The major fire in a chemical plant in the northern French city of Rouen, which is considered to be particularly dangerous, has been extinguished, the prefecture of Normandy announced on Friday. The fire broke out overnight on Thursday. No one was injured in the incident. The fire brigade was deployed with around 200 fire engines.

Buildings within a radius of 500 meters were evacuated, schools and kindergartens were closed on Thursday. Additives for lubricants are produced in the chemical plant on the banks of the Seine. The factory belongs to the Lubrizol company of US billionaire Warren Buffett and is subject to the so-called Seveso Directive of the EU, which imposes particularly strict safety requirements.

Around 400 people work at the plant. The chemical factory has already made headlines in the past - for example, when the gas methane thiol escaped through a leak in 2013 and the surrounding area smelled of rotten eggs. In 2015, around 2,000 litres of mineral oil flowed into the city's sewage system after an industrial accident.

For two months, a woman from Washington searched for her missing dog - and specifically quit her job. The seven-year-old Border Collie had run away from the hotel room during a short holiday in Montana. 57 days were missing any trace of the dog - but Carole King did not give up.

It was terrible. I felt sick, Carole King told the Daily Inter Lake. She and her husband had left Katie in the hotel room while they went for dinner. When they returned to the hotel, Katie had disappeared. They were looking for the animal, but to no avail.

"In the hope that Katie could still be somewhere in the hotel, Carole King went to the reception. ""The employee says:"" She left about four or four and a half hours ago, ""Carole King remembers opposite"" Daily Inter Lake. ""When the automatic entrance door opened, Katie ran away immediately."

"With flyers and calls in Facebook groups, the Kings searched for their beloved dog. But days turned into weeks. ""I never gave up. I never lost hope,"" Carole King told the Daily Inter Lake, who quit her job as a postal employee to continue her search for Katie."

"57 days after Katie's disappearance, Carole King received a call: A man called and said that Katie was in his yard. But when King arrived there, Katie had already disappeared again. She searched the neighborhood and suddenly her bitch stood under a tree. ""I just hugged her. I didn't want to let her go,"" King recalled according to Daily Inter Lake. ""The tears flowed. People stopped in their vehicles, got out and hugged us. I think the whole neighborhood knew we had found her."""

Losses in the Bundeswehr: Machine guns disappear without a trace

"In recent years, the Bundeswehr has lost numerous weapons and tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition, including three machine guns. In most cases, the whereabouts are unclear. The opposition speaks of a ""frightening"" scale."

Weapons and ammunition keep disappearing in the Bundeswehr - many of them without a trace. Since the beginning of 2014, the troops have recorded the loss of 39 weapons, 39 weapon parts and almost 20,000 rounds of ammunition, according to a classified list by the Federal Ministry of Defence, reported by the editorial network Germany.

According to the paper from the office of Defense State Secretary Peter Tauber from the CDU, two weapons, one weapon part and 3474 rounds of ammunition have reappeared so far. The weapons and weapon parts still missing include six MG3 machine guns, eleven G3 rifles, four G36 rifles, six signal pistols and two P8 pistols. In addition, 30 MG3 machine guns are missing.

"The extent of weapon and ammunition losses in the Bundeswehr is ""frightening,"" said the left-wing member of the Bundestag Martina Renner. This is all the more true since hardly anything has been found in the course of investigations. The left-wing politician spoke of a ""poor record."" Renner criticized that the list does not reveal whether the missing ammunition also includes the one that was found in connection with the investigations against the suspected terrorist Bundeswehr officer Franco A. Although he was recently convicted of the possession of the ammunition."

"More than two months after its arrest by the Iranian authorities, the British oil tanker ""Stena Impero"" left the port of Bandar Abbas on Friday. As ship observation data from Refinitiv showed, the tanker set in motion and left the Iranian port. Port Rashid in the United Arab Emirates was indicated as the destination port."

The tanker had actually been released by the Iranian government on Monday, but it initially remained in Iranian waters. The shipping company said that they wanted to wait for an official decision from Tehran.

"On July 19, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards in the Strait of Hormuz accused the ""Stena Impero"" of violating safety regulations. However, it was suspected that Iran was reacting to the controversial, temporary detention of an Iranian oil tanker in front of Gibraltar, which belongs to the United Kingdom."

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important sea routes in the world. It connects the Persian Gulf with the Indian Ocean. A large part of global oil exports are shipped through the Strait. Tensions in the region have intensified immensely in recent months. Merchant shipping has been drawn into the conflict between the USA and Iran. There have been several incidents with tankers and drones.

Merkel pays tribute to the courage of the people in the Peaceful Revolution

Chancellor Angela Merkel paid tribute to the commitment of the people in the GDR who took to the streets 30 years ago during the Peaceful Revolution. In the autumn of 1989, courageous citizens had shaken the former GDR regime, said Merkel at a ceremony of the Thuringian CDU faction on the upcoming Day of German Unity in Erfurt. Among other things, the Chancellor recalled the occupation of the Stasi headquarters.

Tesla's quarter may hold a record. Despite the delivery boom, the electric car company has recently suffered losses.

"New York. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has given his electric car company a strong boost on the stock exchange with the prospect of new record numbers. ""We have the chance to reach our first quarter with 100,000 deliveries,"" Musk wrote in an email to Tesla employees published by the industry blog ""Electrek."""

The demand is strong, so that Tesla could record 110,000 orders, Musk's circular continued. The challenge is to bring the cars quickly to the customers. Tesla must mobilize as many resources as possible at the end of the quarter.

Investors liked this: Tesla's shares went out of trading with an increase of over six percent. The price has not increased so much in almost four months. In the second quarter, Tesla delivered a good 95,000 cars and thus reached its previous record.

Musk needs records to achieve his high goals. In 2019, he wants to deliver a total of 360,000 to 400,000 cars. Six-figure figures are needed for this in the current and coming quarter. Above all, the cheapest Tesla Model 3 is in demand, but here the profit margins are low.

A kind of brake in the cerebrum prevents people from tickling themselves. Scientists at the Humboldt University in Berlin discovered this with the help of experiments on rats, as they announced on Thursday evening. Progress was also made on the question of why children defend themselves so violently against tickling, only to demand more.

After all, it has also been shown why the approach of a tickling hand triggers laughter even before touching it. This is due to a deep layer in the cerebrum, which triggers laughter even when the tickling is expected.

"According to the data, earlier research showed that rats react with ""laughter"" in the ultrasonic range when tickled by humans. This ""laughter"" is mediated by the part of the cerebral cortex that serves the central processing of haptic perception."

Until now, it had been assumed that the brain could distinguish between self-contact and contact by others - which is why people cannot tickle themselves. However, the Berlin researchers now found out in the experiments on the rats that the laughter as well as the activity of the relevant area of the cerebral cortex are suppressed during self-contact. This is also the case when living beings clean themselves. During the foreign contact and tickling by the scientists, the activity in the brain and the impulse to laugh were increased.

But if the self-contact and the contact by others happen at the same time, the laughter is also suppressed. This indicates that the rat's brain cannot distinguish between the self-contact and the contact by others. The new findings suggested that people cannot tickle themselves because the self-contact activates a brake in the cerebrum.

The rats were also trained to tickle themselves. In the experiment, they sometimes stopped this initiation prematurely, showed flight behavior or frightening rigidity. This ambivalence is similar to the behavior of the children. The ambivalence of tickling is a behavioral reaction that is the same in rats and humans.

Disaster averted: Major fire extinguished at French chemical plant

The major fire in a chemical plant in the northern French city of Rouen is extinguished, the prefecture of Normandy told the AFP news agency on Friday. The fire broke out on Thursday night.

According to the authorities, no hazardous substances are said to have leaked. The samples taken do not give cause for concern, as Prefect Pierre-Andr ä fect Durand said at a press conference on Friday morning. No one was injured in the incident. The fire brigade was deployed with around 200 fire engines.

Residents were called upon not to leave their homes. Buildings within a radius of 500 meters were evacuated, schools and kindergartens remained closed on Thursday.

Factory belongs to the Lubrizol company of US billionaire Warren Buffett

The chemical plant on the banks of the Seine produces additives for lubricants. The factory belongs to the Lubrizol company of US billionaire Warren Buffett and is subject to the so-called Seveso Directive of the EU, which prescribes particularly strict safety requirements. Around 400 people work at the plant.

The chemical factory has already made headlines in the past - for example, when the gas methane thiol escaped through a leak in 2013 and the surrounding area smelled of rotten eggs. In 2015, around 2,000 litres of mineral oil flowed into the city's sewage system after an industrial accident.

The Prime Minister's sister commented on Boris Johnson's speech at the first session in parliament after the suspension of the forced break on Wednesday evening. The Prime Minister threatens to lead the country out of the EU on 31 October without an agreement if Brussels does not agree to his demands for changes to the Brexit agreement. However, it is unclear how he wants to achieve this.

"The Prime Minister said of Cox, who had campaigned for Britain to remain in the European Union: ""The best way to honour the memory of Jo Cox and reunite this country would be to leave the EU."" Cox was murdered by a right-wing extremist during the 2016 referendum campaign."

"More than eight years after the attacks in Oslo and Ut ö ya with 77 dead, a memorial in honour of the victims will be unveiled in Norway on Saturday. The monument ""Jernrosene"" (the iron roses) consists of around 1,000 iron rose replicas, reminiscent of the roses that thousands of people laid down in the days and weeks after the attacks in front of the cathedral in Oslo."

The project of the artists Tobbe Malm and Tone Karlsrud is now to be unveiled at the same location - the roses were forged by people from all over the world, including survivors and relatives of the victims. Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit are expected to attend the opening.

On July 22, 2011, right-wing terrorist Anders Behring Breivik first detonated a car bomb in the government district of Oslo and then shot dozens of participants in a holiday camp run by the youth organization of the Social Democratic Workers' Party on the island of Ut ö ya. 77 people were killed in the attacks.

"The UN general debate did not bring a solution to the Iran conflict. But now there is one problem less. The British oil tanker ""Stena Impero"", which was detained in Iran, could set sail again. It could be a puzzle piece in the peace plan of Iranian President Ruhani."

"The British oil tanker ""Stena Impero"", which has been detained in the Strait of Hormuz in Iran since mid-July, is back in international waters. After being released by Iranian authorities, the ship is on its way to Dubai, as the shipping company Stena Bulk announced."

"The ""Stena Impero"" has left the port of Bandar Abbas and the crew is now going to Dubai for medical examinations, among other things, explained shipping company boss Erik Hh ä rnell. Around noon, the ship has left Iranian waters. ""It is nice that it is over,"" he told the Swedish TV station SVT."

"The Foreign Ministry in London described the detention of the ship as illegal. ""This is part of a pattern of attempts to interfere with the freedom of the seas. We are working with our international partners to uphold shipping and international law,"" said a statement on Friday."

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards had set the tanker on 19 July on the accusation of disregarding regulations of the law of the sea in the Persian Gulf. Seven of the 23 crew members had already been released at the beginning of September. According to the circumstances, the remaining 16 crew members are doing well, said Hg ü nell. They have behaved professionally in view of the difficult and exhausting situation in the past ten weeks. The shipping company is now working to reunite them with their families as quickly as possible.

"The British government suspected behind the arrest of the ""Stena Impero"" a reaction to a similar incident in British Gibraltar: At the beginning of July a super tanker with oil from Iran, which is said to have been destined for Syria, was chained there. According to the authorities, the delivery violated EU sanctions against the war-torn country Syria. The British had received the reference to the ship from the US."

"Iran spoke of ""piracy"" and threatened with consequences. In mid-August, the ""Adrian Darya-1"" was finally released. London vehemently rejected speculations that it was a barter to get the ""Stena Impero"" released."

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important sea routes in the world. It connects the Persian Gulf with the Indian Ocean. Most of the world's oil exports are shipped through the Strait. Tensions in the region have intensified immensely in recent months. Merchant shipping has been drawn into the conflict between the USA and Iran. There have been several incidents with tankers and drones.

Behind the tensions between Tehran and Washington is the nuclear dispute between the two countries. The Americans accuse the Iranian leadership of wanting to build nuclear weapons. Iran rejects this. In 2018, the USA single-handedly withdrew from the international nuclear agreement, which was intended to prevent Iran from building a nuclear bomb and at the same time end its political and economic isolation. Since then, the US government has put the leadership in Tehran under pressure with massive economic sanctions against the country in order to enforce a stricter agreement that has been extended to other areas.

"Because of the dispute over the ""Stena Impero"" and other incidents with tankers in the Persian Gulf and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, the US is working on a coalition for military protection of merchant ships in the region."

"Iranian President Hassan Ruhani presented a plan for security and peace in the Strait of Hormuz at the UN General Assembly in New York. Iran wants to ensure the safety of shipping in the Persian Gulf with the initiative ""Coalition of Hope"" for the Persian Gulf together with the Arab Gulf states and without foreign protectors."

India is building a better future with its protectionist economic policies.

In view of the punitive tariffs imposed by America's President Donald Trump on Chinese manufacturers, foreign producers in the People's Republic are forced to change their plans. Financial leaders of Asian companies who are considering transferring their production from China to another country cite India as one of the preferred alternatives in a survey by UBS. Of course, this has not only to do with the uncertainties of the Sino-American trade war. With a huge pool of young workers and an internal market of 1.3 billion consumers, India seems to have created a more significant role in the global production chain.

"But now India itself has come into Trump's focus. Pejoratively dubbed the ""kingdom of tariffs"" by the howitzer in the White House, America withdrew the trade concessions for 2000 products from the emerging market at the beginning of June. The US accuses India of prohibitively high tariffs and demands better market access for agricultural goods, mobile phones, spirits, motorcycles and other things."

On the world map of trade wars, the friction with India is, of course, only a sideline. America also views the world's largest democracy through security policy glasses. Delhi and Washington are united by concerns about China's claims to power in the South Indian Ocean. Against this background, a volley of American punitive tariffs against India seems unlikely. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has just assumed a second five-year term in office, is therefore likely to weigh in safety.

The problem, however, lies elsewhere: The empirically substantiated thesis that open markets accelerate economic development has a hard time in the socialist republic of India. Even under Modi. His zeal for reform is mainly aimed at the bureaucratic madness, which suffocated any entrepreneurial spirit in the multi-ethnic state for too long. Companies now receive building permits for buildings more quickly. They benefit from a better energy and transport infrastructure, and a more effective insolvency and bankruptcy law creates the conditions for liquidating seemingly dead companies with high debts more quickly.

The success of these efforts can be seen and measured in the relevant rankings. From an economic point of view, much has changed for the better in India in the first five Modi years. However, this does not apply to trade policy. Inspired by protecting internationally uncompetitive companies from foreign suppliers, the national conservative government even erected new barriers.

"In the West, Modi adheres to the aura of the energetic reformer who is radically renewing his country economically. This impression is not least due to the fact that the charismatic prime minister knows all too well what vocabulary Western managers like. At its core, however, the ""India First"" advocate never moved away from a protectionist economic policy, which prevents Indian companies from being forced to get rid of anachronistic processes and thus become fit for global competition. Businessmen who survive thanks to the isolation of their industries are among the regular voters of Modi's nationalist Bharata party and this short-sighted policy."

According to a report, the former French President Jacques Chirac is to be buried in Paris next week. The former head of state will be buried on Monday in the Montparnasse cemetery in the south of the French capital, reported the news agency AFP, citing the Chirac family. The funeral will take place in a close family circle. A public funeral was scheduled for Sunday in the Paris Invalides Cathedral, as reported by the media.

Carried to the finish: Dabo is the first secret hero of the World Championships in Athletics

The world leaders had long since reached the finish line when heart-warming scenes took place in the cooled down Khalifa International Stadium. Jonathan Busby from Aruba began to waver dangerously in the first preliminaries of the men over 5000 meters. He was barely able to keep his feet on his feet a good 300 meters before the finish, ran in an unhealthy bent position when Braima SunCar Dabo from the West African country Guinea-Bissau suddenly hooked him and dragged him to the finish line in support of the last half round of the stadium. However, the forces were still sufficient to stop the wristwatch after the finish.

Everyone in this situation would have done the same, said Dabo after the race in Mixed Zone, when he unexpectedly attracted the attention of the assembled journalists. He shyly evaded, did not want to talk about his heroic deed at all. After all, he wanted to set his personal best time and when he realized that this would be difficult, he only wanted to help a fellow sufferer. And anyway, he would only be proud to represent his country, which was invited for the World Cup by the World Federation. Under normal circumstances, he should not have started.

He did so emphatically that evening - and much more intensively than he would have thought, because this heroic deed will be remembered. Especially since Dabo even let his competitor Busby take the lead at the finish and voluntarily took the last place - by the way, a good five minutes after the Ethiopian Selemon Barega, who won this preliminaries. In the end, everything was useless, because the Busby, who only came to the finish with a lot of help, was disqualified at the end by the World Athletics Association.

"Dabo, who lives in Portugal and studies there in Lisbon, competed to set a personal best time at the World Cup in Doha. According to official data, this was achieved with 18: 10.87 minutes, but he himself was disappointed: ""I wanted to run 17: 55 minutes. I was already under 18 minutes."""

In Egypt, security measures have been stepped up in the run-up to possible protests critical of the government. On Friday, an increased police presence was observed in the center of Cairo. Several subway stations remained closed, roads around the central Tahrir Square were blocked.

In recent days, the police had already stepped up their road checks and searched pedestrians' mobile phones for news and photos in connection with the protests. According to two NGOs, hundreds had been arrested.

"Last weekend there were protests with hundreds of participants in Cairo, Alexandria, Suez and Mansura against the government of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is accused of corruption and mismanagement by critics. There had not been such an open protest against the political leadership in Egypt for years. The Egyptian building contractor and actor Mohammed Ali, who lives in exile in Spain and started the demonstrations with video messages on Facebook, called for a ""million march"" in central places in the country for today's Friday. Ali calls for a ""people's revolution""."

According to two observer groups, the number of arrests in connection with the protests continued to rise. The Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms (eCRF) counted more than 1,570 arrests until Friday. The Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR) and the human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) spoke of more than 2,000 arrests. These figures could not be independently confirmed at first. The government also did not confirm or comment on the figures.

"Many people have been ""arbitrarily arrested"", ""just because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time,"" HRW said, citing lawyers arrested. According to their lawyers, the allegations against the detainees range from ""dissemination of false information"" to membership in a ""terrorist association."" In Cairo, Alexandria and other cities, security forces in uniform, but also in civilian clothing, arbitrarily interviewed and searched passers-by according to HRW."

HRW also criticized the censorship in the North African country. According to this, the government in Cairo is blocking websites and online services to prevent further protests against Sisi.

Online retailers: Mail-order retailers should be able to donate returns more easily

For online retailers, many returned parcels are lost goods. Around 20 million returns end up in the garbage. But there is an alternative.

The Ministry of Finance has shown online retailers such as Amazon and Zalando a way to donate returned products instead of destroying them.

