The large fire was put out at a chemical plant considered to be particularly hazardous and located in the northern French city of Rouen. This was reported by the prefecture of Normandy on Friday. The fire had broken out Thursday night. No one was injured during the incident. The fire department deployed around 200 fire engines.

Residents had been requested not to leave their homes. Buildings in a radius of 500 meters were evacuated, schools and kindergartens remained closed on Thursday. The chemical plant on the banks of the Seine manufactures additives for lubricants. The plant belongs to the company Lubrizol owned by US billionaire Warren Buffett and is subject to the so-called Seveso Directive of the EU, which stipulates particularly strict safety requirements.

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

For two months, a woman from Washington searched for her lost dog—and she quit her job to do it. The seven-year-old border collie took off out of a hotel room during a short vacation in Montana. There was no sign of the dog for 57 days, but Carole King wouldn't give up.

"""It was dreadful. It made me ill,"" Carole King told the ""Daily Inter Lake."" She and her husband had left the dog Katie in the hotel room while they went to dinner. When they returned to the hotel, Katie had disappeared. They looked for their pet in vain."

"Hoping that Katie was still somewhere in the hotel, Carole King went to the reception desk. ""The employee said, ‘She took off around four to four-and-a-half hours ago,'"" Carole King remembered when talking to the ""Daily Inter Lake."" Katie had run out when the automatic entry door opened. Loud thunder had presumably caused the dog to panic."

"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,"" said Carole King to the ""Daily Inter Lake,"" and quite her job as a postal worker to continue looking for Katie."

"Fifty-seven days after Katie's disappearance, Carole King got a call. A man answered and said that Katie was in his yard. But when King arrived, Katie had already run off again. She searched the neighborhood and suddenly saw her dog standing under a tree. ""I embraced her. I never wanted to let go,"" King remembered, according to the ""Daily Inter Lake."" ""The tears flowed. People stopped their cars, got out, and hugged us. I believe the whole neighborhood knew we had found her."""

Losses for the German Army: Machine Guns Disappear Without a Trace

"In recent years, the German Federal Army has lost numerous weapons and ten thousand rounds of ammunition. These include three machine guns. In most cases, their whereabouts are unclear. According to the opposition, this is an ""alarming"" extent."

"The German Army is continuing to lose weapons and ammunition, often without a trace. Since the beginning of 2014, the armed forces has registered a loss of 39 weapons, 39 weapon components, and almost 20,000 rounds of ammunition. This is revealed in a classified listing of the German Ministry of Defense on which the RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND) (""Editor Network Germany"") has reported."

According to the paper from the office of Defense State Secretary Peter Tauber of the CDU, two weapons, one weapon component, and 3,474 rounds of ammunition have resurfaced so far. The weapons and weapon components that are still missing include six MG3 machine guns, eleven G3 rifles, four G36 rifles, six signal pistols, and two P8 pistols. And 30 MG3 machine gun barrels are missing.

"The extent of the loss of weapons and ammunition by the German Army is ""alarming,"" said Martina Renner, a member of the Left party in the Bundestag. This is all the more true since hardly anything was found during the investigations. The politician from the Left party spoke of a ""poor balance sheet."" Renner criticized the fact that the listing did not make clear whether the disappeared ammunition included that which was found in connection with the investigations against the German Army officer Franco A., who is suspected of terrorism. ""And this, although a supporter of Franco A. was recently sentenced for the possession of this ammunition,"" said Renner."

More than two months after its determination by the Iranian authorities, the British oil tanker ‘Stena Impero' has left the port in the city of Bandar Abbas this Friday. As Refinitiv ship observation data showed, the tanker set in motion and left the Iranian port. Port Rashid in the United Arab Emirates was given as the destination port.

In practice, the tanker had already been released by the Iranian government on Monday, though it remained in Iranian waters for a time. The speech indicated that an official notification from Tehran was preferred.

On the 19th July, the ‘Stena Impero' had been accused by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in the Hormuz Strait of violating safety regulations. However, it was suspected that Iran was reacting to the controversial temporary determination of an Iranian oil tanker by British run Gibraltar.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important Straits in the world. In connects the Persian Gulf with the Indian Ocean. Much of the world's global oil exports are shipped through this strait. The tensions in the area had been escalating immeasurably during the past few months. Merchant shipping has been drawn into the conflict between USA and Iran. There have been several incidents with tankers and drones.

"Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel has praised the engagement of people in the GDR who took to the streets in the Peaceful Revolution 30 years ago. In the fall of 1989 courageous citizens toppled the East German regime, said Merkel at a ceremony held by the Thuringian branch of the CDU party in Erfurt marking the forthcoming Day of German Unity. The chancellor recalled events such as the occupation of the Stasi headquarters. ""The State Security police were deprived of their terror,"" she said."

Tesla's quarter may be record-breaking. Despite the boom in deliveries, the electric car company has seen losses recently.

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

Demand is so strong that Tesla was able to record 110000 orders, according to Musk's newsletter. The challenge is getting the cars to customers quickly. To do so, Tesla had to mobilize as many resources as possible at quarter-end.

Investors liked this: Tesla shares closed the day with a gain of over six percent. The price has not increased so much in almost four months. In the second quarter, Tesla delivered around 95,000 cars and hit its best value to date.

Musk needs records to achieve his ambitious goals. In 2019, he wants to deliver a total of 360,000 to 400,000 cars. The company would have to hit six-digit figures in the current and upcoming quarter to do so. The less expensive Tesla Model 3 is in particular demand, but its profit margins are low. There have been losses recently despite the boom.

There is a sort of a stopping brake in our cerebrum, preventing us from tickling ourselves. This was discovered by scientists at the Humboldt University in Berlin after conducting experiments on rats, as reported on Thursday. Progress was also made in answering the question as to why children resist tickling, only to ask for more later.

It was also determined why the mere approach of a tickling hand triggers laughter ever before contact. The reason can be found in a deep layer of the cerebrum which triggers laughter even through only expectation of tickling.

"According to the data, previous research has shown that rats react by ""laughing"" in the ultrasonic range when tickled by humans. This ""laughter"" travels through the part of the cerebral cortex, which is used for the central processing of haptic perception."

The laughter is suppressed when the touch originates from the person themselves.

Until now, it was assumed that the brain is able to tell the difference between the touch originating from oneself, as opposed to from others, which would explain why people cannot tickle themselves. The researchers from Berlin have now discovered, from their experiments on rats that laughter and the activity of the cerebral cortex is suppressed during self-touching. This is also true when animals clean themselves. However, when the touching and tickling was done by the scientists, the brain activities as well as the impulse to laugh increased.

And, if the self-touching and touching by another were to occur at the same time, the laughter is suppressed anyway. This indicated that the rat´s brain could not determine whether the touch came from itself or the scientists. The new findings explained that humans cannot tickle themselves because tickling triggers a stopping brake in the cerebrum.

The rats were taught to tickle themselves. They sometimes stopped this activity prematurely, displaying flight behavior or paralysis. This ambivalence is similar to the way children behave. The tickle ambivalence is a behavioral reaction that is found in rats and humans.

Catastrophe averted: Major fire at French chemical plant extinguished

The large fire was put out at a chemical plant considered to be particularly hazardous and located in the northern French city of Rouen. The prefecture of Normandy reported the incident to the AFP news agency on Friday. The fire broke out Thursday night.

According to information from officials, no hazardous material has escaped. The samples taken show no reason for alarm, said prefect Pierre-André Durand at a press conference Friday morning. No one was injured during the incident. The fire department deployed around 200 fire trucks.

Residents were asked not to leave their homes. Buildings within a radius of 1,650 feet were evacuated, and schools and kindergartens remained closed on Thursday.

Plant belongs to the company Lubrizol owned by US billionaire Warren Buffett

"The chemical plant on the banks of the Seine manufactures additives for lubricants. The plant belongs to the company Lubrizol owned by US billionaire Warren Buffett and is subject to the EU's ""Seveso Directive"", which stipulates particularly strict safety requirements. Around 400 people work at the plant."

The chemical plant has made headlines in the past—as in 2013, when methanethiol escaped via a leak and the entire area smelled of rotten eggs. In 2015, around 440 gallons of mineral oil flowed into the city's sewer system following an industrial accident.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's sister commented on his speech at the first session of Parliament after the forced shutdown was lifted on Wednesday evening. The Prime Minister threatened to lead the country out of the EU without an agreement on October 31 should Brussels not accept his demands for changes to the Brexit agreement. How he wants to achieve that is yet unclear.

"Speaking about Cox, who had worked to keep Britain in the European Union, the Prime Minister said: ""The best way to honor the memory of Jo Cox and bring this country together would be to get Brexit done."" Cox was murdered in 2016 by a right-wing extremist during the referendum vote."

"More than eight years after attacks in Oslo and Utöya with 77 deceased a memorial is unveiled in Norway on Saturday to honor the victims. The monument ""Jernrosene"" (English: the iron roses) consists of around 1,000 iron rose replicas. They are reminiscent of the roses which thousands of people brought to the Oslo Cathedral in the days and weeks after the attacks."

The project of artists Tobbe Malm and Tone Karlsrud is now to be unveiled in the same place—the roses were forged by people from all round the world, among them survivors and dependents of the victims. Prince Haakon and Princess Mette-Marit are expected to be present, amongst others, for the unveiling.

The right-wing terrorist Anders Behring Breivik had detonated a bomb in the Oslo government district on July 22nd, 2011, and then shot dozens of participants in a holiday camp on the Island of Utöya of a youth organization for the social democratic workers' party. In total 77 people were killed in the attacks.

"The UN General Assembly debate brought no solution in the Iran conflict. However, there is now one less problem. The British oil tanker ""Stena Impero,"" which had been held in Iran, was able to set sail again. It could be a piece of the puzzle in Iranian President Ruhani's plan for peace."

"The British oil tanker ""Stena Impero,"" which had been impounded in the Strait of Hormuz in Iran, is back in international waters. After being released by Iranian authorities, the ship is on its way to Dubai, according to the shipping company Stena Bulk."

"The ""Stena Impero"" left the harbor of Bandar Abbas, and the crew is now travelling to Dubai for medical exams, among other reasons, said the shipping company's CEO Erik Hånell. The ship left Iranian waters around noon. ""It's great that this is over,"" he said to the Swedish TV station SVT."

"The foreign ministry in London described the detainment of the ship as illegal. ""This is part of a pattern of attempts to compromise the freedom of the seas. We work with our international partners to maintain ship travel and international law,"" they announced on Friday."

The Iranian revolutionary guards impounded the tanker on July 19 under the pretext that it had violated maritime law in the Persian Gulf. Seven of the 23 crew members were already released at the beginning of September. The remaining 16 crew members are doing well under the circumstances, said Hånell. For the past ten weeks they have conducted themselves professionally in light of the difficult and grueling situation. The shipping company is now working to reunite them with their families as quickly as possible.

"The British government suspects that behind the impounding of the ""Stena Impero"" is a reaction to a similar incident in British Gibraltar: There, a supertanker with oil from Iran that was supposedly destined for Syria was detained at the beginning of July. According to the authorities, the delivery violated EU sanctions against the warring nation of Syria. The British were notified about the ship from the USA."

"Iran spoke of ""piracy"" and threatened that there would be consequences. The ""Adrian Darya-1"" was finally released in mid-August. London vehemently denied speculations that it was an exchange deal to get the ""Stena Impero"" released."

The Straits of Hormuz is one of the most important sea routes in the world. In connects the Persian Gulf with the Indian Ocean. Much of the world's global oil exports are shipped through this strait. The tensions in the area had been escalating immeasurably during the past few months. Merchant shipping has been drawn into the conflict between USA and Iran. There have been several incidents with tankers and drones.

Behind the tension between Teheran and Washington was the atomic conflict of the two nations. The Americans accuse the Iranian leadership of wanting to build nuclear weapons. Iran denies this. In 2018, the USA exited the international nuclear arms treaty that was to prevent Iran from building an atomic bomb while ending its political and economic isolation. Since then, the US government has pressured the leadership in Tehran with massive economic sanctions against the country to force a treaty that is stricter and expanded to other territories. So far, Iran has withstood that pressure.

"Due to the dispute surrounding the ""Stena Impero"" and further incidents with tankers in the Persian Gulf and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, the USA is working on a coalition for military protection of trade ships in the region."

"During the UN General Assembly in New York, Iranian President Hassan Ruhani presented a plan for security and peace in the Strait of Hormuz. With the initiative ""coalition of hope"" for the Persian Gulf, Iran wishes to ensure the security of ship travel in the Persian Gulf together with the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, without foreign protective powers."

India Builds a Better Future with its Protectionist Economic Policy

"India really was predestined to be the ""war profiteer."" In light of the punitive tariffs imposed by the American President Donald Trump against Chinese manufacturers, foreign producers in the People's Republic are forced to make new arrangements. In a UBS survey, CFOs of Asian firms that are considering relocating their production outside China name India as one of the best alternatives. And surely this involves more than the uncertainties of the Chinese-American trade war. With a giant pool of young workers and a domestic market of 1.3 billion consumers, India seems ideally situated to play a more significant role in the global, widespread production chain."

"But now Trump is focusing on India itself. Pejoratively called the ""Kingdom of the tariffs"" by warhorses in the White House, America withdrew trade incentives for 2000 products from the newly industrialized country at the beginning of June. The USA is charging India prohibitively higher tariffs and demands better market access for agricultural goods, mobile phones, spirits, motorcycles, and more."

On the world map of the trade war, the friction with India is little more than a sideshow. Moreover, America sees the world's largest democracy through the lens of a security policy. Delhi and Washington are united in their concern over China's claims to power in the southern Indian Ocean. This makes a volley of American tariffs against India appear unlikely. So India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who just entered his second five-year term, can feel safe.

But the problem lies elsewhere: The (empirically corroborated) proposition that open markets accelerate economic development has a difficult time in the socialist republic of India. Including under Modi. His zeal for reform mainly targets the bureaucratic insanity that suffocated any entrepreneurial spirit in the ethnically diverse country for far too long. Companies now obtain construction permits for buildings much faster. They profit from a better energy and traffic infrastructure, and a concise insolvency and bankruptcy law creates conditions for more rapid liquidation of companies with high debt that appear on their last legs.

The success of these efforts is apparent and can be measured in the pertinent rankings. From an economic standpoint, much in India took a turn for the better during Modi's first five years. But its trade policy did not. Eager to keep foreign suppliers from threatening companies with little international competitiveness, the national government has even set up new barriers.

"In the West, Modi wears a halo of the energetic reformer who radically regenerated his country's economy. This impression exists not least because the charismatic prime minister knows all too well what vocabulary pleases Western managers. Essentially, the ""India First"" advocate never wavers from a protectionist economic policy that keeps Indian companies from having to dispense with old-fashioned processes, although doing so would make them fit for global competition. Merchants that survive thanks to the isolation of their industries make up the core voters of Modi's nationalistic Bharatiya Janata Party and applaud this short-sighted policy."

The former President of France, Jacques Chirac, will reportedly be buried in Paris during the coming weeks. The former head of state will be buried on Monday in Montparnasse Cemetery to the south of the French capital, the AFP news agency reported in reference to the Chirac family. The burial will take place within an intimate family circle. According to media reports, a public funeral in the Dôme des Invalides was set for Sunday.

The competitors made it to the finish line. Dabo is the first secret hero of the World Athletics Championships.

His world title was already in sight, when heartwarming scenes played themselves out in Khalifa International Stadium. In the men's first 5000-meter run, Jonathan Busby from Aruba began to stagger dangerously. A good 300 meters before the finish line he was barely able to stay on his feet, walking in an unhealthy hunched posture, when Braima Suncar Dabo from the west African country of Guinea-Bissau suddenly linked arms with him and supported him for the last half round of the stadium to the finish line. After crossing the finish line, they both still had the strength to stop their moving wristwatch. As if the scene was not strange enough.

"""I just wanted to help him. Anyone in this situation would have done the same,"" Dabo said after running in a mixed zone, when he completely unexpectedly attracted the attention of the assembled journalists. First, he shyly evaded any mention of his heroic act. After all, he did try to set out his personal best and when he noticed, that this would be difficult, he decided just to support his fellow sufferer. In any case, he would only be proud to represent his country, which was invited for the World Championships by the World association. Under normal circumstances he would not even have been allowed to start. ""For this reason I am proud to walk for my country,"" he said."

He did this empathically on the evening—and much more intensely than he would have thought. Because this hero act will remain in public memory. Especially since Dabo gave his competitor Busby the finish line and volunteered for last place—a good five minutes after the Ethiopian Selemon Barega, who won this preliminary run. In the end, it was all of no use, because Busby who had been escorted to the finish line with a lot of propping up was disqualified precisely for that reason by the World Athletics Association.

"Dabo, who lives in Portugal and studies in Lisbon, had started to set a personal best at the World Championships in Doha. He succeeded in this with 18:10,87 minutes, which disappointed him. ""I wanted to walk in 17:55 minutes. I had already reached under 18 minutes previously. But only in training, where best times don't count."

Security measures have been strengthened in advance of possible anti-regime protests in Egypt. An increased police presence was observed in the center of Cairo on Friday. Several subway stations were closed and streets around the centrally located Tahrir Square were blocked off.

In the last few days, police had already increased road checks and searched the cell phones of passersby for messages and photos connected with the protests. Hundreds have been arrested, according to two non-government organizations.

"Last weekend there were protests involving hundreds and thousands of people in Cairo, Alexandria, Suez, and Mansura. These were aimed against the government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who has been accused of corruption and mismanagement by critics. There has not been such open protest against the political leadership in Egypt for years. The Egyptian property developer and actor Mohammed Ali, who lives in exile in Spain, triggered the demonstrations with video messages on Facebook and appealed for millions to march at central locations in the country this Friday. Ali is calling for a ""people's revolution."" To most young Egyptians, he is probably not considered one of the ""good ones"", as he raked in millions as a subcontractor for the army, but his messages are catching on."

The number of people arrested in connection with the protests continued to increase, according to two watch groups. The Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms (ECRF) counted more than 1,570 arrests by Friday. The Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR) as well as Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported more than 2,000 arrests. These figures have not yet been independently confirmed. The government did not confirm or comment on the numbers.

"Many people had been ""arrested arbitrarily just because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time,"" said HRW, citing the lawyers of detainees. According to their attorneys, accusations against those arrested range from ""spreading false information"" to membership of a ""terrorist organization."" In Cairo, Alexandria, and other cities, security forces, in uniform as well as civilian clothing, also arbitrarily questioned and searched passersby, according to HRW."

HRW also criticized the censorship in this North African country. It said the government in Cairo is blocking websites and social media in order to stop further protests against Sisi.

Online retailers: E-commerce companies should be able to donate returns more easily

To online retailers, many packages that are sent back are lost goods. Around 20 million returns end up in the garbage. But there is an alternative.

The Ministry of Finance has provided online retailers like Amazon and Zalando with a way to donate returned products instead of destroying them.

