including experts in international human rights law, crimes against humanity, the rights of ethnic and religious minorities, and gender issues." Several Western countries have imposed coordinated sanctions against several Chinese officials believed to be responsible for the human rights violations in Xinjiang. In a tit-for-tat move, Beijing imposed sanctions on several individuals and entities in those countries. According to HRW, an estimated 1 million people have been detained in 300 to 400 facilities across Xinjiang since 2017, with courts in the region allegedly handing down "harsh prison sentences" without due process. "According to official statistics, arrests in Xinjiang accounted for nearly 21% of all arrests in China in 2017, despite people in Xinjiang making up only 1.5% of the total population,” the report said. Additionally, evidence shows that local authorities in Xinjiang have used various methods to damage or destroy at least two-thirds of mosques in Xinjiang. Local authorities also implement a vast surveillance network across the region by collecting DNA samples, fingerprints, iris scans and blood types of Xinjiang residents between the age of 12 and 65. HRW's Richardson told DW the report highlights how the Chinese government's policies that have affected Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities in the past several years. "We reached the conclusion that these violations fit that definition of widespread and systematic," she said. Experts say that growing evidence against China allows the international community to address the human rights violations in Xinjiang. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "I think it's particularly important [for countries] to call on the UN to establish a commission of inquiry into not only crimes against humanity, but also genocide," said Yonah Diamond, legal counsel for the Raoul Wallenberg Center for Human Rights and one of the authors of a recent independent report that determined Beijing's actions in Xinjiang have violated the UN Genocide Convention. "Often when a genocide is occurring, you have counts of crimes against humanity also brought into the docket," Diamond told DW. Rights activists say it is crucial for the UN's high commissioner for human rights to put the Xinjiang human rights issue on the UNHRC agenda. "The high commissioner should try to find pathways forward, whether that's through a resolution or whether that's through other tools like an urgent debate," said Richardson. "I think it's also important to remember that there are options available to governments outside of the UN system. There are recommendations about the merits of national or federal prosecutors starting to gather evidence, and there is also the prospect of universal jurisdiction cases," she added. Diamond says countries and independent experts are responsible for taking China to task. "There is a real consensus within the international legal community that crimes against humanity and genocide are happening in Xinjiang," Diamond said. "Governments should continue to use the Global Magnitsky Act or human rights sanctions to target individuals and entities most responsible for [the human rights crisis in Xinjiang]." Experts believe these legal determinations can also offer support to overseas Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities. "We want to let the Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other Turkic communities inside and outside of Xinjiang know that we certainly recognize this is an ongoing nightmare, and we want to do everything we can to push forward the idea of accountability," Richardson said. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

8Society

China has announced nationwide relaxations to its draconian zero-COVID policy in the strongest indication so far that the country is readying its people to live with the disease three years into the coronavirus pandemic.  In a sharp rollback of some of the most stringent COVID-19 curbs, China's national health authority on Wednesday announced a string of measures. Although the country is not abandoning its policy of attempting to eliminate the disease, the changes, such as allowing people with mild or no symptoms to quarantine at home and dropping travel testing, are a major shift. They changes include limiting the scale of lockdown to individual apartment floors and buildings, instead of entire districts and neighborhoods. "Asymptomatic persons and mild cases can be isolated at home while strengthening health monitoring, and they can transfer to designated hospitals for treatment in a timely manner if their condition worsens," the National Health Commission said in a statement. The relaxations come after large-scale protests across the country in recent weeks against the Chinese government's harsh COVID-19 policy. As part of the new mandate, the frequency and extent of PCR testing — a key feature of life in zero-COVID China — will also be reduced. "Mass PCR testing only carried out in schools, hospitals, nursing homes and high-risk work units; scope and frequency of PCR testing to be further reduced," the health authority added.  "People traveling across provinces do not need to provide a 48h test result and do not need to test upon arrival." Beijing will also step up vaccination of the elderly, a condition for ending the no-tolerance COVID policy.  To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The Shanghai Disneyland theme park will reopen to visitors on Thursday, according to a statement issued by the park, which closed due to comply with COVID measures at the end of November. Widespread protests nationwide Last week, several cities in China had already loosened some COVID restrictions, following Beijing's cue after weeks of public frustration. The rare protests, which started against the ruling Communist Party's zero-COVID approach, soon escalated with demonstrators calling for more political freedoms. Some even demanded that President Xi Jinping resign. The protests, that took place in major cities on the mainland, were met with a clampdown from the authorities.  China's strict coronavirus strategy has been blamed for upending normal life, travel and employment in the Asian nation where the virus first originated.  At first, China's strategy did keep case numbers and deaths very low by comparison with most other countries, despite its vast size and early exposure to the virus. However, the drawback, in a country whose available vaccines are not considered the best, was that this dramatically slowed the process of gradual public exposure to the virus. With most people inoculated or exposed to the virus and the number of deaths as a share of the total COVID caseload slumping, most countries across the world have opened up in hopes of learning to live with the virus. But China had stuck to its "zero-Covid" strategy until now. dvv/msh (AP, Reuters)

7Politics

Germany's far-right organizations are struggling to agree on a position on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, researchers who track Germany's neo-Nazi scene have noted. While some groups are siding with Russia's anti-NATO authoritarian leader, others are showing solidarity with the far-right "Azov Battalion" in Ukraine. Nicholas Potter, a researcher and journalist at the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, one of Germany's leading research institutes into the far-right scene, says the pro-Ukrainian side represents a slight majority among German neo-Nazis — but there's an important distinction to be made between them and the Ukrainians fighting. "These parties, individuals, movements — they're not die-hard democrats who believe in the sovereignty of Ukraine and would support the Jewish [President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy's government," Potter told DW. "It would be a mistake to say they're fighting for the same ideals that a lot of Ukrainians are fighting for." Johannes Kiess, a far-right specialist at the Else Frenkel-Brunswik Institute at Leipzig University, sees Germany's pro-Ukrainian neo-Nazis as motivated mainly by their connections to far-right groups in Ukraine. "In the martial arts scene, the hooligan scene, the neo-Nazi scene — in those circles there are pan-European networks," he said. "There are also connections to Poland. It's not just a German-Ukrainian thing." Among the more obviously pro-Ukrainian far-right parties is the III. Weg, or "Third Path," a hardcore group of militant neo-Nazis that was founded in 2013 and numbers just a few hundred members. (According to Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the overall number of violence-oriented neo-Nazis in Germany is 13,300.) The III. Weg briefly made headlines last October when it organized groups to "patrol" Germany's border with Poland to guard against migrants; the operation was quickly shut down by police. The group, which has also trained with and invited speakers from Ukraine's paramilitary Azov Battalion, says on its website that it "rejects Russian imperialism with the purpose of reestablishing the Soviet Union" and has started campaigns to help fleeing Ukrainian nationalists. Potter believes that right-wing extremists such as the III. Weg see Europe as an alliance of white nations, and Ukraine therefore as a nation of white people with the right to self-determination. On top of that, Potter noted that Germany's extreme-right has often envied the strength of Ukraine's far-right movement with its paramilitary organizations. Then there are the German extreme right's historic prejudices against Russia. Though Russia is obviously no longer a communist nation, "It's interesting how anti-communism plays quite a strong role," Potter said. "It's almost bizarrely like they're taking Putin's propaganda at face value — he says he's coming to de-nazify Ukraine, and they see him as a sort of left-wing, anti-fascist threat." Researchers have also noticed plenty of chatter on far-right social media networks about potentially traveling to Ukraine to join the war, perhaps in alliance with the Azov Battalion.  The Azov Battalion was founded in 2014 as a volunteer militia fighting pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine. Despite accusations of torture and war crimes, and its known neo-Nazi sympathies, it was incorporated into the Ukrainian National Guard in November 2014 after Russia's annexation of the Crimean peninsula. The Azov political movement arose in the following years, though with little electoral success. But there's almost no evidence that German neo-Nazis have actually gone to join Azov to fight. The Amadeu Antonio Foundation's news outlet Belltower.News last week asked the German Interior Ministry for official figures and was told that of the known neo-Nazis that Germany's domestic intelligence were observing, only 27 had shown any intention of travelling to Ukraine to fight. Even of the handful who had traveled to Ukraine, thought to be fewer than five individuals, it is not known whether they have taken part in any fighting, or which groups in Ukraine they might have joined. Meanwhile, Russia's President Vladimir Putin also attracts support amongst the fringe of Germany's extreme right. "When Putin wins, men will again be men and not women, electricity and fuel will become cheaper, Islamization will end, and the Green Party leftists will all be locked up," read a message on a Telegram chat group for the "Free Thuringians" extreme-right splinter group. The most explicitly pro-Putin German far-right group is the Freie Sachsen ("Free Saxons"), formed only a year ago, which describes itself as an umbrella group that allows membership in other organizations. The Freie Sachsen group overlaps with conspiracy theorists of the Querdenker movement, which oppose the government's COVID-19 containment measures. This group now identifies NATO as part of a globalist conspiracy that helped instigate the war. "With Freie Sachsen, it's very clear that they see themselves ideologically as partners of Putin," said Kiess. "And I'd say that is true of the conspiracy ideology scene on the whole." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The more established far-right parties in Germany, meanwhile, have found themselves in a political dilemma.  The Alternative for Germany (AfD) has been struggling to adopt a single position. While the party's national leaders, such as chairman Tino Chrupalla, joined the condemnation of the Russian invasion when it began, influential regional figures have been much more equivocal. Björn Höcke, head of the AfD in the eastern state of Thuringia, described Ukrainians as "the victims of a global geopolitical confrontation between NATO and Russia." "They're ideologically very close: They want a strong man, they're against modern democracy and issues like gender equality," said Kiess. "But of course, they know it's very difficult with current public opinion, when most Germans have a very clear idea of who started the war, and that it's a horrific war." The AfD has traditionally supported Putin, and like many of Europe's far-right political parties, its top politicians have maintained ties with the Kremlin and enjoyed its active support. Putin's opposition to Western organizations like NATO and the EU fits neatly with the AfD's strong voter base in eastern Germany, which is skeptical of EU membership and where historic ties include residual cultural empathy with Russia. Kiess thinks the AfD is probably eager to exploit the crisis for anti-government rhetoric: "I think sooner or later, we'll see the AfD trying to downplay this war and get past it, once the issue in Germany moves to energy security and fuel prices." While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter Berlin Briefing.

2Conflicts

Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner chose a sheep farm in rural Brandenburg, a 90-minute drive from Berlin's government district, to announce the launch of Germany's new federal center for livestock and wolves. "Just as the wolf is entitled to protection, so are our livestock," Klöckner said. "We need them to maintain and preserve our cultural landscape." The return of the wolf, she said, should not "lead to the existence of livestock being threatened in some regions of Germany." Wolves and bears were extinct in Germany for about 100 years, so livestock hadn't required special protection. But that all changed around the turn of the millennium. That's when wolves were once more spotted in Germany, having migrated from Poland. Today, their populations are concentrated along the Elbe river in northern and eastern Germany. These wolves do not just eat deer in the forest, but also sheep, goats and cattle from farms. This has been a sore point for farmers for years, especially those who keep their animals on open pastures. The minister provided some figures: There were 40 animals injured or killed by wolves in 2006, but by 2019 the number had grown to 2,900. This mostly has to do with the increased population, Klöckner said. "Every three to four years, the wolf population doubles," she said. She added that the wolf population could be controlled — through targeted shooting. Although the exact number of wolves in Germany is not known exactly, it's estimated there are 1,300 to 1,800 individual animals roaming free. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The sheep in the pasture Klöckner visited belong to Carina Vogel. She comes from the region and believes that it is possible to reconcile the different interests. "As a natural conservation sheep farm, we believe that ecological, animal-friendly farm management is possible even under conditions made difficult by the presence of wolves!" she wrote on her website. Fences and dogs are key, she added. This is the basis of a new federal initiative. "We are creating a platform that develops practical solutions — including information on costs and funding opportunities," said Hanns-Christoph Eiden, from the federal office for agriculture and food. It will be based around "networking and dialogue, knowledge transfer and the identification of research needs." The state of Brandenburg is currently home to the most wolves in Germany. They are monitored via a state-owned wolf management system. As of 2020, it is believed there are 47 packs plus 10 pairs in Brandenburg. And Brandenburg has also been at the heart of anti-wolf protests for years. Since 2017, "Nights of the Wolf Watches" have been taking place in Brandenburg communities. Farmers and hunters gather to protest the spread of the wolf, drawing attention to themselves with "warning shots." They say the government is not doing enough to protect livestock against wolf attacks. Recently, the organizers' message has spread to other parts of Germany, in an association that calls itself the "free farmers." "We have 480 members in Brandenburg and 1,250 members nationwide," media officer Reinhard Jung told DW. What Klöckner is doing "doesn't interest anyone in the countryside," Jung said. "People are disappointed," Jung added. Wolves have led farmers, especially cattle farmers, to quit. "They can't stand seeing the dead animals lying in the pasture over and over again," Jung said. And what about protective fences? Such high-tech 1.2-meter (4-foot) constructions don't work to prevent wolves from getting in, opponents say. "It makes no sense," Jung said. Political conflict has increased in Brandenburg's state parliament. In fall 2020, the state farmers' association had terminated its cooperation with the state government — due to differing views on wolf management. At the end of January, the Brandenburg state parliament voted to make it easier to shoot so-called problem wolves. There is also the "Wolf Free Zone" initiative, which 52 cities and towns in Brandenburg have joined. For many other parts of Germany, the issue is still relatively new, as the wolf is slow to migrate westward. But with the wolf population increasing, this may well be an issue that all of Germany has to face before too long. This article has been translated from German. While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society, with an eye toward understanding this year's elections and beyond. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter Berlin Briefing, to stay on top of developments as Germany enters the post-Merkel era.