Although companies cannot be exempted from VAT on donations in kind, the ministry explained in response to a question from the Green parliamentary group, about which the newspapers of the Funke media group reported on Friday, retailers could set the market value of the unsaleable returns so low that they would have to pay no or little VAT.

Scientists at the University of Bamberg had determined that German citizens send back every sixth parcel when ordering on the Internet. Around four percent of the goods - around 20 million products - subsequently ended up in the garbage. According to the current legal situation, donating them would cost companies additional money, because the tax authorities assess donations in kind as a turnover, which is then subject to VAT.

Green Group leader Katrin G ö ring-Eckardt called on Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) to clarify with a decree that companies can evaluate non-saleable products accordingly and donate them free of charge to non-profit organizations. Companies must be able to rely on not being punished for donations, not only for online trade, but also for other businesses from fashion stores to DIY stores.

Banksy art at auction: There has never been a better time to sell this painting

"The well-known work of street art star Banksy, ""Devolved Parliament,"" is to be auctioned off soon."

"For Branczik, Banksy's work underlines ""the regression of the oldest parliamentary democracy in the world into the basic attitude shaped by animals and tribes."" From Saturday, the painting will be exhibited at Sotheby's in the British capital until it is to be auctioned on October 3. It is estimated at 1.5 to two million euros."

The work was first exhibited in 2009 at the Museum of Bristol in the south-west of Great Britain, where Banksy lives. This year, the artist exhibited the painting again - at the same time as the original Brexit date on March 29. On this occasion, the work, formerly called Question Time, was renamed Devolved Parliament.

Most recently, Prime Minister Boris Johnson had a hard fight with the opposition at the first session of the House of Commons on Wednesday following the lifting of a forced break imposed by Johnson by the Supreme Court. Johnson wants to carry out the Brexit on 31 October, which has already been postponed twice, if necessary without an agreement with the EU.

This is not the first time that Banksy, whose identity is still unknown, has interfered in the Brexit debate. In Dover in the south-east of England, he painted a picture of a man breaking a star of the European flag with a chisel. Thousands of truck drivers and other visitors see the work every day as they enter the UK.

"British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's fierce verbal attacks on Brexit opponents in parliament do not contribute to a climate of hatred, according to his top advisor. Compared to the election campaign before the Brexit referendum in 2016, the current controversy is a ""walk in the park,"" said Dominic Cummings at a book launch on Friday. ""We enjoy it. We will leave (the EU) and we will win."""

"Johnson had harshly attacked Brexit opponents in parliament in recent days, accusing them, among other things, of ""betraying"" the people. He dismissed as a ""humbug"" accusations that he could endanger the MPs because they could be the target of death threats."

Cummings said the only way to calm things down is if MPs finally respect the British decision to leave the EU. It is not surprising that people are upset that Britain has still not left the EU three years after the referendum.

"In view of the charged mood, even the bishops of the Anglican Church called for restraint on Friday. ""We should talk to each other with respect,"" said a statement. ""And we should also listen."""

Pakistan's Prime Minister Khan calls for UN intervention in Kashmir

With an emotional appeal, Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan once again called on the United Nations to intervene in the Kashmir conflict during his first appearance before the UN General Assembly.

"Otherwise, another war between the nuclear powers Pakistan and India is likely, Khan said on Friday at the UN general debate in New York. ""If things go badly, one hopes for the best, but be prepared for the worst."" The United Nations has a responsibility for Kashmir. ""You should have prevented this."""

Since their independence from British colonial rule in 1947, India and Pakistan have waged three wars, two of them over the divided region of Kashmir. Both nuclear powers each dominate a part of Kashmir, another part belongs to China. At the beginning of August, India had revoked the autonomy status of the Indian Kashmir region and thus abruptly increased tensions in relation to Pakistan.

The demonstrators in Cairo are demanding the overthrow of Egyptian President al-Sisi.

The government is reacting with a hard hand against the current protests in Egypt. It is firing live ammunition at the population, more than 2000 arrested people are joining the 60,000 political prisoners who are already imprisoned there. Protesting has never been harmless in Egypt. However, since General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi took power in 2013, the state apparatus has been doing everything to avoid a scenario like the Arab Spring.

But one of the triggers for the protests in 2011 was the poor economic situation. Poverty, lack of prospects and the feeling of being suffocated by one's own government drove millions onto the streets. And this is a problem that the el-Sisi regime cannot get to grips with, no matter how hard it goes against opponents. The situation has even worsened.

Today, one in three people in Egypt lives below the poverty line. Since 2016, the currency has lost more than half of its value, the inflation rate is ten percent. Anyone who wants to buy a bottle of water in the supermarket has to decide who they want to finance: Nestl lodging, Coca-Cola or the military. The latter is not only responsible for the oppression, but also the largest economic player. The military builds roads, houses, football stadiums, produces food and much more. This was already the case before el-Sisi. The Egyptian people have a lot of experience with authoritarian regimes, the dilemma in the supermarket is also an old problem, when large parts of the population have to afford water.

"T Ü V tests in the terminal: BER boss: No more ""showstoppers"" for capital airport"

For two months, it was checked whether the complicated system network for BER fire protection works together. The operators are satisfied with the process, but the T ü v is not yet finished at BER.

Following large-scale T Ü V inspections in the terminal of the future capital airport, the operators confirmed the planned opening in October next year, said Supervisory Board Chairman Rainer Bretschneider after a meeting of the supervisory board.

"Airport manager Engelbert L ü tke Daldrup spoke of a successfully completed test, but also said that there are still shortcomings in the terminal. ""We have many detailed topics, but we do not have a real showstopper."" He assured us that the timetable for commissioning still contains buffers."

However, there are indications that the time reserve should not be too large. The completion notice is now to be submitted to the building authority in the course of the first quarter of 2020, which was scheduled for this autumn at the beginning of the year.

"Hundreds of shortcomings in power cables still have to be remedied; the T ü v wants to check them by February. ""In order to create the conditions for the start of flight operations, intensive work must continue on the processing of the shortcomings,"" said a written notification."

L ü tke Daldrup said that in many cases it is about missing evidence, less about new cables. There is also no release for all plugs on which the cable routes hang. The airport manager expects this to be available by the end of the year.

In addition, the fire protection at the transition to the station under the terminal is not yet working satisfactorily. The problems had already led the project into another crisis three years ago. This time, it is about smoke aprons that shut down like a screen in the event of a fire so that the smoke does not spread. They shut down too far. 36 engines must therefore be replaced.

Problems with fire protection and other construction defects as well as planning errors have delayed the opening of the airport for years. Originally, it was scheduled to go into operation in 2011. Since construction began in 2006, the costs have risen from two billion to approximately 6.5 billion euros for the opening next year.

Since the number of passengers in Berlin has increased significantly since then, those responsible are planning the expansion of the airport. This is the subject of a special meeting of the Supervisory Board on October 18, as announced by Chairman Bretschneider.

The airport company is now looking for two new managing directors. CFO Heike F ö lster will join Deutsche Bahn at the end of the year, HR manager Manfred Bobke-von Camen will retire next year, as Bretschneider said. He thanked F ö lster. She has put the airport finances on firm footing.

Chemnitz: Vending machines for drugs blown up - police arrest man

He needed money for drugs - and blew up a number of vending machines in Chemnitz! Now the perpetrator is finally in custody!

In the past two years, the number of blown up cigarette and parking ticket machines in Chemnitz and the region has risen sharply.

After two detonations at the end of May, the police seized a 33-year-old German at Bu rgerstra ß e and Further Stra ß e in Chemnitz.

"Police spokesman Andrzej Rydzik: ""In the course of the investigation into the fabrication of explosives explosions in unit with a particularly serious case of theft, which were carried out by the Chemnitz criminal investigation department Gefu, Besta not only this suspicion against the 33-yes was proven."""

Confronted with the new evidence, the 33-year-old Chemnitz native now confessed to a total of eight acts.

"The police spokesman: ""With the loot, he has apparently financed his beta st ä uungsmittelabha f ü hrngigkeit."" Between August 20, 2018 and May 31, 2019, the bomber had blown up parking ticket machines on Bu rgerstra ß e four times."

The vending machine bomber is now in custody. The police investigation against him continues.

It is conceivable that he was also responsible for further automatic explosions in Chemnitz and adjacent districts.

"The Lufthansa Group is changing its strategy for Vienna Airport. Amidst the price war with low-cost airlines such as Lauda, Wizz Air, EasyJet and Level, the Lufthansa subsidiary AUA is taking over ""the commercial control of all Eurowings flights from Vienna,"" confirmed a press spokesperson for Austrian Airlines to APA on Friday."

"The Vienna base of the Lufthansa low-cost airline Eurowings will thus de facto be dissolved. Of the seven Eurowings aircraft currently in service, four will remain in Vienna, which will be taken over by the AUA from January 2020 in a ""wetlease"", including Eurowings personnel. In future, three Eurowings jets will be stationed in Salzburg, which will fly from Salzburg and Innsbruck as charter aircraft to holiday destinations. Routes from Vienna to Germany will be taken over by Eurowings Germany."

The Eurowings base in Vienna will be integrated into the AUA hub and network planning, explained the spokesperson. Flight times will be coordinated with connecting flights. The aim is to strengthen the Vienna hub on the one hand and to expand decentralised traffic from the federal states on the other.

"As AviationNetOnline writes, Eurowings in Vienna only serves as a ""production company"" for the Group sister company AUA. Among other things, Barcelona and Rome will be served with an AUA flight number, but primarily with Eurowings equipment. Although the on-board product will be adapted to that of Austrian Airlines, the pilots and flight attendants will come from Eurowings. According to the report, the Eurowings flights starting under an AUA flight number will no longer be handled in Terminal 1, but in the same way as the AUA in Terminal 3."

"A price war broke out at Vienna Airport after the Niki bankruptcy. Ryanair subsidiary Laudamotion only announced on Thursday that it would increase the fleet in Vienna to 16 aircraft next summer. The Irish low-cost airline is sending four Ryanair aircraft and crews to Vienna, also in the so-called ""wetlease"", which the union criticized as a circumvention of the collective agreement."

"Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary's challenge that Lauda will have overtaken the AUA in five years' time was answered on Friday by AUA board member Andreas Otto: ""We will remain number one at the site in five, six or ten years' time."""

Beatrice, Eugenie, William and Harry: As children, the cousins were best friends. Now the last of the four is getting married. Beatrice is engaged!

Wonderful news from the British royals: During the Italian holidays at the beginning of the month, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi (34) is said to have asked for the hand of his girlfriend Princess Beatrice (31).

We are extremely happy to announce our engagement. We are both so happy to start this adventure together and can hardly wait to be married, the couple, who have been together since October 2018 according to British media reports, said in the official announcement.

We share so many similar interests and values and we know that this will help us a lot in the coming years full of love and happiness.

The official engagement photos were taken by her sister, Princess Eugenie (29) - and also published on her Instagram account.

The wedding is to take place in 2020. More information about the date, location and everything else will be announced by the palace in the coming months.

What is certain, however, is that the wedding of the number nine of the British succession to the throne and the real estate mogul will be a similarly big celebration as the wedding of Eugenie on 12 October 2018 with Jack Brooksbank (33).

Smoking, obesity, unhealthy diets - there are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. But what really triggers heart failure or a heart attack Hamburg researchers now want to take a close look at the genetic material of 9,000 healthy and sick people.

By analysing the genetic material of 9,000 people, Hamburg and Swiss scientists want to find out more about the causes of cardiovascular diseases.

The research project is the largest of its kind in the German-speaking world, announced the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) on Friday. The K ü hne Foundation is funding the project with 12.5 million euros. The Davos High Mountain Clinic, which belongs to the foundation, and the University Hospital Zurich are involved from Switzerland.

Obesity, smoking and an unhealthy diet are among the main influenceable risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Genetic factors determine the risk. However, the interaction between genes and external influences is only insufficiently known, it was said. Now the scientists want to compare the complete genetic material of 8,000 healthy people with that of 1,000 former patients of the University Heart and Vascular Center at the UKE.

According to the hospital, possible disease-causing changes in DNA - so-called mutations - are currently known in more than 4000 of the approximately 20,000 relevant human genes.

According to the initiators, the goal of the five-year project is to develop new options for the prevention, detection and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, heart weakness and heart attacks. According to Stefan Blankenberg, head of the University Heart and Vascular Center, the data could also be used for research into other common diseases. New insights into the interaction between heart and brain, heart and kidney, and cancer are possible.

The chairman of the K ü hne Foundation, Klaus-Michael K ü hne (82), also emphasized that there is a firm will to use the data for research into other diseases. The clinic of the foundation in Davos has so far mainly treated allergies. Now, a Center for Cardiovascular Precision Medicine is to be established on the local medical campus and a professorship for bioinformatics is to be created. The logistics company, which lives in Switzerland, said that he had been operated on the open heart in Hamburg three years ago and was very grateful.

The bio-samples of the healthy participants come from Hamburg residents, who are also taking part in the Hamburg City Health Study. According to the hospital, this is the largest local health study in the world with 45,000 test subjects. The scientists assured that strict attention is paid to the protection of anonymised data when decoding genetic material. It is a petabyte (1000 terabytes) of data, said Holger Moch from the University Hospital Zurich.

According to UKE, a person's genetic material can now be decoded within 24 hours. The pure material costs for this would be 1300 euros. The first gene sequencing worldwide, the results of which were published in 2001, cost several hundred million euros. The study is scheduled to begin on October 1, with all 9,000 samples to be analysed by the end of 2020.

"In Nigeria, the police have rescued more than 300 tortured and abused boys from a Koran school. According to local residents, security forces searched the school in the northern Nigerian city of Kaduna and discovered the victims, some of whom were still minors, police spokesman Yakubu Sabo said. ""The victims were mistreated, some of whom claimed to have been raped by their teachers,"" said Sabo."

"The boys were held under the pretext of being taught and ""improved"" in the Koran. In fact, the charges were held by their teachers under ""the most degrading and inhumane conditions,"" said Sabo. About a hundred students, including children aged nine, were chained in a small room."

According to the information, the Koran school had existed for about ten years. Residents had drawn the attention of the authorities to repeated irregularities in the institution. The parents were shocked when they were informed about the conditions in the Koran school, said Sabo. They had no idea of the suffering of their children. According to the police, the operator and six employees were arrested.

There are many private Koran schools in the predominantly Muslim north of Nigeria. They replace the often deficient state institutions. The people in the region suffer from frequent attacks by armed gangs. According to the UN Refugee Agency, more than 40,000 people have fled across the border to the neighboring state of Niger in the past ten months.

Chained and tortured: Nigeria's police free 400 children from school

"Police have rescued almost 400 students from appalling conditions in a school in northern Nigeria. ""Many of them were chained and some had visible injuries indicating torture,"" said police spokesman Yakubu Sabo in the city of Kaduna."

"The children were discovered there on Thursday after a hint in an Islamic school. The conditions there were ""inhumane."" The officials arrested the headmaster and six teachers after the liberation action."

The children, all boys, were held like slaves at their school and shackled. Some were sexually abused. Television pictures showed emaciated and injured students in a noticeably poor state of health.

World football election: Further accusations after Messis and Klopp's freestyle

With a gala in Milan, the FIFA World Football Association honours the best player, the best player and the best coach of the year. For Lionel Messi, this is the sixth honour and thus a record.

After Nicaragua's captain declared that he had never voted in the world football election, accusations come to FIFA from other countries. Egypt was not evaluated at all - with a curious reason.

A lot at FIFA has proven to be disreputable in recent years: The World Cup awards, dubious plans of its president Gianni Infantino, the general behavior of various corrupt officials. However, the FIFA world football election has not been suspected of being unclean - apart from the fact that the voting national coaches and national team captains of the member associations often vote according to sympathy rather than objective assessment.

But after Nicaragua's captain had already complained that he had not voted at all, further inconsistencies are now emerging: Egypt complains that the votes of national coach Hossam El-Badry and captain Mohamed Salah were not taken into account. In fact, they do not appear in the official and publicly visible voting overview.

"FIFA apologizes that ""the signatures on the election forms were in capital letters and therefore not valid."" The Egyptian association was contacted several times to clarify the situation - without an answer."

There is also an outcry from Sudan regarding the election. While the situation in the case of Egypt is understandable, the Sudanese association states that coach Zdravko Lugarisic did not vote as it was ultimately evaluated: With Lionel Messi in first place, Virgil van Dijk in second place and Sadio Man in third place. According to Fifa, the vote was received in the same way, with signatures and official stamp of the Sudanese association.

"Nicaragua's captain Juan Barrera also made accusations: ""I did not vote for the # TheBest2019 Awards. All information about my vote is wrong, thank you,"" he wrote. In his case, it was suspected that the Nicaraguan Football Association simply voted on his behalf."

"The association now reported on Friday: True, but of course it was not intentional. The completed election documents were ""mistakenly"" provided with the name and signature of Juan Barrera, the captain of the Nicaraguan selection, it was said in a communication from the association. But the second captain Manuel Rosas actually voted. ""We take responsibility for the administrative error,"" said the communication. Both Rosas and team coach Henry Duarte voted for Messi, ""just as it is in the official list of FIFA."""

FIFA is now investigating the other cases, but stresses that the election process was supervised externally by the consulting firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Lionel Messi remains the undisputed winner of the world football election - and J ü rgen Klopp World Coach of the Year.

Ukraine affair: Senior Republicans call for official investigation

"Two senior Republicans have openly called for an official investigation against the US President and party friend Donald Trump. ""I think the investigation is important,"" said the Republican Governor of the US state of Vermont, Phil Scott. ""Where this leads from here is determined by the facts that are established."" He wants to know more about the whistleblower affair before action is taken. Impeachment proceedings can lead to the dismissal of the president."

"Scott said he was not surprised by the revelations, which showed that Trump had repeatedly called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate the activities of Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden in Ukraine. According to Scott, Trump has been observing Biden ""for years."""

The Republicans have so far refrained from criticizing Trump for the whistleblower affair, only a few have shown discomfort about it. Scott's statements are now a first sign of this in Trump's party. The moderate governor of Virginia had already repeatedly opposed Trump's policy, such as the relaxation of environmental regulations and the tightening of immigration regulations.

"Another senior Republican, Charlie Baker, Governor of Massachusetts, also called for the investigation. ""It is a deeply disturbing situation,"" said Baker. ""The right approach and responsibility for Congress now is to investigate the matter and get to the bottom of it."""

"Scott and Baker, as governors of US states, have no formal say in the proceedings against Trump, which will be decided in Congress. Their statements are therefore above all symbolically important. Nevertheless, the first Republican senators have also expressed criticism of the situation. Mitt Romney, for example, who represents the state of Utah in the second chamber of parliament, said that the case is ""extremely disturbing, deeply disturbing."""

The affair could lead to the initiation of impeachment proceedings against Trump, the Democrats in the House of Representatives have announced an investigation, accusing him of abusing power for the purpose of foreign influence for his own political benefit.