Companies will still have to pay the value -added tax on material donations, explained the Ministry in response to a question from Green Party members of the German parliament which was reported in newspapers from the Funke Media Group on Friday. However, retailers could understate the market value of unsaleable returns so that they would be required to pay little or no value-added tax.

Researchers from the University of Bamberg have determined that German shoppers return one in six online orders. Around four percent of these items—around 20 million products—then end up in the garbage. Under the current legal framework, it would cost companies additional money to donate them because financial authorities consider material donations to be a sale subject to value-added tax.

Green Party leader Katrin Göring-Eckardt urged Federal Minister of Finance Olaf Scholz (SPD) to clarify by decree that companies are permitted to value unsaleable products appropriately and donate them to charitable organizations. Companies must be assured that they will not be penalized for making donations. This applies to online retail as well as other businesses such as fashion outlets and home improvement stores.

Banksy Art to be Auctioned: There has Never Been a Better Time to Sell This Painting

"The famous work of street art star Banksy, ""Devolved Parliament,"" is to be auctioned soon."

"For Branczik, Banksy's work underscores ""the regression of the oldest parliamentary democracy in the world into tribalistic animalistic behavior."" Starting on Saturday, the painting is to be shown at Sotheby's in the British capital until it is sold on October 3. It is estimated to be worth 1.5 to two million euros."

"The work was first shown in 2009 in the Museum of Bristol in southwest Great Britain, where Banksy lives. This year, the artist showed the painting again—on the original Brexit date of March 29. For this occasion, the work, which was first entitled ""Question Time,"" was renamed ""Devolved Parliament."""

Recently, at the first session of the House of Commons, Prime Minister Boris Johnson exchanged blows with the opposition after a mandatory break he had imposed was repealed by the Supreme Court. Johnson wants to carry out Brexit (which has already been postponed twice) on October 31: without a treaty with the EU if necessary.

This is not the first time that Banksy, whose identity remains a secret, has gotten involved in the Brexit debate. In Dover, in southeast England, he painted a picture showing a man breaking a star of the European flag to pieces with a chisel. Every day, thousands of automobile drivers and other visitors see that work when they enter the United Kingdom.

"The fierce verbal attacks of the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson against Brexit opponents in parliament did not contribute to a climate of hatred, his top advisor believes. Compared to the election 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 are enjoying this. We are going to leave [the EU] and we are going to win."""

"In recent days, Johnson has vehemently attacked Brexit opponents in parliament and accused them of ""betraying"" the people, among other things. He dismissed as ""humbug"" accusations that he could be putting members of parliament in danger because they could then become the target of death threats."

Cummings said that the only way for calm to return would be if members of parliament decide to finally respect the British people's decision to leave the EU. It should come as no surprise that people are upset that Great Britain still has not exited the EU three years after the referendum.

"In view of the charged mood, even bishops of the Anglican Church called for restraint on Friday. ""We should speak to others with respect. And we should also listen."""

Pakistan's Prime Minister Khan demands UN intervention in Kashmir

With an emotional appeal to the UN, 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 Pakistan and India, both nuclear powers, is likely, Khan stated on Friday during the UN general debate in New York. ""When things are bad, one can hope for the best, but should be prepared for the worst"". The UN had a responsibility towards Kashmir. ""You should have prevented this""."

India and Pakistan have been involved in three wars since gaining independence from British colonial rule in 1947, and two of those wars were waged over the divided Kashmir region. Both countries with nuclear powers control a part of Kashmir and the third part belongs to China. At the beginning of August, India revoked the autonomy status of the Indian Kashmir region, and sharply increased tensions in its relations with Pakistan.

Protesters in Cairo are calling for the overthrow of Egyptian President el-Sisi.

The government is cracking down on the recent protests in Egypt. It permitted the use of live ammunition against the population, and more than 2000 people were arrested, joining the 60,000 political prisoners already in jail. Protesting in Egypt has never been without danger. But since General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi took power in 2013, the state apparatus has done everything in its power to prevent a scenario like the Arab Spring.

One of the triggers for the 2011 protests was the poor economic situation. Poverty, hopelessness, and the feeling of being stifled by their own government drove millions onto the streets. And that is one problem that the regime of el-Sisi cannot handle, no matter how hard they move against their opponents. The situation has even deteriorated.

Today, one third of Egyptian citizens live below the poverty line. Since 2016, Egypt's currency has lost more than half of its value, and the inflation rate has climbed to 10 percent. Anyone who wants to purchase a bottle of water at the supermarket must decide who they want to finance: Nestlé, Coca Cola, or the military. The latter is not only responsible for the oppression but is also the largest economic player. The military builds streets, houses, and soccer stadiums, produces food, and much more. That was also the case before el-Sisi. The Egyptian people have a great deal of experience with authoritative regimes, and the situation in the supermarket is nothing new. Things always become critical when large segments of the population struggle to buy even a bottle of water.

Tüv testing in the Terminal: BER boss: No more ‘showstoppers' for main city airports

For two months there were tests to see whether the complicated plant network at BER Fire Protection works interactively. The operators are satisfied with the progress. But the Tüv is not finished at the BER.

After large-scale Tüv tests in the Terminal of the future metropolitan airport, the operators have confirmed the planned opening in October of next year. This is certain, said supervisory board chief Rainer Bretschneider after a meeting of the control panel.

"Airport chief Engelbert Lütke Daldrup spoke about a successfully completed examination, but also said there are still defects to be worked through in the Terminal. ""We have a lot of detail topics, but we do not have a real showstopper."" He reassured us that before the launch there are still some buffers."

However, there are indications, that it will not take much longer to complete. The construction completion notice is to be submitted to the building authority during the first quarter of 2020, at the start of the year it had been predicted for this autumn.

"Hundreds of power cable defects still need addressing; the Tüv wants to check all of these by February. ""In order to create prognoses for the acceptance of flight operations, there has to continue to be intensive work on the defects,"" the written communication stated."

Lütke Daldrup said, that in many cases it's a matter of missing verification rather than new cables. There has also not been release for all dowelling on which the cables hang. The airport manager is expecting this to be available at the end of the year.

Also, the fire protection at the passage to the station under the Terminal is not satisfactory yet. There had already been problems leading the project into further crisis three years ago. This time it's about smoke barriers, which descend like a canvas during a fire, so that smoke does not spread. They go too far down. Therefore, 36 engines have to be exchanged. There will be new testing with hot gas smoke at the beginning of the year.

Problems with fire protection and further building defects such as planning errors have been delaying the opening of the airport for years. Originally it was meant to become operational in 2011. Since building started in 2006, the costs have risen by two billion to an expected approximation of 6.5 billion Euro for opening next year.

Because the amounts of passengers in Berlin have risen noticeably since then, those responsible are planning an expansion of the airport. For this reason, there is a special meeting of the supervisory board planned on October 18th, the Chairman Bretschneider announced.

The airport company is now looking for two new business directors. Finance boss Heike Fölster is changing to Deutschen Bahn next year, Personnel manager Manfred Bobke-von Camen retires next year, as Bretschneider informed us. He thanked Fölster. She put airport finances on a firm footing.

Chemnitz: Police arrest man for blowing up vending machines to get drugs

He needed money for drugs—so he blew up a load of vending machines in Chemnitz! Now the culprit is behind bars.

The number of cigarette and parking ticket machines blown up in Chemnitz and the region increased drastically over the past two years. Millions of euros' worth of damage was caused.

The police arrested a 33-year-old German following two detonations in Bürgerstrasse and Further Strasse in Chemnitz at the end of May.

"Police spokesman Andrzej Rydzik: ""In the course of investigations by Chemnitz Criminal Investigation Department into explosions in conjunction with a particularly serious case of theft, this is not the only suspicion related to the 33-year-old that was confirmed""."

Confronted with the new evidence, the 33-year-old Chemnitz resident has confessed to a total of eight offenses.

"Said the police spokesman: ""He evidently funded his drug habit with the proceeds."" The bomber detonated parking ticket machines in Bürgerstrasse four times between August 20, 2018 and May 31, 2019."

The vending machine bomber is now in custody awaiting trial. The police investigations into him are continuing.

It is conceivable that he was also responsible for blowing up further vending machines in Chemnitz and surrounding areas.

"The Lufthansa Group is radically changing its strategy for the Vienna Airport. Amid the price war with budget airlines such as Lauda, Wizz Air, EasyJet, and Level, the Lufthansa subsidiary AUA is taking on ""the commercial management of all Eurowings flights leaving Vienna,"" a press officer from Austrian Airlines confirmed to the APA on Friday. ""AviationNetOnline"" had made previous reports to that end."

"This will de facto dissolve the Vienna base of the Lufthansa budget airline Eurowings. Of the seven Eurowings flights currently existing, four will remain in Vienna. Beginning in January 2020, the AUA will take these over in a ""wet lease,"" which includes Eurowings personnel. In the future, three Eurowings jets will be stationed in Salzburg, which will fly from Salzburg and Innsbruck to vacation destinations as chartered planes. Routes from Vienna to Germany will be taken over by Eurowings Deutschland."

The Eurowings base in Vienna will be integrated into the AUA hub and network planning, the office explained. The flight times will be coordinated with those of connecting flights. The goal is to strengthen the hub in Vienna and expand the decentralized traffic from the federal provinces.

"As AviationNetOnline writes, Eurowings in Vienna still serves only as a ""production company"" for its sister company AUA. For example, Barcelona, Rome, and other cities would be served with an AUA flight number, but primarily with Eurowings machines. Although the board product will be adapted to that of Austrian Airlines, the pilots and flight attendants will come from Eurowings. The Eurowings flights starting under AUA flight numbers will reportedly no longer begin in Terminal 1, but in Terminal 3 like the AUA."

After the Niki bankruptcy, a price war has broken out at the Vienna Airport. The Ryanair subsidiary Laudamotion announced on Thursday that it would increase its fleet in Vienna to sixteen airplanes next summer. To that end, the Irish budget airline is sending four Ryanair planes and crews to Vienna; this will also be done through a wet lease, which has been criticized by the trade union as a construct for bypassing the collective agreement.

"The challenge laid down by Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary—that Lauda will have overtaken AUA in five years—was countered on Friday by Andreas Otto, the CCO of AUA: ""We will remain number one at that location after five, six, or ten years."""

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

Wonderful news from the British royals: On their trip to Italy at the beginning of the month, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi (34) is said to have asked his girlfriend Princess Beatrice (31) for her hand in marriage. This was announced by the palace on Thursday.

"""We are extremely happy to be able to share the news of our recent engagement. We are both so excited to be embarking on this life adventure together and can't wait to be married,"" the couple officially announced, having been together since October 2018 according to British media reports."

"They continued: ""We share so many similar interests and values and we know this will stand us in great stead for the years ahead, full of love and happiness."""

Her sister, Princess Eugenie (29), took the official engagement photos, and also published them on her Instagram account.

The marriage is set to take place in 2020. The palace will announce more detailed information on the date, location, and everything else in the coming months.

One thing is certain, however: The wedding of the ninth in line to the British throne and the real estate mogul will be a celebration as large as Eugenie's marriage to Jack Brooksbank (33) on October 12, 2018.

Smoking, being overweight, unhealthy diet—there are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. But what actually triggers heart failure or a heart attack? Hamburg researchers now want to take a precise look at the DNA of 9,000 healthy and sick people.

By analyzing the DNA of 9,000 people, researchers from Hamburg and Switzerland are attempting to find out exactly what causes cardiovascular diseases.

The research project is the largest of its kind in the German-speaking world, announced the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) on Friday. The Kühne Foundation is supporting the initiative with €12.5 million. In Switzerland, the Hochgebirgsklinik Davos Hospital, which belongs to the foundation, and the University Hospital of Zurich are participating.

Being overweight, smoking, and an unhealthy diet are among the key influenceable risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Genetic factors also contribute to the risk. The interaction between genes and external influences is not yet sufficiently understood, they say. Researchers now want to compare the entire DNA of 8,000 healthy people with that of 1,000 former patients of the University Heart and Vascular Center at UKE.

Currently, more than 4,000 of almost 20,000 relevant human genes are known to cause DNA changes—called mutations—that lead to heart disease, according to the clinic. Approximately 200 are added each year.

Those behind this five-year project say its goal is to develop new options for preventing, detecting, and treating cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac failure, and cardiac arrest. The data could also be of use when researching other common diseases, says Stefan Blankenberg, Director of the University Heart and Vascular Center. New findings may be made on the interaction between the heart and brain, the heart and nerves, as well as cancers.

Chairman of the Kühne Foundation, Klaus-Michael Kühne (82), also stressed the firm intention to use the data to study other diseases also. The foundation's clinic in Davos has primarily treated allergies to date. The medical campus there will now include a Center for Cardiovascular Precision Medicine and employ a professor of bioinformatics. Explaining his commitment to the project, the logistics entrepreneur, who lives in Switzerland, said that he had open-heart surgery three years ago in Hamburg and is very grateful.

The biomaterial of healthy participants comes from citizens of Hamburg who were also taking part in the Hamburg City Health Study. At 45,000 test subjects, this is the largest local healthy study in the world, according to information from the clinic. Researchers affirmed that the protection of anonymous data would be strictly ensured when deciphering the DNA. There will be a petabyte (1000 terabytes) of data, said Holger Moch from the University Hospital of Zurich.

Today, a person's DNA can be deciphered within 24 hours, according to UKE. The purely material costs for this amount to €1,300. The first genetic sequencing in the world, whose results were published in 2001, cost several hundred millions of euros. The study is set to begin on October 1, and all 9,000 subjects are to be analyzed by the end of 2020. The initial results are expected in the following year.

"In Nigeria, the police freed more than 300 mistreated and abused boys from a Quran school. According to information from local residents, security forces searched the school in the town of Kaduna in northern Nigeria and discovered the victims, some of whom were still minors, according to police spokesman Yakubu Sabo. ""The victims were mistreated. Several of them claimed to have been raped by teachers"", stated Sabo."

"The boys had been held captive under the pretext of being taught and ""improved"" in the Quran. In actual fact, the students were imprisoned by their teachers in ""the most degrading and subhuman conditions"", said Sabo. Around a hundred students, including nine year old children were chained up in a small room."

According to the statements, the Quran school existed for about ten years. The residents had repeatedly pointed out incidents in the institution to the authorities. The parents were shocked as they learned of the state of the Quran school, stated Sabo. They had no knowledge of the suffering their children were being put through. The manager and six employees were arrested, according to the police.

There are many private Quran schools in the predominantly Muslim northern Nigeria. They often replace the insufficient state institutions. The people of the region are often subjected to attacks by armed gangs. According to the UN Refugee Agency, more than 40,000 people have fled across the border to the neighboring country of Niger in the past ten months.

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

"Police in a school in the north of Nigeria have freed almost 400 students from horrific circumstances. ""Many of them were chained up and had visible injuries indicating torture,"" said police representative Yakubu Sabo in the city of Kaduna."

"After a tip-off, Children had been discovered in an Islamic school on Thursday. The conditions there are said to have been ""inhuman."" The employees arrested the headmaster and six teachers after the rescue mission."

The children, all of them boys, had been kept like slaves and put in chains. Some of them had been sexually abused. Television pictures showed emaciated and injured students in a recognizably bad health condition.

The Best FIFA Football Awards: More reproaches after Messi´s and Klopp´s freestyle

At a gala in Milan, the World Football Association Fifa honors the best male and female player, and the best coach of the year. This is Messi´s sixth award and a record.

After Nicaragua's captain declared that he had never voted in The Best FIFA Football Awards, reproaches are reaching FIFA from other countries. Egypt was not rated at all—due to a curious reason.

There were several objectionable points at Fifa in recent years: the World Cup awards, president Gianni Infantino´s dubious plans, the general behavior of various corrupt officials. So far, however, The Best FIFA Football Awards have not been suspected of being unfair—apart from the fact that the voting national coaches and national team captains of the member associations often vote according to likeability rather than voting objectively.

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

"Fifa apologized with the statement that ""the signatures on the election forms were in capital letters and therefore not valid"". The Egyptian association had been contacted several times to clarify the situation, but so far no reply has been received."

There has also been an outcry from Sudan regarding the awards. While the situation is understandable in Egypt's case, the Sudanese association claims that coach Zdravko Lugarisic did not vote the way it was ultimately scored: with Lionel Messi in first place, Virgil van Dijk in second and Sadio Mané in third. According to Fifa, however, this was the submitted vote, with signatures and the official stamp of the Sudanese association.

"Nicaragua's captain Juan Barrera had also made accusations: ""I haven´t voted in the #TheBest2019 Awards. All entries on my vote are untrue, thank you"", he wrote. In his case it was suspected that the Nicaraguan Football Association had simply voted on his behalf."

"The association sent out a message on Friday: This is true, but it was of, course, not done on purpose. The completed documents were ""mistakenly"" marked with the name and signature of Juan Barrera, the captain of the Nicaraguan selection, according to a message from the association. The person who actually voted was the second captain, Manuel Rosas. ""We take responsibility for the administrative error,"" the message said. Both Rosas and team coach Henry Duarte had voted for Messi,however, ""just as the official FIFA list indicates""."

Fifa is now investigating the other cases, but stresses that the process was supervised externally by the consulting company PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Until then, Lionel Messi remains the undisputed winner of The Best FIFA Football Awards—and Jürgen Klopp World Coach of the Year.

The Ukraine scandal: High-ranking Republicans support official investigation

"Two high-ranking republicans have spoken out in support of an investigation against the US President and party member Donald Trump. ""I believe the investigation is important"", stated the republican governor of Vermont Phil Scott. ""Where the investigation goes from here will be determined by the established facts"". He wanted to know more about scandal before taking any action. The impeachment procedure can lead to the removal of the President from office."

"Scott stated he was not surprised by the discoveries. It was revealed that during the telephone call, Trump had repeatedly urged the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate the activities of democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden in Ukraine. Scott stated that Trump had been watching Biden ""for years""."

The republicans have so far withheld their criticism of Trump regarding the whistleblower scandal and only a few expressed concern. Scott's statements are the first sign of these concerns within Trump's party. The moderate Governor of Virginia, has already pushed back against Trump's policy multiple times, such as when he opposed loosening environmental regulations and increasing immigration requirements.

"Charlie Baker, Governor of Massachusetts, is another high-ranking republican who spoke out in favor of the investigation. ""This is a deeply disturbing situation"", said Baker. ""It is the right course of action and the responsibility of Congress to investigate the situation and get to the bottom of it""."

"As governors, Scott and Baker have no right to formally participate in the proceedings against Trump, as the decision will be made by the Congress. Their statements therefore bear symbolic significance. Nevertheless, the first Republican Senators have expressed criticism regarding the situation. Mitt Romney, the Utah representative in the second chamber of Parliament, stated that the case was ""extremely disturbing, deeply disturbing"". In addition, the US media report the first internal rifts have appeared amongst the Republicans."