8Society

A Russian circus has sparked outrage for featuring a monkey and goats dressed in clothes with Nazi symbols on them.  The circus in the city of Izhevsk in the Udmurtia region had put up the show as a celebration of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, circus organizers told news agency dpa on Friday.  The event was conceived on behalf of the local Russian Orthodox Church. The local prosecutor's office said it was investigating the case, after images of "animals dressed in blankets with Nazi symbols" emerged on social media from the performance that took place on January 8.  A video published by the circus on YouTube showed the monkey and goats wearing swastikas being paraded by a woman in a Soviet uniform. The clip also featured local priest Roman Voskresenskikh, who described the show as a "historical excursion" into past Orthodox Christmases across the years.  The Orthodox diocese in Izhevsk justified the use of Nazi symbology by saying that it was used to portray the defeat of the Nazi German army near Moscow in 1942.  "A special feature of circus art is entertainment, and there is nothing surprising in the fact that the images used in it have an ironic and sometimes even grotesque character," said the statement by the diocese.  While the performance has received considerable backlash over the use of the swastika, the circus and the diocese claim they have not violated Russian law. Russia placed a blanket ban on the use of Nazi symbols in 2014. An amendment to the law that was passed last year allows the use of these symbols for educational purposes, as long as they are not being used for the promotion of fascist ideology.  tg/rs (dpa, AFP)

8Society

Users on Reddit's WallStreetBets page are throwing their money at maligned stocks like GameStop and Blackberry, partly out of spite against hedge funds betting against the firms. The rush represents some troubling psychological dynamics among investors, with many caught up in a herd mentality that could see them left massively out of pocket, or even pursued by regulators, when the party ends.  "Events like this resemble riot dynamics, where one is more likely to take a risky action — such as joining a mob or crowd like those on Reddit — if she or he sees that many others have already joined," Chengwei Liu, associate professor of Behavioral Science at ESMT Berlin, told DW.  The mob mentality creates an illusion of size and power in the minds of participants, while allowing the individuals to underestimate the consequences of being caught out.  "The dynamics of social media increase the power of this illusion," Liu said. "And because the investing is entirely online, the 'revolt' becomes self-fulfilling." Redditors have whipped each other up into a frenzy, aided by the mechanics of the site itself. The social media platform allows users to upvote and downvote each others' posts. On WallStreetBets, heretics are shot down while big winners get pride of place at the top of the page.  Visitors to WallStreetBets are treated to incredible success stories from users like DeepF**kingValue, who bet $53,000 (€44,000) on a rising GameStop stock price back in summer 2019. DFV's investment is now worth $47 million, according to an investment account screenshot the user posted on Reddit. The mixture of frenetic energy given off by WSB users, encouraging each other to "BUY BUY BUY!" and "Hold the Line" on specific stocks, plus the outrageous success stories, contribute to the mob mentality. Part of the trigger for piling into GameStop was a report by Citron Research, which claimed that, at $40 dollars, the company was massively overpriced. Citron bet on the price of the stock going down, known as short selling. But by making a big bet against the beloved brand, Citron drew the ire of Redditors, who snapped up GameStop shares in retaliation. When the stock price rises, short-sellers can find themselves holding the can for a dud investment, piling up their costs.  Giving the traders a specific target helped with the rapid formulation of the "mob," giving them enormous momentum, with short-sellers as the villains that the "rioters" are raging against. After all, many short-selling hedge funds have been accused of predatory practices, including so-called short-and-distort strategies, where they bet against the stock of a particularly vulnerable company while attempting to spread pessimism about the business and profiting from the fall in share price.  "When you look at hedge funds getting caught out short-selling by a buyer, it's sort of poetic justice," Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at brokerage CMC Markets, told DW. "It highlights the risks that arise from short selling. What you saw here was some very smart retail traders saw an opportunity and took full advantage." Redditors can rationalize their motives but that does not make them immune from falling for the psychological traps that can affect all investors. Professional traders are taught to look out for the warning signs.  There's the phenomenon of sunk cost fallacy where investors continue to pursue a loss-making course because they already committed a significant amount of money to it "Loss aversion and the sunk cost fallacy tend to make small losses become major ones," said Liu.  On the surface, WallStreetBets investors appear to be well aware that what they are doing is risky but they feel more psychologically insulated against the fear of risk, as they see others investing. They are, like social media mobs of all kinds, enchanted by algorithms which fuel conformity.  "We overreact to the virtual world the algorithms are feeding us," Liu continued. "In the real world it's hard to efficiently control which people or views we encounter." "Social media algorithms control which views we encounter to make us feel good. Humans like to see their own view being endorsed."  Individual investors could leave the battle far more bruised than the short-sellers. The highly risky bets on borrowed money could wipe out their life savings. They could even face serious legal consequences from the US Securities and Exchange Commission, should the SEC rule the Reddit group as a conspiracy to manipulate the market.  "I have some concerns, certainly in terms of regulation," said Hewson. "You've had a whole host of retail traders get together on forums to try and manipulate or drive this stock price higher." "Now, if you had institutions do that, you'd have the regulator coming down on them like a ton of bricks. My worry is that in the aftermath of all this, some inexperienced retail traders could actually get caught out in the backdraft." In their attempt to take down their target, WallStreetBets investors are forgetting the psychological lessons learned by traders over decades. And how do riots come to an end?  "Usually, someone gets hurt," Liu warned. 

0Business

German officials are considering lifting some measures in the coming weeks, but the shutdown will continue for now, DW learned on Tuesday. Federal and state representatives are set to announce their decision tomorrow. "Considering the virus mutations, the steps to lift the restrictions must come carefully and gradually in order to avoid risking the successful curbing of infections," Germany's top officials are expected to say, according to a draft statement obtained by DW. The document foresees the country continuing its shutdown until March. The authorities see reopening of day care centers and schools as a priority, the document states. They remain "optimistic that all citizens would be offered vaccination by the end of summer at the latest." The document praises Germany's shutdown strategy and points to a drop in new infections across the country since October.  Officials are expected to urge Germans to continue to reduce personal contact with others as new COVID-19 variants spread across the country.  Lothar Wieler, the head of the Robert Koch Institute, said earlier this month that at least three new variants had been found in Germany. Wieler said certain mutations had made the virus "more dangerous" as data from the UK, Netherlands and Denmark have revealed that the variants can spread more easily or reduce the efficacy of vaccines. Federal and state governments will decide the next steps to reopening businesses in the coming weeks, according to the the draft document. This will be based on the number of new infections in the various states and regions, among other factors. As Germany continues to battle the virus, top officials are expected to to point to self-testing coronavirus kits as another weapon against the pandemic.  As soon as producers of these kits apply for an authorization from the German government, federal regulators will check the kits for their accuracy. It is particularly important that these kits do not produce false negative test results. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Centogene, a biotechnology company based in the northern German city of Rostock, currently offers a self-testing kit for online purchase. 

8Society

"Over the past few weeks, I was totally exhausted. I got tested for coronavirus twice, luckily the result always came back negative. I went to my doctor because it wasn't getting better, but he had only a little time for me because his practice was full. When I got home, I just cried and cried." This 51-year-old nurse for the elderly, who requested to remain anonymous, heard about the free telephone service "PSU Helpline" and dialed the number. The psychosocial support service from Munich-based organization PSU-Akut is for workers in the health care sector. This year, 1,400 people have taken up the offer. Its core principle is peer support: specially trained colleagues listen and provide support because they understand what happens in hospitals and care homes. Even without the coronavirus pandemic, medical and care workers experience extremely stressful situations that they often carry with them for years: A woman or her baby dies during birth, the night shift finds a patient who has died unexpectedly, a mistake is made during an operation, or the high workload due to staff shortages leads to total exhaustion — such as what happened to the nurse who called the helpline. Andreas Igl, an expert in crisis management and psychosocial support, has spoken with many people working in the care sector, both by telephone and in team discussions at workplaces. He has listened to and asked about their problems: Care workers and medics are working under extreme pressure in the coronavirus crisis. Day after day, they must witness people dying without the support they deserve. Many are afraid that they will pass on the virus to patients or residents or bring the virus home to their families, perhaps endangering a child with severe asthma or an elderly grandmother. These worries were also named by nursing staff in a representative survey conducted by Diakonie, the social welfare organization of Germany's Protestant churches. An increasing number of medical professionals have had to quarantine or become sick themselves. Diakonie President Ulrich Lilie said there was one facility where only eight out of 52 nursing staff are still on duty, and that's not an isolated case. Andreas Igl is the managing director of PSU-Akut and heads the PSU Helpline. The helpline was expanded in March so that people working in the health sector during the pandemic could access help quickly and anonymously, from 9 o'clock in the morning to 9 o'clock at night. Demand is increasing, said Igl, the team of about 40 call takers is expected to grow. Doctors also perceive a high need: "The pandemic is exacerbating the burden." That not only endangers health care workers; it could also become a risk for patients and residents. The health insurer Barmer reported in its 2020 care report that nurses in aged care facilities had more sick days than other worker groups when factoring in mental illness. The exhausted nurse for the elderly said after her call to the helpline: "The good thing for me was that I didn't have to hold anything back in the conversation. Otherwise, you think, 'What should I say? Can the other person deal with this?' We spoke for three-quarters of an hour. The colleague then recommended that I speak with a psychotherapist from the helpline team. She called me the next day. She's now helping me to stabilize myself again." For years, firefighters, police, rescue forces or train drivers have had support systems in place following crisis operations, incidents with multiple casualties, or suicides, to prevent post-traumatic stress disorders. In hospitals and care homes, however, where matters of life-or-death happen day in, day out, such services are only now starting to be established, said Andreas Igl. Psychotherapist Dr. Marion Koll-Krüsmann has many years of experience in trauma care and preventative research. "It's incredibly important that symptoms are dealt with early," she said. The clinical lead of the PSU Helpline recommends that affected people call as soon as possible when they need to talk. They should pay attention to changes in themselves: "Sleep problems, going around in circles with their thoughts, irritability. 'I'm more aggressive than normal, I don't have the patience to look after my children, I wish that I was in coronavirus quarantine' – noticing that you are overloaded." On the PSU Helpline's website, there's an anonymous self-test and practical tips to reduce stress. A conversation with the trained colleagues at the Helpline offers callers the chance to make sense of their experiences by talking through them. The call-takers help to normalize the symptoms. "Yes, it makes sense that you feel burdened, it makes sense that you always have these ideas in your head that you're thin-skinned and powerless." Initially, the conversation could be about finding some distance: "What makes me feel more stable, what normally helps me in difficult situations?" The helpline also offers information on its website about strengthening resources, coping with stress and practical tips on how to combat panic and acute anxiety. Andreas Igl fears the demands on health workers will increase in the coming weeks because fewer and fewer staff are available. Very few organizations have well-functioning plans for psychosocial support. "The plan that will take effect now is a ban on taking leave," he supposed. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video This deprives the remaining doctors and nursing staff of the chance to recuperate. "But then there's often no alternative, because otherwise the clinic, the department, the aged care home would have to close," Igl said. Marion Koll-Krüsmann has first-hand experience in crisis situations: The more chaotic it becomes "the more important it is to care for yourself well and to plan ways to restore your energy." People working in the health care sector are using a lot of energy. Recharging their batteries is more difficult than usual and extremely important. Taking a nature walk could help or meeting friends for a dance party on Zoom. Or learning something new: an instrument, a language, juggling, or carving. It's important not to head straight for the sofa after work, but instead to do some moderate exercise, even if you have been running around the ward all day. "Chronic stress arises when you go to rest straight away after work, or when you only do exercise and don't rest." The psychotherapist said she has encountered many people in helping professions who are trying everything to cope with the current emergency. They are suffering not only under their own stress: "When you see how painfully people are dying, and on the other hand have to argue with someone on the tram who thinks he doesn't have to wear a mask." After the pandemic, will health care workers remain in their jobs? Resentment is growing in the nursing sector. When the state of Lower Saxony recently increased daily working hours from eight to 12 and weekly working hours from 40 to 60, there were many protests. On social networks, some announced a "Pflexit" – a play on the word Brexit, which translates to an exit from the nursing profession. This article was translated from German.

5Health

Farzana Amiri had her plans all mapped out in a thick diary. She would finish her degree in international business at an Indian university by next year, return to Afghanistan, and start a venture of her own. But about a month ago, the 20-year-old student watched in horror as the Taliban rapidly gained territory in Afghanistan, wresting control of one district after another. Finally, the fall of Kabul on August 15 buried Amiri's hopes and dreams, along with those of tens of thousands of young Afghans who face an uncertain future under Taliban rule.  She is one of the estimated 14,000 Afghan students in India who must decide whether to return to Afghanistan and live under the Taliban regime, or start life anew in a foreign country, leaving their families behind. In 2019, Amiri traveled from the Afghan province of Maidan Wardak to study at a university in the western Indian city of Pune. Amiri's most immediate concern was getting her family out of Afghanistan. "My father's life is at risk. He ran a government school in Wardak and still currently living there," she told DW. As the eldest of her eight siblings, Amiri was the first female in her community to go abroad for her education. "It's a very big deal for my family," she said. "I'm worried about what will happen if the Taliban find out that my father worked with the Afghan government and sent his daughter to study abroad," she said. "They're going door-to-door asking everyone about their neighbors — that's how the Taliban are hunting down people," she added.   She also worries about her mother and siblings who are in Kabul. "My youngest sister is just two-years old. What future will she have in Afghanistan?" The last time the Taliban were in power was before Amiri was born. "I'm glad that I've never seen their [The Taliban's] faces," she said. "But I still worry about my country, my family, and my generation." Staying in India also comes with many challenges for young Afghans, including securing asylum or a residence permit. "I feel very safe here so I just hope I can stay in India," Amiri said. "I'm going to try and remain in this country, and eventually do a master's degree here so that I can get a decent job." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Hasan Hamta, an MBA student at Bangalore University, faces a similar situation. He was a mathematics teacher at a private school in Kabul before he decided to come to India. While the Taliban were marching into provincial capitals of Afghanistan, and ultimately Kabul, the 29-year old was preparing for his semester exams. "I was unable to concentrate on my studies after reading the news coming out of Afghanistan," Hamta told DW. "I came here for a better education so that I could go back and rebuild Afghanistan," he said. "But now, if I go back, I will be targeted and killed by the Taliban." Hasan too is torn between fear of the Taliban and concern for his family back home in Kabul. "In the current situation, I've been calling my family two or three times every day," he said. "When I speak to my family, they tell me, 'Hasan, don't come back to Afghanistan. The situation is very bad, and our lives are in danger.'" Hamta also has a younger sister who teaches in Kabul but is now too scared to go to school. "All schools are shut. My sister is afraid that if she goes out, the Taliban will kill her," he said, adding that the situation in Afghanistan is particularly bad for young people. "Sometimes, it feels like we have lost everything. We had a beautiful country and now it's been captured by the Taliban. We are broken now," Hamta added. He has been in India for about two years, and his studies are nearing conclusion. "My visa had been extended for six months, and now only four months remain. I don’t want to go back in this situation," he said.  After his exams, he plans to go to New Delhi and register for asylum in third countries. In addition to the emotional turmoil, many Afghan students are facing financial troubles as well. While some are in India on scholarships, students who self-financed their education find themselves struggling to meet daily needs. Following the Taliban's takeover, businesses and banks in Afghanistan have shut, leaving millions without jobs. Financial stress is particularly affecting students who have depended on their families for their tuition fees, accommodation, and other expenses. Several NGOs have reached out to Afghan students, offering aid and assistance. One of the organizations is Pune-based Sarhad.   Last week, the NGO set up a helpline for Afghan students and nationals in the western state of Maharashtra, the Indian Express newspaper reported. Maharashtra hosts the second largest Afghan student population in India, after New Delhi. The helpline provided students with counseling along with assistance in making arrangements that would allow them to continue their education in India or contact their relatives in Afghanistan with the help of the central government. Sarhad also said it would "adopt" 1,000 Afghan students until the situation in their country stabilized. "While we have announced that we would be providing for the education, upkeep, and livelihoods of 1,000 students, the task of selecting students lies with the central government," NGO founder Sanja Nahar was quoted as saying by The Hindu newspaper. He added that he had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking permission and cooperation to expedite aid, the newspaper said.