There is no precise timetable for the impeachment process. With their majority in the House of Representatives, the Democrats could exert a so-called impeachment. However, the decision on an actual impeachment would be made in the Senate, where Trump's Republicans have the majority. The chances of success of such a process are therefore low. So far, no US president has been removed from office by an impeachment procedure.

Three men have been arrested in Sicily, allegedly raped and murdered in Libyan refugee camps.

"The German captain Carola Rackete (31) was arrested in June after she had sailed to the port of Lampedusa with the rescue ship ""Sea Watch 3"" and 53 Libyan refugees on board. After fierce protests and international criticism - including from Austria's Federal President Alexander van der Bellen - her house arrest was lifted after a few days by an Italian judge."

"Now new serious accusations are being made against Rackete. Three men accused of torture in Libyan refugee camps could have arrived in Italy with the ""Sea-Watch 3"". The suspects were caught in a reception camp in Messina (Sicily) after migrants recognized their tormentors in Italy. ""We cannot rule this out, but we do not have any reliable information about it,"" said Sea Watch spokesman Ruben Neugebauer of the German Press Agency."

"The police said in mid-September that the suspects in the North African country had raped, tortured and even murdered Mohammed C. (27) from Guinea, and the two Egyptians Hameda A. (26) and Mahmoud A (24). ""The migrants were systematically harassed and subjected to atrocities - through repeated and constant physical violence,"" the statement said at the time."

"NGOs and aid organisations are now pointing out that they cannot know exactly who gets on the ships. ""We cannot scan who the people are. They come without passports,"" said Neugebauer. Torture is one of the main reasons why people flee Libya. It is therefore quite likely that there are also perpetrators on the ships. ""It is therefore very important that this is investigated."""

Italy's right-wing former Interior Minister Matteo Salvini immediately demanded an apology from Rackete, who is still under investigation in Italy for aiding illegal immigration.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has given his electric car company a strong boost on the stock exchange with the prospect of new record numbers.

We have the chance to reach our first quarter with 100,000 deliveries, Musk wrote in an email to Tesla employees published by the industry blog Electrek.

The demand is strong, so that Tesla can record 110,000 orders, Musk's circular continued. The challenge is to bring the cars quickly to the customers. Tesla must mobilize as many resources as possible at the end of the quarter.

The new fiscal year in the USA will begin on October 1 without a proper budget. The Senate followed the House of Representatives on Thursday and decided on transitional financing until November 21.

Although the US Congress and President Donald Trump agreed in August on an increase in spending ceilings for the financial years 2020 and 2021, the United States is once again without spending plans before the new fiscal year begins on October 1. The Senate followed the House of Representatives on Thursday and decided on a Continuing Resolution (CR) until November 21. Without such a decision, a shutdown would have taken place on Monday at midnight, a partial closure of the federal administration. President Trump has yet to put the decision into effect.

For the time being, the federal administration will now be financed at the level and according to the priorities of the spending plans for the financial year 2019, which ends on Monday. This is because Congress was not able to agree in time on the 12 spending laws that allocate the funds to the various departments and authorities. Therefore, the federal administration cannot benefit for the time being from the spending framework extended from 1.3 trillion to 1.4 trillion dollars for the new financial year.

The Democrats have completed ten of the twelve laws in the House of Representatives, where they have the majority. However, the spending laws reflect the priorities of the Democrats, who have little chance in the Republican-dominated Senate. Conversely, the Senate also has ten of the twelve spending plans more or less ready, which are barely capable of winning a majority.

In the Senate, the Republicans are apparently trying to force $12 billion for the construction of the wall, one of President Trump's major priorities. The Democrats are bothered by the wall construction plans and their financing, which is actually intended for other military buildings and projects. The dispute over the construction of the wall had already escalated in December 2018 and led to a 35-day shutdown.

It is currently unclear how the parties want to get closer on this issue. An extension of the transitional financing beyond November 21 is more likely than an agreement on all twelve spending laws in the next seven weeks. A shutdown is not excluded either.

Against the background of the continuing inability of Congress to agree on the twelve spending laws in time, and the associated risk of a shutdown, ideas for automating the process are gaining popularity. Submission p. 1877 to avoid shutdowns would automatically continue the financing of the federal administration at the previous year's level, prohibit the travel activities of parliamentarians and withhold their wages until the new annual spending plans were available.

In France, artificial insemination will also be open to single women and lesbians in the future: The Paris National Assembly voted by a large majority in favour of a government bill according to which all women can benefit from in vitro fertilization, which should significantly increase the demand for anonymous sperm donations.

"The proposal still needs the approval of the Senate. In the three-day emotional debate, critics in the right-wing camp warned that in the future numerous ""children without a father"" could grow up. The French Bishops' Conference is also against the innovation."

"The new regulation is the core component of a bioethics law that Health Minister Agns Buzyn defended as an ""opportunity"" for society. It depicts the modern family, in which there are children with only one parent or with homosexual parents. According to her, the costs of artificial insemination for all women should be borne by social security."

Fertilization with sperm from dead husband continues to be prohibited

"By a narrow majority, however, the National Assembly rejected an amendment to give widows access to the sperm of their dead husband for artificial insemination. In Belgium, Spain and Great Britain, artificial insemination is permitted ""post-mortem"". In Germany, there have been cases in the past in which women complained in vain about the release of the sperm of a deceased. Opponents of the advance in Paris argued that a child conceived in this way would then bear a ""particularly difficult fate."""

"Numerous deputies of the ruling party La Rst ä tzen publique en Marche (The Republic on the Move, LREM) of President Emmanuel Macron and members of the opposition had spoken out in favour of artificial insemination with the sperm of the deceased partner. They stressed that a widow would be subjected to a ""double mourning"" if her husband's death left her desire for children unfulfilled."

The initiators of the now failed amendment consider it unfair that in future a widow can be fertilised with the sperm of an unknown person, but not with that of her own partner.

Until now, artificial insemination has only been allowed in France for heterosexual couples who cannot conceive children. They must be married or live together for at least two years. Buzyn had already announced in the summer that surrogacy would remain prohibited.

In Germany, artificial insemination is theoretically open to all women - but it is often difficult for single or lesbian couples.

Compensation for the climate: Calls for a flight tax for universities are getting louder

There is a lot of flying at universities, which is why the state wants to have a climate levy paid there in the future. The rectors say they have no money for it, but now they are also coming under pressure internally.

Universities should also limit themselves to flying. Photo: DPA / Julian Stratenschulte

"The discussion postponed before the summer break about a climate levy on flights from universities and colleges is gaining momentum again. After the state rectors' conference reacted skeptically to a corresponding push from the green-black coalition, the plans are now receiving support from the universities. In a joint statement, the doctoral students from six universities in Baden-W ü rttemberg and a pedagogical university plead for compensation for service flights. This is ""urgently necessary"" as a first step, at the same time there must be a broad debate about the avoidability of flights, says their statement. The originally planned cabinet decision in July has not yet been approved by the Greens because the CDU is still on ice."

According to the FSB, the detainees are said to have fished illegally in Russian waters. Ten days earlier, 161 fishermen from North Korea were arrested. At that time, there was an exchange of fire between the border guards and the boat crew. Three Russians and one North Korean were injured, the fisherman later succumbed to his serious injuries. This time, however, there were no injuries, it was said.

Communist North Korea suffers from chronic food shortages, according to which the North Korean fishermen were on the move in Russian territorial waters, where the Russian coast guard is patrolling to protect its marine biological resources.

During the renewed inspections, 30,000 squid were discovered and confiscated on the boats. According to the information, three fishing boats and two motor boats were confiscated and taken to Nachodka and Posjet near Vladivostok.

Russia's fishing authority did not issue fishing licenses to the North Koreans this year, even after complaints from local entrepreneurs. According to the media, thousands of fishermen from North Korea have already been temporarily arrested there this year.

The head of the association of Russian fishing companies in the Far Eastern region of Primorye, Georgi Martynov, recently complained about the high ecological damage caused by North Korean fishermen. They fished with close-meshed synthetic nets banned in Russia, which would also bring small organisms out of the sea. In addition, the nets would simply be disposed of in the sea, where they would take 200 years to decompose.

"The ""most generous nation in history"": Donald Trump, here at a meeting with elected police representatives in the White House."

The richest country in the world is closing itself off from those seeking protection: As confirmed by the State Department in Washington, the upper limit for the legal influx of refugees will be further lowered. In the future, threatened believers and Iraqis in particular will be granted asylum.

The US government wants to lower the already historically low threshold for the admission of new refugees once again. In the 2020 marketing year, which runs in the United States from October 2019 to September 2020, a maximum of 18,000 people are to be allowed into the country, as the US State Department explained. In the almost expired marketing year, the limit is still 30,000 people.

In recent years, President Donald Trump's administration has drastically reduced the readiness to take in refugees from all over the world. Under the previous administration of Barack Obama, much higher admission limits had applied.

"The targeted ceiling of 18,000 refugees would be the lowest since the introduction of the US refugee program in 1980. Nevertheless, the State Department described the US as ""the most merciful and generous nation in history,"" a phrase that is strongly reminiscent of the language used by the incumbent US president."

"A ""responsible approach"" to refugees is aimed at enabling the refugees to return to their home countries in order to help with reconstruction, said Trump. Supporters are very supportive of his hard line on migration policy, but there is also massive criticism."

A major point of contention is the border with Mexico, which Trump wants to seal off. In order to finance the construction of a border wall, Trump had declared a national emergency. It is unclear whether there is a temporal connection between the current measure and the current domestic political developments in the US capital. Trump is currently under pressure because of the Selensky affair and a possible impeachment procedure.

According to the State Department, the US government wants to focus in future on the reception of two refugee groups: People who are persecuted because of their faith - and Iraqis who have helped the US military in the country and are thus in danger, as the State Department's statement shows. A maximum of 1,500 refugees are to be accepted from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador.

"The US wants people from this ""northern triangle"" of Central America in particular to apply for asylum in other countries. Against this background, the United States first concluded migration agreements with Guatemala and now also with El Salvador and Honduras in order to curb immigration on the US southern border with Mexico."

"At the request of the Argentine judiciary, an orangutan female has been transferred from the former Buenos Aires zoo to a sanctuary for great apes in the USA. Sandra, who was born in 1986 in the Rostock zoo, was granted the rights of a ""non-human person"", which is why her release is mandatory. The animal was brought to Dallas on Thursday evening by direct flight - not as a passenger, but in the cargo hold, as lawyer Andrpr. S Gil Doml nguez explained."

"Since the 53-kilogram human ape is unable to adapt to life in the wild, she is to live in the outdoor enclosure of the Center for Great Apes in Florida in the future. 21 other orangutans and 31 chimpanzees are already housed there, among them ""Bubbles"", formerly a pet of pop star Michael Jackson. Before moving into Florida, however, ""Sandra"" has to endure a 40-day quarantine at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita in the US state of Kansas."

"After her birth in Rostock, Sandra spent a few years in the former Ruhr Zoo in Gelsenkirchen before she was transferred to Buenos Aires in 1995. The process of ""Sandra's"" fundamental rights initiated by animal rights activists in 2014 helped transform the Buenos Aires Zoo into an eco park, where a research and education center for the conservation of biodiversity is to be established by 2023."

The extreme climber Dani Arnold has succeeded in a new hussar ride on the almost 3000 meter high Great Peak in the Italian Alps.

Without a net, double floor or other aids, the Swiss conquered the 550-meter-high north face of the Great Peak in a new record time.

Dressed in jeans, T-shirt and only supported by absolute freedom from vertigo, Arnold needed 46 minutes and 30 seconds for the ascent, thus breaking the old record by almost 19 minutes.

Arnold now holds the record for free solo speed on four of the six most important European north faces.

"Despite the trade conflict with China, the US sporting goods manufacturer Nike posted a significant profit increase. Net profit rose to 1.4 billion dollars (almost 1.3 billion euros) in the past quarter, 25 percent more than in the same period of the previous year, as the Group announced on Tuesday. The main reason for this is the new marketing strategy ""Nike Direct"", with which the Adidas competitor addresses its customers directly online."

Sales rose to 10.7 billion dollars in the three-month period up to the end of August. Nike sales figures rose most strongly in China, with an increase of 22 percent. The Beaverton Group in the US state of Oregon thus benefited from its approach of addressing consumers directly via the Internet or smartphone apps.

"Chief Financial Officer Andy Campion announced that Nike will continue to drive the ""digital transformation"" of the sporting goods manufacturer with strategic investments and thus expand its competitive advantage. Investors were pleased with the quarterly figures - the shares of the sporting goods manufacturer rose by more than five percent."

"Because of racist comments about football professional Juan Jesus from AS Rome, the club from the Italian capital has imposed a lifelong stadium ban on a fan. The Brazilian defender Jesus had been insulted by the fan on Instagram. Jesus then published the private news and asked his club to take action. ""@ officialasroma You already know what to do with such a fan. # NoToRacism. Proud to be who I am,"" wrote the 28-year-old, who has been playing for AS Rome since 2016."

The club reacted late Thursday. He reported the fan's account to Instagram and the police. In addition, the Roma supporter was never allowed to attend a game of the club again, the club wrote on Twitter.

"Racism is a problem in Italian football. Italian fans regularly chant racist insults against black players of rival teams. ""We cannot have racism in society or in sport. In Italy the situation has not improved, and that is very serious. You have to identify those responsible and throw them out of the stadiums,"" Fifa President Gianni Infantino said on the weekend. The reason for the statement was racist chants at the first league match between Atalanta Bergamo and AC Florence last Sunday."

But there have also been recent discussions about the supporters of Juventus Turin. The Italian authorities have now banned 38 rioting fans of record champion Juventus Turin from the stadium. Four of them are no longer allowed to enter the stadium for a period of ten years, the police said. The rest are subject to bans of four to seven years.

The fans are in connection with ongoing investigations against twelve leaders of ultra-fan groups in the vicinity of Juventus. The twelve are accused of serious blackmail, money laundering and private violence, among other things. The club launched the investigation with a complaint last year.

"According to Italian media reports, the ultra-leaders are behind the black market in tickets. They have ""militarily controlled"" the ticket trade for the fan curve and are said to have blackmailed Juventus employees in order to get cheaper tickets."

Millennials are narcissistic, Generation Z is political - entire vintages are given catchy names. If you take a closer look, the awards are full of contradictions. So how well do these labels describe young people's attitude to life

"""The crabs are coming!"" With this call, the crab catch at Lake Gucheng in Gaochun officially started on September 21, which also heralded the opening event of the 19th China Gaochun Gucheng Lake Crab Festival, as announced by the public relations department of the Nanjing Gaochun District Committee."

"Gaochun, which forms the southern foothills of Nanjing in the province of Jiangsu, is one of the national environmental zones. The city is the first international ""Slow City"" in China and is also the Chinese headquarters of the international ""Slow City"" movement. The city has ideal ecological conditions with a mixture of ""30 percent mountains, 20 percent water areas and 50 percent fields"". The great natural environment of Gaochun offers its inhabitants all the conditions to become rich."

The people of Gaochun started crab farming at the beginning of the 1990s. Over time, the crab industry has developed into a formative industry, which provided high incomes and became an important part of the economic development of Gaochun. In recent years, Gaochun has actively pursued large-scale ecological and scientific development of crab farming as well as technology-based crab breeding. And the city has taken care of promoting greater efficiency in agriculture and farmers' incomes.

"In recent years, Gaochun has advanced a reform on the ""distribution of power, optimization of administration and government services"" and carefully built the service network for ""permits under one roof, a team for law enforcement, a network for services, a platform for lending,"" with the aim of comprehensively optimizing the environment for permits, services and development."

"Gaochun takes full advantage of the local advantages through the connection to southern Jiangsu and southern Anhui and uses the development zone and its position as an international ""Slow City"" as a flagship for intelligent high-end production companies, companies for biomedical and medical technology, for energy storage and environmental protection, from the cultural and health sector as well as companies for ecological agriculture, which are leaders in the ""3 + 2"" sector, to settle here. At the same time, Gaochun has promoted the development of a national, all areas of tourism zone and tourism of national importance and the ecological resources of the Gaochun."

Conflict between Iran and the US: Rouhani talks about ending sanctions - Trump contradicts

After his return from the UN General Assembly, Iranian President Hassan Ruhani spoke of an alleged offer by the US to lift sanctions. In exchange for talks with the Tehran leadership, the United States promised an end to all sanctions, Ruhani said on his official website.

"However, US President Donald Trump contradicted his Iranian counterpart via Twitter: ""Iran wanted me to lift the sanctions imposed on him so that there would be a meeting. I said, of course, no."""

"Ruhani describes the event as follows: The German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the French President Emmanuel Macron were present in New York and insisted that a meeting take place. ""And America says I am lifting the sanctions,"" added Ruhani. The nature of the punitive measures that should be ended was up for debate. ""And they clearly said we are lifting all sanctions."""

"However, this advance was not carried out in an acceptable manner, criticized Ruhani. In view of the current punitive measures and the ""poisoned atmosphere of maximum pressure,"" no one could predict the outcome of negotiations."

At the beginning of the week, Chancellor Angela Merkel met with Ruhani in New York. The background was the hope of the Europeans to save the nuclear agreement negotiated with Russia and China with Iran, which is intended to prevent the Islamic Republic from developing nuclear weapons. French President Emmanuel Macron, like Merkel, expressed the hope that Ruhani will meet with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

After Western Turkey was shaken by two earthquakes within a very short time, the fear of a catastrophe is growing. 34 people were injured in the earthquake on Tuesday. There have been almost 200 aftershocks since the earthquake the day before, said Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay on Friday.

14 schools in Istanbul have been closed for security reasons and hundreds of buildings have been damaged. The 5.8 magnitude earthquake on Thursday shook the Marmara region off Istanbul and caused panic in the metropolis of millions. Now the government wants to set up a commission to better prepare the country for earthquakes in the future, announced Oktay.

In the past 20 years, Turkey has not been sufficiently prepared for earthquakes, said Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. In the city itself, the latent danger is ignored again and again. Every year, poorly built residential buildings collapse - among other things, worn down by the many smaller earthquakes that regularly shake Istanbul.

Urban planners such as the well-known architect M ü cella Yapici have been warning for years that large open areas, which were registered in the center as shelters, have long since been built up. Only on the 20th anniversary of the G ö lc ü k earthquake in August, the Istanbul Chamber of Civil Engineers warned that an estimated one million buildings in Istanbul were not earthquake-proof.

The epicentre of Thursday's quake was in the Sea of Marmara in front of the Silivri district and at a depth of about seven kilometres, as reported by the civil protection authority AFAD. A smaller aftershock caused even greater panic on the roads a few minutes later.

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu said on Twitter that no injuries or damage had been reported at first. The state broadcaster TRT showed people running out of the houses in panic. Students were taken out of the buildings in the Silivri district for security reasons. Some students cried, as can be seen in the pictures.

Istanbul is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes. Under the Sea of Marmara lies a section of the so-called North Anatolian Disruption, which marks the border between the Eurasian and Anatolian plates. Turkey is repeatedly shaken by earthquakes. One of the deadliest was the earthquake in 1999 near Istanbul, when more than 17,000 people lost their lives.