This scandal could result in the initiation of the impeachment proceedings against Trump, the Democrats in the House of Representatives have already announced an investigation. He was accused of abusing power for the purpose of gaining foreign influence for his own political benefit.

There is no exact schedule regarding the impeachment procedure. The Democrats could call for impeachment due to holding the majority in the House of Representatives. However, the decision regarding an actual removal from office would be made in the Senate, where Trump's Republicans hold the majority. Therefore, such a procedure has low chances of success. To date, no US President has been removed from office through an impeachment procedure.

Three men have been arrested in Sicily who are alleged to have tortured and murdered people in Libyan refugee camps.

The German captain, Carola Rackete (31), was arrested in June after she made an unpermitted stop in the port of Lampedusa with the rescue ship Sea Watch 3 and 53 Libyan refugees on board. Following fierce protests and international criticism—including from Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen—her house arrest was lifted by Italian judges after just a few days.

"There are now new serious allegations against Rackete. She may have helped the three men, who are accused of torture at Libyan refugee camps, enter Italy on the Sea Watch 3. The suspects were taken into custody at a reception center in Messina (Sicily) after migrants recognized their torturers in Italy. ""We cannot rule it out, but we have no precise information,"" said Sea Watch spokesman, Ruben Neugebauer, to German news agency dpa."

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

"NGOs and aid organizations are now indicating that they are unable to know precisely who boards the ships. ""We cannot scan to see who the people are. They come without passports,"" said Neugebauer. Torture is one of the main reasons that people flee Libya, he added, so it is very probable that perpetrators are also on the ships. ""It is therefore very important that we keep track of this""."

Italy's conservative former Minister of the Interior, Matteo Salvini, called for Rackete, who is still under investigation in Italy for aiding and abetting illegal immigration, to make an immediate apology.

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

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

Demand is so strong that Tesla was able to record 110,000 orders, according to Musk's newsletter. The challenge is getting the cars to customers quickly. To do so, Tesla had to mobilize as many resources as possible at quarter-end.

The USA's new financial year will begin on October 1 without a proper budget. On Thursday, the Senate followed the House of Representatives and ratified temporary financing until November 21.

Although the American Congress and President Donald Trump agreed in August to raise the expenditure ceiling for financial years 2020 and 2021, the United States is once more facing the new fiscal year, which begins on October 1, without a spending plan. On Thursday, the Senate followed the House of Representatives and ratified temporary financing (Continuing Resolution, CR) until November 21. Without such a decision, a shutdown (a partial closure of the federal administration) would have occurred on Monday at midnight. President Trump still has to set the decision into effect.

The federal administration will now be temporarily financed on the level of, and according to, the priorities of the spending plans for the financial year 2019, which ends on Monday. This is because Congress was unable to agree in time on the 12 spending bills that allocate the funds to the various departments and government agencies. For the time being, therefore, the federal government cannot profit from the spending framework, which has been expanded from 1.3 billion to 1.4 billion.

The Democrats in the House of Representatives, where they hold the majority, have completed ten of the twelve bills. The spending bills reflect the Democrats' priorities, however, which have little chance in the Republican-dominated Senate. Vice versa, the Senate has also more or less prepared ten of the twelve spending plans, which will hardly be able to receive a majority of votes.

Opinions differ most sharply on allocating resources for domestic security and border security. In the Senate, the Republicans are obviously attempting to force an allocation of twelve billion dollars to build the wall: one of President Trump's biggest priorities. The Democrats oppose the plans to construct the wall, as well as its financing, which is actually earmarked for other military buildings and projects. The dispute over the building of the wall had already escalated in December of 2018 and led to a 35-day showdown.

It's currently unclear how the parties will come together on this issue. An extension of the transition financing past November 21 is more probable than an agreement on all twelve spending bills in the coming seven weeks. And a shutdown at that time is not out of the question.

Since Congress still cannot agree on the twelve spending bills in time, which risks a shutdown, ideas for automating the process are gaining in popularity. Bill S.1877—Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2019 would automatically continue the financing of the federal administration at the level of the previous year, prevent travel activities from the members of Congress, and withhold their wages until the new annual spending plans were submitted.

In France artificial insemination is intended to be usable by single women and lesbians in future. The Paris National Assembly voted by a large majority for a government bill that would allow all women to benefit from in vitro fertilization. This means the demand for anonymous sperm donors is expected to increase noticeably.

"The submission still requires the Senate's approval. In the emotional debate lasting three days, right-wing critics had warned that in future countless ""fatherless children"" would be raised. The French Bishops Conference has also objected to this innovation."

"The new regulation is part of a bioethics law that Health Minister Agnès Buzyn defended as a ""chance"" for society. It models the modern family as it only gives children to single or homosexual parents. According to them, the costs for artificial insemination for all women are to be covered by social security."

Insemination with sperm of deceased husband continues to be forbidden

"The National Assembly, on the other hand, rejected an application for amendment permitting widows to have access to their dead husband's sperm for the purposes of artificial insemination. In Belgium, Spain and Great Britain ""post-mortem"" artificial insemination is allowed. In Germany there have been cases in the past where women complained in vain about not having access to the sperm of the deceased. The opponents of this infringement argued that a child conceived in this way would bear a ""particularly heavy fate."""

"Numerous members of the ruling party La République en Marche (The Republic on the Move, LREM) belonging to President Emmanuel Macron and deputies of the opposition party had, on the other hand, spoken out in favor of artificial insemination with sperm of a deceased spouse. They emphasized a widow would be bearing the ""double bereavement"" if the death of her husband meant her wish for a child would remain unfulfilled."

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

Until now artificial insemination in France has only been allowed for heterosexual partners, who cannot have children. They must be married or have lived together for at least two years. Buzyn had already announced in summer, that surrogacy continued to be unlawful.

In Germany artificial insemination is in theory available to all women, but for singles and lesbian couples this continues to be a problem.

Compensation payment for climate: Calls for university drop-offs are getting more pronounced.

There is a lot of flying at university. This has prompted the country to take steps to apply a climate tax there, too. The principals say they do not have money for this. But now they are coming under pressure internally as well.

Universities are to be included in limiting their use of flying. Photo: dpa/Julian Stratenschulte

The discussion adjourned before summer holidays about a climate charge on flights used by universities and high schools is back in full swing. After the State Rector's Conference reacted skeptically to a corresponding violation by the green-black coalition, plans are only receiving support from high schools. In a joint statement, doctoral students of six universities from Baden-Württemberg and a teachers' college pledged for compensation for business flights. This first step would be ‘urgently needed', at the same time there should be a wide debate about the avoid-ability of flights, their statement says. The cabinet shut down originally planned in July has been put on ice, because the CDU has not yet approved the submission handed in by the Green Party.

The FSB secret service reports that the detainees had fished unlawfully in Russian waters. Ten days earlier, 161 fishermen from North Korea had been arrested, with an exchange of gunfire between border guards and the boat crew. Three Russians and one North Korean were wounded, the North Korean fisherman later dying from his wounds. But this time there were no injuries, it is reported.

Communist North Korea suffers from a chronic food shortage. The North Korean fishermen were in Russian waters for that reason. The Russian coast guard reports that it patrols these waters to protect Russia's maritime biological resources.

During the repeated inspections, 30,000 squid were discovered in the boats and confiscated. Three trawlers and two motor boats are also reported to have been confiscated and taken to Nakhodka and Posyet near Vladivostok.

Following complaints from Russian companies, Russia's fishing authority did not issue any fishing licenses to the North Koreans this year. According to media reports, thousands of fishermen from North Korea have been detained in Russian waters this year.

Georgy Martynov, president of the Primorye Fisheries Association in the Primorye region in the far east, also complained recently of the extensive environmental damage caused by the North Korean fishermen. They used close-meshed synthetic nets that are banned in Russia. These also remove tiny creatures from the sea. Furthermore, the nets had simply been discarded in the sea, where they would take 200 years to disintegrate.

No More Than 18,000 in the Future: The USA Lowers its Refugee Cap

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

The richest land on Earth closes itself off to those seeking protection: As confirmed by the US State Department in Washington, the cap for the legal influx of refugees will be reduced further. In the future, primarily threatened believers and Iraqis will receive asylum.

Once more, the US government wants to reduce the already historically low cap for taking in new refugees. In financial year 2020, which in the United States runs from October 2019 to September 2020, no more than 18,000 people will be allowed into the country, declared the US State Department. In the financial year that is now almost over, the limit still lies at 30,000 people.

In recent years, the government of President Donald Trump has drastically lowered receptiveness for those seeking protection from all over the world. Under the previous administration of Barack Obama, far higher admission limits applied.

"The planned cap of 18,000 refugees would be the lowest since the US refugee program was introduced in 1980. Nevertheless, the State Department designated the USA the ""most compassionate and generous nation in history"": a wording that smacks of the parlance of the current US President."

"""Dealing responsibly"" with refugees means making it possible for the refugees to return to their home countries to help with reconstruction there, Trump declared. He has received strong support from his adherents for his hard-line immigration policy, but also massive criticism."

A huge point of dispute is the border with Mexico, which Trump wants to seal off. To be able to finance the construction of a border wall, Trump has declared a national state of emergency. Whether there is a temporal connection between the current measures and current domestic political developments in the US capital is unclear. Trump is now under pressure due to the Selenskyj affair and possibly imminent impeachment proceedings.

According to the State Department, the US government wishes to concentrate on two groups of refugees in the future: People who are being persecuted because of their faith, and Iraqis who helped the US military in that nation and have thereby become endangered, the State Department has explained. On the other hand, a maximum of 1500 refugees from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador are to be added.

"The USA wants people from this ""northern triangle"" of Central America to apply for asylum in another country. In light of this fact, the United States entered into immigration treaties, first with Guatemala and now with El Salvador and Honduras as well, to stem the flow of immigration to the southern US border with Mexico."

"By request of the Argentine justice system, an orangutan female has been relocated from the former Buenos Aires zoo to a sanctuary for great apes in the USA. ""Sandra,"" born in 1986 in Rostock Zoo was awarded the rights of a non-human person, which classes her release as urgent. The animal was shipped to Dallas on Thursday evening by direct flight—however not as a passenger, but in the cargo hold, as explained by lawyer Andrés Gil Domínguez."

"As the human ape weighing 53 kg is not in a position to adapt to a life in the wild, she will live in an open-air enclosure in the Center for Great Apes in Florida in future. There are already 21 other orangutans and 31 chimpanzees there, among them ""Bubbles,"" Michael Jackson's former pet. Before moving to Florida, however, ""Sandra"" must endure a 40-day quarantine in Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita in the US state of Kansas."

After the night of her birth in Rostock, ‘Sandra' spent a few years in the former Ruhr zoo in Gelsenkirchen, before being transferred to Buenos Aires in 1995. The animal welfare process in 2014 regarding ‘Sandra's' fundamental rights has played a part in the fact that the zoo in Buenos Aires has been transformed into an eco-park. By 2023 a research and educational center to preserve biodiversity is to be created there.

Record for Swiss extreme mountain-climber: 1,800 feet in 46 minutes.

The extreme climber Dani Arnold has set a new record climbing the almost 10,000-foot-high Grosse Zinne in the Italian Alps.

Without a net, false floor, or other aids, the Swiss climber tackled the 1,800-foot-high north face of the Grosse Zinne in a new record time.

Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt and assisted only by an absolute absence of dizziness, Arnold needed 46 minutes and 30 seconds to complete the climb, He beat the previous record by almost 19 minutes.

Arnold is now the free solo speed record-holder in four of the six most important European north faces.

"Despite the trade conflict with China, the US sports goods manufacturer Nike has achieved a significant profit increase. Nike´s net income increased in the past quarter to 1.4 billion dollars (almost 1.3 billion euros). The Group stated this was 25% more than in the same period last year. This is the result of the new marketing strategy ""Nike Direct"" which puts the Adidas competitor Nike in direct communication with its customers."

Sales rose to $10.7 billion in the three-month period at the end of August. The greatest increase in Nike sales was in China with a growth of 22 percent. The Group from Beaverton, Oregon also profited from its approach of addressing consumers directly via the Internet or smartphone apps in China.

"Chief financial officer Andy Campion announced that Nike would continue to drive the ""digital transformation"" of the sporting goods manufacturer with strategic investments, thereby increasing its competitive advantage. The investors reacted positively to the quarterly figures as the shares rose by more than five percent."

"The Italian football club AS Roma has given a fan a lifetime ban on entering the stadium for making racist comments about professional footballer Juan Jesus. The Brazilian defender was insulted by the fan on Instagram. Jesus then published the private messages and called on his club to take action. ""@officialasroma you know what you should do with a fan like this. #NoToRacism. I'm proud of who I am,"" wrote the 28-year-old who has played for AS Roma since 2016."

The club reacted late on Thursday, reporting the fan's Instagram account to the police. In addition, the Roma supporter can never attend a club match again, the club tweeted.

"Racism is a problem in Italian football. Fans regularly chant racist insults against the black players of opposing teams. ""We can't have any racism in society or in sport. The situation in Italy has not improved, and that is very serious. Those responsible must be identified and thrown out of the stadiums,"" FIFA president Gianni Infantino said over the weekend. His statement was the result of racist chants during the first league match between Atalanta Bergamo and ACF Fiorentina last Sunday."

But there have also been discussions recently about Juventus fans in Turin. The Italian authorities have imposed stadium bans on 38 rampaging supporters of the record-holding Juventus. Four of them are not allowed to return to the stadium for ten years, the police said. The remainder have been banned for four to ten years.

The supporters are linked with ongoing investigations into twelve ringleaders of extremist fan groups related to Juventus. The twelve are suspected of crimes including aggravated extortion, money-laundering, and domestic violence. The club initiated the investigations by filing a complaint last year.

"According to Italian media reports, the extremist ringleaders are involved in the illicit ticket trade. They are said to have ""exercised military control"" over ticket sales to fans and blackmailed Juventus employees in order to get hold of cheaper tickets."

Millennials are narcissistic, Generation Z is political—entire age categories are given catchy names. But if you look closely, the labels are steeped in contradictions. How well do these labels describe young peoples' perspective on life?

"""The Crabs are Coming!"" With this cry, the crab hunt at Gucheng Lake in Gaochun officially began on September 21, kicking off the opening ceremony of the nineteenth China Gaochun Gucheng Lake Crab Festival, as announced by the Department for Publicity Work of the Nanjing-Gaochun District Committee."

"Gaochun, which forms the southern edge of Nanjing in the Jiangsu province, is a national environmental zone. It's the first international ""Slow City"" in China and the Chinese headquarters of the international ""Slow City"" movement. From an ecological standpoint, the city can boast ideal conditions, with a mixture of ""30 percent mountains, 20 percent water areas, and 50 percent fields."" Gaochun's generous natural environment offers its inhabitants all the prerequisites for becoming wealthy."

The citizens of Gaochun started farming crabs in the early 1990s. Crabbing eventually turned into a formative industry bringing high revenues and became an important part of Gaochun's economic development. In recent years, Gaochun has actively developed crab farming on a large scale in terms of ecology, the economy, and technological support. And the city has focused on the farmers' income, and on making agriculture more efficient.

"In recent years, Gaochun has promoted a reform to ""distribute power while optimizing the administration and government services"" and diligently established the service network for ""permits in one location, a law enforcement team, a network for services, and a platform for extending loans."" This will allow the city to comprehensively optimize the environment for permits, services, and development."

"Gaochun is exploiting local advantages by connecting to southern Jiangsu and southern Anhui and using the development zone and its position as an international ""slow city"" as a flagship for enticing intelligent high-end production operations; companies for biomedicine and medicinal technology, saving energy and protecting the environment; companies from the cultural and health sectors; and businesses for ecological agriculture that lead the ""3+2"" sector to settle here. At the same time, Gaochun has promoted the formation of a national tourism zone that includes all areas, as well as nationally prominent tourist resorts. To that end, the Gaochun region's ecological and cultural resources have been integrated, the state of buildings for civil services and for public service comprehensively improved, the areas of ""tourism +"" and ""+ tourism"" energetically further developed, and the development of cultural tourism brought to a high level of quality. Gaochun definitely has a future worth looking forward to."

Conflict between Iran and USA: Ruhani talks about the end of sanctions—Trump disagrees

The Iranian president Hassan Ruhani has spoken after his return from the UN General Assembly about a supposed offer by the USA to lift sanctions. In return for discussions with the Tehran leadership, the United States had put an end in sight for all sanctions, Ruhani explained on his official internet page.

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

"Ruhani describes the event thus: Chancellor Merkel, The British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the French President Emmanuel Macron had been present in New York and had insisted that there should be a meeting. ""And America says, I will lift the sanctions,"" added Ruhani. The type of punitive measures that were to be ended was under debate. ""And they clearly said that they will lift all sanctions."""

"However, this move was not made in an acceptable manner, Ruhani lambasted. In the face of the punitive measures in place and the ""poisoned atmosphere of maximum pressure,"" no one could predict the outcome of negotiations."

At the start of the week, Chancellor Angela Merkel had met with Mr Ruhani in New York. The backdrop was the hope of Europeans' hope of rescuing the Iran nuclear agreement they had negotiated with China and Russia. This is intended to deter the Islamic Republic from developing nuclear weaponry. France's president Emmanuel Macron had, like Merkel commented on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, that Ruhani will meet with US president Donald Trump.

After western Turkey was shaken by two earthquakes within a short time, fears of a disaster are growing. 34 people were injured in the quake on Tuesday. Since the quake the day before, there have been almost 200 aftershocks, said Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay on Friday. This is fueling fears of a disaster.

14 schools in Istanbul have been closed for safety reasons, said Oktay. He also reported that hundreds of buildings had been damaged. On Thursday, the 5.8-magnitude earthquake shook the Marmara region, which includes Istanbul, and triggered panic in the metropolis with its millions of inhabitants. The government now intends to set up a commission to better prepare the country for earthquakes in the future, Oktay announced.

Turkey has been ill-prepared for earthquakes for 20 years, said Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. The latent danger has been repeatedly ignored in the city itself. Poorly constructed buildings collapse every year—some already weakened by the many minor quakes that regularly shake Istanbul.

For years, city planners such as well-known architect Mücella Yapici have warned that the large open spaces created in the city center as places of refuge have been built on. Only on the 20th anniversary of the Gölcük quake in August did the Chamber of Civil Engineers of Istanbul warn that an estimated one million buildings in the city are not earthquake-proof.

Disaster and Emergency Management Authority AFAD said the epicenter of Thursday's quake was in the Sea of Marmara off the coast of the Silivri district and at a depth of about 4.3 miles. A smaller quake a few minutes later caused even greater panic in the streets.

The mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu tweeted that there had been no initial reports of injuries or damage. The state TV channel TRT showed people fleeing their houses in panic. In the district of Silivri, schoolchildren were evacuated from buildings for safety reasons. Pictures showed some of the schoolchildren crying.