8Society

Picture Havana, in the 1990s: Waves break on the waterfront promenade, skirted by the old town famous for its morbid charm, crumbling colonial-style houses, paint and plaster peeling off the walls of buildings while classic '50s American cars cruise the potholed streets. That's where Ibrahim Ferrer, shoe shiner, newspaper seller and musician lived. He was a popular singer in Cuba in the 1940s and 1950s, but had meanwhile retired. One afternoon in March 1996, Ferrer, who was in his late 60s at the time, was shining his shoes when Juan de Marcos Gonzalez knocked on his door and invited him to a session at the Egrem Studio in downtown Havana. Ferrer dropped what he was doing and came along. At the historic studio, Ferrer met old acquaintances, Cuban music veterans, including the 90-year-old singer and clarinetist Compay Segundo, Grammy-winning singer Omara Portuondo, Eliades Ochoa and Ruben Gonzalez, a famous pianist. Gonzalez sang "Candela," an old hit that had made Ferrer famous — so of course, he joined in. The musicians had a visitor that day, and he was enchanted: the American blues guitarist Ry Cooder. Ry Cooder, 49 at the time, was considered one of the best slide guitarists in the world. This technique involves putting a kind of tube made of glass or metal over one finger and gliding it over the strings, which produces the characteristic sound. Cooder had already played with many greats, including the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison and Bob Dylan. He was interested in jazz, world music and music from India, Africa and Hawaii, bringing together various styles of country and folk music, gospel, salsa and ragtime. He and Nick Gold, the head of the British World Circuit music label, had long had an eye on a project by musician and bandleader Juan de Marcos Gonzalez. For years, Gonzalez and a few other Cuban music veterans had been playing Cuban classics in a long-forgotten musical style called Son Cubano under the name Afro-Cuban All Stars. Before the revolution, Cuba had a lively Afro-Cuban club and music scene. It was rejected as "bourgeois, fascist and instrumentalized by American gangsters" by Fidel Castro's regime. The clubs were closed, the once-flourishing music scene died, Son Cubano became the music of the old people. These old-timers, some of whom had fallen out of favor under Castro, sat together in the studio that afternoon in March 1996 when Ibrahim Ferrer sang his old hit — a magic moment. Cooder asked Ferrer to record the song with him, and that was not all: He wanted to produce a record with the Afro-Cuban All Stars. And he had a name for the project, too: Buena Vista Social Club, named after one of the many old clubs closed by Castro. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The "Havana Sessions" began on March 26, 1996 — studio recordings that were wrapped up in just six days. The album was to be a success around the world. Two years later, Cooder's longtime friend Wim Wenders, a German filmmaker, made a documentary movie about the famous musicians. He filmed them in interviews, during studio sessions in Havana and at concerts abroad — Buena Vista Social Club was on tour a lot after the success of the album. The Oscar-winning film has touching moments: Omara Portuondo weeping with emotion as she sings a duet with Compay Segundo, Ibrahim Ferrer smiling to himself, Ry Cooder on the slide guitar. Ruben Gonzalez' fingers glide smoothly over the keyboard, singer and guitarist Eliades Ochoa, white Stetson hat in place, sits on a chair like a rock in the surf. The album shot to the top of the charts in many countries, it won a Grammy and sold eight million copies, making it the most successful world music album. The album made Cuba's rich musical heritage known around the world, and it triggered a veritable Cuba boom. A special edition of the legendary record was released on September 17. Producers Ry Cooder and Nick Gold took another look at the original tapes, dug through the archive and put together a remastered album that has an additional 12 previously unreleased tracks from the 1996 recording sessions, photos that were never published, a 64-page booklet with the lyrics and notes. Not all of the Buena Vista Social Club musicians are alive to see the 25th anniversary of their album. Compay Segundo died in 2003 at the age of 95, Ibrahim Ferrer died at the age of 78 in 2005, and Ruben Gonzalez died in 2003. All of them enjoyed late careers, however, as they were involved in various solo projects in the wake of the Buena Vista recordings. Ferrer even won a Latino Grammy in 2000 as best emerging artist — at age 73. This article has been translated from German.

4Culture

Recordings of confessions made by Colombia's most wanted drug kingpin Dairo Antonio Usuga have been stolen, officials from the country's Truth Commission reported on Saturday. The theft took place on Friday when a  group of unidentified people broke into the home of Truth Commission investigator Eduardo Andres Celis Rodriguez. The official, alongside with Commissioner Alejandro Valencia Villa, interviewed and recorded the drug lord on Wednesday night. "In the incident... the digital recorders that were used in the interview and a computer were stolen," said a statement from the commission. The body is investigating the decades-long conflict between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which ended with a peace agreement in 2016. Usuga — also known as "Otoniel" —  is the head of the Clan del Golfo criminal gang. He was arrested last year in a massive operation that involved nearly 700 uniformed agents and 18 helicopters deployed to the jungles of northwest Colombia. The theft happened just a day after the Truth Commission demanded "guarantees" that it would be able to continue its interrogation with Otoniel. Police had interrupted Otoniel's hearing on Thursday, saying there were concerns he was planning to flee. Media outlets also reported police officers were attending the drug lord's interviews. The Truth Commission called for the security of those participating in the interview process and for the privacy of the sessions to be maintained. "The Commission needs to hear the truth from Mr. Usuga about facts crucial to understanding the dynamics of the armed conflict and its persistence. We want to do so without intimidation," its statement said. Following the theft, the Colombian office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged the state to "take immediate and urgent steps" to protect the commission's work. "The Commission has a fundamental role in satisfying the rights of the victims, in particular the right to the truth, which is why its autonomy and independence is indispensable," the UN office said. The government of President Ivan Duque has signaled that Usuga would soon be extradited soon to the US, where he is wanted on charges of drug trafficking. In Colombia, the drug lord has been convicted on several other crimes, including homicide, terrorism, recruitment of minors and kidnapping. dvv/dj (AFP, EFE)

2Conflicts

It's like a trip down memory lane for people old enough to remember the Cold War. Back then, the big question was whether the Soviet Union or the United States had more nuclear bombs. The 21st-century question is: Who's drawing the short stick when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines?  And then there is the additional question of which vaccine is best: Russia's, China's, or those from Britain, Germany and the US? And what risks are there to relations with the United States or the EU if officials were to call up their counterparts in Moscow or Beijing — or both — to acquire, at least for the time being, a few doses?  Such debates are more theoretical than practical in the Balkans, where people have had as much real exposure to COVID-19 vaccines as they had to atomic bombs during the Cold War: next to none. North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Kosovo have not received doses of vaccines so far. And no one knows when they will, although governments have promised that shipments are on their way and will arrive by the end of the month. No countries in Europe need vaccines as badly as North Macedonia, Bosnia and Montenegro, which are at the top of the list when it comes to COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 residents.  Albania has managed to secure 2,000 BioNTech-Pfizer doses for a population of 2.8 million people. Eight hundred of those doses came from anonymous EU doctor while the rest came directly from Pfizer.   The proportion of the population who have received vaccines in Serbia is among the highest in Europe, with more than a million doses of COVID-19 vaccines secured from China and Russia and 500,000 people reportedly inoculated so far.  The country's geopolitical positioning gives it something of an advantage as a candidate for EU membership, as well as a historical ally to Russia and China.  Other governments had intended to wait for vaccine shipments from Britain, Germany and the United States. They will continue to work together with the World Health Organization and its COVAX initiative [a global initiative to provide equal and fair access of vaccines worldwide — the ed.] and rely on the promised solidarity of the European Union, but have since become disillusioned. "Serbia is buying vaccines from Russia," Kreshnik Bekteshi, North Macedonia's economy minister, told the broadcaster TV21, "but we are oriented towards the EU."  The NATO members Albania, North Macedonia and Montenegro were at first not interested in the vaccines from China and Russia until it became clear that they could not count on their allies and domestic pressure increased.  "Forget bureaucracy and give the green light to Russian and Chinese vaccines because everyone's welcome," Tatjana Gurzanova, a doctor in North Macedonia, wrote on her Facebook page. Montenegro has now approved the Russian Sputnik V vaccine and is awaiting a shipment of 50,000 doses. Earlier this week North Macedonia's health minister said a contract for 200,000 doses had been signed with the Chinese producer Sinopharm. Meanwhile, Bosnia has also now started rolling out the Russian vaccine. "I can confirm that we've been in consultation with our strategic partners at NATO and in Washington," said Zoran Zaev, North Macedonia's prime minister, "and have come to the conclusion that the procurement of Chinese vaccines isn't a geopolitical issue but rather the sovereign right of every country." Vaccine nationalism has given way to vaccine tourism. Every day, Bosnians — be they Serbs, Croats or Bosniaks — , as well as Albanian and Serbian Kosovars, Montenegrins and Macedonians travel to Serbia in the hopes that they will received a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.  To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

5Health

It's summertime. Germans are preparing for their vacation, coronavirus infection rates are low. But still: The delta variant is spreading across the country at considerable speed — 50% of all infections are now with the delta variant and even those who have been vaccinated twice now face restrictions again: Everybody who returns to Germany from the UK, Portugal, or Russia now has to quarantine for two weeks upon return. 62% of the 1,300 German voters polled in the latest survey from pollster infratest-dimap said they are expecting a fourth wave of COVID-19.The fate of children is the biggest concern: Will schools reopen after the summer break? Whether schools are prepared has been a topic of heated debate over and over again in the past year. Despite the fear of another dramatic rise in infections, Germans have a positive view of economic development; 60% of those polled believe the country's economy is healthy and growing. Green party supporters are the most optimistic: 87% of them say the economy is in good shape. If the general election were now rather than on September 26, Angela Merkel's conservative bloc — the Christian Democrat Union (CDU) and their Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU) — would again emerge strongest. They would get 28% of the vote — down from 33% at the last election in 2017. The Green party, which was leading in the polls briefly in April, would come second at around 20%, almost doubling their support compared to 2017. The Social Democrats (SPD), currently in government as the junior coalition partner to the CDU/CSU, would come in third. While they won over 20% of the vote in 2017, they now stand at 15% in all opinion polls. This would be the SPD's worst result in postwar history. According to the latest poll, the far-right populist Alternative for Germany (AfD), which is currently the biggest opposition party in the German parliament, the Bundestag, would lose support compared to 2017 and garner 11% —the same as the pro-market Free Democrats (FDP), which has seen its support rise over the past few months. The Left party would barely manage to pass the 5% threshold for representation in the parliament. As no party is likely to get a majority of seats, coalition building will begin after the vote. The survey suggests that 39% of voters would like the conservatives to continue to head the government, to ensure stability and continuity. 19% of those polled would prefer a government headed by the Green party, but 22% say they have no preference. The top candidate of the strongest party is expected to become Germany's next chancellor. Germans do not vote directly for a head of government. So the CDU's Armin Laschetpossibly has the best chances. Angela Merkel is not standing for reelection. Still, with the Green party naming a chancellor candidate for the first time — 40-year-old Annalena Baerbock,who has since been through a rollercoaster in opinion polls — the question of who is the most popular candidate has been getting a lot of attention from domestic media. Lately, SPD candidate Olaf Scholz, currently finance minister, has turned out to be more popular than his party and ahead of the other two candidates. German voters overall seem not to have an appetite for radical change: Only one-third of those polled said they wanted fundamental policy changes. This article was translated from German. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society, with an eye toward understanding this year’s elections and beyond. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter Berlin Briefing, to stay on top of developments as Germany enters the post-Merkel era.

7Politics

A gasoline tanker overturned and exploded in Haiti, unleashing a fireball that swept through the northern port city of Cap-Haitien resulted in the deaths of at least 60 people, a health ministry official said on Tuesday. Dr. Laure Adrien confirmed the death toll had risen after Cap-Haitien Deputy Mayor Patrick Almonor said earlier: "I saw on the scene between 50 and 54 people burned alive," adding that it was impossible to identify them. According to Almonor, the fuel tanker appeared to have lost control and flipped over, causing fuel to spill onto the road. Reports suggested it was trying to avoid a motorcycle when it turned over. People soon gathered to try and collect the spilled fuel. Soon after the truck exploded, setting fire to around 20 houses nearby. Police officials have yet to confirm the numbers of those killed and injured. Prime Minister Ariel Henry spoke of his devastation on Twitter, and said the nation was grieving. "Three days of national mourning will be decreed throughout the territory, in memory of the victims of this tragedy that the entire Haitian nation is grieving," Henry said on Twitter.  Henry also said field hospitals would be deployed to help those affected by the blast. Cap Haitien Mayor Pierre Yvrose told Reuters news agency that the local hospital was struggling. "We need human resources, and also material resources, namely, serum, gauze, and anything that can be used in case of serious burns," Yvrose said. The UN mission to Haiti offered its condolences to the families of those killed and said it was ready to respond. The country is in the grip of a fuel shortage and there have been protests over rising fuel prices in recent days. Criminal gangs have worked the situation and have been hijacking fuel trucks while demanding ransom payments for the release of drivers. They have managed to grow in power since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July. Gangs have also barricaded roads and hampered fuel deliveries. Coupled with high levels of criminality, the Caribbean nation is battling high levels of poverty. According to UN figures, around 40% of the country's 11 million inhabitants require humanitarian aid. jc, kb/jsi, fb (AFP, AP, Reuters)