Researchers fear that an earthquake of magnitude 7.1 to 7.4 could be imminent, but it is unclear when the earthquake will occur. The earthquake on Thursday hit the west of the country and Istanbul again.

Companies draw up emergency plans, private individuals have packed so-called go bags with everything they need to stand next to front doors, and schools teach children how to behave when the earth wobbles. It is unclear when the next big quake will come.

On his return from New York, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said eight people were injured and some buildings suffered minor damage. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu followed developments at the Istanbul Disaster Coordination Center (Akom), according to which two minarets of mosques collapsed in the districts of Avcilar and Sariyer.

Many users reported panic on social networks. Buildings were shaking. Schools and hospitals were evacuated. Telephone lines were interrupted. It was more violent than on Tuesday, writes a user. The head of the Turkish Red Crescent, Kerem Klinik, warned via Twitter about aftershocks. He called on people to stay away from buildings that had suffered visible damage.

According to official data, the time of the quake is 13.59 (local time). Only a few minutes after the first quake, according to CNN Turkey, there was an aftershock, which was indicated with a magnitude of 4.0 on the Richter scale.

Only on Tuesday, an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.6 shook the Turkish Marmara region - it was felt as far as Istanbul. Its epicenter was also located in the Marmara Sea west of the metropolis, the civil protection authority AFAD announced on Tuesday.

It was not the only earthquake that made headlines this Tuesday: Pakistan was also hit by a severe earthquake.

Researchers assume that sooner or later there could be a catastrophic earthquake in Istanbul - the tension between the tectonic plates is extremely high. Scientists believe that it will eventually discharge - and cause massive damage.

"Earthquake researcher S ü kr ü Ersoy reckons that the earthquake is now a warning. It has become more likely, he said to CNN T ü rk. ""These could be the signs of a major earthquake,"" Ersoy said to the transmitter. ""Sooner or later, the big quake will come."""

There had already been an incident a few weeks ago - the earthquake also caused great concern in Istanbul. In Albania, there had been a violent earthquake only a few days ago - there were 68 injured. The earth had also shaken on Lake Constance this year.

"Two explosive documents provide new fuel in the Ukraine affair about the possible abuse of power by US President Donald Trump. On the way to a possible impeachment procedure, the US Democrats are encouraged: The complaint submitted by an anonymous whistleblower about Trump and his controversial telephone conversation with the Ukrainian president holds important clues for investigations against the president. Trump once again sees himself as the victim of a ""witch hunt."" He also doubted the credibility of the whistleblower."

USA: United Airlines passenger locked in toilet - plane diverted

Because a passenger was locked in the board toilet, a United Airlines flight was diverted. According to the US media, the toilet door was blocked during flight 1554 from Washington to San Francisco.

During an unscheduled stopover on Wednesday evening (local time) in Denver, the woman was finally freed from the cramped cabin. She was locked in it for about an hour, wrote US media, citing other passengers. Passengers had to change planes to continue their flight to San Francisco.

"In a video distributed on the Internet, which according to US media is supposed to come from flight 1554, you can see how several people are trying to free the woman. ""We are currently working on opening the door, Ma'am. We will get you out soon, okay,"" says a man in it. The airline has apologized to all passengers."

The cockroach: Inspired by Kafka: Ian McEwan writes Brexit novel

How does a writer like Ian McEwan deal with all the Brexit chaos He writes a book about it - and his protagonist is unmistakable.

"Inspired by Franz Kafka's famous story ""The Metamorphosis"", the successful British author Ian McEwan (71) has written a book about the Brexit chaos in Britain."

"The novel ""The Cockroach"" will be published in German on November 27, Diogenes Verlag (Zurich) announced. It is about the transformation of a man named ""Jim Sams"", who was ignored or hated in his former life, but is now suddenly the most powerful man in Great Britain. He sees it as his mission to put the will of the people into action and is wildly determined to let nothing and nobody stop him."

"McEwan was quoted as saying: ""If the parliament is closed so that the government cannot be challenged at a critical moment, if ministers shamelessly lie like the Soviet leaders once did, if Brexiteers in high positions almost implore the catastrophe of a no-deal - then a writer must ask himself what he can do. There is only one answer: Write."" McEwan's novel ""Machines like me"" about artificial intelligence was only published in the spring."

"Kafka's story, first published in 1915, is about Gregor Samsa, who wakes up one morning and sees himself ""transformed into a monstrous vermin"", is gradually excluded from family and society and eventually perishes. ""Ian McEwan bows to Kafka to describe a world that is upside down,"" said the Diogenes publishing house."

11,200 wagons in Austria and Hungary will be equipped with whisper brakes to reduce noise pollution from freight trains. In addition, sections of the rail links between Graz and Gy ö r and Wiener Neustadt and Sopron will be modernised and electrified.

"According to the EU authority, this should make travel more comfortable and reduce CO2 emissions. The funds come from the EU infrastructure fund ""Connecting Europe Facility."""

"The German tour operator Thomas Cook cancelled all trips up to and including October 31, 2019 one day after its insolvency application. Trips could not be started ""for insolvency reasons,"" the company announced on Thursday evening."

This also affects bookings of the brands Thomas Cook Signature, Thomas Cook Signature Finest Selection, Neckermann Reisen, Ö GER TOURS, Bucher Reisen and Air Marin, which have already been paid or paid in full. The company left open the question of travel starting on November 1, 2019. In coordination with the insolvency insurance, the further procedure will be examined, it said.

Thomas Cook in Germany was caught up in the bankruptcy of the British parent company and filed for bankruptcy on Wednesday. The company, which includes Neckermann Reisen, Ö ger Tours and Bucher Reisen, employs about 2,000 people in Germany.

On the other hand, starting this Friday, hotels abroad that are currently still hosting Thomas Cook holidaymakers will receive money from Zurich Insurance. According to Zurich, payments to the hotels are subject to the condition that holidaymakers are no longer required to make extra payments.

"On the basis of the booking information and without submitting separate invoices, the hotels in the holiday resorts are now to receive 50 percent of the outstanding payments, as a Zurich spokesperson for the German Press Agency said. ""This applies immediately and provided that Thomas-Cook travelers are not prompted or otherwise coerced by these hotels to pay individual hotel bills,"" said spokesman Bernd Engelien."

The insurance company responded to reports from hotel guests who, according to their own statements, had been forced to pay for their accommodation on site. Some had to put more than 1,000 euros on the table. The German Travel Association (DRV) and the Federal Association of Consumer Centres had sharply criticized this.

How many hotels are affected will be coordinated with the insolvent travel provider on Friday, said the insurance spokesman. According to information from Thursday, 70,000 Thomas-Cook package holidaymakers from Germany were still on the road. Zurich Germany has secured the holiday and return journey of Thomas-Cook customers.

Insolvency administrators want to try to continue the three Thomas Cook companies in Germany and find a future solution.

However, the now announced payments to hotels by Zurich Insurance only help travellers who are currently still on the road. Things are looking bad for Thomas Cook customers who still want to fly on holiday. Late on Thursday evening, the company announced that all trips up to and including October 31 would be cancelled, including bookings that have already been paid for.

The company left open the status of travel starting on November 1, 2019. In coordination with the insolvency insurance, the further procedure will be examined. In principle, Zurich Insurance is also responsible for these cases. The sale of new trips has been stopped. DPA

The company refers to the insurer Zurich, which is represented by the company Kaera. Customers could inform themselves on the Kaera website about options for reimbursing the travel price and assert their claims via a web form.

Prince Harry has been continuing Lady Diana's engagement for a long time. In Africa, he is now following in his mother's footsteps.

Dressed in a blue splinter vest, the British Prince Harry detonated and destroyed an explosive mine in Angola.

On Friday morning, near a camp of the British Halo Trust near the town of Dirico, he produced the ignition circuit in front of running TV cameras. At a safe distance, the explosive device exploded in the savannah landscape without causing any damage. Although the Halo Trust alone has destroyed more than 100,000 relics of the decades-long bloody conflict in the African country, there are still more than 1,000 minefields that threaten the population.

On the fifth day of his trip to Africa, Harry wanted to follow in the footsteps of his mother Diana (1961-1997) in the city of Huambo. With the same explosives master who once accompanied his mother, he wanted to travel the way she went at the time. The pictures in which Princess Diana walked through a cleared minefield in 1997 had gone around the world. She had also demonstrated support for the Halo Trust.

Harry (35) and his wife Meghan (38) have been on a ten-day trip to Africa since Monday, which began in the South African tourist metropolis of Cape Town.

Stalled Brexit negotiations: The danger of a no-deal remains acute

Prime Minister Boris Johnson had actually made a clear commitment: There will certainly not be a third postponement of the Brexit negotiations with him. But what statements are already of eternal duration for the polarizing British. The recent judgment of the Supreme Court in Great Britain hovers like a sword of Damocles over the blond head. His suspension of Parliament in order to be able to stubbornly carry out his Brexit course until the date of withdrawal was annulled at the beginning of this week. And a law passed by Parliament obliges Johnson to extend the bilateral talks until October 31.

But the pressure does not seem to pass Johnson by noticeably. Meanwhile, when he visited a hospital, he indicated that he would support an extension of the negotiations until the end of October in the event of a non-agreement:

At the same time, we are confident that we will leave the EU on 31 October.

And preferably with a deal. I am cautiously optimistic that this will work.

And time is running out for the Brexit negotiators in Brussels. The EU and the British negotiators still have about six weeks to prevent the UK from leaving the European Union without an agreement. However, the recent talks have again failed to achieve a breakthrough. An agreement by the end of October currently seems rather difficult to imagine. If the British Prime Minister does not break the law, a further postponement of the withdrawal date is in force. However, the opposition does not trust the Prime Minister's words. They fear that Johnson could somehow enforce Brexit in the event of a no-deal.

The number of deaths in connection with the use of e-cigarettes in the USA has risen to twelve. In addition, there are now 805 confirmed and probable injuries in this context, said the US health authority CDC. According to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, there have already been more than 900 people affected, about 500 of them confirmed. The cause of the lung damage is still completely unclear. No similar increase in lung damage is known in Europe so far. The complaints seem to be limited to users in the USA.

"The videos of Mohammed Ali have been shared millions of times in online networks, in which the Spanish-based developer and actor calls for a ""people's revolution."" Today, Friday, he has called for further protests against President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and the Egyptian military, which critics accuse of corruption and mismanagement. Ali hopes for mass rallies with one million participants in central places in the country."

In any case, the security authorities are alarmed. In the center of Cairo, an increased police presence could already be observed. Several subway stations remained closed, streets around the central Tahrir Square were closed. In recent days, the police had already intensified their street checks and searched the mobile phones of pedestrians for news and photos in connection with the protests.

On September 20, the demonstrators also gathered around Tahrir Square.

"Last weekend there were protests in Cairo, Alexandria, Suez and Mansura with hundreds of participants. There had not been such an open protest in Egypt for years. Accordingly, the security forces reacted harshly to it. According to the human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW), almost 2,000 people have been arrested since last week. Many of them were arbitrarily arrested - just because they were ""in the wrong place at the wrong time,"" HRW said, citing lawyers."

The organization also criticized the censorship in the North African country, according to which the government in Cairo is blocking websites and online services in order to prevent further protests against al-Sisi. The general has been governing the country since 2013, after he overthrew the democratically elected Islamist president Mohammed Morsi. Thousands of Islamists, opponents of the government, bloggers and activists have been imprisoned and partially convicted in recent years.

"The polar explorer Arved Fuchs returned from his Greenland expedition on Friday. On his arrival in the port of Hamburg, he was welcomed by skipper Boris Herrmann, who had brought climate activist Greta Thunberg across the Atlantic with the racing yacht ""Malizia""."

"In recent months, Fuchs and a team of scientists have investigated and documented the consequences of global warming on his sailing ship ""Dagmar Aaen"" on the coasts of Iceland and Greenland."

The Fridays for Future movement is a blessing, said the polar researcher. He waited for years for the young generation to speak up. It has been known for decades that the earth is warming up. Nevertheless, many acted as if there was a planet B.

What happens at sea often takes place behind closed doors, said Fuchs. He and his team wanted to inform people about the effects of global warming and the litter of the oceans. During the expedition, Greenland glacier ice was measured with a drone and fished for microplastics with nets, it was said.

"The polar researcher from Bad Bramstedt was awarded the Seadevcon Maritime Award for his ""fight for a sustainable and respectful use of the world's oceans"" during the Hamburg Climate Week. ""For all of us who care about the survival of the oceans, Arved Fuchs is a great role model,"" said skipper Boris Herrmann at the award ceremony. ""He is a witness to the changes that have taken place in the Arctic in recent decades."""

430 euros for two plates of spaghetti with fish in a simple restaurant not far from Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome: That seemed too much for two Japanese tourists. The bill with 80 euros tip included was paid by the two women, but they posted the receipt on Facebook, which triggered heated reactions.

We call on the police to investigate the question of whether this is a fraud, demanded a spokesman for Federagit, the association of travel guides in Rome, according to the Roman daily Il Messaggero (Friday edition).

The reaction of the owners of the restaurant came promptly. The Japanese had not only ordered spaghetti, but also fresh fish, the local owner justified himself. However, this cannot be inferred from the bill. A tip of up to 20 percent of the bill is also normal, said the innkeeper.

A call in Ukraine, and everything is broken After the turbulent revelations of the past few days, US President Donald Trump could actually be faced with impeachment proceedings, the Democrats now want to examine this as quickly as possible with their investigation in the House of Representatives - there is talk of weeks until a decision would be made.

At the beginning of the scandal is supposedly the telephone conversation with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The accusation of the whistleblower, who ultimately brought the conversation to the public with his complaint out of concern for national security and democracy in the USA, is monstrous: The president abused the power of his office to instrumentalize the government of another country for influencing the 2020 election. He had exploited Ukraine's dependence in this way and wanted to force it to take action against a political opponent.

The core of this project can also be seen in the now published transcript of the conversation with Zelensky, although it does not reproduce the full text. However, the phone call on July 25 is only one episode of a much larger story, in the center of which, in addition to Trump, is his personal lawyer: Rudy Giuliani.

"From the public's point of view, the story begins in May 2019, when the New York Times reports on Rudy Giuliani's travel plans to Ukraine. He wants to meet with the newly elected President Zelensky in Kiev, and the lawyer himself knows very well that his intentions are delicate. ""We do not interfere in an election, we interfere in an investigation, which we have the right to do,"" he says to the newspaper. One could think it is inappropriate, but ""there is nothing illegal about it. Giuliani wants investigations to be pursued in Ukraine, for which there is hardly any basis - because this information could be very helpful for my government."""

The lawyer and former New York mayor seems to have been infected with right-wing conspiracy fantasies fixated on Trump's opponent in the 2016 election: Hillary Clinton colluded with actors in Ukraine, critics said at the time, in order to construct an occasion for the Russia investigation in the US. However, this accusation was never to be taken seriously.

This is precisely the investigation Trump will talk about so prominently on the phone with Zelensky in July. Giuliani and the president's version is: The former vice president and currently promising candidate for the presidential candidacy of the Democrats, Joe Biden, as Ukraine representative of the Obama administration, urged the dismissal of the then Ukrainian prosecutor general Viktor Schokin, in order to stop the investigation of the gas company, on whose supervisory board his son Hunter Biden was active. Biden senior extorted Ukraine financially to corrupt his family.

When Joe Biden demanded that the Ukrainian Prosecutor General go, the investigation against the gas company had already been completed, Hunter Biden was never directly affected by it. Moreover, Schokin himself was accused of deeply corrupt conduct, the US government was by far not the only Western partner pushing for his dismissal. Incidentally, the Obama administration even explicitly supported the investigation against the company.

Disruptions to Instagram Facebook and Whatsapp: Social media are down

Users worldwide report massive disruptions to Instagram and Facebook. According to this, Germany, Great Britain and Spain are particularly affected. On the website allest ö ren. De, users report that Facebook has not been loading since about 3.30 pm. Instagram also issues the error message that content could not be loaded. Whatsapp also seems to be affected by the disruption, although not to the same extent so far.

It is not the first massive incident this year. Already in March and July, the services had been down for several hours. And as in the previous cases, users use Twitter to vent their anger.

Three Polish scientists were rescued from the Antarctic ice by the Chilean Air Force. They were on their way with a rubber dinghy and several miles from their base when their engine failed. They were lucky in the accident - the Chilean rescue helicopter took less than an hour to recover.

At 9: 30 we received the news, at just before ten we started, and a good 20 minutes later we were over the inflatable boat.

Poland has operated the Henryk Arctowski Polish Antarctic Station on King George Island since 1977, with 19 scientists working there. The frozen researchers were safely returned to their research station.

Inductive technology via Qi standard is extremely practical, but should not be used.

Since several new smartphones have recently come onto the market that support wireless charging and sell very well - especially the new iPhone 11 models, we would like to recall a study from the beginning of July. Wireless charging of mobile devices is extremely practical, but not necessarily recommended.

Researchers warn against wireless charging of smartphones. According to the findings of the University of Warwick, this is extremely harmful for the devices. The reason for this is the significantly greater heat generation. If a mobile phone is charged normally by cable, the battery heats up to 27 degrees within three hours. When charging wirelessly, however, the researchers have always measured more than 30 degrees on the charging pad even if the smartphone is perfectly aligned. If the mobile phone is slightly next to the coil, the temperature rises even higher.

According to the researchers, the temperature is a decisive factor for the durability of batteries. Every single degree plays a role here. When charging at higher temperatures, the battery not only loses capacity, but also does not last so long overall. So the service life is lower. The researchers therefore recommend that the smartphone always be charged by cable. Since battery replacement is always associated with high costs for modern smartphones, this should be a helpful tip. Apple has recently even increased the cost of a battery replacement - for all iPhones.

The technology is extremely convenient: Simply place the device on a corresponding charging pad - these are now even installed in many restaurants, airports, hotels and cars - and the battery is charged without annoying cable clutter and tedious plug fiddling. Since Qi (stands for inductive energy transfer) is a global standard that even Apple exceptionally participates in, there are hardly any restrictions. Nevertheless, according to the researchers, the technology should only be used in exceptional cases.

According to his own information, a Nepalese climber has climbed 13 of the 14 highest mountains in the world within just six months. Nirmal Purja (36) has reached the top of Manaslu in Nepal and thus set a record, his expedition operator said.

"The former soldier wants to climb all 14 eight-thousanders in seven months. Purja calls his project ""Mission Possible"". He has already made international headlines: He took a viral photo of climbers queuing up on Mount Everest in the spring."

The image of the mass rush triggered a debate about stronger security measures on the 8848-meter-high mountain and highest peak on earth. In May, eleven climbers died during the ascent within a few days.

A problem for Purja could be the ascent of the 14th eight-thousander: Chinese authorities are currently blocking the Xixabangma mountain in Tibet. Bad weather is cited as the reason for this. At the beginning of the week Purja wrote on Twitter that Nepal's government wanted to talk to China to enable him to climb.