Istanbul is especially prone to earthquakes. A section of the North Anatolian Fault, which marks the border between the Eurasian and Anatolian plates, runs beneath the Sea of Marmara. Turkey is repeatedly shaken by earthquakes. One of the deadliest happened near Istanbul in 1999. More than 17.000 people lost their lives at that time.

Researchers fear that there could be a quake with a magnitude of between 7.1 and 7.4. But when it will happen is not clear. Thursday's quake again struck the western part of the country and Istanbul.

"Companies are drawing up emergency plans, private citizens have deposited ""go-bags"" packed with necessities outside their doors, and schools are teaching children how to behave when the earth quakes. When the next big quake will happen is not clear."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after his return from New York that eight people had been injured. A few buildings had suffered minor damage. The Mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu monitored developments from Istanbul's Catastrophe Coordination Center (Akom). He reported that two minarets of mosques in the districts of Avcilar and Sariyer had collapsed.

Many social media users are reporting panic. Buildings trembled. Schools and hospitals were evacuated. Telephone lines were severed. It was stronger than the quake on Tuesday, one user wrote. On Twitter, Kerem Klinik, President of Turkish Red Crescent, warned of aftershocks. He called on people to keep away from buildings that had suffered visible damage.

The time of the quake is officially given as 1:59 p.m. local time. According to CNN Turkey, only a few minutes after the first quake, an aftershock measuring 4.0 on the Richter scale occurred.

On Tuesday, a magnitude-4.6 earthquake shook the Marmara region that was felt as far away as Istanbul. Disaster and Emergency Management Authority AFAD said the epicenter of this quake was also in the Sea of Marmara to the west of the capital.

It was not the only quake to hit the headlines this Tuesday. Pakistan was also affected by a severe quake.

Researchers believe there could be a disastrous earthquake in Istanbul at some point—there is extreme tension between the two tectonic plates. Scientists believe the tension will discharge one day—causing massive damage.

"Earthquake researcher Sükrü Ersoy thinks the latest earthquake is an early warning. It has made a disaster more likely, he told CNN Turkey. ""This could be a sign of a bigger earthquake,"" Ersoy told CNN. ""The big quake will come sooner or later""."

A minor quake a few weeks ago caused major concern in Istanbul. In Albania, there was a strong earthquake only a few days ago, with 68 people injured. The earth also shook by Lake Constance this year.

Two controversial documents provide new fuel in the Ukraine affair regarding US president Donald Trump's possible abuse of power. US democrats feel strengthened towards a possible impeachment procedure. The complaint filed by an anonymous whistleblower about Trump and his controversial phone-call with the Ukrainian president provided important clues for investigations against the president. Even Trump himself once more feels like a victim of a witch hunt. He also doubted the credibility of the whistleblower.

A United Airlines flight was diverted because a passenger was locked in the onboard toilet. The bathroom door was blocked during Flight 1554 from Washington to San Francisco, the airline announced according to US media.

The woman was finally freed from the narrow cabin during an unplanned stopover in Denver Wednesday evening (local time). She had been locked in for almost one hour, US media wrote citing other passengers. Passengers were required to change aircraft to continue their flight to San Francisco.

"In a video from Flight 1554 distributed online, US media report that multiple people can be seen 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 the video. The airline apologized to all passengers. It was initially unclear whether the woman would receive compensation."

The Cockroach: Inspired by Kafka: Ian McEwan writes a Brexit novel

How does an author like Ian McEwan deal with all the Brexit chaos? He writes a book about it—and his protagonist is unmistakable.

"Inspired by Kafka's unmistakable ""The Metamorphosis,"" the British success author Ian McEwan (71) has written a book about the Brexit chaos in Great Britain."

"The novel called ""The Cockroach"" will be available in print in German on the 27th November, as communicated by the Diogenes Publisher (Zurich). It describes the transformation of a man called ‘Jim Sams,' who was ignored or hated in his former life, and has now suddenly become the most powerful man in Great Britain. He sees it as a mission to turn the will of the people into action and is wildly determined not to let anything nor anyone hinder him."

"McEwan was quoted as saying, ""When the parliament is shut down, so that the government cannot be challenged at a critical time, when ministers are lying as shamelessly as the former soviet rulers, when Brexiteers in high positions are almost invoking a No-Deal, then an author has to ask himself what they can do. There is only one answer to that: writing."" We had only just heard from McEwan in the spring with the novel ""Machines like me"" about artificial intelligence."

"Kafka's story first printed in 1915 tells of Gregor Samsa, who wakes up one morning and sees himself transformed into a monstrous insect,"" is gradually rejected by family and community and eventually perishes. ""Ian McEwan bows down before Kafka in order to describe a world that is upside down,"" the Diogenes Publisher discloses."

11,200 railway cars in Austria and Hungary are being fitted with whisper brakes to reduce the noise generated by freight trains. In addition, sections of the rail links between Graz and Győr and between Wiener Neustadt and Sopron will be modernized and electrified.

"According to information from EU officials, this should make travel more comfortable and decrease CO2 emissions. The work is being financed by the EU ""Connecting Europe Facility"" infrastructure fund."

"One day after filing for bankruptcy, German travel agency Thomas Cook has canceled all trips up to and including October 31, 2019. Travel ""could not be completed on legal grounds related to bankruptcy,"" the company announced on Thursday evening."

This also affects bookings made with the brands Thomas Cook Signature, Thomas Cook Signature Finest Selection, Neckermann Reisen, ÖGER TOURS, Bucher Reisen, and Air Marin that have already been paid for partially or in full. The company has not confirmed how it will handle trips starting after November 1, 2019. Further action will be examined in coordination with the insolvency insurer, the company said.

Thomas Cook in Germany was caught up in the wake of the collapse of its British parent company and filed for bankruptcy on Wednesday. The company, which also includes Neckermann Reisen, Öger Tours, and Bucher Reisen, employs around 2000 people in Germany.

Conversely, hotels outside of Germany that are currently still accommodating Thomas Cook vacationers are set to receive money from the Zurich Insurance Group starting this Friday. According to Zurich, the payments to hotels include the condition that guests no longer be required to make extra payments.

"Based on the booking information and without presenting any separate receipts, resort hotels are now to receive 50 per cent of the outstanding payments, a Zurich speaker said to the news agency dpa. ""This applies straight away and with the requirement that, starting immediately, these hotels not prompt or otherwise require Thomas Cook travelers to make individual payment for hotel bills,"" spokesman Bernd Engelien went on to say."

The insurance company was reacting to reports from hotel guests who claim they were being forced to pay for their accommodations themselves on site. Some of them had to lay out more than €1000. The German Travel Industry Association (DRV) and the German Federation of German Consumer Organization (VZBV) criticized this strongly.

The number of hotels affected will be determined on Friday with the insolvent travel agency, said the insurer's spokesman. According to information from Thursday, 70,000 Thomas Cook package customers were still on vacation outside Germany. Zurich Germany has secured the vacations and return travel of Thomas Cook customers.

Insolvency administrators want to attempt to keep the three Thomas Cook companies in Germany operating and find a solution for the future.

However, the Zurich Insurance payments now announced for hotels will help travelers who are currently still abroad. Things look bad for Thomas Cook customers who still want to go on vacation. Late Thursday evening, the company announced that all trips up to and including October 31 had been canceled. This also applies to bookings that have already been paid for.

The company has not confirmed how it will handle trips starting after November 1, 2019. Further action will be examined in coordination with the insolvency insurer, the company said. In principle, the insurer Zurich will be responsible for these cases as well. The sale of new trips has been halted. dpa

The company refers to its insurer, Zurich, which is represented by the company Kaera. Customers can obtain information on reimbursement options for the cost of trips on the Kaera website and can submit claims using a web form.

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

Wearing a blue protective jacket, the British prince detonated and destroyed a blast mine in Angola.

On Friday morning, near the British Halo Trust camp in Dirico, he flipped the ignition switch in front of TV cameras At a safe distance in the savannah, the mine exploded without causing damage. The Halo Trust alone has destroyed over 100,000 relics of the decades-long bloody conflict in Angola, yet there are still over 1,000 minefields endangering the population.

In Huambo, on the fifth day of his African visit, Price Harry wanted to follow directly in the footsteps of his mother Diana (1961-1997). He wanted to retrace his mother's path accompanied by the same demolition expert who accompanied her. The pictures showing Princess Diana going through a cleared minefield in 1997 went round the world. She too had demonstrated her support for the Halo Trust.

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

Prime Minister Boris Johnson had made it clear that there will be no third postponement of Brexit talks while he is in office. But assertions by the controversial Briton often change. The latest ruling of the British Supreme Court hangs over Johnson's blond head like a sword of Damocles. His suspension of parliament in stubborn pursuit of his Brexit plant until the EU exit date was reversed early this week. And a law passed by parliament obligates Johnson to extend bilateral talks if negotiations with the EU have failed by October 31. However, Johnson has always categorically ruled this out.

But he also does not exhibit any trace of the pressure. During a visit to a hospital, he has since suggested that he supports extending the talks if no deal is reached by the end of October.

But at the same time, we are confident that we shall leave the EU on October 31.

Preferably with a deal. I am cautiously optimistic that it will work.

And time is running out for the Brexit talks in Brussels. The EU and the British negotiators still have about six weeks to prevent a no-deal Brexit. But the latest talks have again brought no breakthrough. A deal by the end of October is quite difficult to imagine right now. Unless the British prime minister breaks the law, another postponement of Brexit will take effect. But the opposition does not trust his words. They fear that Johnson will somehow be able to push Brexit through if there is no deal.

"The number of fatalities connected with the use of e-cigarettes in the USA has increased to twelve. And the CDC, the US public health authority, has announced 805 people confirmed or probably injured in connection with the devices. According to a study in the ""New England Journal of Medicine,"" more than 900 people have been affected, and around 500 of those cases have been confirmed. The cause for the lung damage remains completely unclear. No similar increase in lung injuries is known In Europe so far. The complaints seem to be restricted to users in the USA."

"The videos of Mohammed Ali have been shared on social media millions of times. In them, the building entrepreneur and actor who lives in Spain calls for a ""people's revolution."" He has called for further protests this Friday against President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and the Egyptian military, who are accused of corruption and mismanagement. Ali hopes for mass rallies with one million participants in central locations in the country."

The security authorities are certainly on alert. An increased police presence was already visible in the center of Cairo. Several subway stations were closed and streets around the centrally located Tahrir Square were blocked off. In recent days, police had increased their road checks and searched the cellphones of passersby for messages and photos connected with the protests.

On September 20, demonstrators also gathered around Tahir Square.

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

The organization also criticized censorship in Egypt. It said the government in Cairo is blocking websites and social media to suppress further protests against al-Sisi. The general has ruled the country since 2013 after he toppled the democratically elected President Mohammed Mursi. Thousands of Islamists, government opponents, bloggers, and activists have been detained in recent years, with some convicted.

"""Ocean Change"": Arved Fuchs returns from his Greenland expedition"

"The polar explorer Arved Fuchs returned from his Greenland expedition Friday. Among those waiting to greet him in the port of Hamburg was skipper Boris Hermann, who had taken climate activist Greta Thunberg across the Atlantic in the racing yacht ""Malizia."""

"In his yacht ""Dagmar Aaen"" accompanied by a team of scientists, Fuchs had investigated the coasts of Iceland and Greenland for signs of global warming over the past few months."

The Fridays for Future movement is a blessing, he said. He had waited years for the young generation to make itself heard. It has been known for decades that the Earth is getting warmer. But still, many people have acted as if there were a Planet B to escape to.

"""What happens in the sea is usually hidden from the public,"" said Fuchs. He and his team wanted to inform people about the effects of global warming and about the pollution of the seas. Activities during the expedition included the use of a drone to measure glacial ice in Greenland and of nets to fish microplastics from the water."

"For his ""campaign for a sustainable and respectful use of the world's seas,"" the polar explorer from Bad Bramstedt received the Seadevcon Maritime Award during Hamburg Climate Week. ""Arved Fuchs is a great example for all of us who are concerned about the survival of the oceans"", said Skipper Boris Herrmann during the award ceremony. ""He is a witness to the changes that have occurred in the Arctic over the past decades."""

430 Euro for two spaghetti dishes and fish in a simple restaurant near Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome: That seemed too high a price for two Japanese tourists. Although the two women paid the bill, which included an 80 Euro tip, they posted the receipt on Facebook, which caused heated reactions.

"""Instances like that do damage to Rome's prestige. We entreat the police to investigate whether this is fraud,"" demanded the representative for Federagit, the association of tour guides in Rome, according to the Friday edition of the Roman daily newspaper ‘Il Messaggero.'"

The restaurant owner's reaction came promptly. The Japanese women did not only order spaghetti, they also ordered fresh fish, the local owner said by way of defending himself. However, this is not discernible on the bill. The innkeeper also intimated that a tip of 20% of the bill total is normal.

One phone call to the Ukraine and everything is ruined? US President Donald Trump could face impeachment proceedings after the troubling revelations of the past few days, the democrats wish to conduct their investigation as quickly as possible in the House of Representatives - it could take weeks before the decision is made.

The beginning of the scandal was supposedly a telephone call to the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. The accusation of the whistleblower who revealed the conversation due to concern for national security and the US democracy is horrendous: The president allegedly abused the power of his office in order to utilize the government of another country for the purpose of gaining influence in the 2020 election. He exploited Ukraine´s dependence by means of blackmail in order to force it to act against a political opponent.

The crux of this occurrence can also be garnered through the transcript of the conversation with Zelensky which was published in the meantime, even though it does not represent the full contents of the conversation. However, the telephone call from July 25th is just a fraction of a much larger story, the focus of which, besides Trump himself, is his personal lawyer: Rudy Giuliani.

"From the point of view of the public, the story began in May 2019, when the New York Times reported of Rudy Giuliani´s travel plans to Ukraine. He had intended to meet with the newly elected President Zelensky in Kiev, and the lawyer himself knew that his intentions were precarious. ""We are not interfering with an election, we are interfering with an investigation, and we have a right to that"", he told the newspaper. It could be seen as inappropriate, but ""there was nothing illegal there"". Giuliani wants the investigations, for which there is barely any evidence, to be carried out in Ukraine - ""because this information is going to be very, very helpful to my client and could prove helpful to my government as well""."

The lawyer and former mayor of New York City seems to have indulged in right-wing conspiracy fantasies, fixated on Trump´s opponent in the 2016 election: The critics at the time claimed that Hillary Clinton had conspired with persons in Ukraine in order to create a pretext for Russian investigations in the USA. This accusation, however, was never to be taken seriously.

This is exactly the kind of investigation that Trump spoke about so clearly on in the telephone conversation with Zelensky later on in July. The president´s and Giuliani´s version is as follows: Former vice president and currently a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination Joe Biden had urged for the dismissal of the former Ukrainian Attorney General Viktor Schokin during his time as the Obama administration's representative to Ukraine. The goal was to prevent an investigation into the gas company for which he himself was responsible, and where his son, Hunter Biden served as a member of the board of directors. Biden senior had blackmailed Ukraine financially in order to conceal the corrupt machinations of his family.

The reality was somewhat different. At the time when Joe Biden demanded that the Ukrainian Attorney General leave, the investigations against the gas company had already been completed and Hunter Biden was never directly affected. In addition, Schokin himself was accused of deeply corrupt behavior, and the US government was by no means the only Western partner to insist on his dismissal In addition, the Obama administration expressly supported the investigation of the company.

Instagram, Facebook, and Whatsapp disruption: Social media are down

Users worldwide are reporting massive disruptions to Instagram and Facebook. According to reports, Germany, Great Britain, and Spain have been the most affected. Users at allestörungen.de are reporting that Facebook has not loaded since around 3:30 p.m. Instagram is also returning an error message that content cannot be loaded. Even Whatsapp seems to be affected by the interruption, although not to the same degree.

This is not the first widespread failure this year. Services were down for several hours in March and July. And, as during past incidents, users are falling back to Twitter to vent their frustration.

Three Polish scientist were saved by the Chilean air-force from the icy Antarctica. They were travelling in a dinghy and were several miles from their base when their engine failed. They were lucky - the Chilean rescue helicopter arrived in less than an hour.

Eduardo Mosquera, commander of the 4th Chilean air brigade said:

"""We received the message at 9:30am, we were on our way shortly before 10, and in around 20 minutes we reached the dinghy""."

Poland has been running the Henryk Arctowski Polish Antarctic Station on King George Island since 1977 and there are currently 19 scientists working there. The lost scientists were safely brought back to their research station.

Although extremely practical, inductive technology via Qi standard should not be used.

Since many new smartphones have recently come onto the market that support wireless charging and sell well—especially the new iPhone 11—we'd like to remind you of a study done at the beginning of July. Charging mobile devices without a cord is practical but not necessarily recommended.

Researchers warn against charging smartphones wirelessly. According to the findings of the University of Warwick, this is extremely dangerous for the devices. The reason for this is the significantly higher buildup of heat. If one charges a cell phone normally (with a cable), the battery reaches 80.6 degrees within three hours. But with wireless charging, researchers measured over 86 degrees even if the smartphone was perfectly aligned on the charging pad. If the cell phone is placed near the coil, the temperature is even higher. Moreover, the wattage of the charging pad increases, which in turn jacks up the use of power.

According to the researchers, temperature is a decisive factor in a battery's durability. And every degree matters. When charging with high temperatures, the battery not only loses capacity, but doesn't last as long. And this decreases its service life. Therefore, the researchers recommend always charging the smartphone with a cable. Since replacing batteries is expensive with modern smartphones, that may be a useful tip. Apple has even recently increased the costs for replacing batteries (again), applicable to all iPhones.

"The technology is extremely convenient: Simply lay the device on an appropriate charging pad—these are even installed in many restaurants, airports, hotels, and cars—and the battery will be charged without a cumbersome ""cable salad"" and tedious fumbling for a plug. Since with Qi (which stands for ""inductive energy transfer"") a worldwide standard is enforced that even Apple adheres to by way of exception, there are hardly any restrictions. However, according to the researchers, the technology should not be used."

Photographer of Everest queues: Thirteen 26,000-foot peaks in six months

A Nepalese climber claims to have ascended thirteen of the world's fourteen highest mountains in just six months. Nirmal Purja (36) reached the top of Manaslu in Nepal and set a record, said the organizer of his expedition.

"The ex-soldier wants to climb all fourteen peaks in seven months Purja calls his plan ""Mission Possible"". He has already made international headlines: A picture that went viral in the spring, showing climbers standing in line on Mount Everest, was one of his shots."

The photo of the massive line triggered a debate about stricter safety measures on the 29,000 feet-high mountain, the world's highest. In May, eleven climbers died while climbing within a few days of each other.

Climbing the fourteenth 26,000-foot peak could be a problem for Purja. The Chinese authorities are blocking access to Mount Xixabangma in Tibet. Bad weather is one of the reasons given for this. Early in the week, Purja tweeted that Nepal's government wants to talk to China to allow him to climb the mountain.