1Catastrophe

Dozens of people died in the northern Israeli town of Meron on Thursday night after a stampede at a large public gathering to celebrate the Lag BaOmer Jewish festival. Rescue services say at least 45 people were killed and some 150 hospitalized in the incident. Scenes from Meron hours after the accident showed an ultra-Orthodox Jewish crowd in distress, with debris scattered across the ground. Some survivors had lit candles for the victims while others prayed at a nearby wall. Emergency services and ambulances "are treating dozens of injured," including "20 patients in a critical state," Zaki Heller, spokesperson for Magen David Adom, the Israeli emergency service, said in a statement.   Israeli media published an image of a row of bodies covered in plastic bags on the ground. Dov Maisel, a member of the volunteer medical services association United Hatzalah, told DW, "What started out as a festival of joy, happiness and dance turned into Israel's worst tragedy." "It's the first major event to occur after lifting COVID restrictions," he said, noting that people felt encouraged to "go out and practice their religious beliefs and ceremonies." It was not immediately clear what caused the stampede. Media reports initially said a section of stadium seating had collapsed at the event site. But officials later said it appeared that the casualties had been asphyxiated or trampled in the stampede. President Reuven Rivlin also tweeted that he was following the reports from Meron and praying for the recovery of the injured. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the incident as a "heavy disaster" and added: "We are all praying for the wellbeing of the casualties." German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas wrote on Twitter: "Our thoughts are with the victims and their families." India's External Affairs Minister was "deeply saddened at the tragedy" and wished "the injured a speedy recover." The annual pilgrimage for the feast of Lag BaOmer is staged in Meron around the reputed tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, a second century Talmudic sage. Last year, the event was called off due to restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Authorities had authorized 10,000 people to gather at the site of the tomb but organizers said more than 650 busses had been chartered from across the country, bringing 30,000 pilgrims to Meron. Health officials had worried that crowding could pose a COVID-19 risk. About 5,000 police were deployed to secure the event, with the police urging pilgrims to avoid incidents during the feast when bonfires are lit. sri/aw (dpa, AFP, Reuters)

1Catastrophe

The trial of three men accused of forming a far-right extremist criminal organization got underway in the German city of Dusseldorf on Thursday. The trio are accused of co-founding "Goyim Party Germany" and were at the Higher Regional Court to hear the charges of creating a criminal organization, inciting antisemitism and spreading hate speech. The alleged operators of the online network are aged between 27 and 60. One of the accused is alleged to have built up a global network to spread antisemitic messages worldwide since 2014. A second defendant helped to create the network and was a moderator for the German country group, the federal prosecutor's office said earlier this month. The two were arrested in July 2020. The third defendant did not belong to the leadership group but spread antisemitic content "to a considerable extent," the prosecutor's office said.  The Dusseldorf Higher Regional Court must now decide whether to admit the charges. jsi/aw (AFP, dpa)

3Crime

Nicaragua will be holding its presidential election on November 7 — and all candidates wishing to run had to register with the electoral council by Monday. Incumbent President Daniel Ortega is standing for reelection on behalf of the governing Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). Ortega's wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, will be running for the deputy spot once again. While this all sounds like a perfectly normal step in the democratic process — registering to run in the election — a closer look reveals otherwise.   The EU has imposed sanctions on over a dozen Nicaraguans for serious human rights abuses and undermining democracy. Among them is Ortega's wife Rosario Murillo. The EU's accusations against Nicaragua's leadership are heavy-handed and all hit home: allegations of abusing the judiciary for political purposes, excluding opposition candidates from the upcoming election, as well as arbitrarily arresting and repressing civil society actors, members of the press and opposition lawmakers — not to mention the brutal crackdown on the 2018 protest movement. Has Daniel Ortega, a former revolutionary who once helped topple the Somoza regime, turned into a dictator himself? After a successful revolution and ouster of Anastasio Somoza's brutal dictatorship in 1979, Ortega and the FSLN ruled Nicaragua until 1990. Ortega was then voted out of office after losing to Violeta Chamorro. Across the world, socialists sympathized with and romanticized the small, Central American country. Initiatives expressing solidarity with Nicaragua sprung up even in the tiniest German towns. The most intrepid sympathizers even traveled to Nicaragua to work as harvest workers and did their part in supporting the socialist country. To this day, many left-leaning people in Latin America and Europe have had a hard time accepting Nicaragua's socialist utopia has been subverted.  Ortega's former allies, however, abandoned him years ago. The late Ernesto Cardenal, a former Nicaraguan Sandinista and liberation theologian, turned his back on the former revolutionary, once told DW before his death in 2020: "Ortega must step down" and lambasted his regime as "a new dictatorship." "There are no more liberties, not even for me," said Cardenal. Prominent Nicaraguan poet and writer Gioconda Belli, who once joined the FSLN resistance against Somoza, similarly abandoned Ortega. In a recent essay for the New York Times, Belli accused Ortega of having betrayed the Nicaraguan dream and having "become another tyrant." Belli, like many others, believes Ortega never got over his electoral defeat to Violeta Chamorro in 1990 and that he vowed to claw back power. Following his reelection in 2006, Ortega has remained in charge to this day. Ortega's authoritarian tendencies became apparent with the government's iron-fisted crackdown on the nationwide protest movement in 2018. And when the eternally fractured opposition finally agreed to field Violeta Chamorro's daughter Cristiana Chamorro to face off Ortega in the November election, he deployed draconian countermeasures. Chamorro was placed under house arrest — and more than 30 other opposition figures have been detained since June.  So can Ortega be labeled a dictator? As of Monday, definitely. He can only be described as such.  This opinion article was translated from German.

7Politics

Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso has declared a state of emergency in three provinces where recent anti-government protests by Indigenous people have been concentrated. "I am committed to defending our capital and our country," Lasso said on television late Friday. Capital Quito is among the three provinces. On Monday,Indigenous people launched an open-ended demonstration against the government demanding cuts in fuel prices. Students, workers and other supporters have also joined the protests. Roads across the country, including highways to Quito, have been blockaded by the protesters. At least 43 people have been injured in clashes with security forces. The state of emergency allows the president to call out the armed forces to maintain order, suspend civil rights and declare curfews.  Oil producer Ecuador has been marred by increasing inflation, unemployment and poverty augmented by the coronavirus pandemic. Fuel prices in Ecuador have seen a sharp spike since 2020, almost doubling for diesel from $1 (€0.95) to $1.90 per gallon (3.8 liters) while petrol has risen from $1.75 to $2.55. The powerful Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie), which was instrumental in toppling three Ecuadorian presidents between 1997 and 2005, has called for the protests. Conaie has said it would continue the blockades until the government meets a list of 10 demands. The organization wants the fuel rates  to be slashed to $1.50 for diesel and $2.10 for petrol, a demand that the government has rejected so far. Food price controls and renegotiating the personal bank loans of nearly four million families are some of the other demands put forth by Conaie. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video While declaring the state of emergency on Friday, Lasso also tried to ease grassroots anger by announcing new measures. He announced an increase in the value of a state bond given to the country's poorest and also a program to ease the debt of those who have loans from state-run banks. Lasso, who has been in power for a year now, had met with Indigenous leaders on Thursday in an attempt to dissuade tensions but the talks appeared to yield nothing. dvv/aw (AFP, EFE)

7Politics

Followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory may become more violent in the future, as the movement's predictions fail to come true, the FBI said in an intelligence report that was released to the public on Monday.  The far-right conspiracy theory alleges that former President Donald Trump is engaged in a battle against a shadowy cabal of child sex traffickers, which is connected to members of the Democratic party and liberal figures in Hollywood. The "Q" in the theory's name alludes to an anonymous online figure who outlined the supposed conspiracy on message boards. The report, which was also jointly compiled with the Department of Homeland Security and requested by New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich, says some QAnon supporters "will likely begin they can no longer 'trust the plan' referenced in QAnon posts and that they have an obligation to change from 'digital soldiers' towards engaging in real world violence."  Many QAnon followers refuse to believe President Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election against Trump. The slogan "trust the plan" refers to the day when Trump wll be reinstated as president and crack down on his enemies. The FBI says the theory will be kept alive by the coronavirus pandemic, posts on social media, societal polarization in the US and the "frequency and content of pro-QAnon statements by public individuals who feature prominently in core QAnon narratives." QAnon has made a notable impact on political discourse both in the US and abroad.  Trump has previously praised QAnon supporters as "people who love our country." He had also frequently retweeted QAnon-affiliated accounts on Twitter, before he was banned from the platform.  Social media giants such as Facebook and Twitter have cracked down on QAnon-related accounts, with followers then flocking to more obscure platforms such as Parler. Multiple QAnon followers were also involved in the storming of the Capitol Building on January 6, as lawmakers counted electoral votes to cement Biden's victory in last year's election. The FBI has arrested several self-identified QAnon followers who were tied to the Capitol riot.  Some members of Congress, such as House Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert, have pushed the QAnon theory. In addition to the US, the QAnon movement also has a sizable number of followers in Germany and Japan.   wd/aw (AP, Reuters)

7Politics

Gunmen shot dead two Jesuit priests and a man seeking sanctuary at their church in northern Mexico, an act the pope condemned on Wednesday. The man who was seeking protection was later identified as a tour guide and was being pursued by a gang in Cerocahui, in Mexico's mountainous Chihuahua state. The gunmen allegedly entered the church, killed the two priests and the pursued man, then placed the bodies in the back of a pickup truck before leaving the scene.  "I express my pain and shock over the killing in Mexico of two religious brothers of mine, Jesuits, and one lay person," Pope Francis said in his weekly address in Rome. "I am close in prayer and affection to the Catholic community hit by this tragedy. Once more I repeat that violence does not resolve problems but increases episodes of suffering," he added. Father Luis Gerardo Moro Madrid, head of the order in Mexico, denounced the killings in a statement, adding that they took place "in the context of the violence this country is experiencing." Madrid also said the shooters left alive a third clergyman who ran into the church at the time of the shooting. Father Jorge Atilano Gonzalez, who is also a Jesuit priest, told a local television station that the religious leaders knew the gunmen and had attempted to intervene.  "He wanted to confess...what we believe is that he was in a state of alcoholism or addiction because of the reaction he had," said Gonzalez recounting the statement made by the surviving priest.  Chihuahua state is a remote, mountainous region in northern Mexico and is an area that has frequently been plagued by gang-related violence. The state is a key transit route for drugs on their way to the United States. Rival trafficking gangs violently contest territory in the region. Mexico's security secretary said Monday afternoon that the alleged assailants had already been identified while President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the "presence of organized crime" in Chihuahua was hitting the community hard after the murders of several Jesuit priests in recent years. The office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Mexico also condemned the killings saying that the priests perform "important social and pastoral work" for indigenous people in the area.  Religious leaders in Mexico, at times, act as mediators in gang-related disputes and defenders of their communities. They serve a vital role in regions with little government presence.  Jesuit priests are required to accept orders to live anywhere they are dispatched to, regardless of extreme conditions. An estimated 30 priests have been killed over the past decade in Mexico according to the Centro Catolico Multimedial Catholic organization. asw/jsi (AFP, Reuters, EFE)

8Society

Rain hampered rescue efforts in Japan on Sunday as 20 people remained missing in Atami after flash floods caused deadly landslides in the coastal city. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga convened his cabinet to discuss the previous day's floods that affected some 130 buildings and caused landslides that half-submerged houses in the coastal city, 90 kilometers (60 miles) southwest of Tokyo, Kyodo news agency. reported. Suga asked those in the affected areas to remain on alert while also warning citizens in the central and eastern parts of the country that they could be caught in further rains. An estimated 1,000 people, including members of the military, were a part of the search operations that were halted on Sunday morning due to persistent rain. The landslides occurred in Atami on a steep slope into a bay at around 10:30 a.m. (0130 GMT) on Saturday, killing at least two women. Ten houses were destroyed and up to 300 others were damaged. The floods are a stark reminder of the natural disasters, including earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunami, that regularly plague Japan, where the capital Tokyo is to host the summer Olympic Games, starting later this month. jsi/rc (Reuters, AP, dpa)

1Catastrophe

For Melissa, cooking for herself is now a luxury. The 23-year-old psychology student prefers to stroll to the cafeteria at her university in Bonn. "You can get lunch there for €2 to €3 ($1.94 to $2.92)." It's not that living frugally is new to Melissa. During her study years, the weekly shopping budget has been €25. But increased prices now make that impossible. "I'm already at €35 to €40 a week if I really buy food to cook at home." "You really notice it in your wallet." The student receives €750 a month in federal student grants (BAföG) and her parents pass along the €219 they receive as a child benefit. But of that nearly €1,000, some €400 alone goes toward rent for her 15-square-meter room in a shared apartment in Bonn. "Food is the first thing I save on," she tells DW. "I just have potatoes, cottage cheese and vegetarian schnitzel." When her university fees are due at the beginning of the semester, €300 is gone in one fell swoop. According to this year's poverty report, almost one in three students in Germany lives below the poverty line. The situation could get worse with current inflation rates and the impending energy crisis, says Andreas Aust, a social worker from the German Parity Welfare Association. "Parents will now also find it much more difficult to finance their children," he said. "Federal grants for students are not only too low, but above all the problem is that many fall through the cracks. Very few students receive these benefits at all." In fact, only one in nine of the nearly 3 million students in Germany receives state support. By definition, such support should enable anyone, regardless of their socioeconomic situation, to pursue an education. The German government has now imposed a 5.75% increase in basic support for students starting in the winter semester of 2022/23, as well as adjusting the income limit for parents. From October 2022, the maximum allowance is €934 a month, provided students do not live in the same household as their parents. But that doesn't solve the problem, Aust says, because the current 10% rate of inflation "simply swallows up" this increase. Rahel Schüssler of the Free Association of Students, which represents nearly one-third of all those studying in Germany, also believes that the increase is not enough. "The student allowance maximum rate is still below the poverty threshold in Germany," she says. In Germany, a person is considered at risk of poverty if they live on less than €1,251 per month. Due to the increased cost of living, it is now not uncommon for students to take on up to two part-time jobs to finance their studies. "You actually only work in order to be able to study. Because of work, however, you don't get to study anymore," Schüssler says. There are no official statistics on how many students have dropped out of their studies in the last two years, but Schüssler has heard from many students that financial problems have played a decisive role. "Students also decide to drop out because of rising prices. To maybe not just look for a part-time job, but then rather to just work 40 hours a week from the get-go." Experts also see the €200 flat-rate energy allowance — to be paid out by the federal government as a one-time bonus to students — as no more than a "symbolic gesture." Aust also points out that it is still "completely unclear how the money is actually supposed to reach students." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video One in two students receives financial support from their parents, according to a study by the German National Association for Student Affairs. For Aust, it is clear that rising food and energy prices will also have an impact on educational opportunities in Germany in the medium term. "Those who are short of money will think twice or even three times before sending their children to study. Or whether they would rather choose a more traditional path and earn a living instead of investing further in education," he says. According to the Federal Statistical Office, the number of first-year students continued to decline in 2021. There are demographic reasons for the drop in new enrollments, but it is also in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic — why study when you're just sitting at home anyway? Universities were the first public places to close their doors when the pandemic began in the spring of 2020. And the last to reopen them. After a short return to lecture halls, students could once again be forced to study from home — but this time due to increased energy prices. According to the German Federal Network Agency, universities are considered part of the country's critical infrastructure and thus have priority when it comes to energy supply in winter. Nevertheless, some universities are already considering whether to shorten opening hours or extend the Christmas vacations due to high energy costs. Students would be the ones suffering once again. The Technical University of Berlin, for example, is planning a "year-end closure" from December 19 to January 4, during which all heaters will be turned down, lights extinguished and doors locked. Rahel Schüssler is not happy about the prospect of a new campus lockdown.  "If there is a university shutdown, that simply means shifting the problem. The electricity costs have to be paid somewhere and in the end, it's the students who will pay more because they study at home." This article was originally written in German. While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter Berlin Briefing.