"Among the dead animals is a pregnant elephant cow, said a police spokesman on Friday. ""We suspect that the elephants were poisoned."""

The four carcasses were found in a protected area near the famous and visited by many tourists former rock fortress Sigiriya. According to the police spokesman, the animals were probably between 15 and 25 years old. An autopsy was ordered to determine the cause of death.

In Sri Lanka, almost 200 elephants are killed every year. The perpetrators are often farmers on whose land the animals had previously kept themselves harmless. At the same time, around 50 people are killed by elephants every year, usually when the animals move through villages built close to their habitat.

It is estimated that there are only about 7,000 elephants left in Sri Lanka. In theory, killing them is punishable by death.

"The British oil tanker ""Stena Impero"" is leaving the port city of Bandar Abbas more than two months after its arrest by Iran, the maritime authority Bandar Abbas announced according to the news agency IRNA. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards had arrested the tanker flying the British flag on 19 July on the charge of violating maritime law in the Persian Gulf."

"The responsible economic committee of the House of Commons wants to investigate the bankruptcy of the travel giant Thomas Cook comprehensively. It will be about the salary packages of the board as well as the question why the British government did not want to financially support the struggling company. ""We are interested in the supervision in the company as well as the control by external auditors,"" said committee chairman Rachel Reeves in London."

According to experts, genes are overestimated in the risk of colorectal cancer

The role of genes in the familial increased risk of colorectal cancer has apparently been overestimated so far. This is the conclusion reached by researchers from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg in a recent study. Other risk factors such as family eating habits are therefore likely to weigh more heavily than previously assumed.

"Musk wrote this in an e-mail to Tesla employees published on Thursday (local time) by the industry blog ""Electrek"". The demand is strong, so that Tesla could record 110,000 orders, Musk's newsletter continued."

The challenge is to get the cars to the customers quickly. Tesla needs to mobilize as many resources as possible at the end of the quarter.

Investors liked the information: Tesla's shares went out of trading with an increase of over six percent. The price has not increased so much in almost four months. In the second quarter, Tesla delivered a good 95,000 cars and thus reached its previous record value.

Musk needs records to achieve his high goals. In 2019, he wants to deliver a total of 360 '000 to 400' 000 cars. Six-figure figures are needed for this in the current and coming quarter. Above all, the cheapest Tesla Model 3 is in demand, but here the profit margins are low. Despite the boom, there have been losses recently.

Does the British government want to circumvent Brexit law Johnson cautiously

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is keeping a low profile on whether he is looking for ways to circumvent the law against an unregulated Brexit, which was recently passed by parliament. When asked about this, he told journalists on Friday that his government would abide by the law.

"The law stipulates that the government must request a postponement of the withdrawal date if no agreement with the EU has been reached by mid-October. Johnson criticizes this as a ""capitulation law"" that makes negotiations with the EU more difficult."

"On Thursday, former British Prime Minister John Major had expressed the suspicion that Johnson could try to use ""political harassment"" to circumvent the law. Johnson could use a procedural trick that postpones the entry into force of the law until after leaving the EU."

"Johnson said he was aiming for a treaty with the European Union. ""We are confident that we will leave the EU on October 31, and the best way is with an agreement."""

"Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has increased the pressure on the European treaty partners in the dispute over the rescue of the historic nuclear agreement. ""Unfortunately, the European states show inability or unwillingness when it comes to concrete actions,"" said Rouhani on Thursday at a press conference on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. If they do not stand by their promises, he promised ""further steps"" away from the agreements of the laboriously negotiated 2015 agreement."

The background is the conflict over the international agreement to prevent an Iranian atomic bomb, which in return included the promise to Tehran to normalize economic relations. In 2018, the USA single-handedly withdrew from the agreement in order to force Iran to change course in the Middle East policy, which is considered aggressive. President Donald Trump's government wants to negotiate a new agreement with tougher conditions and is now relying on tough sanctions against Tehran. Iran recently reacted with a restart of the limited uranium enrichment in the treaty.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed in a report that the Islamic Republic is now using the centrifuges installed at the beginning of September with uranium, or at least has prepared them for use. According to IAEA data, Iran is also preparing the construction of more than 300 other centrifuges.

Perhaps the Europeans are not willing to bear their share of the deal and therefore leave the Iranians alone with the costs and the burden of oppressive US sanctions, Rouhani suspected. However, there will still be further talks that hopefully bring a solution.

Rouhani continues to deny Iran's involvement in attacks in Saudi Arabia

"However, the situation changed after an attack on an important oil plant in Saudi Arabia in mid-September: On Monday, Germany, France and Great Britain followed the US assessment that Tehran was responsible for the attack. Originally, the Houthi rebels in Yemen, supported by Iran, had admitted to the attack, but this was seen by the US as a false confession. ""We have nothing to do with it,"" Rohani confirmed his position on Wednesday."

Those who make such accusations must provide evidence of this, said Rouhani. However, the European leaders could not have done that in the talks with him during the UN general debate. Instead, they only claimed that the rebels in Yemen could not carry out an attack like this. Rouhani had met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in recent days.

"Before possible talks with US President Trump, Rouhani demanded that the far-reaching sanctions imposed by the US administration be lifted. He called on the government in Washington to switch to a policy of ""dialogue and reason."""

Astronomers are currently observing a comet from the depths of space. This has been achieved before. The comet allows conclusions to be drawn about other solar systems.

What was initially only a guess has now been confirmed: An interstellar guest crosses through our solar system. The comet from the depths of space was named 2I / Borisov after its discoverer and has aroused the interest of astronomers around the world.

The widely travelled comet was discovered on 30 August by amateur astronomer Gennady Borisov at the Margo Observatory in Crimea - with a homemade telescope 65 centimetres in diameter. Follow-up observations from various observatories not only confirmed that it was an unknown comet, but also showed that it did not originate from our solar system.

After 1I / 'Oumuamua in 2017, 2i / Borisov is only the second interstellar object to be sighted during a flight through our solar system.

"2i / Borisov offers astronomers the rare opportunity to gain close insights into a foreign solar system before it disappears forever. Initial observations show that the interstellar comet is similar to those of our own system, as reported by the astrophysical institute of the Canary Islands. ""The current speed of the comet is high, about 150,000 kilometers per hour, which at this distance is significantly above the typical speeds of objects orbiting the sun,"" reported Davide Farnocchia from the US space agency Nasa in a statement."

According to the analyses, the comet is on a so-called hyperbolic orbit, which leads it out of our system - and clearly of interstellar origin, as reported by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). It is also responsible for the naming and categorization of celestial bodies. In honor of its discoverer, the interstellar tail star, which was initially listed under the catalog number C / 2019 Q4, was given the designation 2I / Borisov, the first part of the name indicating that it is the second interstellar object discovered in our solar system.

"The astronomers are lucky: In contrast to 1I / 'Oumuamua, 2I / Borisov has already been sighted on approach, leaving the researchers many months for investigations. ""The object will reach its greatest brightness in mid-December and will then be visible with medium-sized telescopes until April 2020,"" explained Farnocchia. ""After that, it will only be observable with larger, professional telescopes until October 2020."""

Several observatories have already targeted the visitor. For example, a team led by Karen Meech from the University of Hawaii, who had already led the characterization of 1I / 'Oumuamua, determined the diameter of the celestial object at 2 to 16 kilometers in an initial investigation. Images from the Gemini Observatory in Hawaii show a clear tail of the comet.

"Researchers at the Astrophysical Institute of the Canary Islands (IAC) have already obtained a first so-called spectrum from the interstellar tail star, which provides a kind of fingerprint of its chemical composition. ""The spectrum of this object is similar to that of comets in our solar system, and this indicates that their composition must be similar,"" reported IAC researcher Julia de Leh ö rn. This observation suggests that comets in other solar systems could form as a result of similar processes as in our colleague Javier Licandro, added."

According to the IAU, the discovery of two interstellar visitors within just two years suggests that these objects could open up a new path for the exploration of certain processes in other solar systems. However, it is still difficult to estimate how frequent such collusion visits are. A planned satellite mission by the European space agency Esa could possibly intercept one of the next interstellar visitors.

"The agency wants to station the three-part space probe ""Comet Interceptor"" at a waiting position 1.5 million kilometres from Earth by 2028. According to Esa science director G ü nther Hasinger, it will either be lurking for an untouched, fresh comet from our own solar system, or for an interstellar visitor such as 1I / 'Oumuamua."

Just in time for the 70th birthday of the People's Republic of China, a first passenger plane of China United Airlines has landed at the new mega-airport in the south of the Chinese capital, a special honor for the captain and crew.

"By 2022, the new airport is expected to handle around 45 million passengers a year, and by 2025 it is expected to handle 72 million. China's President Xi Jinping personally announced the opening of the 450 billion dollar project. China's latest prestigious project is also called ""starfish"" because of its six-arm building structure."

The complex has four runways, which are later to be expanded to seven, and is equipped with the world's largest automatic air traffic management system. A new subway transports passengers to downtown Beijing in just 20 minutes.

Already during construction, the Chinese had repeatedly announced that Berlin could learn from Beijing. The opening of the capital airport in Germany, which has been under construction since 2006 - and much smaller - has been postponed time and again. In Beijing, on the other hand, the first passenger plane landed after four years.

New supersonic aircraft to fly in 2030: Four and a half hours from London to Sydney

"From London to Sydney in just four and a half hours - this is what the British space agency UK Space Agency dreams of. The US broadcaster CNN quoted the agency as making possible this flight at supersonic speed (Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine, Sabre), which the company Reaction Engines from Oxfordshire is aiming for in the 2030s. ""This is the technology that could definitely do the job,"" said agency head Graham Turnock to the broadcaster."

To advance the project, the British space agency wants to work more closely with the Australian space agency. A flight from the British capital to the Australian metropolis currently takes about 20 hours. As the only supersonic aircraft for passenger transport to date, the Concorde covered the New York-Paris route from 1976 until it ceased operations in 2003 and took three to three and a half hours to do so. In 2000, there was an accident at the start of a Concorde at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport, in which all 109 occupants were killed. Last year, the US aircraft manufacturer Lockheed Martin announced plans to develop such a program together with the US space agency Nasactic.

"Sabre will make the world smaller with its high-speed point-to-point transport, writes Reaction Engines on its homepage, among other things. The SABRE drive could be used for efficient travel at a speed of Mach 5 - that means five times as fast as sound. In addition, such aircraft can also be used outside the Earth's atmosphere, thus enabling the ""next generation of truly reusable frame travel devices."""

Turmoil in Washington: Trump wants to track down anonymous tipsters in Ukraine affair

Donald Trump wants to track down possible leaks in the White House in the Ukraine affair about possible abuse of power by the US president.

"I want to know who gave the whistleblower the information, said Trump on Thursday in front of employees of the US embassy to the United Nations in New York. The person concerned is almost ""a spy"" and such people have been treated ""a bit differently"" in the past than today."

This was seen as an attempt to intimidate tipsters. The event was actually not public. However, several US media outlets broadcast audio recordings of the speech on Friday. Democrats reacted indignantly to the president's statement.

On Tuesday, the Democrats in the US House of Representatives announced preparations for impeachment proceedings against Trump. Their accusations are mainly based on the written complaint of an anonymous intelligence employee, who raises serious accusations against Trump and his administration headquarters. Due to great public pressure, the whistleblower's descriptions were made public on Thursday.

"As part of his work, the whistleblower claims to have received information from several government employees that the US president is ""using the power of his office"" to get another country to interfere in the 2020 US election in his favor."

At the center of the accusations is a controversial telephone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the end of July, in which Trump encouraged his counterpart to investigate, which could harm his political rival Joe Biden. This is about Biden's son Hunter's previous business in Ukraine and alleged efforts to protect his offspring from the Ukrainian judiciary. Biden is in the lead in the race for the Democratic presidential candidacy for the 2020 election.

The whistleblower also accused the White House of cover-up with regard to the Ukraine telephone call: Leading government employees had tried to keep the exact wording of the conversation under cover. As usual, an electronic wording protocol had been made. However, this had been removed from a database usually provided for this purpose after the conversation on the instructions of lawyers from the White House and instead stored in a specially protected system.

The identity of the whistleblower is not publicly known. The New York Times reported that he should be an employee of the foreign intelligence service CIA.

"Trump again questioned the credibility of the source on Friday. In a series of tweets on the subject, the president wrote, among other things, that the ""so-called whistleblower"" had disseminated second-hand information that had turned out to be inaccurate."

How Trump expressed himself in New York about those who allegedly leaked information to the whistleblower caused outrage. The chairman of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, reacted with concern and complained that Trump's statement once again undermined the integrity of the government.

In the House of Representatives, various committees have been investigating Trump and his entourage for months. In view of the Ukraine accusations, the Democrats are now pushing ahead with investigations with new vigour in order to initiate a possible impeachment procedure against Trump.

The whistleblower has given us a roadmap for our investigation, said the head of the intelligence committee in the House of Representatives, Adam Schiff. Trump sharply attacked Schiff, accused him of misrepresenting things and again demanded the resignation of the committee chairman. Trump regularly insulted Schiff and had demanded his withdrawal months ago.

"In a statement published on Friday, more than 300 former US government employees from the security and foreign policy sector, most of whom worked under Democratic, but also under Republican presidents, backed the investigation initiated by the Democrats for a possible impeachment procedure. If the allegations were true, it would be ""an unscrupulous abuse of power"" by Trump, it said."

There is no exact timetable for the further procedure. With their majority in the House of Representatives, the Democrats could initiate a so-called impeachment procedure, but the decision on an actual impeachment would be made in the Senate, where Trump's Republicans have the majority. The chances of success of such a procedure are therefore low. So far, no US president has been removed from office by an impeachment procedure.

The VW brand's plans to further reduce production costs could be to the detriment of production in Germany and Europe. This concern drives the carmaker's works council. The brand wants to reduce its annual factory costs by two billion euros by 2023, of which 500 million euros are to be saved this year.

"Personnel costs are a key factor in this. The ""Future Pact"" negotiated between the company and the works council in 2016 already provides for the reduction of 14,000 jobs in Germany alone by 2020. In principle, a job can only be lost at the car manufacturer if it is virtually proven that the associated activities are no longer necessary."

"As our newspaper now learned from works council circles, however, jobs in production that are not actually available are being ""creepily"" cut by another route - that is, past the official course. In this way, regular vacancies are often not refilled."

"In these cases, the works council has no possibility of forcing the reoccupation. Meanwhile, there is a lack of staff in many places, the work density is increasing, the worries about a gradual bleeding out of the vehicle plants are growing. This also increases the fear that vehicle production could be gradually withdrawn from Germany and Europe because it is cheaper in other parts of the world. VW only said: ""An adjustment of the employment volume takes place along the demographic curve as agreed."""

"The VW brand wants to standardize production worldwide even more and control new projects centrally. This is also intended to reduce costs and speed up decisions - the goal is to increase productivity and thus competitiveness. At a manager conference in Berlin, Production Director Andreas Tostmann said: ""Especially in uncertain times from Brexit to the impending trade war between the US and China, we are well advised to make ourselves crisis-proof."""

There are already successes on this path: This year, for example, for the first time since 2013, the production costs per vehicle will fall compared to the previous year. Tostmann told journalists that the production time for the Golf 8, which is to be presented on October 24 in Wolfsburg, will be shortened by 1.1 hours. VW does not give exact figures on the production time, according to information from our newspaper, it is around

In our region, the main Wolfsburg plant is the only VW factory where vehicles are produced. The Braunschweig and Salzgitter plants manufacture components. The rule of thumb for Wolfsburg is that 800,000 cars have to be built there every year in order for the plant to be satisfactorily profitable. In 2018, however, the capacity utilization in Wolfsburg was only around 700,000 vehicles - due to falling diesel demand and the problems with the changeover to the new WLTP consumption and exhaust gas test method.

"As production director Tostmann announced last year, however, one million cars are to roll off the production line in Wolfsburg ""in the future"". This is to make it possible to bundle golf production at the main plant - because the Zwickau plant is giving up golf production by converting it into an e-car production site."

In addition, the Tiguan and Tarraco SUVs (Seat) are produced in Wolfsburg. However, the sales figures for Golf and Tiguan have recently declined. Therefore, expectations are now resting on the Golf 8. Despite all efforts to build up e-mobility, it is to remain the bread and butter car of Wolfsburg for the time being.

Young women from Nigeria have been sworn in, smuggled into the Ruhr area and forced into prostitution. Six suspected traffickers have been sent to prison.

Six suspected traffickers from Nigeria were sentenced on Friday in Bochum to probation and prison terms of up to eight years and three months. The accused had smuggled young women from Nigeria into the Ruhr area and forced them into prostitution. In order to enforce their obedience, the Nigerian women who wanted to leave the country had to take a ritual oath in front of a voodoo priest.

The victims were between 17 and 22 years old. They were brought across the Mediterranean in rubber dinghies with the help of Libyan smugglers. However, the dream of a better future did not come true. When they arrived in Germany, they were distributed to various brothels to work off the alleged smuggling costs of an average of 25,000 euros.

"The defendants - four men and two women - admitted the infiltration and subsequent distribution of the young Nigerian women to brothels during the trial. ""The work made the women physically and mentally difficult,"" said Judge Isabel Hoffmann at the verdict. ""Some were really disgusted."""

The verdicts are on commercial and gang smuggling of foreigners, human trafficking, pimping and serious forced prostitution.

FIM's ongoing dispute with the Lufthansa Group has once again threatened the flight attendants' union Ufo with strikes.

"If the company does not return to the negotiating table, the union will ""inform about the industrial action measures in the LH Group on October 14,"" said UFO collective bargaining board member Daniel Flohr on Friday. Lufthansa and its subsidiary Eurowings have been refusing to conduct collective bargaining with UFO for months, including the question of whether the union has legally terminated collective agreements with Lufthansa."

"Following a decision by the Frankfurt Labour Court, UFO now sees itself strengthened on this point. Lufthansa wanted to have it established that the collective agreements had not been terminated. The court rejected the applications. The company confirmed the decision and is examining appeals against it. ""I think it is unlikely that a second court will see the matter completely differently,"" said UFO CEO Flohr."

In August, Lufthansa also submitted an application to the Frankfurt Regional Labour Court to have the UFO's status as a trade union reviewed in court. The company argues that the union has not appointed a representative board for months and is therefore unable to fulfil its role as a collective bargaining partner.

This was preceded by a fierce leadership dispute in the trade union, in the course of which numerous members of the Executive Board and the Advisory Board resigned, including the long-time union leader Nicoley Baublies. Due to doubts about their leadership, the UFO had suspended an initial vote on strikes by cabin crew at Eurowings at the end of July.

Until now, Saudi Arabia has not been known as an international tourist magnet, but that is about to change. The country on the Persian Gulf wants to introduce new visa regulations.

With a new visa system, Saudi Arabia wants to attract more international tourists in the future. By 2030, the aim is to increase the number of international and domestic visitors to 100 million per year, the Tourism Commission said.