"A pregnant cow elephant was also found among the dead animals, stated a police spokesperson on Friday. ""We suspect that the elephants were poisoned."""

The four bodies were found in a protected area near the ancient Sigiriya rock fortress, which is popular with tourists. According to the police spokesperson, the animals were believed to be aged between 15 and 25 years old. An autopsy was ordered to determine the cause of death.

Almost 200 elephants are killed every year in Sri Lanka. They are often killed by farmers on whose land the animals had previously been living without causing damage. Around 50 people are also killed by elephants annually. This normally happens when the animals pass through villages near their habitat.

According to estimates, there are only around 7,000 elephants remaining in Sri Lanka. Killing an elephant can incur the death penalty.

British oil tanker the Stena Impero is leaving the port of Bandar Abbas after being held by Iran for more than two months. This was announced by the maritime transport office in Bander Abbas according to the news agency IRNA. Iran's Revolutionary Guards seized the British tanker on July 19 under the pretext that it had violated maritime law in the Persian Gulf.

"The competent economic committee of the House of Commons wants to examine the failure of travel giant Thomas Cook in detail. The management's salary packages will be studied, as well as why the British government refused financial help for the company as it fought for survival. ""We are focusing on supervision inside the company and monitoring by outside auditors,"" said committee chairman Rachel Reeves in London. ""We are obviously dealing with a serious case of management greed."""

Experts say the role of genes in the risk of intestinal cancer is overestimated

The role played by genes in the increased risk of common intestinal cancer has apparently been overrated until now. This was the conclusion reached in a recent study by researchers at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg. Other risk factors such as family eating habits are more serious than previously assumed. This has consequences for determining the individual risk of intestinal cancer, say the scientists at the Center.

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

The challenge is getting the cars to customers quickly. To do so, Tesla had to mobilize as many resources as possible by the end of the quarter.

Investors liked this information: Tesla shares closed the day with a gain of over six percent. The rate has not increased as much in four months. In the second quarter, Tesla delivered a good 95,000 cars and hit its previous high value.

Musk needs records to achieve his ambitious goals. In 2019 he wants to deliver a total of 360,000 to 400,000 cars. The company would have to hit six-digit figures in the current and upcoming quarter to do so. The less expensive Tesla Model 3 is in particular demand, but profit margins are low here. There were recent losses despite the boom.

Will the British government bypass the Brexit law? Johnson abstained

The British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is being discrete about whether he is trying to find ways of bypassing the law on unregulated Brexit recently passed by the Parliament. When questioned to that end, Johnson has merely told journalists that his government would comply with applicable law.

"The law obliges the government to request a postponement of the date of withdrawal if an agreement with the EU cannot be reached by mid-October. Johnson criticizes this as a ""capitulation law"" that makes negotiating with the EU more difficult."

"On Thursday, the former British Prime Minister John Major expressed the suspicion that Johnson might attempt to use ""political chicanery"" to circumvent the law. Johnson might use a procedural trick that would postpone the law's entry into force until after the withdrawal from the EU."

"Johnson said he is striving for a treaty with the European Union. ""We're confident about leaving the EU on October 31, and the best path is to do so with an agreement."""

"Iran's president Hassan Rohani has increased pressure on European contract partners about the rescue of the historic nuclear deal. ""Regrettably the European states are showing an inability or lacking readiness when it comes to concrete action,"" Rohani said on Thursday at the press conference on the sidelines of the US General Assembly in New York. In case they do not stand by their promise, he put in view ""further steps"" away from the agreements of the laboriously negotiated convention of 2015."

"The backdrop is the conflict about the international convention to prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb, which in return contained a promise to Tehran to normalize economic relations. The USA single-handedly got out of the agreement in 2018 in order to force Iran into a change of course with ""maximum pressure"" in what was considered aggressive Near East politics. The leadership of President Donald Trump wants to deal a new agreement and is imposing hard sanctions against Tehran in the meantime. Iran last reacted to this with a relaunching of the uranium enrichment limited in the contract."

The international nuclear energy authority (IAEA) confirmed in a report, that the Islamic Republic is now utilizing centrifuges installed at the beginning of September using Uranium, or has at least prepared them for use thus. According to IAEA information, Iran is moreover preparing the construction of over 300 more centrifuges.

Perhaps Europeans are not prepared to carry their end of the deal and may for this reason leave Iranians alone with the costs and the burden of pressurizing US sanctions, Rohani presumed. However, more discussions are planned, which will hopefully bring a solution.

Rohani 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. Germany, France and Great Britain followed the US assessment on Monday that Tehran was responsible for the attacks. Originally, the Huthi rebels in Yemen supported by Iran had committed to the attack, which the USA weighed up as a wrongful confession, though. ""We have nothing to do with that,"" Rohani augmented his position."

"""Those people who make such accusations have to provide evidence of this on a rolling basis,"" Rohani said. The European leaders were apparently not able to do that during talks with him at the UN General Assembly. Instead they would have only relied on the fact, that the rebels in Yemen could not carry out an attack like this. Rohani has in recent days met with Chancellor Angela Merkel, France's President Emmanuel Macron and the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson."

"Before potential talks with US president Trump, the wide-reaching sanctions imposed by the US administration should have to be lifted, Rohani demanded. He urged the government in Washington to switch to a policy of ""dialogue and reason."""

Astronomers are currently observing a comet from deep space. This has been achieved before. The comet helps draw conclusions about other solar systems.

What used to be only a speculation has now been confirmed: An interstellar guest crosses through our solar system. The deep space comet was named 2I/Borisov after its discoverer and has aroused the interest of astronomers all over the world.

The travelling comet was discovered on August 30th by an amateur astronomer Gennadi Borisov at the Margo observatory in Crimea.- and that using a self-made telescope with a 65 centimeter diameter. Later research by various observatories confirmed, not only that this was a previously unseen comet, but also that the comet did not originate from our solar system.

2I/Borisov is only the second interstellar object sighted while travelling through our solar system, after 1I/'Oumuamua from 2017.

"2I/Borisov is a rare opportunity for astronomers to obtain a closer look into an unknown solar system, before the comet disappears never to be seen again. First observations show that the interstellar comet resembles the comets of our own solar system, as the Canary Islands Astrophysical Institute reported. ""The comet's current speed is high, about 150,000 kilometers per hour, which at this distance is well above the typical speeds of objects orbiting the Sun,"" said Davide Farnocchia of the US space agency NASA in a press release."

According to the International Astronomic Union (IAC) the comet is of distinctly interstellar origins, and is currently moving along a hyperbolic path which is leading it out of our system, as the International Astronomical Union (IAU) announced. The Union is also responsible for naming and categorizing celestial bodies. The interstellar comet, at first listed under the catalogue number C/2019 Q4 was given the designation 2I/Borisov in honor of the astronomer who discovered it, the first part of the name indicating that it was the second interstellar object discovered in our solar system.

"The astronomers are lucky: Unlike 1I/'Oumuamua, 2I/Borisov was sighted while approaching. The researchers had several months to study it. ""The object will reach maximum brightness in December and will be visible through medium-sized telescopes until April 2020"", explained Farnocchia. ""After that, it will be possible to observe the comet with large professional telescopes until October 2020""."

Multiple observatories have already began observing the visiting comet. A team led by Karen Meech from the University of Hawaii, who had already led the description of 1I/'Oumuamua, determined in the first study the diameter of the celestial object to between 2 and 16 kilometers. Recorded images from the Gemini observatory in Hawaii clearly show the tail of the comet.

"Researchers at the Canary Islands Astrophysical Institute (IAC) have already garnered a first so-called spectrum of the interstellar comet, which is similar to a fingerprint of its chemical composition. ""This object´s spectrum is similar to the ones in our solar system and this indicates that its composition must be similar"", reports the IAC researcher Julia de León. This observation suggests that comets in other solar systems could be formed through similar processes as ours, de León's colleague Javier Licandro added."

According to the IAU, the discovery of two interstellar comets in just two years suggests that these objects could provide a new way of researching certain processes in other solar systems. However, it is still difficult to estimate how frequent these comet visits may be. One of the next interstellar comets could be intercepted by a planned satellite mission by the European Space Agency Esa.

"The agency wants to place a three-part space probe, the ""Comet Interceptor"" at a waiting position at a distance of 1.5 million kilometers from Earth by 2028. According to science director at ESA Günther Hasinger, the probe should either intercept an new, intact comet from our own solar system or an interstellar object such as 1I/'Oumuamua."

Just before the 70th birthday of the People´s Republic: China United Airlines' first passenger aircraft has landed at the new mega-airport in the south of the Chinese capital, which was a special honor for the captain and his crew.

"Around 45 million passengers are expected to use the airport by 2022, and by 2025 the number should rise to 72 million. President Xi Jinping personally announced the opening of the 450 billion euro project. China´s latest prestige project is also called the ""starfish"" due to its building structure."

The complex has four runways to date, which will later be expanded to seven, and is equipped with the world's largest automatic air traffic management system. A new subway will be used to transport passengers from the airport to the Beijing city center in only 20 minutes.

During construction, the Chinese stated repeatedly that Berlin could learn from Beijing. The opening of the much smaller Berlin airport, which has been under construction since 2006, has repeatedly been postponed. Conversely, the first passenger airplane landed in Beijing after only four years.

New Supersonic Aircraft to fly in 2030: Four and a half hours from London to Sydney

"Flying from London to Sydney in only four and a half hours, is what the British UK Space Agency is dreaming of. What will facilitate supersonic flying in the 2030's is a special drive (Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine, Sabre), which the Reaction Engines company from Oxfordshire will develop, American broadcaster CNN quoted the agency as having said. ""That is the technology that could definitely do that,"" Agency director Graham Turnock told the broadcasting house. ""We are talking about the 2030's for the launch, the work is already far advanced."""

In order to drive the project forward, the British space agency wants to work closer with the Australian one. A flight from the British capital to the Australian metropolis currently takes about 20 hours. As the only supersonic aircraft for passenger transportation so far, Concord had been covering the distance between New York and Paris from 1976 to 2003, taking three to three and a half hours. In the year 2000, at the Paris Charles de Gaulle airport, there was an accident when starting a Concorde where all 109 passengers lost their lives. In the past year, the US American aircraft builder Lockheed Martin announced plans to develop a supersonic aircraft together with the US space authority Nasa, namely the ‘X-Plane.' Virgin Galactic also has these kinds of developments in its program.

"""Sabre will make the world smaller with its high-speed point to point transport,"" Reaction Engines has written on its home page, amongst other things. The Sabre drive could be used for efficient travel with a speed of Mach 5—that signifies five times the speed of light. In addition, such aircraft can also be used outside the earth's atmosphere and thus enable the ""next generation of authentically reusable space devices."""

Unrest in Washington: Trump wants to track down anonymous whistleblowers in the Ukraine scandal

Donald Trump wants to track down possible leaks in the White House in connection with the Ukraine scandal about the possible abuse of power.

"""I want to know who provided the whistleblower with the information"", said Trump on Thursday to the staff members of the US Embassy in the United Nations in New York. The person concerned was practically ""a spy"" and spies were dealt with ""somewhat differently"" in the past."

This was considered an attempt to intimidate whistleblowers. However, the event was not open to the public. However, several US media broadcast audio recordings of the speech on Friday. Democrats reacted with indignation to the president's statement.

The Democrats in the US House of Representatives announced preparations for impeachment proceedings against Trump on Tuesday. Their accusations are based primarily on a written complaint by an anonymous secret service agent who raised serious allegations against Trump and his government office. Following intense public pressure, the whistleblower's statements were made public on Thursday.

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

At the core of the accusations is a controversial telephone conversation between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the end of July, in which Trump encouraged his colleague to conduct investigations that could harm his political rival Joe Biden. This is about Hunter Biden´s earlier business ventures in Ukraine and Joe Biden´s alleged attempt to protect his son against Ukrainian justice. Biden is leading the race for the democratic presidential candidacy for the 2020 election.

The whistleblower also accused the White House of a cover-up with regard to the telephone call to Ukraine: Leading government officials had attempted to keep the exact contents of the conversation concealed. As usual, an electronic text record was prepared. However, this record was removed from the database following the instructions of White House Lawyers after the interview and stored in a specially protected system instead. Only the rough draft of the conversation was released to date.

The whistleblower´s identity was not made public. The New York Times reported that the person concerned is an employee of the CIA Foreign Intelligence Agency.

"On Friday, Trump questioned the credibility of the source. In a series of tweets, the President wrote, among other things, that the ""so-called whistleblower"" had received second-hand information which turned out to be untrue. Therefore, there were likely no whistleblowers or spies."

However, the way Trump spoke about those who are said to have passed the information on to the whistleblower caused outrage. Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker in the House of Representatives was unsettled and said that Trump´s statement once again undermined government integrity.

Various committees in the House of Representatives have been conducting various investigations against Trump and his associates for months. In light of the Ukraine allegations, the Democrats are pursuing investigations with renewed momentum to launch a possible impeachment trial against Trump.

"""The whistleblower has given us a roadmap for the investigation "", said Adam Schiff, the Head of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee. Trump sharply criticized Schiff, accusing him of misrepresentation and again demanded that the Committee Chairman resign. Trump often criticized Schiff and had been demanding his resignation for months."

"In a statement published on Friday, more than 300 former US government employees from security and foreign policy domains, the majority of whom worked under Democratic presidents as well as a few Republican presidents, supported the investigation initiated by the Democrats for a possible impeachment trial. In the statement, it was claimed that, should the accusations prove to be true, it would mean ""an unscrupulous abuse of power"" by Trump."

There is no exact plan for further proceedings. The Democrats could initiate impeachment proceedings due to holding the majority in the House of Representatives. However, the decision regarding an actual removal from office would be made in the Senate, where Trump's Republicans hold the majority. Therefore, such a procedure has low chances of success. To date, no US President has been removed from office through an impeachment procedure.

Volkswagen's plans to further reduce production costs could affect production in Germany and Europe. This is cause for concern for the car manufacturer's works council. The firm wants to cut its annual factory costs of EUR 10 billion by EUR 2 billion by 2023. EUR 500 million of this figure is to be saved this year.

"Personnel costs are one approach. The ""future package"" negotiated between the company and the works council in 2016 calls for the abolition of 14,000 jobs in Germany alone by 2020. Essentially, a job with the car manufacturer can be cut only if there is some form of evidence that the activities associated with the job are no longer required. In addition, an employment guarantee is in force until 2029."

"People associated with the works council told our newspaper that production jobs should not in fact be affected will be cut ""stealthily"" in another way—circumventing the official policy. Consequently, regular positions that become vacant are often not re-filled."

"In such cases, the works council has no way of enforcing the refilling of those posts. Meanwhile, there are personnel shortages in many places, workloads are increasing, and concerns are growing that the car plant will gradually hemorrhage. There are also increasing fears that car production might gradually shift away from Germany and Austria because it is cheaper in other parts of the world. VW merely states that, ""as agreed in social contracts, the volume of employment will be adjusted along the demographic curve""."

"VW wants to standardize worldwide production even more and control new projects centrally. This should also reduce costs and accelerate decision-making—the aim behind this is to boost productivity and hence competitiveness. At a manager conference in Berlin, Director of Production Andreas Tostmann said: ""We are well advised to make ourselves crisis-resistant particularly in uncertain times with Brexit and an imminent trade war between the United States and China""."

Successes have already been achieved along this path: This year, for example, production costs per vehicle have fallen relative to the previous year for the first time since 2013. Tostmann told reporters that the production time for the Golf 8, to be rolled out in Wolfsburg on October 24, has been reduced by 1.1 hours. VW does not provide exact figures on the length of production, but according to information from our newspaper, the time required to manufacture a Golf 7 is around

In our region, the main plant at Wolfsburg is the only VW site where cars are made. The plants in Braunschweig and Salzgitter produce parts. An internal VW rule of thumb applies to Wolfsburg whereby 800,000 cars must be manufactured there each year so that the plant remains sufficiently profitable. However, production capacity in Wolfsburg was only about 700,000 vehicles in 2018 due to the falling demand for diesel and difficulties with conversion to the new WLTP fuel consumption and emission testing procedure.

"Tostmann announced last year that one million cars should roll off the assembly line in Wolfsburg ""in the future."" That should allow Golf production to be focused in the main factory, as the Zwickau plant is being converted to electric car manufacture and will discontinue the manufacture of Golfs."

The SUV Tiguan and Tarraco (Seat) are also made in Wolfsburg, but sales of the Golf and Tiguan have been falling lately. So expectations now rest on the Golf 8. Despite all efforts to develop e-mobility, the Golf 8 is to remain the primary product of Wolfsburg for the moment.

Forced into prostitution by use of voodoo: Convicted human traffickers

Young women from Nigeria are made to take oaths, trafficked into the Ruhr area and forced them into prostitution work. Six presumed human traffickers have to go to prison.

On Friday in Bochum six presumed human traffickers from Nigeria were convicted to parole 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 make them obey, the Nigerian women willing to leave their country had to take a ritual oaths with a voodoo priest in their homeland first.

The victims were aged between 17 and 22 years old. They were brought across the Mediterranean Sea with the help of Libyan smugglers in inflatable boats. However, their dream of a better future did not come true. Once arrived in Germany, they were distributed to various brothels in order to work off the supposed trafficking costs of an average of 25,000 Euro. Their wage was therefore completely reduced.

"The accused, four men and two women, had admitted the trafficking and the subsequent distribution of the young Nigerians to brothels in court. ""The work was physically and emotionally difficult to bear,"" Judge Isabel Hoffmann during the sentencing. ""Some of them were really disgusted."""

The judgements are for commercial and gang-based trafficking of foreigners, human trafficking, pimping and severe coerced prostitution.

As the dispute with the Lufthansa Group goes on, the air steward union UFO has again threatened strikes.

"If the company does not return to the negotiating table, the labor union will ""announce industrial action at the Lufthansa Group on October 14th,"" stated UFO vice-chairman Daniel Flohr on Friday. Lufthansa and its subsidiary Eurowings have for months refused to conduct wage negotiations with UFO. The question is whether the trade union has lawfully terminated collective negotiations with Lufthansa."

"UFO views its position as strengthened following a ruling by the Frankfurt Labor Court. Lufthansa wanted to establish that the collective negotiations had not been terminated. The court rejected its claims. The company acknowledged the ruling and is considering an appeal. ""I consider it unlikely that a second court will view the situation in a completely different way,"" said Flohr."

Lufthansa also filed a claim with the Frankfurt State Labor Court in August to subject the status of UFO as a trade union to judicial review. The company argues that the trade union has for months failed to appoint a board authorized to represent it and so is unable to fulfill its role as a collective agreement partner.

This was preceded by a fierce leadership dispute in the trade union during which numerous members of the executive and advisory boards resigned, including long-time union boss Nicoley Baublies. UFO had suspended an initial vote on strikes by cabin staff at Eurowings at the end of July due to the doubts about its leadership.