8Society

A "credible" claim of sexual assault, and Neymar's refusal to comply with an internal investigation in to it, is the reason why the Paris-Saint-Germain forward broke ties with Nike, say the sports manufacturer. The split between Neymar and Nike happened last year, but the company responded on Thursday to a story in the Wall Street Journal concerning the assault claims and referenced its own internal investigation in to the 2016 incident. "No single set of facts emerged that would enable us to speak substantively on the matter. It would be inappropriate for Nike to make an accusatory statement without being able to provide supporting facts," the statement said. Neymar's spokeswoman said the athlete would vigorously defend himself if any claim is presented, describing the allegations as baseless and adding that the endorsement deal ended for commercial reasons. "It is very strange a case that was supposed to have happened in 2016, with allegations by a Nike employee, come to light only at that moment," her statement said. Nike said the employee made the allegations in 2018 and that it respected her wishes to keep the matter confidential and did not investigate until she expressed an interest, in 2019, in legally pursuing the matter. Neymar was separately accused of rape in a Paris hotel in June 2019, though charges were later dropped by Brazilian authorities. Reuters/AFP (mp/mds)

9Sports

Clack! The red exit stamp in my passport clears the way from the Russian Federation into the European Union. Shortly before midnight I am permitted to exit Russian territory. The young border guard who just wielded the stamp gives me a friendly smile. "Have a good trip home! I guess you can't fly anymore," she says. No, we can't. Not directly, anyway. But we can cross on foot.  We pass through a little barrier, then, beyond it, through a big iron gate and over a bridge surrounded by a mesh fence. A cold night wind escorts me as I drag my two suitcases across the River Narva, which marks the border between the Russian town of Ivangorod and the Estonian city named after the river. It is 162 meters (534.6 feet) of no-man's-land. On the left is a vehicle lane for trucks; on the right, below me, is the dark water. Narva's illuminated medieval castle shines on the opposite bank. Behind me lies a country whose medieval politics have rallied half the world in opposition. A five-minute walk over the "Bridge of Friendship" takes me not just to the other bank, but to another world. The friendship that once existed between Russia and the European Union is no more. Before the crossing, I made a 10-hour train journey from Moscow and St. Petersburg to the Russia-Estonia border. After the crossing, and a night in Narva, I will spend another four hours on a bus to the Estonian capital, Tallinn, followed by a two-hour flight from there to Berlin. Working as a correspondent in Russia for the past seven years, I could complete this journey in two and a half hours with a direct flight from Moscow to Berlin. This time it took a day and a half. The route I took on foot across the border is not the only way you can leave Russia. There are still flights available. However, anyone wanting to fly to the West these days must be prepared to fork out a lot of money — and to wait. Right now, flights via Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Azerbaijan and Armenia are exorbitantly expensive, and more in demand than ever. EU airspace is closed to Russian planes, while Russian airspace is closed to Western planes. There are also risks if you do decide to fly. Some Russian airlines are no longer allowed to use planes leased in the West. There is, therefore, at least a theoretical risk that airline passengers could find themselves stuck on the ground in a third country if the plane makes an intermediate stop and is impounded there. Airbus, which has its headquarters in the Netherlands, and the US manufacturer Boeing have also suspended their technical support service for planes owned by Russian airlines. There is certainly no mass exodus from Russia at present. In light of the sanctions imposed by the West, there are not many people who can even afford to leave the country, anyway — not even temporarily, because no one knows what will happen next. Certain famous pop stars are rumored to have fled the country; some of them have publicly criticized the Russian attack on Ukraine, and the rumors say they are afraid of being targeted by the security services. Many people who remain in Russia fear increased inflation, rising unemployment, and worsening standards of living. The ruble has been falling for days now, and interest rates are going up. Some economic analysts warn that the Russian economy could shrink this year by as much as 10%. But in Narva, on the other side of the Friendship Bridge, Estonians are also worried that their economic situation will get worse. Everyone here is talking about the price of petrol; it's been going up for days. And in my one short night in an Estonian hotel, I can't help noticing that the temperature in my room is considerably lower than in Russia. Gas is expensive here. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

7Politics

Authorities in the Bahamas are investigating if there was any "criminal misconduct" which led to the collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX, police said on Sunday.  "In light of the collapse of FTX globally and the provisional liquidation of FTX Digital Markets Ltd., a team of financial investigators from the Financial Crimes Investigation Branch are working closely with the Bahamas Security Commission to investigate if any criminal misconduct occurred," the Royal Bahamas Police said in a statement. The Bahamas-based exchange has recently seen at least $1 billion (€0.97 billion) of customer funds vanish from the platform, according to a Reuters report. The Bahamas Securities Commission is investigating FTX on suspicions of misappropriating customer funds. The commission filed paperwork to appoint a receiver to oversee the liquidation and froze some FTX assets on Thursday. Sam Bankman-Fried, the 30-year-old founder and former chief executive of FTX, lives in the Bahamas. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The FTX saga came to a head as traders rushed to withdraw $6 billion from the platform in just 72 hours, forcing the exchange to file for bankruptcy on Friday. Bankman-Fried resigned the same day. The company's new CEO, John Ray, stated on Saturday that "every effort" was being made to protect all assets, following the transactions. Rival exchange Binance offered to acquire FTX but rescinded the deal the next day. Less than two weeks ago, FTX was worth $32 billion and considered the world's second-largest cryptocurrency platform. ss/wd (AFP, Reuters, dpa)

0Business

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Monday said she was working with G20 countries to adopt a global minimum corporate tax rate that would stem the erosion of government revenues. A collective effort by the world's 20 major economies would help end the "thirty-year race to the bottom on corporate tax rates," Yellen said at a virtual event hosted by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. "Together we can use a global minimum tax to make sure the global economy thrives based on a more level playing field in the taxation of multinational corporations," she said. Yellen's speech comes days after President Joe Biden announced plans to raise the corporate tax to finance a massive $2 trillion infrastructure and jobs program. Biden's plan would raise the US corporate tax to 28% and the minimum for multinationals to 21%, partially reversing the previous administration's cut from 35% in its 2017 tax legislation. The Biden administration's proposed tax hike has received pushback from Republicans and some Democrats. The critics argue that the higher rates would make the US less attractive to companies, that would then relocate to countries with lower corporate tax rates. A global minimum would at least partially offset any disadvantage that might arise from the proposed increase in the US rates. The new Treasury chief said the practice of seeking tax havens erodes government revenues and undermines an economy's competitiveness. She said that for companies and economies to remain competitive it was important to "end the pressures of tax competition and corporate tax base erosion." Governments must make sure they "have stable tax systems that raise sufficient revenues in essential public goods and respond to crises, and that all citizens fairly share the burden of financing the government," Yellen added. G20 finance ministers are expected to discuss global tax issues, including taxes for digital services during a virtual meeting on Wednesday. A G20 agreement on a global minimum tax would boost negotiations underway at the 37-nation Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on similar minimums. "Taxes matter to development, and it's important that the world get it right," World Bank President David Malpass told CNBC television. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video adi/aw (AFP, AP, Reuters)

0Business

China's Politburo decided in a meeting on Monday overseen by President Xi Jinping to allow families to have up to three children in the future, according to state news agency Xinhua. Xinhua reported that those at the meeting decided to "introduce major policies and measures to actively deal with the aging population." The report said that allowing couples to each have up to three children would be "conducive to improving China's population structure."  Despite China lifting its one-child policy in 2015, data showed people were not necessarily taking up the new opportunity. In 2020, China's fertility rate dropped to just 1.3 children per woman, below the threshold of roughly 2 needed to maintain a stable population. The one-child policy had initially been put in place to prevent explosive population growth. Raising a family in Chinese cities can also be prohibitively expensive for couples. Ye Liu, a sociologist at King's College London told Reuters, "There is still a lack of concrete policy proposals in addressing three main obstacles that put families [in particular women] off from having more children." In China, the cost of childcare, employment discrimination against mothers and a lack of child welfare regulations all worked against the government's stated goals in introducing the new policy, she said. The portion of the population that is of working age has also declined severely, raising concerns of a demographic crisis on the horizon. The most recent census figures came out last month, revealing the lowest population growth in China of any decade since the 1950s. China's census comes out every decade. A traditional preference for boys also dramatically skewed the gender balance in China as many girls were abandoned or aborted over the decades when the one-child policy was in place. China is still thought to be the world's most populous nation with around 1.4 billion people, albeit with India poised to surpass its total in the coming years. ar/msh (AFP, Reuters)

8Society

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was sworn in on Monday for a second five-year term.  His inauguration comes as a nearly year-long war in the northern region of Tigray spreads into other parts of the country and watchdogs warn that repressive government practices are on the return. Signs bearing a flower and the words "New Beginnings" were seen across the capital ahead of Monday's ceremony.  "I, Abiy Ahmed Ali, today in the House of People's Representatives, accept the appointment as prime minister, as I pledge to undertake responsibly and with faith to the constitution the responsibility placed upon me by the people," he said while being sworn in by Supreme Court Chief Justice Meaza Ashenafi. Several other African leaders — from neighboring Somalia, Nigeria, Senegal, Uganda,  Nigeria, Djibouti, Kenya and South Sudan — attended the ceremony. "Today is a milestone yet only a beginning of a season of hope," Abiy's senior adviser Mamo Mihretu said on Twitter. "The road ahead might be daunting, but we shall not be weary." Abiy's Prosperity Party was declared the winner of parliamentary elections in June.  The vote was criticized and even boycotted by some parties, who said their candidates had been arrested. Yet, electoral observers said it was better run than previous elections.  Abiy called the vote the country's first free and fair election. The embattled Tigray region was excluded from the polls altogether. Races for one-fifth of parliament seats had to be delayed because of security or logistical issues.  Authorities held elections for some of those seats last week. The results, which will not have a major bearing on the balance of power in parliament, are expected later this month. Abiy has served as prime minister since 2018. He was appointed by Ethiopia's ruling coalition after his predecessor Hailemariam Desalegn stepped down amid widespread protest. Abiy's appointment was preceded by his election as chairman of the ruling four-party coalition officially known as the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). Abiy dissolved EPRDF to form the Prosperity Party in 2019. The move led to a falling out with the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which had dominated the coalition for nearly three decades. Ethiopia's government is under growing international pressure over its handling of the war in Tigray. Humanitarian conditions in Tigray are worsening as people begin to starve to death under what the UN has called a "de facto humanitarian blockade." The 11-month deadly conflict is weakening Ethiopia's economy, once one of Africa's fastest-growing. It also threatens to isolate Abiy, once seen as a regional peacemaker who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for restoring ties with neighboring Eritrea. fb/rt (AFP, AP)

7Politics

With US former-President Donald Trump's defense team taking the floor for the next phase of the impeachment trial on Friday, his lawyers sought to turn the tables on the US Democrats and accuse them of pursuing a vendetta against the Republican politician. Defense attorneys, led by David Schoen and Michael Van der Veen, used some of the same tactics used by Trump's opponents earlier this week. They showed dozens of video clips where prominent Democrats could be seen using incendiary rhetoric similar to Trump's own. The lawyers also argued that the former president's words were protected speech.  They also accused the Democrats of ignoring how Trump asked participants in the January 6 march and demonstration at the US Capitol to be peaceful. That protest turned into a riot that left five people dead and saw the storming of the US Capitol building. Suggesting that Trump's political rivals are driven by a hatred of him, the former president's lawyers claimed  Democrats had tried to inflame their followers to commit aggressive acts, riot or revolt against the president. The defense team also suggested that some of the rioters on January 6 were members of Antifa and other extremist groups supposedly allied with the left-leaning party. Previously, videos from the scene showed members of the Proud Boys or other right-wing militia groups near the US Capitol. "It is clear the House Democrats hate Donald Trump," Van der Veen argued, accusing the House Managers — a term used to refer to lawmakers persecuting Trump — of manipulating videos to show that Trump tried to incite his supporters. Trump's "fighting" words are protected free speech and need to be contextualized. His incendiary language are not different than what many other politicians say or the phasing they use, Van der Veen argued. As he closed his argument, he said that on January 6, Trump was simply pushing his followers to "fight" for sweeping election reforms and holding big tech companies responsible, all of which would be protected free speech under the US Constitution. As lawyer Bruce Castor took over from Van Der Veen, he argued that Trump was not directly involved in inciting the storming of the US Capitol because the violence began before Trump began speaking. While condemning the insurrection, he called it pre-planned, as evidenced by the fact that bombs found that day were planted overnight. The real agenda of the Democrats is to eliminate and forever ban a powerful political opponent Castor argued. "That is what this trial is really about," he said, the creation "of a constitutional cancel culture." Neither side took all of their allotted 16 hours to either prosecute or defend the former president. However, the defense lawyers took only about four hours to refute the charges made by House Managers over the previous two days.   Senators on Friday were allowed to submit written questions to both the defense lawyers and House Managers. Senators questioned when Trump learned of the breach at the Capitol and what steps he took to end the violence. Trump lawyer van der Veen avoided a direct answer to such questions. House Managers said the attacks were being broadcast on live TV as they occurred, adding, "He knew what was underway. He knew the Capitol Police were overwhelmingly outnumbered and in a fight for their lives.  But he did not send any tweets saying, 'Stop this is wrong, you must go back.' But we still have not learned of any steps taken because the answer is 'nothing.'" In response to a question, Trump's defense pointed out that "at no point was the president involved in the attacks on the Capitol." Observers have said that Trump's lawyers have a simple objective: Don't lose any Republican votes. After the evidence presented by the US Democrats rested their case against Trump, his defense team started presenting their legal arguments on the fourth day of the impeachment trial. To play this audio please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 audio Despite recognizing the power of the arguments made by Democratic lawmakers, most Republican senators appear determined to acquit Trump over charges of incitement of insurrection. Many Republicans also continue to argue that the trial itself is unconstitutional since Trump is now out of office, despite the Senate voting to launch the proceedings. Senators will vote, likely this weekend, to issue a verdict on the charges of "incitement of insurrection" brought by the House of Representatives.  Seventeen Republican senators would have to join all the Democrats to reach the two-thirds majority needed to find the former president guilty. mb/sms (AP, AFP, Reuters)