The opening of Saudi Arabia to international tourists is a historic moment for our country, said the chairman of the Tourism Commission, Ahmad al-Khateb.

Saudi Arabia has so far been difficult for tourists to access. Visas are usually only issued for short business trips, religious pilgrimages or visitors with relatives in the desert state. With the new rules, the arch-conservative kingdom hopes to generate more income from the tourism business. According to its own statement, Riyadh wants to reduce its dependence on the oil trade.

In mid-September, several rockets and drones hit two of the most important oil plants in eastern Saudi Arabia: The country's largest oil refinery in Abkaik and the Churais oil field. As a result, national oil production collapsed drastically, the oil price shoots skyrocketed. It is likely to take several weeks for the oil production of the kingdom to return to its old level.

Singer Justin Bieber (25) and his wife Hailey (22) are preparing for their wedding party. The model posted several party photos in her Instagram stories on Thursday (local time), in which she can be seen in a white wedding look. Reality star Kendall Jenner (23) and others had organized a bachelor party in Los Angeles according to People magazine.

"Justin posted several colorful suits printed with bananas on Instagram and asked his followers: ""Help me choose my tuxedo for the wedding."" According to media reports, the celebrity couple wants to get married in church next weekend."

A year ago, the Biebers said yes to each other in a New York registry office. There had never been a bigger celebration at that time.

"In a recent interview with Australian Vogue, Hailey explained that after initial problems, the two have found a common ground: ""If you don't want to compromise, you can't have a relationship."""

Two people died in the crash of a small plane in the west of the Czech Republic. The wreck was discovered on Friday in a wooded area near the city of Mecin (Metschin), the police said. The dead were a 38-year-old woman and a 64-year-old man.

The authorities had been looking for the plane since Thursday evening, after the crew had sent an emergency signal via GPS. A military helicopter was also used in the search. The cause of the accident has yet to be determined. The crash site is located about 30 kilometers south of Pilsen (Plzen) and 100 kilometers northeast of Regensburg.

In addition to pests, diseases, alien species, unsustainable logging and the growth of cities are also the causes of the threat, reported the World Conservation Union IUCN in Brussels on Friday. It examined the stocks of all 454 tree species known in Europe. 265 of them do not occur on any other continent. Of these 265, 58 percent are threatened. 66 are already at the highest level of endangerment and thus on the verge of extinction.

"The IUCN classifies endangered species into six categories: From ""potentially endangered"" to ""endangered"", ""highly endangered"", ""threatened with extinction"" and ""extinct in nature"" to ""extinct""."

"In Germany, rowan (Sorbus) in particular are threatened, said one of the authors, David Allen, to the German Press Agency. ""Most are threatened because the populations are small anyway or because of the transformation or weakening of their habitats."""

"It also looks bad for the wild common horse chestnuts. They have been regarded as ""endangered"" since 2017, level two of the IUCN scale. The biggest threat, in addition to a fungus, is the Balkan mini moth. Since the 1980s, it has spread from southeastern Europe across the entire continent and has hardly any natural enemies. IUCN estimates the number of wild horse chestnuts (Aesculus hippocastanum) in Europe at less than 10,000 specimens. The trees in cities, parks and avenues are not taken into account in this assessment."

At the same time, the IUCN scientists created new European red lists for molluscs, shrubs and mosses. According to the IUCN, more than a fifth of molluscs and mosses and almost half of all shrub species are threatened. This is mainly due to the destruction of the wilderness, introduced species, agricultural practices and climate change. Molluscs such as snails played a key role in recycling nutrients in the soil and are an important food source for birds and other animals.

"This report shows that the situation is precarious for many overlooked and underestimated species, species that form the backbone of the European ecosystem and contribute to a healthy planet, said Luc Bas, IUCN Director of the Europe Office. ""We must limit the impact of humans on our ecosystems and make the protection of these species a priority."""

34 people were injured in the recent earthquake in Turkey. According to the information, there were no deaths. Dozens of people had to leave their homes, 14 schools in Istanbul were closed for security reasons, said Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay on Friday.

Since the earthquake the day before, there have been almost 200 aftershocks. On Thursday, the 5.8 magnitude earthquake shook the Marmara region off Istanbul and caused panic in the metropolis of millions.

Now the government wants to set up a commission to better prepare the country for earthquakes in the future, announced Oktay. Turkey has not been sufficiently prepared for earthquakes in the past 20 years, said Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.

Istanbul is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes. Under the Sea of Marmara lies a section of the so-called North Anatolian fault, which marks the border between the Eurasian and Anatolian plates.

One of the most severe quakes was one of the magnitude 7.6 in 1999 near Istanbul. The epicenter was in G ö lc ü k southeast of Istanbul. More than 17,000 people were killed.

On Tuesday, a 4.6 magnitude earthquake shook the region around Istanbul. The authorities called on the residents to stay away from damaged buildings.

Super Bowl 2020: Jennifer Lopez (JLo) and Shakira perform in the halftime show

"The Latin pop singers Jennifer Lopez and Shakira will lead the half-time show of the next American football final Super Bowl, the singers announced on Twitter. ""It won't get any bigger,"" Shakira wrote about a photo of herself and Lopez. She is incredibly excited to be on the Super Bowl stage. On February 2, 2020, the time will come in Miami."

"Jennifer Lopez explained that she had been dreaming of appearing at the Super Bowl since 1996, when she saw Diana Ross fly into the sky at the half-time show. ""Now it's even more special because the NFL is 100 years old and I will perform with another Latina. She can't wait to show what we girls can do on the biggest stage in the world."""

"Shakira pointed out in a statement that she felt honored to stand next to another artist on one of the largest stages in the world and to represent Latinos and Latinas from the USA and the whole world. ""And then on my birthday!"" The main sponsor of the event wrote on Twitter that it was the first time that the two ""queens"" stood together on a stage."

Shakira is from Colombia. Jennifer Lopez was born in New York, her parents are from Puerto Rico.

The Super Bowl is the highlight of the American football season. The game and the half-time show are among the most watched TV broadcasts in the USA. Even if the number of viewers has recently fallen, this February the spectacle in the USA attracted the fewest viewers in more than ten years. Nevertheless, there were still almost a hundred million people on average.

There had been turmoil about the half-time show of the last Super Bowl in advance: According to media reports, top stars such as Rihanna, Pink and Cardi B did not want to appear in the quarterback Colin Kaepernick dispute last February. After all, the pop group Maroon 5 led the half-time show - the reviews were not very friendly.

Kaepernick, then quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, had gone to his knees in the 2016 / 17 season before NFL games at the national anthem in protest against police violence and racism. Kaepernick triggered a movement with his protest, numerous players took over the gesture. This caused great excitement, US President Donald Trump sharply attacked the mostly African-American football stars. Kaepernick himself has been without a club since March 2017 and has no longer played an NFL game. He accuses the clubs of not wanting to hire him for political reasons.

According to a press report, the bankruptcy of travel provider Thomas Cook is likely to cost some banks dearly. There is a risk of high write-downs on outstanding bonds and loans. Credit Suisse is also affected, writes the Financial Times in its Friday edition.

According to the report, banks such as Barclays, Morgan Stanley, UniCredit or Credit Suisse would have to write down a total of up to 1.8 billion British pounds (around 2 billion euros) on their books, according to estimates by the consulting firm AlixPartners.

The creditors of bonds would have to accept write-downs of 900 million to 1 billion pounds and the lenders between 550 and 825 million pounds. The actual amounts to be written off are likely to be at the upper end of the bandwidth, an expert told the paper.

"How large the losses of the creditors will actually be in the end will become clear after the insolvency proceedings have ended. A person close to this procedure did not spread too much hope. For example, the approximately 40 aircraft of Thomas Cook in Great Britain are ""old"" and many of the properties are in bad locations. The most money can probably be obtained with the sale of the airport slots and the Thomas Cook brand, it continued."

"The Sea-Watch captain Carola Rackete may have brought men to Italy who are said to have tortured and killed people in Libya. ""We cannot rule this out, but we have no reliable information about it ourselves,"" said the spokesperson of the refugee organization Sea-Watch, Ruben Neugebauer, to the news agency dpa."

"Other migrants recognized the three men in Italy. They are accused of raping, torturing and killing people in Libya. The alleged perpetrators were arrested in the reception camp in Messina, Italy. Neugebauer stressed that the refugee organizations could not check who they let on their ships. ""They come without passports."""

On June 29, Carola Rackete had illegally brought migrants to the port of Lampedusa and rammed a ship of the Italian financial police. On that day, the three suspects are also said to have arrived there. The captain is under investigation for aiding illegal immigration.

The head of the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Ajit Pai, has warned the federal government not to trust the Chinese network supplier Huawei.

We believe that the risks are too great, said Pai to the Handelsblatt with regard to the development of the new 5G mobile network.

"China has a ""national security law,"" which obliges every company ""under Chinese jurisdiction"" to follow instructions from the security agencies."

"Current law also prohibits companies from informing third parties about such inquiries, ""continued the FCC head, making it very difficult to have confidence in the integrity of technical equipment and services."

"The Federal Government has now agreed to demand a ""declaration of trustworthiness"" from suppliers."

Berlin will first try to control the risks, for example with technical solutions, reports the Handelsblatt, citing its own information.

Pai doubts that this is possible. 5G technology does not only consist of hardware:

The software is especially important to keep the devices up to date. This software consists of billions of lines of program code that change over time, said Pai.

"It is ""very difficult to imagine"" that a government agency, ""no matter where, would be able to check every single update in real time to detect security risks,"" the FCC head continued."

He accuses the Chinese company Huawei of close contacts with the Chinese state apparatus:

The ownership structure is opaque, and the employee company that allegedly owns the company is not necessarily independent of the government, Pai told the Handelsblatt.

The US has knowledge that government employees are placed within the company. Pai was recently in Berlin for talks to promote the US position.

At night, residents hear explosions. A gigantic fire wall illuminates the sky above a northern French chemical factory. The fire is extinguished after hours - but the clean-up work could now take days.

After a fire in a chemical factory in the northern French city of Rouen on Thursday, the schools and nurseries in the region remain closed.

As a precautionary measure, the facilities in twelve municipalities would not open on Friday, said the responsible prefecture. The Ministry of the Interior had asked the citizens to stay in buildings as far as possible and not expose themselves to smoke. There were no injuries. Farmers and breeders were called upon to bring their animals indoors, protect their feed and stop harvesting for the time being.

The fire could be completely extinguished on Thursday evening, the prefecture announced. There is still a risk that smell will spread after extinguishing, according to the prefecture on Twitter. According to the prefecture, 240 firefighters and 90 police and gendarmes were deployed at the fire site.

A gigantic black smoke column had previously risen from the chemical factory. French media reported huge flames and explosions in the factory of the Lubrizol company, which produces additives for oils. The production plant is located a few kilometers from the city center.

According to the authorities, the factory in Normandy belongs to the so-called Seveso category of dangerous sites that are particularly monitored. In 1976, a devastating chemical accident occurred in Seveso near Milan, Italy.

"The prefect of the Normandy region, Pierre-Andr ä u ß en Durand, told the news channel BFMTV that no ""high toxicity"" had been detected in samples at first, but pollution of the nearby Seine could not be ruled out. Dams against pollution had been built in the river, the prefecture explained."

The fire broke out early in the morning around 2: 40 a.m., the authorities reported. The cause remained unclear at first. Rouen is a regional metropolis and is located on the Seine between Paris and the port city of Le Havre.

French Economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire has called on Germany to invest more to boost economic growth in the eurozone.

Germany must invest now, the sooner the better, said Le Maire on Thursday evening at the presentation of the French budget for the coming year.

"We must not wait until the economic situation worsens in order to make the necessary decisions. """

Those states that have budgetary leeway for more investment must act, Le Maire said with regard to Germany, among other things.

"France does not have this room for manoeuvre, the minister added, pointing to its country's high national debt, which is more than 98 percent of gross domestic product. The French national debt must be ""stabilised"" and ""reduced,"" said Le Maire."

In recent years, France has repeatedly appealed to Germany to make more public investments to revive the European economy. In return, German politicians have repeatedly called on France to get its budget deficit under control.

The French budget for 2020 presented on Thursday envisages tax breaks of more than nine billion euros for households.

Among other things, the French government is responding to the protests of the yellow vest movement. The new debt is to fall to 2.2 percent, after an expected 3.1 percent this year.

Is he still trying to trick: Johnson dodges question about Brexit tactics

"British Prime Minister Johnson sharply criticizes the ""surrender law"" passed by parliament."

The parliament is back, a law requires the British prime minister to avoid a chaos Brexit. Critics fear, however, that Boris Johnson could still use a loophole. However, when asked about this possibility, the Tory politician evades.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is keeping a low profile on whether he wants to push through an unregulated Brexit - despite the law recently passed by parliament, which is precisely what is to prevent this. When asked about this, Johnson simply told journalists that his government would abide by the law.

"On Thursday, former British Prime Minister John Major had expressed the suspicion that Johnson could try to use ""political harassment"" to circumvent the law. The Prime Minister could use a procedural trick to postpone the entry into force of the law until after leaving the EU. Johnson said he was aiming for a treaty with the European Union. ""We are confident that we will leave the EU on October 31, and the best way is with an agreement."""

"Meanwhile, Johnson's chief advisor Dominic Cummings explained that he felt the political disputes over Brexit were a ""walk in the park"" and was confident that the planned exit from the EU would still come about: ""We enjoy it, we will win, we will leave the EU, no worries,"" said Cummings at a book launch according to the British newspaper Telegraph."

"Cummings, who led the Brexit campaign ""Vote Leave"" during the election campaign before the EU referendum in 2016, is now acting as chief strategist in the British government seat Downing Street. He is said to be behind the uncompromising policy that has led the prime minister into an almost hopeless situation."

"Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan or Janis Joplin - they all stood in front of the camera of Linda McCartney, who has become one of the great rock photographers. But it doesn't always have to be the great glamour. The photo book ""The Polaroid Diaries"" (bags) delves deep into the very private world of the McCartney family."

"Paul McCartney, who was married to her from 1969 until Linda's death in 1998, was visibly proud and moved when he presented the illustrated book ""The Polaroid Diaries"" in mid-September at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Illustrious guests included Ringo Starr, Stella McCartney, Olivia Harrison and Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde."

"After the launch event, McCartney wrote on Instagram: ""# ThePolaroidDiaries is a glimpse into the life of an extraordinary family from the time before Instagram, a celebration of Linda McCartney's legacy as a committed artist and the instant magic of Polaroid film."""

"The camera was always there with Linda McCartney, who studied art history at the University of Aizona until she found her way to photography. She made thousands of Polaroids, a few hundred of which are now being published for the first time in ""The Polaroid Diaries."""

"They are portraits, still lifes, landscapes, several hamsters, a sheep in the kitchen and other interiors from the early 70s to the late 90s. ""She wanted real moments,"" writes the art critic Ekow Eshun in his foreword. And of course there is always one in the center: Her husband Paul - as you may never have seen him before."

He dances with his daughter Mary on his shoulders, calls in a bathrobe with a bag on his head or wears bulky moon boots. Sure, the McCartneys were an extraordinary family, but beyond the spotlight on their farm in southern England or Scotland, they also led a normal life. According to the BBC, Mary McCartney said that as a baby she slept in a bed that her father had made from old potato boxes. And it has not always been tidy at the McCartneys.

The Poloraid camera captures the immediate moment like no other medium. Linda McCartney's photographs are certainly a kind of family diary, but they are much more than just snapshots.

"It's about the decisive click: You have to recognize when a great photo happens in front of you. And then you have to take it at exactly the right moment, said Paul McCartney. ""If you take it two seconds later or two seconds earlier, it can be a completely different photo."" And Linda would have had the gift of always capturing just the right moment."

"The light, the composition, the image detail and the colors are right, which makes ""The Polaroid Diaries"" not only an entertaining picture book for Beatles fans, but also a great aesthetic pleasure in addition to everything anecdotal, where landscapes sometimes seem like abstract paintings. The perfect complement to the newly released Beatles album ""Abbey Road,"" which was released exactly 50 years ago."

Despite the US sanctions imposed on Iran, Turkey wants to continue importing oil and gas from the neighboring country. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an interview published on Friday that Turkey cannot stop importing oil and gas from Iran.

"We will continue to buy our natural gas from there, ""said Erdogan in New York, where he attended the UN General Assembly."

"Erdogan admitted, however, that Turkey had problems importing Iranian oil, as some companies had ""withdrawn because of the US threats."""

"Nevertheless, Turkey will ""continue our relations with Iran, especially on this issue and on many other issues,"" said the Turkish president, who has repeatedly criticized the US sanctions against Iran in the past."

"Since its withdrawal from the international nuclear agreement with Iran, the US has pursued a policy of ""maximum pressure"" on the Islamic Republic. According to the US, Iran is secretly pursuing a nuclear program and does not adhere to the agreement."

Their sanctions have led to the collapse of Iranian oil exports and a severe economic crisis in Iran. In recent months, tensions in the Gulf region have intensified considerably.

The US government wants to drastically restrict the reception of refugees. On Thursday, the US State Department declared that the annual ceiling of a resettlement program should be lowered from the current 30,000 to 18,000 refugees, which corresponds to a cut of 40 percent.

The State Department said that the US would continue to be committed to supporting refugees, but the most important task is to protect and serve US citizens. Currently, the US immigration system is overloaded.

In the future, the US government wants to focus on the reception of two refugee groups: People who are persecuted because of their faith - and Iraqis who have helped the US military in the country and are thus in danger, as the statement of the State Department shows. On the other hand, a maximum of 1,500 refugees from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador are to be accepted.

The program, launched in 1980, selects refugees from UN camps around the world and resettles them in the US. The ceiling of 18,000 refugees for the 2020 budget year would be the lowest in the program's history. The current ceiling of 30,000 is already a low. When US President Donald Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, left the White House, the number was almost 85,000.

"Aid organizations reacted in horror to the announced lowering of the ceiling. ""This is a very sad day for America,"" said the head of the International Rescue Committee, David Miliband. The US would further damage its leadership role in protecting the world's most vulnerable people."

Trump is trying to strictly limit immigration to the US - both legally and illegally. According to the US government, 350,000 asylum applications are expected for the coming budget year. These figures are separate from the resettlement program.

"Us President Donald Trump has accused whistleblowers of espionage in the whistleblower affair. Whoever has given the whistleblower, who accuses him of abuse of power, appropriate information, ""comes close to an informer,"" said Trump according to a recording of a private event on Thursday in New York."

"When asked about the person who informed the whistleblower about controversial events in the White House, he replied: ""It comes close to an informer."" Then Trump added: ""Do you know what we did in the old days when we were smart Right. The spies and betrayal, we used to deal with it a bit differently than we do now""."

Observers evaluated the latter remark as a possible allusion to the death penalty. The Democrats sharply criticized Trump's statements and accused him of intimidating witnesses. It was also an attempt to obstruct a congressional investigation into a possible impeachment procedure against him, wrote the chairmen of the committees on foreign affairs, intelligence and oversight in the House of Representatives.