Until now, Saudi Arabia was not exactly known as an international tourist magnet. But that is about to change. The country on the Persian Gulf is seeking to introduce new visa requirements.

With its new visa system, Saudi Arabia plans to attract more international tourists in the future. The goal is to increase the numbers of international and domestic visitors to 100 million per year by 2030, the Commission for Tourism explained.

"""Opening Saudi Arabia up to international tourism is a historic moment for our country,"" said Commission Chairman Ahmad Al-Chatib."

Saudi Arabia has been difficult for tourists to access in the past. Visas are normally only approved for short business trips or religious pilgrimages, or for visitors with relatives in the desert nation. With the new rules, the ultraconservative kingdom hopes to generate additional income from the tourist industry. According to its own statement, Riad wants to reduce its dependence on the oil trade.

In September, two of the most important oil facilities in Eastern Saudi Arabia were struck by multiple rockets: the largest oil refinery in the country in Abqaiq as well as the Khurais oil field. As a consequence, domestic oil production fell drastically and oil prices shot up. It will take several weeks for oil production in the kingdom to reach its previous level.

Singer Justin Bieber (25) and his wife Hailey (22) are preparing their wedding. In her Instagram stories, the model posted several party photos featuring her wedding look on Thursday (local time). Reality star Kendall Jenner (23) and others threw her a bachelorette party in Los Angeles, according to People magazine.

"Justin posted several colorful suits, one of which featured a banana print, and wrote: ""Help me choose my tuxedo for the wedding"". According to media reports, the celebrity couple will be getting married in a church this weekend."

The Biebers said yes a year ago in a New York registry office. There had been no large wedding party at the time.

"In a recent interview with Vogue Australia, Hailey explained that they were on the same page after the initial issues: ""If you´re not ready to compromise, you cannot be in a relationship""."

Two people have died in a small airplane crash in the western Czech Republic. According to the police, the wreckage was discovered on Friday in a forested area near the city of Měčín. The victims were a 38-year-old woman and 64-year-old man.

The authorities had searched for the machine since Thursday evening after the crew issued an emergency signal via GPS. The search also involved a military helicopter. The cause of the accident has yet to be determined. The crash site is located around 30 kilometers south of Plzeň and 100 kilometers northeast of Regensburg.

Causes for the threat include pests, disease, nonindigenous species, unsustainable deforestation, and the growth of cities, reported the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on Friday in Brussels. They studied each of the 454 known species of trees in Europe. Of those, 265 are endemic to continental Europe. And of those 265, 58 percent are in danger. Sixty-six are already at the highest threat level and therefore face extinction.

The IUCN divides threatened species into six categories: NT (near threatened); VU (vulnerable); EN (endangered); CR (critically endangered); EW (extinct in the wild); and EX (extinct). In all, it lists more than 28,000 plant and animal species worldwide as threatened.

"David Allen, one of the authors, told the German press agency (DPA) that the biggest threat in Germany is to the Mountain Ash (Sorbus). ""Most are threatened because the populations are small anyway, or through the conversion or weakening of their habitats."""

"It also looks bad for the common wild horse-chestnut. Since 2017, it has been classified as ""vulnerable,"" step two on the IUCN scale. The greatest threats are posed by a fungus and the Balkan leaf-mining moth. Since the 1980s, it has spread from southeast Europe over 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. This assessment does not consider trees in cities, parks, or avenues."

At the same time, the IUCN scientists are compiling new European red lists for mollusks, shrubs, and mosses. More than one-fifth of mollusks and mosses and almost half of all shrub species are threatened, according to the IUCN. This is primarily due to the destruction of the wilderness, the introduction of foreign species, agricultural practices, and climate change. Mollusks such as snails played a key role in recycling nutrients in the soil and are an important source of food for birds and other animals.

"""This report shows that the situation for overlooked and underestimated species is precarious: species that form the backbone of the European ecological system and contribute to a healthy planet,"" said Luc Bas, Director of the European Regional Office of IUCN. ""We must limit the effect people have on our ecosystem and make protecting these species a priority."""

Thirty-four people were injured in the recent earthquake in Turkey. No fatalities were reported. Dozens had to leave their homes, and 14 schools in Istanbul are reportedly closed for security reasons, said Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay on Friday.

According to his account, hundreds of buildings were damaged. Since the quake the day before, there were reportedly almost 200 aftershocks. On Thursday, the 5.8 magnitude earthquake devastated the Marmara Region, which includes Istanbul, and triggered panic in the metropolis with its millions of inhabitants.

Now the government wants to employ a commission to better prepare the country for earthquakes in the future, Oktay announced. Turkey has been ill-prepared for earthquakes for 20 years, said Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.

Istanbul is especially prone to earthquakes. A section of the North Anatolian Fault, which marks the border between the European and Anatolian Plates, runs beneath the Sea of Marmara.

One of the most severe earthquakes happened near Istanbul in 1999 and had a 7.6 magnitude. The epicenter was located in Gölcük, southeast of Istanbul. More than 17,000 people lost their lives.

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

Super Bowl 2020: Jennifer Lopez (JLo) and Shakira to appear in the half-time show

"The Latina pop singers Jennifer Lopez and Shakira will perform the half-time show of the next American Football Finals Super Bowl. This was announced by the singers on Twitter ""It doesn't get bigger than this,"" Shakira wrote next to a photograph of herself and Lopez. She is really nervous about standing on the Super Bowl stage. This will take place in Miami on February 2nd, 2020."

"Jennifer Lopez explained that in 1996 she dreamed about making an appearance at the Super Bowl—in those days 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 be performing with another Latina. She can't wait to ""show what we girls are capable of on the biggest stage in the world."""

"Shakira indicated in a statement that she felt honored to stand next to another artist on one of the biggest stages worldwide, representing Latinos and Latinas from the USA and the whole world. ""And it's even going to be on my birthday!"" The main sponsor of the event wrote on Twitter that it is the first time that both ""queens"" are on a stage together."

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

The Super Bowl is the height of the American Football Season. The game and the half-time show are among the most watched TV broadcasts in the USA. Even if you have decreased audience numbers: This February, the spectacle lured the least viewers in the USA in over ten years. There were still nearly a hundred million viewers on average.

There had been turmoil in advance of the show of the past Super Bowl half-time show. In the dispute over how quarterback Colin Kaepernick was treated, the previous February according to media reports, pop stars like Rihanna, Pink and Cardi B did not want to appear. Eventually the pop group Maroon 5 opened the half time show—reviews were not very friendly.

Kaepernick, who used to be quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers had gone down on his knees before the 2016/17 NFL playing of the national anthem in protest against police violence and racism. Kaepernick started a movement with his protest, countless players joining in the gesture. This caused big excitement, US president Donald Trump fiercely criticizing the mainly Afro-American football stars. Kaepernick himself has been without a club since March 2017 and has not played another NFL game. He accuses the clubs of not wanting to hire him for political reasons.

According to a press report, the bankruptcy of travel agency Thomas Cook will be costly for some banks. There is a risk of enormous write-offs on outstanding bonds and loans. Credit Suisse will also be affected by this, writes the Financial Times in its Friday edition.

Banks like Barclays, Morgan Stanley, UniCredit, or Credit Suisse would have to write off a total of up to £1.8 billion (around €2 billion) from their books, the report says. This was indicated in estimates from consulting company AlixPartners.

Bond creditors would have to accept write-offs of between £900 million to £1 billion and lenders of between £550 and £825 million. The amounts to be actually written off are more likely to be at the upper end of the range, an expert told the paper.

"The scale of the losses for creditors will be evident after the insolvency proceedings. A person close to the proceedings did not offer much hope. For example, the 40 aircraft owned by Thomas Cook in Great Britain were ""old"" and much of the properties are in poor condition. The most money could be gleaned by selling the airport slots and removing the Thomas Cook label, they added."

"Sea Watch captain Carola Rackete may have brought men to Italy who are alleged to have tortured and murdered people in Libya. ""We cannot rule it out, but we have no precise information,"" the spokesman for the refugee organization Sea Watch, Ruben Neugebauer, said to news agency dpa."

"The three men were recognized by other migrants in Italy. They were accused of having raped, tortured, and killed people in Libya. The suspects were arrested at the reception center in Messina, Italy. Neugebauer stressed that the refugee organization was unable to verify who they allowed to board their ships. ""They come without passports."""

Carola Rackete brought illegal migrants into the port of Lampedusa on June 29, ramming an Italian Financial Guard ship in the process. The three suspects are said to have arrived there that day. The captain is under investigation for aiding and abetting illegal immigration.

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

"""We consider the risks too great"", Pai told Handelsblatt newspaper regarding the expansion of the new 5G cellular network."

"China, he said, has a ""national security law"" under which every company ""under Chinese jurisdiction"" is obliged to obey instructions from security authorities."

Furthermore, the applicable law prohibits companies from informing third parties about such enquiries, the FCC chairman continued. That makes it very difficult to trust the integrity of technical equipment and services.

"Meanwhile, the federal government has agreed to demand a ""declaration of integrity"" from suppliers."

Berlin first wants to try to contain the risks through measures such as technical solutions, reported Handelsblatt, citing its own sources.

Pai doubts that this is possible. 5G technology consists of more than just hardware:

"The software itself is important for keeping devices up to date. ""This software consists of millions of lines of program code which change over time,"" said Pai."

"""It is very difficult to imagine a government authority anywhere being able to check each update in real time in order to detect security risks,"" Pai continued."

He accuses the Chinese corporation of having close contacts with the Chinese state apparatus.

Ownership of the company is unclear. The employee association, which allegedly belongs to the company, is not necessarily independent of the government, Pai told Handelsblatt.

The United States has information that government employees have been placed in the company. Pai was in Berlin recently to promote the US position.

The locals hear explosions during the night. A gigantic wall of fire illuminated the sky above a chemical factory in northern France. The fire was extinguished after mere hours - but the cleanup could take days.

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

The responsible prefecture announced that the facilities would not be opening on Friday in twelve districts, as a precautionary measure. The Interior Ministry had asked citizens to stay indoors as much as possible and not to expose themselves to the smoke. No one was injured. Farmers and livestock breeders were advised to keep their animals indoors and protect their food, as well as to stop harvesting for the time being.

The prefecture announced that the fire had been completely extinguished on Thursday. The prefecture warned of the risks of smoke spreading after the fire had been extinguished on Twitter. According to the prefecture, 240 firefighters and 90 police officers and gendarmes were deployed at the time.

A gigantic gust of black smoke rose from the chemical factory. The French media reported of huge flames and explosions in the factory belonging to the company Lubrizol, which produces oil additives. The production plant is a kilometer away from the city center.

According to officials, the factory in Normandy is in the so-called Seveso category of hazardous sites that are subject to special monitoring. In 1976 a devastating chemical accident occurred in Seveso, near Milan in Italy.

"The prefect of the Normandy region, Pierre-André Durand, stated for the news channel BFMTV that initially no ""high toxicity"" had been detected in samples. However, pollution of the nearby Seine could not be ruled out. The prefecture explained that dams had been built on the river for the purpose of pollution prevention."

The authorities reported that the fire started around 02:40am. The cause is so far not clear. Rouen is a large city in the region and lies on the Seine between Paris and the port of Le Havre.

French Minister of the Economy and Finance Bruno Le Maire has called for greater investment from Germany in order to boost economic growth in the eurozone.

"""Germany must invest right now, the sooner the better,"" Le Maire said Thursday evening when presenting the French budget for next year."

"""We can't wait for the economic situation to deteriorate before making the necessary decisions."""

Those countries with sufficient budget reserves for more investments are the ones that should act, said Le Maire, in reference to Germany and others.

"France does not have this reserve, he added, referring to his country's high national debt. France's debt accounts for 98 percent of GDP. The national debt must be ""stabilized"" and ""reduced,"" said Le Maire."

In recent years, France has made repeated appeals for Germany to increase public investments in order to revive the European economy. In turn, German politicians have repeatedly called on France to keep its budget deficit under control.

The French budget for 2020 presented on Thursday includes tax reductions worth over €9 billion for households.

This is one way in which the French government is reacting to the protests by the yellow vest movement. New borrowing should fall to 2.2 per cent after the 3.1 per cent expected this year.

Is He Still Trying to Trick Us?: Johnson Dodges Questions about Brexit Tactics

"The British Prime Minister Johnson has sharp criticism for the ""capitulation act"" ratified by parliament."

The parliament is back, and a law requires the British Prime Minister to avoid a chaos Brexit. However, critics fear that Boris Johnson could still make use of a loophole. When asked about this possibility, however, the Tory politician skirted the issue.

The British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is being discrete about whether he wants to implement an unregulated Brexit, despite the law recently passed by Parliament that is supposed to prevent just that. When questioned to that end, Johnson has merely told journalists that his government will comply with applicable law.

"The law prescribes that the government request a postponement for the date of withdrawal if an agreement with the EU cannot be reached by mid-October. Johnson criticizes this as a ""capitulation law"" that makes negotiating with the EU more difficult."

"On Thursday, the former British Prime Minister John Major expressed the suspicion that Johnson might attempt to use ""political chicanery"" to circumvent the law. The Prime Minister might use a procedural trick that would postpone the law's entry into force until after the withdrawal from the EU. Johnson said he is striving for a treaty with the European Union. ""We're confident about leaving the EU on October 31, and the best path is to do so with an agreement."""

"Johnson's Chief Adviser, Dominic Cummings, has stated in the meantime that he sees the political conflict surrounding Brexit as a ""walk in the park"" and seems confident that the sought-after withdrawal from the EU will happen: ""We're enjoying this, we're going to win, we're going to leave (editor's note: the EU), don't worry,"" said Cummings at a book presentation, according to the British Newspaper ""Telegraph."""

"Cummings, who led the Brexit campaign ""Vote Leave"" during the election before the EU referendum 2016, now functions as the Chief Strategist in the British seat of government on Downing Street. He is said to be behind the uncompromising policy that has led the Prime Minister into an almost inescapable situation."

"Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, and Janis Joplin: They all stood before the camera of Linda McCartney, who has become one of the great rock photographers. But it's not always glamourous. The photo album entitled ""The Polaroid Diaries"" (Taschen) goes deep into the very private world of the McCartney family."

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

"After the launch event, McCartney posted on Instagram: ""#ThePolaroidDiaries is a fleeting glimpse into the life of an extraordinary family from the time before Instagram, a celebration of the legacy of LindaMcCartney as a committed artist and the immediate magic of Polaroid film."""

"For Linda McCartney, who studied art history at the University of Arizona until she found photography, the camera was always close at hand. She made thousands of Polaroids, of which a few hundred are now being published for the first time in ""The Polaroid Diaries."""

"There are portraits, still life, landscapes, some hamsters, a sheep in the kitchen, and other interiors from the early 70s until the late 90s. ""She wanted genuine moments,"" the art critic Ekow Eshun wrote in his forward. And naturally, one thing always took center stage: her husband Paul, as many had possibly never seen him."

He's shown dancing while carrying his daughter Mary on his shoulders, talking on the phone in his bathrobe with a bag on his head, and wearing misshapen Moon Boots. Sure, the McCartneys were an extraordinary family, but one that led a fully normal life outside the spotlight on their farm in south England or in Scotland. According to the BBC, Mary McCartney said that as a baby she slept in a bed her father had built from old potato crates. And the McCartney house has not always been tidy.

The Polaroid camera captures the immediate moment like hardly any other medium. Linda McCartney's photographs are definitely a type of family diary, but they're more than just snapshots.

"It all comes down to the decisive click: ""You have to recognize when a terrific photo is taking place in front of you. And then snap it at just the right moment,"" says Paul McCartney. ""If you snap it two seconds later or earlier, it can be a totally different picture."" And Linda always had a talent for capturing it at just the right moment. ""She just knew she had it,"" said Paul in the Eshun essay."

"The light, the composition, the detail, and the colors were all correct, making ""The Polaroid Diaries"" into not only an entertaining picture book for Beatles fans, but, besides all the anecdotes, a great aesthetic pleasure where landscapes work like abstract paintings. The perfect supplement to the Beatles album ""Abbey Road,"" which appeared exactly fifty years ago and has been reissued."

Despite the US sanctions against Iran, Turkey will continue to import oil and gas from its neighbor. In an interview released on Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey cannot terminate its oil and gas imports from Iran.

"""We shall continue to by our gas from there,"" Erdogan said in New York, where he had participated in the UN General Assembly."

"However, he admitted that Turkey has problems with the import of Iranian oil because a few companies had ""pulled out due to US threats."""

"Nevertheless, Turkey ""will maintain our relations with Iran, in particular in relation to this matter and many others,"" said the Turkish president, who has repeatedly criticized the US sanctions against Iran."

"Since withdrawing from the international nuclear treaty, the United States has been pursuing a policy of ""maximum pressure"" on the Islamic Republic. According to the US, Iran is secretly pursuing a nuclear program and does not abide by the treaty."

US sanctions have caused a collapse of Iranian oil exports and a severe economic crisis. Tensions in the Gulf have increased considerably over the past few months.

The US government wants a drastic reduction in admission of refugees. The United States Department of State explained on Thursday that their annual upper limit of a resettlement program should be reduced to 18,000 instead of 30,000 refugees. That is a reduction of 40%.

The Department of State explained that the USA would continue to show obligation toward support of refugees. Their primary purpose, however, is to protect and serve US citizens. Currently the immigration system in the US is overloaded.

The US government wants to concentrate on adding two refugee groups in future. People who are being persecuted because of their faith, and Iraqis who helped the US military in that nation and have thereby become endangered, the State Department has explained. On the other hand, a maximum of 1500 refugees from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador are to be added.

For the 1980 program, refugees are selected from UNO camps around the world and resettled in the USA. The upper limit of 18,000 refugees for the budget year of 2020 would be the lowest in the history of the program. The current upper limit of 30,000 refugees is already an all-time low. When US president Donald Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, left the White House, this figure was at almost 85,000.

"Aid organizations reacted in horror to the announced decrease of the upper limit. ""That is a very sad day for America,"" said the director of International Rescue Committee, David Miliband. The USA would be damaging their status as leading role in protecting vulnerable people in the world even further."

Trump tries to set strict limits on legal as well as illegal immigration into the USA. According to some information, the US government is expecting 350,000 asylum applications for the budget year ahead. These figures are separate to those of the resettlement program.

"US president Donald Trump has accused whistleblowers in the espionage Whistleblower affair. Whoever had given relevant information to the informer who accused him of abuse of power, ""is more like a snitch,"" Trump said according to a record kept by a private event in New York on Thursday. This was reported unanimously by several US media outlets."

"Accordingly, Trump spoke about employees of the American UN Mission. When he was queried about the person, who informed the whistleblower about controversial events in the White House, he responded, ""It is more like an informer."" Then Trump added, ""Do you know, what we did in the olden days, when we were smart?"" That's right. The spies and treason, we used to deal with that a little differently from how we do now."""