7Politics

A Syrian doctor on Tuesday denied all charges of crimes against humanity levied against him at the Frankfurt Higher Regional court. Among a long list of crimes Alaa M. stands accused of gruesome acts, such as dousing the genitals of teenagers with alcohol and setting them on fire, kicking prisoners' broken arms and legs, and administering injections to victims who protested against mistreatment. The trial began last Wednesday, with some 13 days of hearings scheduled between then and the end of March. Alaa M. arrived in Germany in 2015 on a skilled worker's visa. He had practiced medicine in Germany until his arrest in 2020. The 36-year-old now faces 18 counts of torturing detainees in Damascus and the western city of Homs between 2011 and 2012. He also faces one murder count for allegedly administering a lethal injection to a prisoner who resisted being beaten, federal prosecutors said.  The case is among the first of its kind in Germany where atrocities committed by the Syrian regime during the country's civil war are being tried in a court of law.  Earlier this month, a German court sentenced a former Syrian colonel to life in jail for overseeing the murders of 27 people and the torture of 4,000 others at a Damascus detention. The 36-year-old worked at the military hospital in Homs in 2011, after Arab Spring protests against President Bashar al-Assad's regime led to a brutal crackdown.  He took the stand on Tuesday and told judges that a great number of opposition demonstrators were brought in with injuries and that it was a chaotic scene. He said he had worked in several military medical facilities at the time. He testified that he "felt sorry" for patients who were beaten and blindfolded, but firmly denied taking part in any violence, saying he did not beat any detainees, and "would never" have operated on a patient without anesthesia, as prosecutors accuse him of doing. "I saw the military secret service beating injured detainees. I felt sorry for them, but I couldn't say anything, or it would have been me instead of the patient," he told the court. He also said the military police did not permit him to talk about the patients in anything but a medical capacity, saying in most cases he neither knew their names nor knew what eventually became of them. Asked whether he felt sympathy for the anti-Assad demonstrators, Alaa M. said neither he nor his family were political activists, adding that while protests began peacefully, they quickly turned more "radical."  "I'm against violence on either side," he said. jcg/msh (AFP, dpa)

3Crime

US President Joe Biden traveled to California on Thursday to survey areas hit by a series of deadly storms. The "atmospheric river" storms caused widespread flooding and mudslides and knocked over trees in the US' most populous state. Atmospheric rivers are narrow bands of vapor that initially form over the ocean. Biden has approved a major disaster declaration for the state and raised the level of federal assistance. Biden was traveling alongside Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) chief Deanne Criswell to Santa Clara County in the San Francisco Bay Area, then he was set to head southwards by helicopter. There are two scheduled stops along the Santa Cruz coast, where thousands of residents were ordered to evacuate amid flash floods and extreme tides. Biden also planned to meet with business owners, residents, local leaders and emergency teams in the town of Capitola and Seacliff State Beach. "Over 500 FEMA and other federal personnel have already deployed to California to support response and recovery operations and are working side by side with the state to ensure all needs are indeed met on the ground," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday. At least 20 deaths have been attributed to the storms raging over the past three weeks. The storms also caused outages leaving tens of thousands of residents without power. From December 26 to January 17, California averaged 11.47 inches (29.13 cm) of rain and snow, according to the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center. The influx of water has helped ease a four-year drought in the state, with badly depleted reservoirs and the Sierra Nevada snowpack being replenished. However, experts warn that most of California remains under moderate or severe drought conditions. sdi/rt (Reuters, AP)

7Politics

Italy announced that it had reached its goal of having 80% of the population over 12 vaccinated, according to official data published Sunday. Over 43 million people out of a population of about 60 million are now fully immunized. Guido Rasi, a former director at the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and currently serving as an adviser to Italy's COVID-19 commissioner, said it was "not just a symbolic threshold." "It's a level that, calculations show, correlates with a significant reduction in the circulation of the virus and a drastic cut in hospital admissions." Despite the good news, Italy on Saturday saw protests against vaccine passports escalate violently and turn into riots. Russia registered 28,647 new cases of the coronavirus in the last 24 hours, and 988 deaths, an all-time high for the country. The Kremlin has blamed people's unwillingness to get vaccinated for the continued spike in cases and deaths. The government is insisting that residents receive only the Russian-developed Sputnik vaccine, but many people have expressed their doubts as to the efficacy of the jab that is not recognized as effective by the European Union and the United States.  Malaysia has lifted travel restrictions for vaccinated residents as it reached its target of 90% vaccination amongst eligible adults. Previously, Malaysians traveling abroad had to apply for permission under a restricted set of circumstances. The government has said that it will not reimpose a lockdown even if cases rise, as long as hospitalizations stay low. In Australia, Sydney was set to reopen after a months-long lockdown. Businesses are set to reopen to fully vaccinated residents on Monday.  "It's been a hundred days of blood, sweat, no beers, but we've got it back in action tomorrow," New South Wales state leader Dominic Perrottet said. New South Wales has reached the 70% vaccination rate that was a condition of the reopening. Neighboring Victoria is expected to do the same later in October. Australia has had some of the longest and strictest lockdowns in the world, but has recently walked back from its long policy of trying to achieve "zero COVID" as the delta variant and increased vaccination changed the pace of the pandemic. es/fb (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)

5Health

Mexico's official figure of missing people on Monday surpassed 100,000 for the first time as families pushed authorities to do more to find victims of violence linked to organized crime. The interior ministry compiles a national register of the "desaparecidos" — Spanish for missing people —  which is periodically updated.  In the last two years the numbers have spiked from about 73,000 people to more than 100,000 — mostly men. Mexico has seen spiraling violence since the war on drugs began in 2006, with over 350,000 people having died since then. Last year, the country of more than 129 million people saw 94 murders a day on average. "It's incredible that disappearances are still on the rise," Virginia Garay, whose son went missing in 2018 in the state of Nayarit, told news agency Reuters. Human rights organizations and relatives of the missing have called on the government to step up investigations and conduct searches more effectively. "The government is not doing enough to find them," said Garay, who works in a group called Warriors Searching for Our Treasures that seeks to locate missing loved ones. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Civil society groups that help try and locate missing people stress that many families do not report disappearances because of distrust in the authorities. The actual figure of missing people is therefore believed to be much higher than the official data. "Organized crime has become a central perpetrator of disappearance in Mexico, with varying degrees of participation, acquiescence or omission by public servants," a report by the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances, released last month, said. "State parties are directly responsible for enforced disappearances committed by public officials, but may also be accountable for disappearances committed by criminal organizations," the report added. The missing people include human rights defenders, some of whom went missing because of their own involvement in the fight against disappearances. According to the UN committee, over 30 journalists have also disappeared in Mexico between 2003 and 2021. dvv/kb (dpa, Reuters)

3Crime

I recently spent nearly two days trying to fly around one hour from Amsterdam to Berlin. After several canceled flights and many hours queuing, I made it home with my family via Paris, burning double the amount of CO2 along the way. Our baggage arrived 10 days later.  The moral of the story: We should have just taken the train.   In the six hours we initially spent queuing at the help desk after the first cancellation, we could have traveled to the German capital by rail.  We would have been dropped at a station a few stops from home and might have got some rest in a carriage that is way more comfortable than a thrombosis-inducing economy flight cabin.   Best of all, we would have saved a lot of carbon emissions, doing our little bit to put a brake on the runaway emissions in the transport sector.    A typical rail journey between European cities emits up to 90% less CO2 than an equivalent flight. Meanwhile, the aviation industry has the fastest-growing greenhouse gas emissions in the EU, rising 29% between 2009 and 2019, according to Greenpeace.   Despite the airline business's post-pandemic crisis, flights are expected to burn up over a quarter of the allotted carbon budget for holding global heating to 1.5 degree Celsius (2.7 F) by 2050. With the industry planning to return to pre-COVID capacity by 2024, air traffic is set to double worldwide by 2037.   It's time for trains, which emit a tiny 0.4% of the European Union's transport emissions — planes produce more than 10 times as much CO2 — to provide a better alternative.   Right now, however, rail has a long way to go, with Greenpeace noting that less than 7% of passenger transport in the European Union is happening by train. As part of the European Green Deal, there is a push to make high-speed trains the dominant form of transport between select European cities. After rail passenger numbers dropped in the wake of the pandemic, the EU used 2021, the European Year of Rail, to announce plans to double high-speed rail routes across the continent by 2030 and create a seamless single connecting network. At the same time, the French government bailed out Air France on the proviso that it ban domestic flights on routes where the train journey is less that 2.5 hours. It already makes sense to travel Paris to Lyon, for example, on a high-speed TGV train — from the city center, the train is 40 minutes quicker than a plane and often cheaper.   Seventy percent of Germans want to ban short-haul flights and instead use trains, according to a 2021 survey. The German Green Party also called to outlaw shorter flights in the lead-up to last year's federal election, and promised to make rail cheaper than a budget flight.   The European Union is also revitalizing cross-border night trains, which were scaled back because of competition from budget airlines.  But the challenge remains to create a more robust and integrated cross-border rail network that currently has a strong domestic focus.  The 150 busiest flight routes in the European Union could be predominantly serviced by train, according to a 2021 report by the Italian think tank OBC Transeuropa commissioned by Greenpeace. Looking at flights under 1,500 kilometers (900 miles), the study found that journeys on 34% of high-traffic routes can be made by train in under six hours. This means that 81 million annual air passengers in Europe could instead travel by train in a time comparable to even the shortest flight — when travel to the airport and waiting time is included.  Lorenzo Ferrari, a researcher at OBC Transeuropa and co-author of the report, said "a lot of bottlenecks" in terms of cross-border travel were limiting rail's ability to outcompete flying. This includes the fact that few airports have a direct train to other cities.  Nonetheless, Ferrari believes that "simple improvements" can be made in terms of time-tabling coordination across borders, or adding extra services to limit waiting times between connections. Down the track, national rail gauges need to be harmonized with neighboring tracks. Yet domestic train companies are often protective of their own market and coordinate little with their cross-border cousins, said Jo Dardenne, the aviation director of Brussels-based NGO Transport & Environment (T&E). "The EU rail market is very nationalistic," she said.   A T&E report from 2020 found that train and planes journeys were comparable in time when comparing 72 routes between EU cities of up to 700 kilometers, and nearly a quarter were faster on high-speed rail. But there is currently little potential to expand high-speed rail across multiple borders — or beyond 1050 kilometers.  A train between Vienna, Austria, and Bucharest, Romania, runs at a very slow average speed of 55 kilometers per hour, for a journey of about 20 hours, Ferrari said. Aging infrastructure and poor timetable scheduling are part of the problem. A morning train trip from Milan to Vienna, for example, requires four changes.      Meanwhile, cities such as Porto have very few direct long-distance connections to other major metropolises, as opposed to central European cities like Vienna and Berlin, which offer multiple intercity routes.       There has been some progress on the issue of inter-EU train bookings, which is often impossible using domestic ticketing services such as Germany's Deutsche Bahn.   Though Interrail tickets can be booked across borders, they are generally not suitable for individual trips. In response, the European Parliament created legislation in 2021 to introduce an EU-wide rail booking system since "through-tickets allow seamless journeys for passengers."  Costs also limit the expansion of rail capacity on flight routes. Ferrari calls for the expansion of budget train carriers akin to Ryanair and Easyjet.      Though low-cost services such as Flix have broken into the rail market, further expansion will demand a level playing field. Budget airlines have grown on the back of public subsidies such as sales tax and jet fuel tax exemptions, and government bailouts.      Change is coming, however. As part of the the EU's Fit for 55 carbon reduction plan, jet fuel will no longer be tax exempt, though critics point out that flights leaving EU airspace will not be affected.   The Greens and the Social Democrats, partners in Germany's ruling coalition, also want to tax cheap flights out of existence.     With about two-thirds of European aviation emissions linked to long-haul flights, another vital decarbonizing option is to replace jet fuel with cleaner e-fuel alternatives, said Jo Dardenne of T&E.     "Addressing pollution from short-haul flights is a no brainer, but it only addresses a small part of aviation's emissions," she said.   But, if trains can't currently compete with long-haul flights, expanded train travel has benefits beyond cutting CO2 pollution.  Though campaigners continue to pursue a short-haul flight ban where trains can make the trip in six hours on climate grounds, Ferarri said, "trains also have an important social function."   Unlike aviation, rail interconnects isolated towns and regions and helps "keep Europe together," he said.  Edited by: Sarah Steffen  

6Nature and Environment

Elon Musk, billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has offered to buy the social media company Twitter, a regulatory filing showed on Thursday. The filing showed Musk was offering to pay a total of $41.39 billion (€37.92 billion) to buy the platform. That amounts to $54.20 per share, up 38% on the price per share before Musk bought over 9% of shares on April 1. Twitter's share price jumped markedly in pre-market trading, already approaching the value Musk had offered.  "Since making my investment I now realize the company will neither thrive nor serve this societal imperative in its current form. Twitter needs to be transformed as a private company," Musk said in a letter to Twitter Chairman Bret Taylor, seen by Reuters. "My offer is my best and final offer and if it is not accepted, I would need to reconsider my position as a shareholder," Musk said. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video On Monday, Musk said that he would not be joining Twitter's board of directors as announced by the company's CEO Parag Agrawal. Musk became the social media platform's biggest shareholder — owning 9.5% of shares — after spending $2.9 billion. The position on Twitter's board would have limited him to owning no more than 14.9% of the company and would have obliged him to act only in the company's best interests. The billionaire had tweeted several suggestions for the platform after buying the shares, including making Twitter free of advertising, despite ads bringing in almost 90% of the company's revenue. Musk had also proposed introducing an edit button on the site. Musk has got into hot water before following messages posted to Twitter. He agreed to pay $20 million and step down as Tesla chairman after being accused of fraudulently increasing the company's stock prices with a 2018 tweet. The Tesla CEO's 81 million Twitter followers rival the fanbases of pop stars such as Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande. He is a prolific poster and has backed cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies in a prominent fashion, gaining support from those online communities. He claims to be a "free speech absolutist" and has criticized Twitter for not upholding these principles to the levels he deems necessary. His comments on this particular issue are reminiscent of those of former US President Donald Trump and other right-wing personalities who have been kicked off the platform. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video ab/msh (dpa, Reuters)