In a now published complaint, the whistleblower accuses the president of abusing his office in order to request interference from another country in the US election in 2020. Specifically, it is about his controversial telephone call with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in the summer: In the conversation, Trump suggested that he initiate investigations against his possible democratic challenger Joe Biden and his son Hunter in Ukraine. Trump denies any wrongdoing.

It is still unclear who both the whistleblower and his informants are. However, as reported by the New York Times, the whistleblower is said to be an analyst of the foreign intelligence service CIA.

Time and again, people try to cross the Aegean Sea from Turkey to Greece. The boats, which are often far too small, regularly capsize. Seven migrants have now died in the sinking of a rubber dinghy - including five children.

Off the Greek island of Chios, seven migrants were killed in the sinking of a rubber dinghy. Among the fatalities were a baby and four other children, reported the Greek coast guard. Four children, three women and five men were rescued from the floods by the crew of a passing ferry.

Among the victims is also a smuggler, reported the local news portal of Chios, Alithia. Gr. The migrants left Turkey in the morning. They had tried to reach the small archipelago of Inousses in the northeast of the island of Chios. Inousses is located between Chios and the Turkish mainland.

It is not yet known from which countries the migrants come. Currently, hundreds of migrants from Turkey are crossing over to the Greek islands in the east of the Aegean, mostly in boats that are far too small. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), 174 people died on this route last year.

"A US concert of the rock band The Who came to an abrupt end due to an indisposition of lead singer Roger Daltrey. In the middle of the performance on Wednesday evening (local time) in Houston, his voice failed. On the eighth song Daltrey told the audience: ""I think I should leave it as long as it is still running."""

"Lead guitarist Pete Townsend apologized and added that Daltrey ""really can't speak now."" Townsend promised the audience that he would get his money's worth at a compensation concert, but a date has not yet been set."

The Who cancelled performances planned for Friday in Dallas and Sunday in Denver. They are to be made up at a later date. 75-year-old Daltrey and his 74-year-old bandmate Townsend are the only remaining founding members. The British cult band formed 55 years ago.

Rental suddenly stopped: WeWork makes real estate markets tremble

Within a few years, WeWork has risen from a small startup to a driving force on the most expensive real estate markets in the world. But now the company is in crisis. Landlords have to fear for billions in revenue.

The crisis of the office lessor WeWork threatens to disrupt the balance in the world's largest real estate markets. A few days ago, the company had dismissed founder Adam Neumann as CEO, postponed the planned IPO and started selling subsidiaries and assets such as the private jet for executives in order to gain financial leeway for the coming weeks and months. In addition, the British Financial Times reports that WeWork has stopped the conclusion of new leases with immediate effect. This means that the largest tenant of office space in New York and London, among others, is suddenly off the market.

WeWork rents large office space on a long-term basis and rents it out to members at short notice in partly small units. This can be individual freelancers, small startups or entire departments of large corporations. So far, WeWork has been burning money at breathtaking speed with this business. Last year, the company incurred a loss of 1.6 billion dollars, with a turnover of 1.8 billion dollars. This year, the rental costs alone are said to have risen to an estimated 2.5 billion dollars due to the rental of new large areas. In order to limit the loss, the new management is now supposed to have pulled the emergency brake and stopped renting new space with immediate effect.

According to the Financial Times, WeWork has now concluded leases with maturities of up to 15 years, resulting in commitments of more than $40 billion. These huge liabilities could become a problem not only for the company itself and its investors, but for entire property markets.

"According to calculations by the economist Dan Alpert from the Cornell Law School in New York, WeWork in Manhattan, one of the most expensive real estate markets in the world, rented almost 300,000 square meters of office space in the past 24 months. WeWorks new contracts alone ensured that the demand for offices in New York was greater than the new space that came onto the market during this time. Without WeWorks expansion, the office vacancy in the US metropolis would have increased during this time, as Alpert wrote in the ""Business Insider""."

Even in the British capital, the balance on the real estate market could shift noticeably without further expansion of the aggressive startup. Among other things, WeWork is the main tenant in an office building in the center of the financial metropolis bought last year by the savings bank fund provider Deka for almost 100 million euros.

Many landlords have converted their properties for the requirements of WeWork with high investments. If WeWork fails to make its business model profitable soon, the property owners would probably have to write off part of the expected billions in income. They do not have access to the - already scarce - reserves of WeWork despite the long-term leases, because the rental of the individual locations of WeWork is usually carried out by specially founded subsidiaries, so-called Special Purpose Vehicles, for which the parent company is only liable within tight limits.

The Russian coast guard has once again taken action against North Korean fishermen. According to the Interfax agency, a total of 262 poachers who fished illegally in the waters have been arrested in recent days.

Only ten days ago, 161 fishermen from North Korea were arrested. Previously, the border guards had been shot at and three of them were injured. This time there were no casualties, it was said. Communist North Korea suffers from chronic food shortages.

The North Korean fishermen were therefore on the move in Russian territorial waters, where, according to their own information, the Russian coast guard patrols to protect their marine biological resources. 30,000 squid were discovered during the renewed inspections. In addition, according to the information, three fishing boats and two motor boats were seized and taken to Nachodka and Posjet near Vladivostok. According to the agency Ria Novosti, the coast guard identified a total of more than 8,000 violations in 2018.

Even after complaints from local entrepreneurs, the Russian fishing authority did not issue fishing licenses to the North Koreans this year. According to the media, thousands of fishermen from North Korea have already been temporarily arrested there in 2019.

The head of the association of Russian fishing companies in the Far Eastern region of Primorye, Georgi Martynov, recently complained about the high ecological damage caused by the North Korean fishermen. They fished with close-meshed synthetic nets banned in Russia, which would also bring small organisms out of the sea. In addition, the nets would simply be disposed of in the sea, where they would take 200 years to decompose. The ships themselves did not comply with the hygienic and technical regulations.

According to Moscow, three members of the Russian coast guard were injured in the arrests last week. According to the FSB, a North Korean who was also wounded later died from his injuries. On September 17, Russian border guards first detained a North Korean boat and then a second one after it opened fire.

"The US has imposed entry bans on former Cuban President Ral Castro and his children. The US State Department justified this in a statement on Thursday with Castro's involvement in ""gross human rights violations."" As head of the Communist Party of the Caribbean state, he presides over a system in which thousands of Cubans are arbitrarily arrested and there are more than 100 political prisoners."

"As chairman of the armed forces, the brother of the deceased revolutionary leader Fidel Castro is also complicit in human rights violations there through the support of the President of Venezuela, Nicoll s Maduro. ""The disregard for human rights and the use of violence by the Cuban regime to support the former Maduro regime are responsible for the ongoing crises in Cuba and Venezuela,"" tweeted the American Foreign Minister Mike Pompeo."

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump issued travel bans against members of the Venezuelan government and the military, among others. A bitter power struggle between the government and the opposition has been raging in Venezuela for months. The USA has imposed a whole series of sanctions on Maduro's government in order to bring him to his knees and to help the opposition leader and self-appointed interim president Juan Guaid to power.

Cuba is considered one of Maduro's closest allies. The socialist Caribbean island receives oil from Venezuela in exchange for the services of dispatched doctors. According to the USA and the Venezuelan opposition, Cuba has also sent numerous intelligence agents to Venezuela to help the government suppress opponents of the government.

A week after the biggest international climate protests to date, thousands and thousands of people want to take to the streets again today for more climate protection.

At the end of an international climate strike week, the Fridays for Future movement is once again planning actions and rallies in dozens of countries around the world. New Zealand and Australia are likely to make the start because of the time difference, before the protests spread across Europe to North America. Climate activist Greta Thunberg wanted to take part in a major rally in Montreal, Canada. Demonstrators also wanted to gather in front of the White House in Washington.

"It is relatively unclear how great the global response will be this Friday after the record participation of the previous week. Thunberg herself was in good spirits. ""Last Friday, more than four million people went on strike for the climate. This Friday, we will do it again!"" She wrote on Twitter. So far, there have been 6383 actions in 170 countries as part of the strike week, she added."

According to estimates by Fridays for Future, a good third of all global demonstrators - around 1.4 million - took part in the protests in 575 German cities. According to a list of the movement, this time rallies are planned in at least 65 cities, including metropolises such as Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Cologne, but also in smaller municipalities and cities such as J ü chen in North Rhine-Westphalia or Westerland on Sylt, people want to take to the streets for the climate.

At the age of 15, Thunberg sat down in front of the Swedish parliament in August 2018 to call on the politicians of her country to step up their commitment to climate protection. Within a short period of time, the Fridays for Future movement emerged. The climate protests are mainly attended by pupils and students, but increasingly also scientists and other adults.

Together, they demand more ambition from politicians in the fight against global warming and the impending climate catastrophe. Above all, according to the Paris climate agreement, global warming must be contained to below 1.5 degrees compared to pre-industrial times.

Almost a month ago, after a two-week transatlantic cruise, Thunberg arrived in New York on a deep-sea racing yacht, where she had recently participated in climate protests and United Nations summits. On Monday, she gave an emotional speech at the UN, in which she urged the heads of state and government of the world into their consciences. On Wednesday, she was awarded the Alternative Nobel Prize of the Right Livelihood Foundation in her home city of Stockholm for her commitment to climate protection.

"In the future, people in Russia will no longer be allowed to smoke on the balcony. This provides for a change in fire protection. ""This also applies to smoking,"" said a spokesperson for the emergency ministry in Moscow on Thursday according to the Tass agency. The ban is to come into force on October 1."

Anyone who still smokes must therefore expect a fine of 3,000 rubles (42.46 euros). If the cigarette ignites a fire, the penalty is higher. According to the ministry, burning candles are also prohibited. Grilling meat skewers on the balcony is no longer permitted.

In the fight against crimes on the Internet, German investigators have for the first time unearthed a large server provider for illegal transactions on the darknet.

As the operator of a data center in a former NATO bunker in Traben-Trarbach on the Moselle, a total of 13 perpetrators are suspected of having hosted numerous websites through which international criminals operated their machinations.

This was announced by the public prosecutor's office in Koblenz. Seven suspects were arrested on Thursday evening in a major action. The darknet is a shielded part of the Internet.

The suspects' customers included the operators of the world's second largest darknet marketplace for drugs, the Wall Street Market, which investigators smashed in the spring. According to the Attorney General's Office, the attack on 1.25 million telecom routers at the end of November 2016 was also controlled via a server in the cyber bunker.

Such a hoster was excavated for the first time in Germany, it was said. A web hoster provides the infrastructure for an internet presence.

During the access operation with the support of special units such as the GSG9, there were searches in Germany and neighboring countries. It was the result of almost five years of investigations. At noon, the investigators want to inform about further details.

At the end of an international climate strike week, the Fridays for Future movement again planned actions and rallies in dozens of countries worldwide.

In Germany, protests are planned in at least 65 cities, including cities such as Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Cologne, but also in smaller communities and cities such as J ü chen in North Rhine-Westphalia or Westerland on Sylt. Climate activist Greta Thunberg wants to participate in a major rally in Montreal, Canada.

A sense of justice and courage are high virtues, even in the 21st century, in a world full of war and smoke factories that warm the climate. It is all the more surprising that a 16-year-old girl of all people holds the mirror in front of the power people of this time. But what is behind it Is it helpfulness or clever marketing of a climate activist Historical masterpiece or manipulative tactics for its own sake

On the one hand, Greta Thunberg sets the masses in motion and makes young people stand up for a better climate-friendly world. Historically, it is not the first time in Europe that a young person manages to win over a crowd of children and young people. As early as 1212, a child named Nikolaus from Cologne felt chosen to stand up for a fairer world. At that time, he was also able to win over a crowd of young people and persuaded them to cross the sea to reach the promised land, similar to Greta Thunberg's recent trip to America on a sailboat.

"But is there a dark side to this Why does it need a share called ""We don't have time"" to save the world In addition, Greta Thunberg has rich PR managers at her side. By the way, her mother has published a book, which has sold extensively, thanks to the daughter in the limelight. Also tried and tested followers of Greta Thunberg were a little indignant about the last PR show, or the trip by boat was probably too thick for some successors. This is not unfounded, because the action was very well received in the media worldwide and a lot of money flows thanks to the impressive action."

Here the spirits are now divided: Is it morally right to enrich oneself financially in saving the world Is it still authentic when certain groups of people work together with stockbrokers during the world rescue campaign No matter what position is ultimately taken, a critical and reflected point of view is increasingly important in a democratically shaped society, because democracy thrives on different opinions and discussions. Therefore, it can make sense to critically question seemingly pious projects of certain trendsetters.

Comet discovered: Interstellar guest crosses through our solar system

The astronomers' assumptions have been confirmed: A strange comet is currently crossing our solar system - it is only the second of its kind.

Garching / Washington - For a long time, the researchers only suspected it, but now they have certainty: A comet from another star is currently crossing our solar system. It was named after its discoverer 2I / Borisov and currently employs astronomers worldwide.

2i / Borisov: Comet was discovered by amateur astronomers in Crimea

The aforementioned body was discovered by an amateur astronomer named Gennady Borisov in Crimea. He looked up at the sky with a homemade telescope and further follow-up observations confirmed his first suspicion. In fact, it is an unknown comet that does not originate from our solar system. It is only the second of its kind that was sighted during the flight.

The great opportunity for astronomers is now to gain close insights into a foreign solar system. Apparently, the comet is similar to those of our own system, as reported by the astrophysical institute of the Canary Islands. According to the International Astronomical Union (IAC), the comet is clearly of interstellar origin and is currently moving on a so-called hyperbola orbit, which leads it out of our system.

Comet was sighted before approach - and can be observed for several months

"But before the time comes, astronomers can observe it in detail, because in contrast to its predecessor, 2I / Borisov has already been sighted in its approach, which means that it can be studied from Earth for many months. ""The object will reach its greatest brightness in mid-December and then be visible with medium-sized telescopes until April 2020,"" explains Davide Farnocchia from the US space agency Nasa. ""After that, it will only be observable with larger, professional telescopes until October 2020."""

"The predecessor of the new visitor: 1i / 2017 U1 ""Oumuamua""."

According to the first findings, the comet is estimated to be 2 to 16 kilometers in diameter. At the same time, the celestial body seems to be similar to our comets - because, as the IAC researcher Julia de Lel ä u ß n puts it, the spectrum of the tail star is similar to ours. This observation suggests that comets in other solar systems could be formed by similar processes as in our colleague Javier Licandro, added.

However, the observation goes beyond individual findings. The fact that two such objects have already been discovered within just two years may allow a new way to investigate certain processes in other solar systems.

Asteroids keep the researchers busy. Only recently, a giant asteroid raced past Earth and came dangerously close to it.

"""Absolutely reprehensible"": Rachel Johnson appalled by brother"

"Boris Johnson is getting lonelier. First his younger brother leaves the cabinet, now his sister castigates the warlike language of the prime minister as ""tasteless."" It is not the brother she knows."

"""Capitulation"", ""fraud"", contract "": Prime Minister Boris Johnson is under pressure and continues to arm - at least verbally. At Question Time in the House of Commons this Wednesday, this met with massive indignation from the opposition, and in the meantime other critics have spoken out: Dozens of bishops and his own sister Rachel Johnson."

"The well-known journalist and author told Sky News that her brother used words such as capitulation, as if the opponents of leaving the EU should be ""hanged, dragged, quartered, tarred and feathered"". She thought this was extremely reprehensible. She did not recognize her brother's version, said Rachel Johnson, who stood for the anti-Brexit party Change UK in the elections to the EU Parliament."

"She was particularly offended by the fact that her brother Jo Cox mentioned an EU-friendly member of parliament who was murdered by a neo-Nazi a few days before the 2016 exit referendum. Boris Johnson had said in the House of Commons that the best way to honour her memory is to go through Brexit. ""It is very tasteless to refer to a member of parliament who was murdered by someone who shouted 'Britain first',"" criticized Johnson's sister. The perpetrator obviously came from the far-right camp, which felt ""strengthened by this kind of language,"" for everyone who was very sad."

"The widower of Cox also sharply criticized the Prime Minister. ""It makes me sick when Jo's name is used in this way,"" he tweeted. The best way to honor her is to stand up passionately and resolutely for what you believe in - no matter what your opinion is. But you must never ""demonize the other side."" He also complained that an atmosphere has emerged in which attacks have become more likely."

"Just a few weeks ago, Boris Johnson's younger brother Jo resigned from his position as Secretary of State and his mandate as Tory MP. ""In recent months, I have been torn between loyalty to the family and the national interest - it is an indissoluble tension,"" said Jo Johnson, explaining the move."

"Johnson's language also met with sharp criticism in the church. As reported by the Times, all 118 bishops and archbishops of the Church of England criticize the language, which is ""not worthy of this country"". In a joint statement they declared: ""In recent days, the language, both in debates and outside parliament, has not been acceptable. We should talk to each other with respect."""

"In the year of its 100th anniversary, the NFL is sending a strong signal: In the halftime show of the upcoming Super Bowl, two women with Latino roots will perform, promising ""an explosion of fun and energy."""

Latina power at the Super Bowl: Superstars Shakira (42) and Jennifer Lopez (50) will deliver the half-time show at the upcoming finals of the US football league NFL, the organizers announced on Thursday (local time).

I feel incredibly honored and humbled to represent the Latino community alongside JLo, because it has an incredible strength in the US, Shakira said in a video.

"The final of the American football league, which celebrates its 100th birthday next year, will take place on February 2 in Miami. Many people with Latin American roots live in the metropolis on the southern tip of Florida. Shakira (""Waka Waka"") comes from Colombia, Lopez (""On the Floor"") is of Puerto Rican origin."

"I love that this time the Super Bowl puts two women on stage - and two Latinas, explained Lopez. This sends an important message to all Americans and the world. It promises an ""explosion of fun and energy"" for the show."

"The 50-year-old was born in New York after her parents emigrated from Puerto Rico. In the 2000s, she landed big hits with songs like ""Waiting For Tonight"" or ""Let's Get Loud"" and later also published songs in Spanish. Lopez also works as an actress and can be seen in the drama ""Hustlers"" in German cinemas from November."

"Shakira became known in Colombia as the star of a telenovela and singer. She made her worldwide breakthrough in 2001 with her first bilingual album and the single ""Whenever, Whereever""."

The announcement of the half-time guests is eagerly awaited in the USA every time. This year, many see the selection as a political gesture. After all, the country is deeply divided, not least because of President Donald Trump's immigration policy.

The Super Bowl is the biggest US sporting event and at the same time a gigantic advertising spectacle. Musicians such as Justin Timberlake, Beyonc ä re, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Madonna, Bruno Mars and the Rolling Stones caused a sensation there. As a rule, well over 100 million TV viewers watch the NFL final, it is now extremely popular in Germany.

Last year there were political controversies in the run-up to the event. The reason was the quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who had refused to stand up when playing the national anthem in protest against police violence against blacks and had been harshly tackled by US President Donald Trump, among others. Out of solidarity with Kaepernick, some musicians had rejected a super bowl appearance - including Rihanna and Pink. The fact that the rock group Maroon 5 performed was ultimately criticized by many.