Observers evaluated the last observation for a possible allusion to the death penalty. The Democrats practiced harsh criticism on Trump's comments and accused him of intimidation of witnesses. It was an attempt, to hinder a congress investigation into a possible impeachment procedure against him, wrote the chairmen of the committees for evaluation, secret services and supervision in the house of representatives.

The whistleblower accuses the president in a now disclosed complaint, of having abused his office in order to solicit interference from another country in the 2020 US election. Specifically, it is about his controversial phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart Wolodymyr Selenskyj during the summer. In the conversation Trump suggested to him to initiate investigations against his possible democratic challenger Joe Biden and his son Hunter in the Ukraine. Trump denies any wrongdoing.

It is still unclear, who the whistleblower himself might be as well as who the informant is. As reported by the New York Times, the identity of the whistleblower is reputedly an analyst of the CIA foreign intelligence agency.

Refugee Boat Capsized: Baby and Small Children Drown in the Aegean

People are continually trying to cross the Aegean Sea to get to Greece from Turkey. And the boats they use often capsize because they are much too small. Seven immigrants have now died in the sinking of a rubber raft—including five children.

Seven immigrants died at the Greek island Chios when a rubber raft sank. The victims included a baby and four other children, the Greek coast guard reported. Four children, three women, and five men were reportedly rescued from the floodwaters by the crew of a passing ferry.

The victims are said to include a smuggler, reported the local news agency of Chios, Alithia.gr. The immigrants set out from Turkey in the morning. They were attempting to reach Inousses, the small group of islands in the northeast of the island Chios. Inousses lies between Chios and the Turkish mainland.

The countries from which the immigrants came are still unknown. Hundreds of immigrants from Turkey are currently ferrying to the Greek islands in the east of the Aegean, most in boats that are much too small. According to The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 174 people were killed on this route last year.

"A US concert by The Who rock-band ended suddenly due to illness of lead singer Roger Daltrey. In the middle of a performance on Wednesday evening (local time) in Houston, his voice packed up. During the eighth song, Daltrey said to the public, ""I think I should leave it while it still works."""

"Lead guitarist Pete Townsend apologized and added that now Daltrey ""now definitely can't speak."" Townsend promised the public, to give them their money's worth at a reparation concert. But a date has not been confirmed yet."

The planned appearances for Friday in Dallas and Sunday in Denver have cancelled. They plan to catch up at a later date. 75-year-old Daltrey and his 74 year old band colleague Townsend are the only remaining founding members. The British cult band formed 55 years ago.

Leasing Suddenly Discontinued: WeWork Causes Real Estate Markets to Tremble

Within a few years, WeWork has climbed from a small startup to a driving force in the world's most expensive real estate markets. But now the company is experiencing a crisis. Landlords must fear revenue in the billions.

"The crisis of the office tenant WeWork threatens to disrupt the balance in the world's largest real estate markets. A few days ago, the company discharged founder Adam Neumann as CEO, postponed its planned initial public offering, and with the sale of subsidiaries and assets (such as the private jet for the executive staff) began to gain financial leeway for the coming weeks and months. Moreover, the British ""Financial Times"" and others have reported that WeWork stopped the conclusion of nine rentals, effective immediately. This means that the largest tenant of office space in New York, London, and elsewhere, has suddenly left the market."

WeWork rents large office spaces for the long term and lets them to members for the short term in partially small units. These can be individual freelancers, small startups, or entire departments of large corporations. Until now, WeWork has burned through money with breathtaking speed while transacting its business. Last year the company earned 1.8 billion dollars but lost 1.6 billion. This year, rental costs alone are expected to reach an estimated 2.5 billion dollars through the leasing of ever newer and larger spaces. To limit loss, the new company management has now reportedly put on the emergency brakes and stopped leasing new spaces, effective immediately.

"According to the ""Financial Times,"" by now WeWork has entered into lease agreements with terms of up to 15 years, from which obligations of more than 40 billion dollars arise. Those huge liabilities could become a problem not only for the company and its investors, but for the entire real estate markets."

"As calculated by economist Dan Alpert from the Cornell Law School in New York, in the past 24 months WeWork has rented almost 300,000 square meters of office space in Manhatten, one of the most expensive real estate markets in the world. WeWorks' new contracts alone made sure the demand for offices in New York was greater than the new spaces that came onto the market during this period. Without the WeWorks expansion, the office vacancy in the US metropolis would have increased, as Alpert wrote in ""Business Insider."" It looks similar in London, where WeWork now operates several dozen office buildings in prime locations."

In the British capital as well, the balance in the real estate market could be notably delayed without the further expansion of the aggressive startup. Among other things, WeWork is the main tenant of an office building in the center of the financial metropolis that was bought by the savings bank fund provider Deka for almost 100 million euros.

"Many landlords have invested dearly in refurbishing their real estate to meet WeWork's requirements. If WeWork fails to make its business model profitable soon, real estate owners will probably have to write off part of the billions in revenues they had hoped for. Despite long-term lease agreements, they have no access to WeWork's reserves, although these are scarce. Because WeWork's individual locations are normally leased by founding extra subsidiaries known as ""Special Purpose Vehicles"" for which the parent company is liable only within narrow limits."

The Russian coastal guard has once more taken action against North Korean fishermen. In recent days, a further 262 poachers have been arrested for fishing illegally in these waters, the Russian domestic intelligence service FSB is reputed to have informed the Interfax agency on Friday.

161 North Korean fishermen had been arrested only ten days previously. Before that, the border guards had been shot at and three of them had been injured. But this time there had been no wounded, according to reports. Communist North Korea suffers from a chronic food shortage.

For that reason, the North Korean fishermen were underway in Russian waters. The Russian coast guard reports that it patrols these waters in order to protect Russia's maritime biological resources. New controls had found 30,000 octopi. Also, three trawlers and two motor boats are reported to have been confiscated and taken to Nakhodka and Posyet near Vladivostok. For 2018 the coastal guard confirmed over 8,000 violations to the Ria Nowosti agency.

Following complaints from Russian companies, this year Russia's fishing authority issued no fishing licenses to the North Koreans. According to media reports, in 2019 thousands of fishermen from North Korea have been detained in Russia.

Georgiy Martinov, head of the association of Russian fishing enterprises in the Primorye region in the far east, also complained recently about high environmental damage caused by the North Korean fishermen. They had used tightly-meshed synthetic nets which are banned in Russia. They had also used these to fish tiny creatures from the sea. Moreover, the nets had simply been disposed of in the sea, where it would take 200 years for them to disintegrate. Even the boats they used did not correspond to the hygienic and technical standards required.

Moscow reported that during the arrests in the previous week three Russian coastal guards had been injured. A North Korean who was also injured is reported by FSB to have later died of his injuries. On this day of September 17th, Russian border guards seized a North Korean boat and subsequently another boat that had opened fire.

"The USA has issued travel bans against the former Cuban President Raúl Castro and his children. On Thursday, the American State Department justified this in an announcement citing Castro's participation in ""severe human rights violations."" As head of the Communist party of the Caribbean nation, he presided over a system in which thousands of Cubans were deliberately arrested and there were more than one hundred political prisoners."

"As the commander of the armed forces, the brother of the deceased revolutionary leader Fidel Castro shared the blame for human rights violations in Venezuela as well, where he was supported by its President, Nicolás Maduro. ""The abuse of human rights and the use of force by the Cuban regime to support the former Maduro regime are responsible for the continuing crises in Cuba and Venezuela,"" tweeted the United States Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo."

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

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

One week after the biggest international climate protests to date, thousands of people again want to take to the streets for the sake of better climate protection.

To conclude an international week of climate strikes, Fridays for Future is planning further events and rallies in dozens of countries. Because of the different time zones, the protests are to start in New Zealand and Australia before spreading to North America via Europe. There, climate activist Greta Thunberg is to attend a mass rally in Montreal, Canada. The demonstrators also plan to gather in front of the White House in Washington.

"It is not quite clear how large the worldwide response will be after last week's record attendance. Thunberg herself was optimistic. ""Over four million people went on strike for the climate last Friday. This Friday we'll do it again,"" she tweeted. So far there have been 6,383 protests in 170 countries during the strike week, she added."

In Germany, the response last Friday was particularly big. Fridays for Future estimates that one third of all worldwide protesters—about 1.4 million people—gathered in 575 German cities. This time, demonstrations are planned in at least 65 cities, according to a list compiled by the protest movement. People intend to take to the streets for the climate not just in large cities like Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, and Cologne but also in smaller towns and districts such as Jüchen in North Rhine-Westphalia and Westerland in Sylt.

In August 2018, at the age of 15, Thunberg sat in front of the Swedish parliament to demand that her country's politicians take stronger action on climate protection. Out of this, Fridays for Future was soon born. It was mostly pupils and students who took part in the climate protests, but scientists and other adults also participated increasingly.

Together they are demanding greater commitment from politicians in the struggle against global warming and the impending climate disaster. In particular, according to the Paris climate agreement, global warming must be kept to less than 1.5 degrees compared to the pre-industrial age.

Almost one month ago, Thunberg arrived in New York aboard an ocean-going racing yacht following a two-week transatlantic trip. There, she finally attended climate protests and UN summits. At the United Nations on Monday, she delivered an emotional speech in which she appealed to the consciences of state and government leaders. In her home city of Stockholm on Wednesday, she received the alternative Nobel prize from the Right Livelihood Foundation for her engagement for greater climate protection.

"People in Russia will no longer be able to smoke on balconies in the future. This is a requirement of a change to fire safety rules. ""This also applies to smoking,"" said a speaker for the Ministry of Emergency Situations in Moscow on Thursday, according to the agency TASS. The ban will come into effect on October 1."

Those who still smoke will have to pay a fine of 3,000 rubles (€42.46). If the cigarette starts a fire, the penalty is higher. According to the Ministry, this ban also covers the burning of candles. Grilling meat on a balcony is now prohibited also.

In the war against internet crime, German investigators have raided a large server provider for the first time, due to illegal transactions in the darknet.

A total of 13 culprits are suspected of operating a computer center in a former Nato bunker in Traben-Trarbach on the Moselle River that hosted numerous websites through which the internationally acting criminals carried out their schemes.

This was announced by the Attorney General in Koblenz. Seven suspects were arrested on Thursday evening in a large-scale operation. The darknet is a shielded part of the internet.

"The suspects' customers were allegedly the operators of the second-largest darknet marketplace for drugs in the world, ""Wall Street Market,"" which investigators broke up early in the year. And the attack on 1.25 million telecom routers at the end of November 2016 was controlled through a server in the cyberbunker, according to the Attorney General."

This was reportedly the first time that such a host was raided in Germany. A web host provides the infrastructure for an internet presence.

The seizure operation was supported by special units, such as the GSG 9 (Border Protection Group 9 of the Federal Police), and involved raids in Germany and neighboring countries. They are the result of investigations lasting almost five years. The investigators will provide more detailed information at noon.

One week after the biggest international climate protests to date, thousands of people intend to take to the streets again today to call for better climate protection.

To conclude an international week of climate strikes, Fridays for Future has planned further events and rallies in dozens of countries.

In Germany, protests are planned in at least 65 cities, including Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, and Cologne, as well as in smaller towns and districts such as Jüchen in North Rhine-Westphalia and Westerland in Sylt. Climate activist Greta Thunberg is to attend a mass rally in Montreal, Canada.

A sense of justice and courage are lofty virtues even in the 21st century, in a world full of war and smoke-belching factories that are heating the climate. So it is all the more striking that a 16-year-old girl is holding a mirror up to today's people in power. But what is her motivation? Is it a willingness to help, or the clever marketing of a climate activist? A historic masterstroke or manipulative tactics on her own account?

On the one hand, Greta Thunberg is stirring the masses and making young people rise up for a better climate-friendly world. Historically, this is not the first time in Europe that a young person has managed to win over children and young people. As far back as 1212, a boy called Nikolaus from Cologne believed himself destined to work towards bringing about a fairer world. He was able to win over a horde of young people and talk them into crossing the sea with him to the Promised Land, just as Greta Thunberg recently did with her sailboat voyage to the America.

"But is there a dark side? Why is a campaign called ""We don't have time"" needed to save the world? Greta Thunberg also has rich PR managers on her side. Incidentally, her mother has published a book that has sold all over the world thanks to her prominent daughter. Even long-established supporters of Greta Thunberg were a little indignant at the latest PR show, i.e., the boat trip, which some found excessive. This is not unfounded, as the impressive action went down very well with the world's press and has caused a lot of money to flow."

Opinions differ over this: Is it morally right to get rich from saving the world? Is it still legitimate if certain groups of people collaborate with stockbrokers during the campaign to save the world? Whatever the conclusion that will finally be drawn, a critical and considered perspective is always more important in a democratic society, for democracy draws its existence from varied opinions and debates. Therefore, it can be useful to take a critical look at even apparently righteous activities by certain trendsetters.

Comet discovered: An interstellar guest crosses through our solar system

An unknown comet is currently travelling through our solar system.

Astronomers suspicions have been confirmed: An unknown comet has been travelling through our solar system—it is only the second one of its type.

Garching/Washington—Scientists have long suspected it, but they are now certain: A comet from another star is crossing our solar system at this moment. It was christened after its discoverer 2I/Borisov and is currently taking up the attention of astronomers worldwide.

2I/Borisov: A comet has been discovered by amateur astronomers in Crimea.

The said solid body was discovered by an amateur astronomer called Gennadi Borissow in Crimea. He was looking at the sky through a home-made telescope and further night-time observations confirm his first suspicion. It is actually an unknown comet which is not from our solar system. It is only the second of its type that has been spotted flying past.

Astronomers now have a big chance of getting a close-up view of an unknown solar system. Apparently the comet resembles those of our own solar system, as reported by the astrophysical Institute of the Canaries. According to the International Astronomic Union (IAC) the comet is of distinctly interstellar origins, and is currently moving along a hyperbolic path which is leading it out of our system.

The comet had already been sighted before its approach and can be observed for several months.

"But before it gets to that stage, astronomers can watch it closely. Then in contrast to its predecessor, 2l/Borisov has already been sighted before its approach, which means that it can be examined from earth for many months to come. ""The object will reach its greatest brightness by mid-December and will then still be visible through medium-sized telescopes until April 2020,"" Davide Farnocchia of the Nasa US space agency explains. ""After that it will still be visible through bigger, professional telescopes until October 2020."""

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

The observation goes beyond individual knowledge. The fact that already two such objects have been discovered in the space of only two years may allow a new way of researching certain processes in other solar systems.

Researchers are always preoccupied with asteroids. Recently a giant asteroid raced past the earth and got dangerously close to it.

"""Absolutely Reprehensible"": Rachel Johnson Appalled at her Brother"

"It's getting lonelier for Boris Johnson. First his younger brother left the cabinet, and now his sister is castigating the Prime Minister's warlike language as ""tasteless."" She says he's not the brother she knows."

"""Capitulation,"" ""fraud,"" ""treaty"": Prime Minister Boris Johnson is under pressure and arming himself more and more—at least verbally. During the time of questioning in the House of Commons this Wednesday, this was met with massive outrage from the opposition, and since then many additional critics have weighed in: Dozens of bishops, and his own sister Rachel Johnson."

"The famous journalist and author told the broadcaster Sky News that her brother used words like ""capitulation,"" as though the opponents of the withdrawal from the EU ""should be hanged, drawn, quartered, tarred and feathered."" She feels that is thoroughly reprehensible. She no longer recognizes this version of her brother, said Rachel Johnson, who stood for the anti-Brexit party ""Change UK"" during the elections for the EU parliament."

"She was especially upset that her brother mentioned Jo Cox, an EU-friendly member of the House of Commons who was murdered by a neo-Nazi a few days before the 2016 referendum on the withdrawal. One can best honor her memory by carrying out Brexit, Boris Johnson said in the House of Commons. ""It is in very poor taste to refer to a delegate who was murdered by someone shouting ‘Britain first,'"" Johnson's sister is now critically asserting. The culprit is said to have obviously come from the extreme right wing, which feels itself strengthened ""by this type of language."" For all those who are mourning her, it's extremely tasteless."

"And Cox's widower also strongly criticized the Prime Minister. ""Feel a bit sick at Jo's name being used in this way,"" he tweeted. The best way to honor Jo is for all of us (no matter our views) to stand up for what we believe in, passionately and with determination. But never to demonize the other side."" He also lamented that an atmosphere has arisen in which attacks have become more probable."

"Only a few weeks ago, Boris Johnson's younger brother Jo resigned his position as Minister of State and his mandate as the Tory delegate. ""In recent weeks I've been torn between family loyalty and the national interest – it's an unresolvable tension,"" Jo Johnson said to justify the step he was taking."

"Johnson's speech was met with strong criticism, including in the church. As the ""Times"" reported, all 118 bishops and archbishops of the Church of England criticized the speech, which they said was ""not worthy of our country."" In a joint statement, they declared: ""In the last few days, the use of language, both in debates and outside parliament, has been unacceptable. We should speak to others with respect."

"For its 100th anniversary, the NFL is giving a clear signal: Two women with Latin roots will perform at the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show. They promise ""an explosion of fun and energy."""

Latina power at the Super Bowl: Superstars Shakira (42) and Jennifer Lopez (50) will provide the halftime show at the upcoming final game of the NFL American football league. This was announced by organizers on Thursday (local time).

"""I feel incredibly honored and humbled to be next to J. Lo, representing the Latino community that is such an important force in the United States,"" Shakira shared in a video."

"The finale of the American football league, which will celebrate its 100th birthday next year, takes places 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, while Lopez (""On the Floor"") is of Puerto Rican descent."

"""I love that the Super Bowl has two women performing this year—and two Latinas,"" Lopez explained. This sends an important message to all Americans and the world. She 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 had huge hits like ""Waiting For Tonight"" or ""Let's Get Loud"" and later released songs in Spanish. Lopez also does work as an actress and can be seen in the drama ""Hustlers,"" in German theaters from November."

"Shakira was famous in Colombia as the star of a telenovela and a singer. She made her international debut in 2001 with her first dual language album and the single ""Whenever, Wherever."""

The halftime guest announcement is always hotly anticipated in the US. This year, many see the selection as a political gesture. After all, the country is deeply divided, not least due to the immigration policies of President Donald Trump.

The Super Bowl is both the largest US sporting event and a gigantic advertising spectacle. Musicians like Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Madonna, Bruno Mars, and the Rolling Stones have caused a huge stir there. More than 100 million TV viewers normally watch the NFL final, and it has become quite popular in Germany as well.

The runup to last year's game was mired in political controversy. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to stand during the playing of the national anthem in protest against police violence against black people - he was then attacked harshly by US President Donald Trump and others. Some musicians refused a Super Bowl appearance out of solidarity with Kaepernick, including Rihanna and Pink. The rock group Maroon 5 was ultimately criticized by many for performing.

An actor and YouTuber badgers Egypt's ruler: For now Mohamed Ali prefers to stay abroad.