0Business

Police said Tuesday they had apprehended two robbers who were part of a larger gang that made off with €10 million ($12 million) in jewelry during a heist at the newly renovated Place de Vendome Bulgari store in the French capital. "The police, informed around 12:00 of a possible robbery place Vendome, took in pursuit a car, with three occupants, and two scooters," a police source told AFP.  The getaway car, a gray BMW, was abandoned in the fourth district of Paris. Of the two perpetrators involved in the heist who were arrested, one was shot and wounded in the leg while the other took refuge in an underground parking facility beneath Forum des Halles. The Paris Prosecutors' Office said the Repression of Banditry unit of the Paris Judicial Police had opened an investigation for "armed robbery in an organized gang” and "criminal association." An officer identified as Noura B. told Reuters, "It's not the first time Place Vendome is targeted," but she added that "using large guns, taking that kind of risk," is the sort of thing  "that happens rarely." The Bulgari heist is the third such jewelry store robbery in Paris this summer. On July 27, a man on a scooter stole €2 million worth of jewelry from Chaumet. He was arrested along with his accomplice the next day and most of the stolen items were recovered. Three days later, two men armed with a stun gun and a tear gas cannister made off with €400,000 in jewels from Dinh Van. ar/rt (AFP, AP, Reuters)

3Crime

For the first time in six weeks, India has registered fewer than 200,000 coronavirus infections over a 24-hour period, according to a Health Ministry update on Tuesday. The ministry recorded 196,427 new cases — its lowest daily rise in infections since April 14. At the same time, India logged 3,511 daily deaths from COVID-19. High caseloads in states such as Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh are witnessing a downward trend, resulting in the latest drop in numbers across the whole country. India's overall caseload now stands at 26.95 million, while 307,231 have died from COVID-19 since the country of 1.3 billion people registered its first case at the end of January 2020. Meanwhile, India is preparing an economic stimulus package for the sectors worst affected by the pandemic, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. The Finance Ministry is working on proposals to bolster the tourism, aviation and hospitality sectors, as well as small- and medium-sized companies. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Here's a roundup of other major developments around the world. The Australian city of Melbourne reinstated restrictions on Tuesday as authorities scrambled to find the missing link in a new outbreak that has grown to five cases. Gatherings inside will be limited to five guests, while only 30 people are allowed at public meetings. Face masks will be mandatory in restaurants, pubs and other indoor venues starting from 6 p.m. local time (0800 GMT) on Tuesday until June 4. All five cases are from an extended family across different households and could be traced back to the variant found in an overseas traveler who returned to Melbourne earlier this month after completing quarantine in the city of Adelaide. New Zealand was quick to react to the fresh outbreak in Melbourne, suspending quarantine-free travel with the state of Victoria — the fourth time the trans-Tasman travel bubble has been disrupted since it opened last month. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video China has offered to send vaccines to Taiwan to help it battle a sharp rise in coronavirus infections, drawing an angry response from Taipei. Previously, Taipei has accused Beijing of spreading fake news and stymying its efforts to rejoin the World Health Organization (WHO), while China has suggested Taiwan is trying to politicize the pandemic. After months of relative safety from the pandemic, Taiwan is dealing with a spike in infections and is rapidly running out of vaccines, having received around 700,000 doses, despite being home to more than 23 million people. Meanwhile, Hong Kong has a surplus of doses due to reluctance among citizens to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Millions of doses may soon have to be discarded because they are approaching their expiration date. Hong Kong is one of the few places in the world fortunate enough to have secured more than enough doses to inoculate its entire population of 7.5 million people. But swirling distrust of the government as it stamps out dissent, combined with online misinformation and a lack of urgency in the comparatively virus-free city, has led to vaccine hesitancy and a sluggish rollout. On Tuesday, a member of the government's vaccine task force warned that locals "only have a three-month window" before the city's first batch of BioNTech-Pfizer vaccines become too old to be administered. Automaker Renault-Nissan said it would close its plant in India's Tamil Nadu state until May 30 after workers said they would strike over coronavirus-related safety concerns. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A note by the automaker's India Chief Executive Biju Balendran, which was sent to employees and seen by Reuters, said the plant would be shut from May 26 to May 30 to ensure safety. "We will continue to closely monitor the situation in Chennai and Tamil Nadu and come back to you shortly with information on when the plant will restart," said Balendran in the note. Puerto Rico has brought to an end a nightly curfew, more than a year after it was introduced. The island will also allow vaccinated tourists to visit without a negative coronavirus test result. Additionally, the Puerto Rican government has announced that, as of Friday, it will offer the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine to anyone who arrives at the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan. Haiti has imposed a nightly curfew and other restrictions under an eight-day "health emergency" meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus. All outdoor activity will be banned from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. local time (0200 GMT to 0900 GMT). The White House reaffirmed its support for this summer's Olympics to continue, and for US athletes to compete despite a new wave of cases and a US travel advisory for Japan. "Our position has not changed on the Olympics," said White House press secretary Jen Psaki. New York City and Los Angeles have announced plans to fully reopen schools — part of a parent-led nationwide trend amid a sustained decline in cases. A report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said there were 10,262 COVID-19 cases in people who were fully vaccinated against the illness, out of the 101 million people fully vaccinated in the country. That is 0.01% of the population that was fully vaccinated. The CDC examined the first four months of 2021. Among the total such "breakthrough" cases, 2,725 were asymptomatic, 706 were hospitalized due to COVID-19, and 132 died from reasons related to COVID-19. "The number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths that will be prevented among vaccinated persons will far exceed the number of vaccine breakthrough cases," said the report. EU leaders welcomed the introduction of a bloc-wide COVID-19 digital certificate, which will show the user's vaccination status, immunity from COVID-19, or the result of a COVID-19 test. EU countries and the European Parliament agreed on the legislation to come into force in mid-June for the digital certificate. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said all the technological aspects would be ready by June 1. "Progressively, we should return to the ability to move freely throughout the European Union," said European Council President Charles Michel. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The European soccer confederation UEFA put up 1,700 tickets for sale to the Champions League Final between Manchester City and Chelsea FC in Porto, Portugal. The Estadio do Dragao stadium will be one-third full. Both teams were given 6,000 tickets to sell to their fans. Spectators must show a negative PCR test from no earlier than Wednesday or a negative antigen test from Friday or Saturday in order to be let in for Saturday's match. More than 20,000 fans will be allowed in Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano Stadium for the Spanish men's soccer friendly against Portugal on June 4. It will be the first time fans will be allowed in a top-level soccer match at the stadium since March 2020. The stadium will be set to 30% capacity, and fans will have to wear masks at all times. Sweden said it would donate 3 million vaccine doses to COVAX in 2021, up from a previous pledge of 1 million doses. "In this way Sweden contributes to more than our share of the EU's target of donating at least 100 million doses to low- and middle income countries in 2021," said the government in a statement. The Czech Republic's fourth health minister since the pandemic began has resigned. Petr Arenberger was the director of Prague's University Hospital Vinohrady, he only became health minister on April 7. He came under fire for alleged irregularities in his tax returns. Arenberger called Prime Minister Andrej Babis, who was attending an EU summit, to announce his resignation. Babis said pressure on Arenberger was the "main reason" for his resignation. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Almost two-thirds of German citizens are in favor of an immediate return to in-person teaching. Just over 65% of those spoken to by Civey research group were of the firm opinion that children should go back to in-school classes as soon as possible. A leading scientist on the WHO's COVID-19 mission to China said an additional trip could be helpful to gather additional research on the origins of the disease. Dutch virologist Marion Koopmans' comment came after the US called for international experts to be allowed to evaluate the source of the virus and the early days of the outbreak. Discussions about the outbreak gained renewed attention this week after US intelligence agencies examined reports that researchers at a virology laboratory in Wuhan were seriously ill in 2019 one month before the first COVID-19 cases were reported. Koopmans was part of the team that traveled to China earlier this year and released a report in March that said the virus was likely transmitted from bats to humans via another animal. South Africa said that the WHO's World Health Assembly will meet from November 29 to December 1 this year to negotiate anew international treaty on pandemic preparedness. South African ambassador Mxolisi Nkosi told the WHO's annual ministerial assembly "probably the most important lesson COVID-19 has taught us is the need for stronger and more agile collective defenses against health threats as well as for building resilience to address future potential pandemics." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video jsi,kbd/rs (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)

5Health

Members of Germany's biggest opposition party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) of former Chancellor Angela Merkel, elected Friedrich Merz as their new leader, the party announced on Friday. Merz, making his third run for the CDU's top post, won with 62.1% support in a vote among the party's members, beating two centrist contenders — Norbert Röttgen and Helge Braun. His share of the vote was easily more than the 50% and one vote needed to prevent a runoff. The CDU and its Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU) suffered an election defeat under the leadership of Armin Laschet, who had hoped to replace now former-Chancellor Angela Merkel. In the wake of that loss, Laschet stepped down, from the CDU leadership role. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The three contenders in the vote were Merz, centrist Röttgen who is a former environment minister on his second leadership run, and centrist Braun who was Merkel's chief of staff from 2018 until last week. The 66-year-old Merz vowed to "stand for the party in its full breadth," adding that "different political opinions and directions" will have a voice. "We won't engage in fundamental opposition," he said. "We will be a constructive opposition." Nearly two-thirds of the CDU's 400,000 members took part in the vote. A vote by the party base to choose a leader is rare for the CDU, with the task usually falling to higher-ups in the party. Officially, the new party leader will be elected by the 1,001 delegates at a digital party convention in late January. More than a decade after leaving parliament, Merz is still the darling of the CDU's conservative wing. A staunch Catholic, he opposed the liberalization of the CDU under Merkel over the past 20 years. DW's political correspondent Hans Brandt, who was at CDU headquarters in Berlin on Friday, said: "Angela Merkel basically pushed him out. He then spent many years in business and only recently, when Angela Merkel said she was stepping down, only then did he get back into active politics. "Merz is clearly somebody from the pre-Merkel era so it does appear to be a step backwards in a sense," Brandt added. German political scientist Albrecht von Lucke told DW that Merz will be "totally different to Angela Merkel" and "a very aggressive opposition leader." "I think it's not a bad thing for the CDU because now the position has changed," von Lucke said. "Now they are in the opposition and now you have to be aggressive, you must be strong. That's what Friedrich Merz is." Merz has promoted economic policy renewal and complained about bureaucratic hurdles for companies because of regulatory requirements, such as environmental protection. The new leader is expected to reshuffle positions in the party and set the agenda for its run in opposition as it attempts to rebuild following the election defeat. They will also be tasked with patching up relations with the CSU, which were strained by competing runs for chancellor-candidacy by Laschet and the more-popular Bavarian Markus Söder (CSU). Merkel relinquished party leadership in 2018 and did not seek a fifth term as chancellor. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video jsi, aw/sms (AP, AFP, dpa)

7Politics

Thousands of Ukrainians have been killed since neighboring Russia invaded on February 24. Every day brings new images of destruction and the desperation of the Ukrainian people. Yet Russian President Vladimir Putin and his government continue to insist that they don't attack civilian targets: "The Russian army does not strike at civilian facilities. There is no need for that", President Putin claimed during a press conference in Turkmenistan. But journalists, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and political organizations have consistently proven otherwise. "We see a clear pattern of violations against international humanitarian laws [IHL] designed to protect civilians," Wolfgang Benedek, told DW. Benedek led investigations into possible IHL violations in Ukraine for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). He called Moscow's claims that its troops do not attack civilian targets a "blatant lie." The United Nations (UN) has documented 4,889 Ukrainian civilian dead and 6,263 injured between February 27 and July 4, though the organization says real fatality numbers are likely to be much higher. The international research collective Bellingcat has also been documentingRussian attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine since the start of the war. "We have seen large numbers in terms of destruction of civilian infrastructure, and of injured and dead civilians," Nick Waters, head of justice and accountability investigations at Bellingcat, told DW. In short, organizations and journalists have delivered clear evidence that Russian forces have directly attacked civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. DW has put together a list of several thoroughly investigated and well-documented incidents. According to Ukrainian officials, more than 1,000 people were inside a shopping mall in the city of Kremenchuk when it was hit by Russian rockets on June 27. At least 11 people were killed in the incident and more than 500 injured. Russia's Foreign Ministry confirmed the attack but offered a deflecting explanation on its website, saying Russian soldiers had bombed, "a hangar loaded with arms and ammunition received from the US and Europe." The ministry claimed the mall caught fire after the neighboring munitions depot exploded. Russia has offered no evidence to support the claim. A surveillance video made public by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy seems to show the attack as it happened. In it, one can see a rocket directly, or very nearly directly, hit the mall — contradicting Russian claims that fire from a burning storage facility spread to engulf the site. Writing on Twitter, British intelligence services said it was indeed possible that the Russians had wanted to hit something nearby in their attack but had missed their target. Bellingcat research has shown that the Russians hit other targets nearby but that they had definitely hit the mall, too. On the morning of April 8, the Kramatorsk train station in eastern Ukraine came under rocket attack. Mayor Oleksandr Honcharenko said roughly 4,000 people were at the site when the attack occurred. Reporters from the Washington Post newspaper were on the scene within 15 minutes; reporting at least 20 dead, some children. According to Donetsk Regional Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko, at least 50 people were killed and a further 100 injured. Investigators found a Russian-made Tochka-U missile in front of the station. Russia says it is not using the Tochka at the moment, but Bellingcat research has proven that Russian troops are indeed using the mobile missile system in Ukraine. The UK's Defense Ministry says it is possible that Russian forces missed an intended military target as a result of the missile's poor maneuverability.  In early April, gruesome images from the Kyiv suburb of Bucha began circulating around the world. They showed hundreds of bodies left dead in the city's streets when Russian soldiers withdrew in late March. Ukraine claims that civilians were killed, even tortured, by Russian soldiers in the city. Russia immediately countered. The Foreign Ministry again took to Twitter saying the whole thing was a lie: "All of the photos and videos published by the Kyiv regime ( … ) are just another provocation." Yet, as a March DW fact check showed, that is simply not true. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Research by The New York Times analyzed satellite imagery recorded by the US-based space technology company Maxar. Journalists at the paper were able to identify bodies along Bucha's Yablunska Street as early as March 11, and then consistently more from March 19. The images clearly contradict the Russian narrative that bodies only began to appear after Russian troops left Bucha on March 30. Research by the German weekly magazine Der Spiegel also provided evidence that Russian soldiers in fact murdered civilians in Bucha. The magazine reported that German BND intelligence services had intercepted and recorded radio communications between suspected perpetrators in Bucha in which they discussed the killing of civilians. Bucha Mayor Anatoly Fedoruk described the ruthless behavior of Russian soldiers toward the city's citizens when he spoke with DW. About 90% of the bodies found had evidence of gunshot wounds, he said. Russia continues to deny any responsibility for atrocities committed in Bucha. The city theater of Mariupol was destroyed on the morning of March 16, when it was directly hit by one or more missiles. An investigation by Associated Press (AP) news agency estimated that at least 600 people were killed in the attack. The NGO Amnesty International cited a lower number in its report on the incident but nevertheless described it as a "Russian war crime." A great number of Mariupol citizens had taken shelter in the theater as pitched battles were being fought for control of the key port city. The Vienna-based OSCE's council of experts concluded that a Russian air strike was responsible for the deliberate "destruction ( … ) of the theater, which was clearly marked as housing children by signs on both sides, and in which many civilians had taken refuge." Experts stated, "Russia does not claim that it was a legitimate target but that it was blown up by the Ukrainian Azov battalion. The Mission did not receive any indication that this could be the case. Up to 1,300 persons were allegedly seeking shelter in the theater, both underground and on the floors." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video This article was translated from German by Jon Shelton