An actor and Youtuber attacks Egypt's ruler: For the time being, Mohamed Ali prefers to stay abroad.

The two men who have an influence on whether blood is flowing again on the streets of Egypt spent the past week both abroad. One of them floated back to Cairo airport on Friday. President Abdelfattah al-Sisi returned from the UN General Assembly. The ex-general, who deposed the Muslim Brotherhood Mohammed Morsi, the first freely elected head of state of the country, in 2013, had spent a pleasant time in New York: Us President Donald Trump had praised Sisi's action against political Islam and had not lost a syllable about the human rights violations on the Nile - in a week, in which hundreds of Egyptian security forces had not dared to protest against the President.

"In the opinion of the president, the other man who currently determines the events on the streets is trying to mislead. Mohamed Ali of course stayed abroad, where he escapes the grip of the security forces, who would arrest him immediately if he tried to enter Egyptian soil. Weeks ago, the 45-year-old was known as an actor only to a minority of Egyptians. Today, he is the leading voice that dominates the political discourse in the cafes, the living rooms and tea rooms of the country: With his YouTube channel ""Mohamed's secrets,"" Ali calls on his compatriots to rise against Sisi."

He approaches the head of state directly and in quite rustic language. While the people are starving, the president indulges in luxury and lets magnificent new palaces be built, it is said. Ali accuses the army leadership on which Sisi bases his rule of corruption and enrichment. Because he did business with precisely these gentlemen for 15 years in his second job as a building contractor, he seems to know pretty well what he is talking about - at least that is the impression of many Egyptians, as the almost exploding click figures show.

"After last week, for the first time since Sisi's seizure of power, thousands had demonstrated against his rule and almost 2000 citizens, among them prominent figures of civil society, human rights lawyers and opposition politicians, were arrested, Ali called for a ""million march"" for this Friday. It was unlikely that so many people would really dare to take to the streets. But there were isolated smaller protests, for example in Giseh near Cairo and in the village of Kina near Luxor. Videos on social media showed protests, whose participants accused Al-Sisi of corruption and demanded his departure. The police also put a stop to these protests, and the police did not allow the protests to be independently verified."

"Massive police presence was reported on Friday from the city of Mansura in the Nile delta, where demonstrators tore banners with the portrait of the president to pieces last week. Security forces set up checkpoints in the city and on the arterial roads. In Cairo, several subway stations in the city center were closed for ""maintenance work"", most of the streets around Tahrir Square, the heart of the 2011 revolution, were blocked. And on Rabaa Square, where supporters of the overthrown Muslim Brotherhood Mursi entrenched themselves in 2013, until the army took them under fire and wanted to prevent 800 people from being killed, another measure was to prevent a dissatisfied president."

"Mohamed Ali prompted these precautions to change his tactics: ""Our goal does not have to be Tahrir Square,"" Ali said in his video camera in Barcelona. ""Let us not clash with police officers."" As a retreat, this is not to be understood: ""All of Egypt is Tahrir Square."""

If the Internet connection always seems to be much slower than advertised by the provider, there are various testing options.

Anyone who concludes an Internet contract does not need to blindly trust the speed data of the providers. Customers can check for themselves how much of it is actually achieved in the event of abnormalities.

After all, the previously promised transmission rates are part of the contract and should therefore be achieved, explains the Consumer Association of Bavaria.

If the connection always seems much slower than advertised by the provider, there are various test options. The measuring tools of the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) measure the actual data transfer rates and compare them with the rate agreed in the contract.

However, the tests of the providers are carried out according to vendor-specific specifications and are therefore not calculated uniformly and objectively, the Consumer Association of Bavaria points out on its side.

If the connection is much slower than announced, customers can usually set the provider a reasonable period of 14 days to produce the promised service.

If this does not work even after repeated requests, customers can terminate and possibly also claim damages. However, if there is no success, only the legal process will help.

"As the first senior Republican, the Governor of Vermont has spoken out in favor of an impeachment investigation against US President Donald Trump. ""I think the investigation is important, yes, and where that leads from here is determined by the facts,"" said Phil Scott at a press conference on Thursday. He wants to know more about the whistleblower affair before measures - an impeachment procedure can lead to the removal of the president - are taken."

"Scott said he was not surprised by revelations that Trump repeatedly called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a telephone call to investigate interventions by Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden in Ukraine, because Trump has been watching Biden ""for years."""

Republicans have so far refrained from criticizing Trump for the whistleblower affair; few have shown any discomfort about it. Scott's statements are a first sign of this in Trump's party. Scott, a moderate Republican, has already turned against Trump's policies on several occasions, such as the relaxation of environmental regulations and the tightening of immigration regulations.

"It was a shock for all Spider-Man fans: At the end of August, it was announced that Sony and Marvel would go their separate ways in the future. Tom Holland's Spider-Man would no longer be part of the ""Avengers"" universe. It was completely unclear how the films about Tom Holland would continue."

"Now the surprise: After ""Spider-Man: Homecoming"" and ""Spider-Man: Far From Home"", Spider-Man will receive another final third film within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). This is reported by several US media. According to this, the cinema release should already be certain: The film will be released in the USA from July 16, 2021."

"In the magazine ""Screenrant"" Marvel Boos Kevin Feige is quoted: ""I am happy that Spidey's path will continue in the MCU. I and everyone at the Marvel Studios are very pleased that we can continue to work on it... He is the only superhero with the ability to play in different universes, as Sony continues to work on his Spidey verse. You never know what the future will bring."""

But how does the sudden good news come about Sony Marvel is said to have made an offer. According to industry magazines, the Disney Group, to which Marvel also belongs, would share 30 percent of the revenue from upcoming Spider-Man films. However, the news is not confirmed.

"Duchess Meghan and Prince Harry appear in the ""Suits"" finale"

"After nine seasons, the series ""Suits"" has now reached the grand finale in the USA. In the last episode, there were many happy ends and just as many cameo appearances. And the royal couple Prince Harry (35) and his Meghan (38), who participated in the series for many years, were paid tribute in a charming way. Attention, the following sections contain spoilers for the series finale."

First of all, Duchess Meghan did not return in the finale for a last farewell greeting as Rachel Zane, at least not for new scenes. Instead, some retrospectives showed the most memorable scenes with today's Duchess. Such as the moments of the failed and successful wedding with Mike or how she greeted him after his served prison sentence.

"But her real husband, Prince Harry, was also mentioned casually in the ""Suits"" finale, of course in a wedding scene. When Louis Litt (Rick Hoffman, 49) is walking towards the altar to marry his fiancee Sheila (Rachael Harris, 51), Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht, 47) makes a telling remark about his suit. Whether he has actually put on a frock coat, the puzzled Harvey wants to know from the groom, only to snap: ""Louis, you are not the prince of England."""

A baby and four other children drowned when a refugee boat capsized in the Aegean Sea. A total of seven people died in the accident, the Greek coast guard announced on Friday. The nationalities are still unclear.

The boat sank near the Greek island of Inousses, which lies between the island of Chios and the Turkish mainland. Four children, three women and five men were rescued.

Hundreds of migrants from Turkey are currently crossing over to the Greek islands in the east of the Aegean Sea. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), 174 people lost their lives on this route last year. Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has now announced his intention to visit both countries.

"Together with his French colleague and the responsible EU Commissioner, he wants to find out about the refugee situation in Turkey, said Seehofer on Friday. Afterwards, he wants to learn more about the ""administrative problems of the Greeks"" in Athens in order to be able to help cope with them."

On Friday, a spokesperson for the EU Commission confirmed Seehofer's planned trip with EU Home Affairs Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos and France's Interior Minister Christophe Castaner.

An unusually high number of migrants from Turkey continue to arrive in Greece. On Tuesday alone, 654 people crossed over to the Greek islands, according to the Greek Ministry of Civil Protection on Wednesday.

The increased numbers recently raised doubts about the functioning of the EU-Turkey agreement concluded in 2016. This provides that the EU can send back all refugees and migrants who come illegally via Turkey to the Greek islands. In return, the EU wanted to take in a Syrian refugee from Turkey for every Syrian deported.

On the Greek side, however, the processing of asylum applications is only progressing with difficulty due to a shortage of personnel. According to the Ministry of Civil Protection, almost 29,400 people are waiting for Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Leros and Kos. The situation on Lesbos is worst: 5,200 migrants are currently housed in a camp with capacities for 650 people.

There have never been so many since the EU-Turkey refugee pact came into force in March 2016, reported the state broadcaster.

"According to physicians, climate change will put the health system to the test in the future. Climate change is ""certainly"" one of the biggest challenges for the health system in the next 20 to 50 years, said Andreas Zeiher, President of the German Society of Cardiology. High temperatures and large temperature jumps within a short period of time made it difficult for the cardiovascular system in particular and led to increased heart attacks. People with cardiovascular diseases, the elderly and diabetics are particularly affected."

The leader of the Canadian Greens, Elizabeth May, in the election campaign - was the cup manipulated for this reason

The Canadian Green Party leader holds a reusable cup in her hand in a photo. But now it came out: The cup was manipulated.

Ottawa / Canada - It went unnoticed for quite a long time - and finally caught the eye. Elizabeth May, the head of the Canadian Green Party, never held the reusable coffee cup with a metal straw in her hand. On the party website she could be seen on a photo with this cup, in conversation with citizens. However, the photo had already been published and also disseminated to the media - and there the cup was still a nasty (Papp) cup, as reported by the Canadian National Post.

"The National Post accused May of manipulation and that the party is producing fake news in order to appear more credible on the subject of ""environmental protection"" in the middle of an election campaign for the lower house election, in which Trudeau is also having an increasingly difficult time due to a bribery scandal."

"The photo went viral on social media and sparked the discussion about fake news. A user shares a comparison of the photos and writes: ""The Greens manipulate a photo of their chairman to hide their disposable cup."""

May was shocked and asserted on her blog that she did not know anything about this action. To underline this, she immediately posted the original: She, in conversation with citizens, held a cup in her hand. However, she put it right, it was made of bamboo. She always had it with her. A spokeswoman for the party said that it was only about placing the party logo in the picture, and not about covering up anything.

"May writes that she is sorry for the employee who did that. ""I don't want to call him stupid, but there was nothing to hide,"" she says to the Guardian and at the same time asked her overcommitted team: ""If they want to edit a picture again, could they not do something with my face so that I look younger"""

The German Greens also got into shitstorms because of their use of disposable plastic or because of air travel - but their pictures were not photoshopped. So the head of the Bavarian Greens, Katharina Schulze, ate ice cream with plastic spoons on holiday, as merkur. De reported.

Allegedly, Jaqueline Ng was promised an upgrade by email from Cathay Pacific. But when she asked for it at check-in, she was not allowed on board - and she should never be allowed to fly with Cathay again.

Many passengers dream of spontaneously getting an upgrade for Business Class. Sometimes they are lucky, and the check-in staff offer a change from Economy Class free of charge.

However, this case shows how not to do it: A self-declared influencer has actively asked the airline Cathay Pacific for a free upgrade. More than 65,000 users follow Jaqueline Ng on Instagram. She flew from Taiwan to New York on May 30 and back on June 7.

On the outbound flight, the employees refused to upgrade Jaqueline, even though she showed an email in which Cathay Pacific allegedly promised her an upgrade. The influencer claims to have received the letter from a marketing employee of the airline, while the airline accuses Jaqueline of forging the email.

On the return flight, Jaqueline tried again to get an upgrade for the long-haul flight. This time, the woman is said to have shown the same mail, but with a different reference number. The employees at JFK airport were skeptical: They checked with the headquarters. And in fact, the employee from whom the mail allegedly originated denied the mail contact with Jaqueline. This was also confirmed by the mail system, in which the messages did not appear.

The airline employees at the airport cancelled Jaqueline's ticket and imposed a lifelong flight ban with Cathay Pacific. She had to buy a new flight ticket to Taiwan for 1,400 US dollars (around 1,280 euros).

With her case, the influencer turned to Elliot Advocacy, a company that represents consumer interests, because Cathay had reimbursed her for the price of her original ticket, but Jaqueline also demanded the cost of the new ticket back.

But as long as Jaqueline does not submit the metadata of the mail, the case remains clear: For Cathay, the influencer has committed fraud, she remains blocked for future flights. The airline's terms and conditions also state that it does not have to pay for the new flight. Jaqueline does not want to be satisfied with this - and now engages a lawyer.

Oil prices fell by more than a dollar within a very short time on Friday afternoon. Recently, a barrel (159 liters) of the North Sea variety Brent cost 61.83 US dollars - about 1.4 percent less than the previous day. The price of a barrel of the American variety West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fell by 1.3 percent to 55.77 dollars.

The trigger for the slide was a report by the Wall Street Journal about a ceasefire in Yemen. Saudi Arabia is said to have agreed to a ceasefire in four areas.

In mid-September, a drone attack on the oil facilities in Saudi Arabia brought five percent of global oil production to a standstill. The Houthi rebels allied with Iran in the civil war country of Yemen had claimed responsibility for the attacks. Saudi Arabia, like the US government, blames Iran. A ceasefire would defuse the political tension in the region.

If an agreement is actually reached, one can focus on growth and demand concerns, said Ole Hansen, head of the commodity strategy department at Saxo Bank of the news agency Bloomberg.

Oil prices are thus continuing their downward movement of the past few days. A week ago, a barrel of WTI oil cost almost 59 dollars, Brent almost 65 dollars.

Most recently, Bloomberg reported, citing insiders, that the repair work on oil plants in Saudi Arabia is progressing faster than expected after the attack in mid-September. According to the report, the production volume has reached a volume of eight million barrels per day and is moving back towards the original volume.

Recently, there have been several press reports citing insiders who report on the rapid progress of the state-owned oil company Saudi Aramco in the repair work. However, raw materials experts pointed out that Saudi Aramco is currently planning an IPO and wants to avoid negative headlines.

"At the same time, there was some relaxation in the conflict between Iran and Western countries: The British oil tanker ""Stena Impero"" is on its way to leave the port more than two months after the arrest by Iran and the recently granted release. The crew is now preparing for departure, while the ship is still at anchor, said shipping company boss Erik Hl nell in an SMS to Swedish radio on Friday morning."

However, the US announced that it would transfer defensive missiles and soldiers to the Iranian arch-enemy in Saudi Arabia. Fears of an escalation between the Islamic Republic and countries such as the US and Great Britain had at times driven oil prices up significantly in recent weeks.

"In the affair about possible abuse of power by US President Donald Trump, cover-up accusations have been made against the White House. Several leading government employees have made intensive efforts to prevent access to the wording of the conversation after a controversial telephone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the end of July, said an anonymous whistleblower. The speaker of the House of Representatives, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, explicitly accused the White House of ""cover-up."" Trump spoke of a ""witch hunt."""

North Korea has expressed doubts that the nuclear dispute will soon lead to a third summit between ruler Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump. According to the KCNA agency, top diplomat Kim Kye-gwan said on Friday that the sense and prospects for success of such a meeting are questionable due to the lack of progress in implementing agreements from the first summit in Singapore.

"The US has so far done nothing to implement the decisions of the summit last year, said the advisor to the North Korean State Department. He also criticized tougher US sanctions and the joint military manoeuvres of the US and South Korea. However, he hoped for a ""wise"" and ""courageous"" decision by Trump so that rapprochement could be restored."

Trump said on Monday that he wanted to know what a third summit with Kim would bring before he agreed to do so. Negotiations on disarmament of the North Korean nuclear and missile program have stalled since the failed second summit between Trump and Kim in Hanoi in February. In June, the two met in the demilitarized zone between the two Korean states. They agreed to revive the talks, but so far without great success.

"Dressed in a blue splinter protection vest, the British Prince Harry symbolically detonated and destroyed an explosive mine in Angola. Near a camp of the British Halo Trust near the town of Dirico, he produced the ignition circuit. The explosive device exploded at a safe distance. With a view to the goal of getting Angola mine-free by 2025, he later demanded in front of running TV cameras: ""I call on all the countries whose names are on these weapons, but who did not help to clear the way, to commit to help."""

In the face of an imminent interest rate cut, the pound is losing value against the euro.

Frankfurt Speculation on an imminent interest rate cut by the Bank of England (BoE) is weighing on the pound sterling. The British currency fell by up to 0.4 percent on Friday to 1.2269 dollars.

The sales were triggered by statements by central banker Michael Saunders, who brought an interest rate cut into the conversation, even if a chaotic Brexit could be averted, as the uncertainty will affect the British economy for the foreseeable future. This statement is surprising, as Saunders is considered an advocate of a restrictive monetary policy, said analyst Ricardo Evangelista from the brokerage house ActivTrades.

Last week, the Bank of England had already pointed out the burdens on the economy caused by the Brexit hickhack, without directly signalling an interest rate cut. Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants to lead his country out of the EU on October 31, if necessary, even without a divorce agreement.

More: The British Prime Minister has taken a high risk with his provocations, but it could pay off for him, says Handelsblatt editor Kerstin Leitel.

Material from the Moscow analysis laboratory is being manipulated - this is confirmed by David Howman, former director of the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) and current head of integrity of the World Athletics Association.

At the start of the World Championships in Athletics, new details about the doping scandal in Russia come to light - and they destroy the little credibility that Russian sport had regained at the beginning of the year and even to some extent. In January 2019, the Moscow doping laboratory finally delivered the required samples from 2012 to 2015 to the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada).

In December 2014, systematic fraud in Russian sport was revealed, whereupon the Wada banned the Russian anti-doping agency (Rusada) for three years. During this time, Russian athletes were not completely banned from the world stage. After individual testing at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio, the International Olympic Committee allowed around 270 athletes from the country to compete under a neutral flag, 168 Russian athletes were at the start at the Winter Games in February 2018. They were also allowed to take part in the World Cups in the various sports, and in the summer the World Cup even took place in Russia with the host.

The following September, the Wada lifted the Rusada ban, but demanded access to the laboratory and the samples in question. The data were to provide information about the extent of the cover-up of doping cases in state doping. They were to help punish athletes retrospectively. Three months later, they were finally delivered.

"The chairman of the Independent Integrity Commission (AIU) of the World Athletics Federation (IAAF) has now confirmed that the doping data from the Moscow analysis laboratory has been manipulated. ""Yes. We received the data nine months ago. We should check whether the task force has received the right data,"" said David Howman in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on Friday. ""We have identified numerous discrepancies between the data that the Wada received from a whistleblower and those that it received from the Russians in January."" Many positive findings were mentioned in the McLaren report."

This confirms the attitude of the IAAF: The athletics association is the only organization to remain under the spell of Russia. 30 Russian athletes are competing under a neutral flag at the World Championships in Doha. They had to prove that they are training outside the Russian system and undergo tests.

At the beginning of this week, the Wada had already exposed manipulations and called on Russia to respond to the accusations within three weeks. Russia is now threatened with the renewed suspension of the Rusada and, in the worst case, the exclusion from the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.