"The two men who have a say about whether blood will be spilt on Egypt's streets again, have both spent the past week abroad. One of the two drifted into Cairo airport again on Friday. State president Abdelfattah al-Sisi returned from the UN General Assembly. The ex-general, who in 2013 deposed Muslim brother Mohammed Mursi, the first freely chosen head of state, had spent a pleasant time in New York. US president Donald Trump had praised al-Sisi's action against political Islam, making no mention of the human rights violations on the Nile—during a week, when Egypt's security forces arrested hundreds of people for daring to protest against the president. He had ""no grounds for worry,"" al-Sisi said at the airport into the state television broadcasting microphone. ""Egyptians are not easily misled."""

"Misleading—according to the president, is what the other man, who currently determines the events taking place on the streets, is doing. Mohamed Ali naturally stayed, where he keeps out of reach of the security forces, which would immediately arrest him if he tries to set foot in Egypt again. Weeks ago, the 45-year-old was known to only a minority of Egyptians as an actor. Today he is the leading voice commanding political discourse in cafes, living rooms and tea lounges across the country. With his YouTube channel ""Mohamed's Secrets,"" Ali calls on countrymen to rise up against al-Sisi."

He addresses the state president in direct and country-style language. While the people are hungry, the president indulges in luxury and has new palaces built, is what the saying goes. The army leadership on which Sisi rests his rule accuses Ali of corruption and wealth grabbing. Because his second job as building contractor for 15 years meant he did business with precisely this man, he seems to know exactly what he is talking about—at least that is what many Egyptians believe, as the downright exploding clicks show.

"After thousands had demonstrated against his rule last week for the first time since al-Sisi's tightening grip, and almost 2000 citizens, among them prominent figures in civil society, human rights lawyers and opposition politicians were arrested, Ali called on a ""Millions March"" this Friday. That many people daring to go in the street seemed unlikely. But there have been isolated protests, for example Giseh in Cairo as well as in the Kina region near Luxor. Videos in social media showed protests, the participants of which blamed Al-Sisi corruption and demanded his departure. During these protests, the police also used tear gas and rubber bullets. These videos could initially not be identified. From security circles it was said, that the police ended the protests."

"There were reports of high police presence in the city of Mansura in the Nile Delta last Friday, where last week demonstrators were tearing up banners with the portrait of the president. Security forces erected checkpoints in the city and at exit roads. In Cairo several underground stations in the inner city were closed due to ""maintenance work,"" most roads around Tahrir square, the heart of the revolution of 2011 were blocked off. And on the Rabaa square, on which in 2013 followers of the fallen Muslim brother Mursi entrenched themselves, until the army put them under fire and killed up to 800 people, another measure is meant to deter dissatisfied people from gathering. It is in this very place, that al-Sisi's Future Party wanted to hold a large rally for the president."

"These precautions prompted Mohamed Ali to change his tactic. ""Our goal must not be Tahrir square,"" Ali said in Barcelona into his video camera. ""Let us not come to knocks with police officers."" But that should not be understood as a withdrawal. ""All of Egypt is Tahrir square."""

If the internet connection seems much slower than advertised by the provider, there are several ways to make sure.

When signing a contract, one should not have to trust their provider blindly. If problems occur, customers can check the actual internet speed themselves.

The data transfer rates promised in advance are an important part of the contract and should therefore be reached, explains the Bavarian Consumer Center.

If the connection seems much slower than advertised by the provider, there are several ways to make sure. The measuring tools by the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) measure the actual data transfer rates and compare them to the rates agreed upon in the contract.

"""The provider checks are carried out according to provider-specific specifications and are therefore not calculated uniformly and objectively"", stated the Bavarian Consumer Center."

If the connection is much slower than agreed upon, customers can set the provider a reasonable deadline, which is usually 14 days, to provide the service as promised. The customers can do this per post, via a registered letter.

Should this prove unsuccessful after several attempts, customers can terminate their contracts and, in come circumstances, claim damages. Legal action can be used if all else fails.

"A senior Republican, the Governor of Vermont, has spoken out in favor of an impeachment investigation against US President Donald Trump. ""I think the inquiry is important, yes, and where it leads from here is going to be driven by the facts that are established,"" Phil Scott said at a press conference on Thursday. He wanted to know more about the whistleblower affair before measures—impeachment proceedings can lead to the removal of the President—were taken."

"Scott said that he was not surprised by the revelation that Trump had made repeated requests over the phone to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate interventions by Democratic Presidential rival and former Vice President Joe Biden in Ukraine. Trump has been watching Biden ""for years."""

Republicans have so far withheld their criticism of Trump due to the whistleblower affair; few have shown unease about it. Scott's statements are the first sign of uneasiness within Trump's party. Scott, a moderate Republican, has already pushed back against Trump's policies numerous times, such as when he opposed relaxing environmental regulations and tightening immigration requirements.

It was a shock to all Spider-Man fans: At the end of August, it was announced that Sony and Marvel would be going their separate ways in the future. As a result, Tom Holland's Spider-Man would no longer be part of the Avengers universe. It was entirely unclear how the films starring Tom Holland would proceed.

"Now the surprise: After ""Spider-Man: Homecoming"" and ""Spider-Man: Far From Home,"" Spider-Man is getting an additional final third film within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The same news was reported by several US media outlets. According to these reports, the cinema release is also set: The movie will be shown in the US from July 16, 2021."

"The magazine Screenrant quotes Marvel boss Kevin Feige as saying, ""I'm happy that Spidey's path continues on in the MCU. I and everyone else at Marvel Studios are absolutely delighted to be able to work on it again... He's the only superhero with the ability to take part in different universes, as Sony continues to work on its Spidey-Verse. You never know what the future will bring."""

But where did the sudden good news come from? Sony has allegedly made Marvel an offer. According to industry magazines, Disney, which also includes Marvel, would be given a 30 per cent share in the proceeds from the upcoming Spider-Man films. This news has not been confirmed, however.

"After nine seasons, the American series ""Suits"" has reached its grand finale. The last episode contained many happy endings and cameos. And a charming tribute was paid to the royal couple, Prince Harry (35) and his Meghan (38), who had taken part in the series for years. Note: The following sections contain spoilers to the series finale."

One thing in advance: Duchess Meghan does not return in the finale for one last farewell as Rachel Zane—at least not for new scenes. Instead, a few looks back presented the most memorable scenes with the current duchess once more. Like the moments of the failed and the successful wedding with Mike, or how she greeted him after he had served his sentence.

"But her real-life husband, Prince Harry, was also mentioned in passing in the ""Suits"" finale (in a wedding scene, naturally). Just as Louis Litt (Rick Hoffman, 49) was going to the altar to marry his fiancée Sheila (Rachael Harris, 51), Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht, 47) made a telling comment regarding his suit. The confused Harvey wants to know whether or not the bridegroom had actually thrown on a frock coat, only to then make the snarky comment: ""Louis, you are not the Prince of England."""

A baby and four other children drowned when a refugee boat overturned on the Aegean Sea. A total of seven people died in the accident, the Greek coastguard announced Friday. Their nationalities have not been established yet.

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

Hundreds of migrants are currently crossing over from Turkey to the Greek islands in the eastern Aegean. According to figures from UNHCR, 174 people died along this route last year. Federal Minister of the Interior Horst Seehofer has now said he intends to visit both countries.

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

On Friday, an EU Commission spokesperson confirmed Seehofer's planned visit with EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos and French Minister of the Interior Christophe Castaner.

An extraordinarily high number of migrants from Turkey are continuing to arrive in Greece. 654 people landed on the Greek islands on Tuesday alone, the Greek Ministry of Civil Protection reported on Wednesday.

The increased numbers have recently cast doubts over the functioning of the EU-Turkey agreement reached in 2016. Under this agreement, the EU can send back all refugees and migrants who have come to the Greek islands illegally via Turkey. In return, for every Syrian sent back, the EU agreed to accept a Syrian refugee from Turkey.

However, the processing of asylum applications on the Greek side is proceeding sluggishly due to personnel shortages. The Ministry of Civil Protection says that almost 29,400 people are trapped on Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Leros, and Kos. The situation on Lesbos is the most serious: A camp with a capacity for 650 people is currently accommodating 5,200 migrants.

Never since the EU-Turkey refugee agreement came into force in March 2016 have there been so many, according to the state radio broadcaster.

"According to physicians, climate change will put the healthcare system to the test in the future. Andreas Zeiher, president of the German Cardiology Association, says that changes to the climate will ""certainly"" be one of the greatest challenges to the healthcare system during the next twenty to fifty years. High temperatures and extreme temperature changes primarily stress the cardiovascular system and lead increasingly to heart attacks. Those most affected include people with cardiovascular disease, the elderly, and diabetics."

The Green politician must answer for an embarrassing photo accident

Elisabeth May, the leader of the Green Party of Canada—Was the cup edited for this reason?

The leader of the Green Party of Canada holds a reusable cup in her hand in a photo. However, it has not come out: The cup was edited.

Ottawa/Canada—It has gone unnoticed for a long time, but was finally discovered. Elisabeth May, the leader of the Canadian Green Party, never had the reusable coffee cup with the metal straw in her hand. The photograph on the party´s website showed May holding the cup and talking to the voters. However, the photo had been published and distributed to the media before—and the cup used to be a crude (paper) cup, as the Canadian National Post reported.

"The National Post accused May of manipulation and stated that the party was spreading fake news in order to appear more credible regarding ""environmental protection"". And that in the middle of an election campaign for the House of Commons, as Trudeau has also been dealing with difficulties because of a bribery scandal."

"The photo went viral on social media and sparked discussion on fake news. A user shared a comparison of the two photos and wrote: ""The Green party edited a photograph of its leader to hide a single-use coffee cup""."

May seemed shocked and claimed not to have known anything about this on her blog. For emphasis, she posted the original photograph: Herself, speaking to the voters, coffee cup in hand. The cup is, however, made of bamboo. She always carries it with her. A spokeswoman for the party claimed that the goal was to add the party logo to the photo, and not to conceal anything. A part of the photo can still be found on the party website.

"May wrote she felt sorry for the employee who did it. ""I do not want to say he is stupid, but there was nothing to hide"", she said to the Guardian and addressed her overly committed team: ""If you intend to edit a photograph, would it be possible to edit my face so that I look younger?"""

The German Green party also had to deal with shitstorms because of their use of disposable plastic and of air travel—but their pictures were not photoshopped. The leader of the Bavarian Green party Katharina Schulze, ate her ice cream with a plastic spoon on vacation, as merkur.de reports.

Jaqueline Ng had apparently received mail from Cathay Pacific confirming an upgrade. But when she asked about it at check-in, she was not allowed on board—and she can never fly with Cathay again.

Many passengers dream of being spontaneously upgraded to business class. Sometimes they are lucky and check-in employees offer to switch them from economy class.

This case shows, however, how not do it: A self-declared influencer actively requested a free upgrade from airline Cathay Pacific. More than 65,000 users follow Jaqueline Ng on Instagram. On May 30, she flew from Taiwan to New York, returning on June 7.

On her outbound flight, employees refused to give Jaqueline an upgrade even though she showed them an email stating Cathay Pacific had allegedly promised her an upgrade. The influencer claims to have received the message from a marketing employee at the airline. However, the airline accused Jaqueline of falsifying the email.

On her return flight, Jaqueline again tried to get an upgrade for the long-haul flight. The woman is alleged to have presented the email this time as well, but with a different reference number. Employees at JFK Airport were skeptical. They contacted their head office and dug a little deeper. As it turns out, the employee from whom the email is said to have originated denied writing to Jaqueline. The email system also confirmed this, as the messages were not found.

Airline employees at the airport canceled Jacqueline's ticket and hit her with a life-long flying ban from Cathay Pacific. She was forced to purchase a new ticket to Taiwan for $1,400 (around €1,280).

The influencer took her case to Elliot Advocacy, a company that represents consumer interests. Cathay had reimbursed her for the price of her original ticket, but Jacqueline also wanted the costs of the new ticket home.

However, unless Jaqueline submits the email metadata, the case is clear: As far as Cathay is concerned, the influencer has committed fraud; she will remain banned from future flights. The airline's terms and conditions also state that it does not have to pay for the new flight. Jacqueline is not satisfied—and is now seeking an attorney.

On Friday afternoon, oil prices fell rapidly by over one dollar. A barrel (159 liters) of North Sea Brent oil ultimately cost $61.83—down about 1.4 per cent on the previous day. The price of a barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fell by 1.3 per cent to $55.77.

The fall was triggered by a report in the Wall Street Journal about a ceasefire in Yemen, Saudi Arabia is reported to have agreed to a ceasefire in four regions.

A drone attack on oil refineries in Saudi Arabia in the middle of September had paralyzed 5 per cent of world oil output. In civil war-torn Yemen, the Huthi rebels allied with Iran claimed responsibility for the attacks Like the US Government, Saudi Arabia blames Iran. A ceasefire would ease the political tension in the region.

If an agreement is reached, focus can be centered on problems with growth and demand, said Ole Hansen, head of the commodity strategy section at the Bloomberg news agency's Saxo Bank.

Oil prices are therefore continuing the downward trend of the last few days. A week ago, a barrel of WTI oil still cost almost $59, and a barrel of Brent almost $65.

Citing insiders, Bloomberg reported recently that the repairs to the oil facilities in Saudi Arabia after the attack were proceeding faster than expected. According to this source, output is said to have again reached 8 million barrels per day and is heading back to its original level.

There have been several press reports recently referring to insiders and talking of rapid progress by the state-owned oil company Saudi Aramco in carrying out the repairs. But commodities experts claimed that Saudi Aramco is currently planning a stock market flotation and wants to avoid negative headlines.

At the same time, there has been an easing of tension in the conflict between Iran and the West. After being held by the Iranians for more than two months and recently released, British oil tanker the Stena Impero is about to leave harbor. The crew are now preparing for departure while the ship is still at anchor, shipping company boss Erik Hånell told Swedish radio in a text message Friday morning.

Nevertheless, the United States said it would deploy missiles and troops against its Iranian archenemy to Saudi Arabia. Fears of an escalation between the Islamic Republic and countries such as the United States and Great Britain had driven oil prices upwards in recent weeks, at times significantly.

"Accusations of a cover-up by the White House have been voiced in the affair regarding US president Donald Trump's possible abuse of power, After a contentious telephone conversation between Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Selenskyi at the end of July, several leading government employees worked feverishly to prevent access to the transcript of the call. This was reported by an anonymous informer. Democrat Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives, explicitly accused the White House of a ""cover-up"". Trump spoke of a ""witch hunt""."

North Korea considers a third summit for Trump and Kim to be questionable

North Korea has raised doubts that the nuclear dispute is likely to lead to a third summit for rulers Kim Jong-un and US president Donald Trump soon. The meaning and the chances of success of such a meeting are doubtful due to a lack of progress in the implementation of agreements of the first summit in Singapore, according to top diplomat Kim Kye-gwan via the KCNA agency.

"So far, the USA have not done anything to implement last year's summit's decisions, the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs advisor said. He also criticized tighter sanctions and common military maneuvers of the USA and South Korea. However, he hoped for a ""wise"" and ""brave"" decision by Trump, so that things can become closer again."

On Monday, Trump had said that he first wanted to know what a third summit with Kim would entail, before declaring himself prepared for it. The negotiations for a disarmament of the North Korean nuclear and missile program have stalled since the failed summit for Trump and Kim in February in Hanoi. In June both met in the demilitarized zone between both the Korean states. Here they agreed to revive consultations, so far without success.

Prinz Harry: Weapons manufacturers are to assist with mine clearance

"Wearing a blue protective jacket, British prince Harry symbolically detonated and destroyed a blast mine in Angola. He made the ignition circle near a camp run by the British Halo Trust in the Dirico area. The explosive device detonated at a safe distance. With a view to making Angola mine-free by 2025, he later made a request in front of running TV cameras. ""I am calling on all countries, the names on which are written on these weapons, but which have not assisted in clearance, to make a commitment to help."""

With a fall in interest rates imminent, the pound is losing value against the euro.

Speculation in Frankfurt over an imminent fall in Bank of England (BoE) interest rates is punishing sterling. On Friday, the British currency fell by 0.4 percent to $1.2269

on the back of remarks by Michael Saunders of the Bank of England. He talked of a potential fall in interest rates even though a chaotic Brexit had been avoided, as the uncertainty will affect the British economy for the foreseeable future. His remark was a surprise because Saunders is considered an advocate of restrictive monetary policy, said analyst Ricardo Evangelista from the ActivTrades brokerage firm.

Last week, the Bank of England had referred to the economic burden resulting from the wrangling over Brexit, without directly mentioning a reduction in interest rates. Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants to take his country out of the EU on October 31, without a withdrawal agreement if necessary.

And with his provocations, the British prime minister has run a great risk. But it could pay off, says Handelsblatt editor Kerstin Leitel.

Material from the Moscow analysis lab has been manipulated, confirms David Howman, the former director of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and now the Athletics Integrity Unit Chair of The International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF).

At the start of the Athletics World Championships, new details about the doping scandal in Russia have come to light, and they destroy even the small degree of credibility that Russian sports had won back at the beginning of the year. In January 2019, the Moscow doping lab finally delivered to the WADA the requested samples from 2012 to 2015. As it now turns out: They were falsified.

In December 2014, systematic fraud was revealed in Russian sports. After that, the WADA blocked the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) for three years. During that time, Russian athletes were not entirely banned from the world stage. The International Olympic Committee allowed around 270 athletes to compete under a neutral flag in the 2016 Summer games in Rio, after individual testing, and 168 Russian athletes were there at the start of the Winter Games in February 2018. And they were allowed to compete in various world cups: In the summer, even the Soccer World Cup took place in Russia, with the hosts participating.

In the following September, the WADA lifted the RUSADA ban, but demanded access to the lab and said samples. The data was to provide information on the scope of the coverup of doping cases in the nation. They were to help penalize athletes after the fact. Three months later, they were finally delivered.

"The chair of the Independent Integrity Commission (AIU) of the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) has now confirmed, however, that the doping data from the Moscow analysis lab were manipulated. ""Yes. We received the data nine months ago. We were to check whether the task force obtained the correct data,"" said David Howman in an interview with the ""Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung"" on Friday. ""We found numerous discrepancies between the data the WADA obtained from a whistleblower and those they had received in January from the Russians."" Many positive findings that had been allegedly mentioned in the McLaren Report were lacking."

This was confirmed by the behavior of the IAAF: The Athletics Federation was the only organization to hold onto the ban of Russia. At the World Cup in Doha, 30 Russian athletes competed under a neutral flag. They had to prove that they trained outside the Russian system and undergo testing.

At the start of that week, the WADA had already raised the question of the manipulations and demanded that Russia answer the charges within three weeks. Russia was now threatened with the renewed block of RUSADA and, in the worst-case scenario, exclusion from the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo as well.