2Conflicts

Following an Executive Committee meeting in Vienna on Tuesday, the president of European football's governing body UEFA, Alexander Ceferin, announced what was described as the "final format" for its club competitions starting in the 2024-25 season.   The UEFA statement confirmed that the most highly anticipated changes apply to football's most prestigious club competition, the Champions League, as part of plans agreed a year ago after many of Europe's richest clubs unveiled plans to launch a new "Super League." UEFA said that its officials, clubs and league representatives had settled on a scaled-back first phase of the Champions League and a curb on how a team could qualify based on past performances.   This final provision had been the main bone of contention with last year's proposed changes. It would have seen two places awarded to teams with the strongest five-season record in Europe who had failed to qualify through their domestic leagues.  Following Tuesday's meeting, UEFA President Ceferin trumpeted this change in particular.   "Qualification will thus remain purely based on sporting performance and the dream to participate will remain for all clubs," he said.   Under the new plan, the number of teams qualifying for the first phase of the Champions League will still grow from 32 to 36 teams, as agreed a year ago, but the number of group stage matches played will only jump from six to eight per team, rather than 10 as had been proposed.    Instead of a first phase made up of eight groups of four (as the competition is now), there will be a single table, with the top eight teams after the first eight rounds (four home games, four away) advancing to the round of 16. The teams placed between ninth and 24th are to go into a playoff to advance to the last 16.   The distribution of the other two expansion places is to see an additional team qualify from the fifth-ranked country in Europe, usually France, as well as a fifth slot for domestic champions who fail to qualify automatically.  Ceferin said Tuesday's agreement had followed "an extensive consultation process" involving "fans, players, coaches, national associations, clubs and leagues" aimed at finding the best-possible solution for "the development and success of European football, both domestically and on the international club stage." Also on Tuesday, the Executive Committee revealed the schedule and venues for the 2024 European Championships, which will be hosted by Germany. Similar to the 2006 World Cup, which was also hosted in the country, Berlin's Olympiastadion has been awarded the final, while the Allianz Arena in Munich is to stage the opening match. Talks continue in Vienna on Wednesday with the opening of 46th Ordinary UEFA Congress. Edited by: Matt Pearson

9Sports

Global wine production volume in 2021 is projected to be "historically" low due to unfavorable weather in Europe's wine-growing regions, an intergovernmental wine organization said on Thursday. The Paris-based International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) said global wine production volume in 2021 is projected to come in at 250 million hectoliters (mhl), a drop of 4% from 2020, and 7% below the 20-year average. The OIV's projections show 2021 as the third consecutive year of below-average global output, and approaching the 2017 level of 248 mhl, which was the lowest global wine volume in six decades, the OIV said. One hectoliter is the equivalent of 100 liters, or 133 standard bottles of wine. France, Italy and Spain are the world's three top wine producers, combining for 45% of global volume. OIV Director Pau Roca said "unfavorable climactic conditions" like spring frost, hail storms and downpours set the countries' combined output back 22 mhl compared to 2020. Compared with 2021 volume, Italy estimated a drop of 9%, and Spain's volume sunk 14%. France's vintage was hit the hardest, dropping 27% compared to 2020, the OIV said, citing freezing weather in spring, followed by heavy rain, hail and mildew disease, which stunted growth in vineyards across the country. With a volume estimate of 34.2 mhl, 2021 joins 2017 and 1957 as being one of French wine's worst recorded years.  Germany, the fourth largest European wine producer, was an exception, increasing its production volume by 4% compared to 2020, despite a cold snap in Spring and flooding in certain wine regions. In the EU overall, production volume in 2021 was down 13% year-on-year. Roca said wine growers would need to adapt to the effects of climate change. "There are long-term solutions which will require major efforts in terms of sustainable practices for cultivating vines and producing wine," he said. Despite the dry barrels in Europe, winegrowing regions in South America, South Africa and Australia had a "very positive" year, producing a record-high 59 mhl, a 19% increase compared to 2020. Although the OIV said the high volume "tended to balance" the tanking numbers in the EU, it was not enough to bring up the global production average. The OIV added the impacts of three consecutive years of low average production are still unclear, as the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted wine consumption, particularly in the gastronomy sector. Roca said he "still expects global consumption to increase compared to 2020," as tourism and hospitality rebound. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video wmr/msh (AFP, Reuters)

6Nature and Environment

Michelle Bachelet, the UN human rights chief, blasted the Taliban in a speech Monday for a lack of inclusivity and respect for the rights of all Afghans. She highlighted a number of broken pledges since the militant group seized power in Afghanistan on August 15. Bachelet said Afghanistan has entered a "new and perilous" phase that has left the country's women, ethnic groups and religious communities fearful for their rights. "Importantly, and in contradiction to assurances that the Taliban would uphold women's rights, over the past three weeks, women have instead been progressively excluded from the public sphere," she said. She highlighted the lack of women in the new government, which is dominated by ethnic Pashtuns, as a reason for particular concern. Other promises have been broken such as amnesty for former civil servants and officials in the previous government's security services as well as a ban on house-to-house searches. Aid groups have also heavily criticized the new Taliban curbs on women working in major sectors. "The Taliban put out a ban on women working with aid organizations or generally working except in very in some very few spheres, like education and medical professions," said Stefan Recker, the country director of Caritas in Afghanistan, told DW. He added that the continuing work of women in finance and aid monitoring "would be for us a prerequisite of continuing our work." The UN high commissioner for human rights noted there are "credible allegations of reprisal killings" and arbitrary detentions of people who worked for the previous government, including some who were later "found dead." Bachelet reiterated her call to set up a dedicated monitoring mechanism for the UN to keep a watch on the evolving rights picture in Afghanistan. The current session of the UN human rights council lasts until October 8. ar/rt (AFP, Reuters) To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

2Conflicts

After years of talking about it, Turkey's opposition finally managed to form an alliance at the end of 2021. The name of the alliance, which is made up of six political parties, translates as Table of Six. Such a cooperation would have been unthinkable just a few short years ago. The goal of the new alliance is to counter the yearslong dominance of the ruling AKP party, headed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The alliance also wants to bring the country back to a parliamentary system rather than the presidential one that has been imposed on it by an increasingly autocratic Erdogan. It appears that this is something that many Turkish voters may want, too. In a recent survey by Turkish pollster Yoneylem, 65% of all respondents wanted to see the return to a parliamentary system while only around 30% wanted to stick with the presidential system. In the same survey, some 63% of those who responded said that the AKP was ruling Turkey badly. A further 58% said that under no circumstances would they vote for Erdogan in the next election. So the chances of the AKP being pushed out of office after the June 2023 elections look better than ever — of course, that is if the opposition can maintain its current unity until then. The six parties who have formed the alliance are: the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), the nationalist Good Party, the conservative Islamist Felicity Party, the Future Party, the Democracy and Progress Party and the Democrat Party, which has been around for decades but hasn't made much impact over the past few years. The Felicity party was Erdogan's first political home while the Democracy and Progress Party and the Future Party were both founded by former colleagues of his. The Future Party's Ahmet Davutoglu was once Turkey's foreign minister and then its prime minister. Ali Babacan of the Democracy and Progress Party also held several senior ministerial roles. Both were founding members of the AKP with Erdogan until critical of Erdogan's policies, they broke away from the party. As impressive as this alliance of opposition parties is, it is also true that the country's second largest opposition party, the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) was officially excluded. Involving any Kurdish affiliated political party remains controversial in Turkey. In the past, there have been attempts to outlaw the HDP because of alleged ties to the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party or PKK. The latter has used violence in its fight for Kurdish rights and is classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. As yet it is unclear which of the senior politicians in the Table of Six alliance will end up leading its campaign efforts. Three names are thought to be in contention for the job. Kemal Kilicdaroglu, head of the CHP, is considered the favorite and he has signaled that he would be willing to take on the role. Under his leadership, the CHP achieved historic results in 2019 district elections. A CHP candidate was elected in both of Turkey's two largest cities, Istanbul and Ankara, where Erdogan's AKP had previously held sway for decades. On the other hand, Kilicdaroglu has never managed to win an election himself and his critics doubt whether he can make a big enough impression on voters, especially when competing with such a strong personality as Erdogan. This is why another of Kilicdaroglu's CHP colleagues might be a better candidate for the role. Ekrem Imamoglu is one of the CHP's urban-vote-winning mayors. He's been running Istanbul for the past three years and is well liked by many locals regardless of their political affiliation. In his city of over 15 million people, Imamoglu presents himself as a mayor for all of the city's inhabitants. One of the main criticisms directed at him, however, is that he seems to often be away on holidays during recent crises or catastrophes — something that hasn't gone down well with the general public. Ankara's Mansur Yavas, the CHP's other winning mayor, is also popular. Since he took office, he has made it his job to tackle corruption and he has also placed much emphasis on environmental protection. His focus on these topics has been appreciated by his constituents. However Yavas also happens to be a staunch nationalist, which makes him an unpalatable choice for many Kurdish voters, whose ballots play an important role in Turkish elections. That isn't to say that some Kurds wouldn't choose him for strategic reasons, and perhaps also because of a lack of a better options. The country's most influential Kurdish Kurdish politician, Selahattin Demirtas, formerly co-leader of the HDP, and many of his fellow party members are in jail. A number of Kurdish voters harbor tremendous resentment against the AKP leadership because of this and, one imagines, would perhaps vote strategically just to get them out of power. There's another argument that speaks against having one of the two successful CHP mayors head the new opposition alliance. If they did take on the role, they would have to resign from their current mayorships, giving these two cities back to the AKP party. Erdogan's party still has a majority on the city councils there and would certainly choose the next mayors from within their own ranks. Political scientist Seren Selvin Korkmaz says that for many voters, it is as much about who a politician is as what party or policies they stand for. "For citizens here, it is all important who the leader is and what their name is," said Korkmaz, director of IstanPol, an independent institute for research and political studies. "Within our current system, there is only one person who really stands out. So who will have all of these powers in the future? Who is capable of governing? That's what people are asking," she said. No doubt the alliance is also discussing who could lead the opposition bloc. But the name of the alliance's potential leader is only likely to be announced at the beginning of 2023. Then again, it might not matter too much who represents the Table of Six alliance and runs against Erdogan. Whoever it is probably has a realistic chance of winning the 2023 elections. Of course, that's assuming the Table of Six alliance only puts up a single candidate and that the fragile alliance holds until the next presidental election. Gulsen Solaker, DW Turkish's correspondent in Ankara, contributed to this article. This article was originally published in German.

7Politics

The wife of US football journalist Grant Wahl on Wednesday said a coroner's report revealed that her husband had died of a heart aneurysm while covering the football World Cup in Qatar. Wahl, who was briefly detained last month when he tried to enter a World Cup stadium wearing a rainbow shirt, died while reporting on Argentina's quarterfinal clash with the Netherlands last week.  The 48-year-old veteran reporter had been outspoken in his opposition to Qatar hosting the World Cup. "Grant died from the rupture of a slowly growing, undetected ascending aortic aneurysm with hemopericardium," his widow Celine Gounder, herself a physician, wrote in a statement on her husband's website. An aortic aneurysm is a balloon-like bulge in the aorta, the large artery that carries most blood pumped from the heart to the rest of the body. Hemopericardium refers to the accumulation of blood around the heart wall. "The chest pressure he experienced shortly before his death may have represented the initial symptoms," said Gounder. "No amount of CPR or shocks would have saved him. His death was unrelated to COVID. His death was unrelated to vaccination status. There was nothing nefarious about his death.'' The examination was carried out New York City Medical Examiner's Office. Wahl died during extra time of the Argentina-Netherlands game, falling back in his seat in the press box of the Lusail Stadium after appearing to suffer acute distress. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Reporters alongside him called for assistance and paramedics tried to revive him at the stadium before he was taken to a local hospital and confirmed dead. The journalist's brother Eric Wahl said he suspected foul play after Grant Wahl had been denied entry to the United States' first game in Qatar against Wales in late November. Wahl, who was detained for 25 minutes before being allowed into the stadium, had been wearing a rainbow T-shirt to represent support for the LGBTQ community. Gay and lesbian sex are criminalized in the conservative Muslim emirate. Wahl's brother said the football writer had told him about receiving death threats afterward. Wahl had written earlier in the tournament about discomfort in his chest and said he had sought advice from doctors in Qatar. He said he had tested negative for COVID-19 and doctors suspected he had bronchitis and had given him antibiotics and strong cough syrup. Wahl, who wrote for Sports Illustrated magazine for more than two decades and then started his own website, was reporting on his eighth World Cup. He was a major figure in popularizing soccer in the US as interest increased interest after the country hosted the 1994 World Cup. Wahl also put football's international organizational bodies under the microscope over corruption and attempted to run for FIFA president against Sepp Blatter and Mohamed bin Hammam in 2011. He had promised greater transparency for the organization and said he contacted 150 countries without winning a single nomination. rc/msh (Reuters, AFP, dpa, AP)

9Sports

The second "black box" has been recovered from a China Eastern Boeing 737-800 passenger plane that crashed last week, Chinese state media reported on Sunday. All 132 people on board have been confirmed dead.  "The second black box from China Eastern flight MU5735 was recovered on March 27," Xinhua news agency said. The flight was en route from the city of Kunming, in southeastern China, to the major manufacturing hub of Guangzhou when it crashed. The plane had two flight recorders: one in the rear passenger cabin to track flight data, and a voice recorder in the cockpit. The cockpit voice recorder was found on Wednesday and sent to Beijing for analysis.  The flight data recorder — an orange cylinder — was found 1.5 meters (5 feet) underground on a mountain slope during a search that was complicated by rainy and muddy conditions, officials said. It contains data such as speed, altitude and heading. The recovery of both recorders will help investigators determine what caused the plane to plummet from 29,000 feet (8,800 meters) into a remote, forested mountainside in southern China in just over a minute. Hundreds of people have joined the search at the scene of the accident, including firefighters, doctors and investigators. They are attempting to recover human remains and the wreckage of the plane. On Saturday, the Chinese Civil Aviation Administration confirmed that all 123 passengers and nine crew members on board had died. DNA testing has confirmed the identity of 120 people, the CAAC said, adding that all were Chinese nationals. see/fb (AP, AFP)

1Catastrophe