Penulis: Agus S

Four people, including an official from the IPL championship winning Royal Challengers Bengaluru cricket team, were arrested Friday after a victory celebration they organized turned deadly on Wednesday.

Police in Bengaluru, India's tech capital, arrested four individuals early Friday for the roles in a deadly fan crush that occurred on Wednesday while thelocal cricket team Royal Challengers Bengaluruwas celebrating its T20 Indian Premier League (IPL) championship victory.

The team offered free tickets to a trophy celebration at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, saying the number of tickets would be limited. Officials say the stadium has a capacity of 35,000 people, "but 200,000-300,000 people came."

In the end,11 people were killed and 47 injured as fans without tickets attempted to push their way into the venuein what Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called an "absolutely heartrending" incident.

State officials on Friday announced that "legal action has been taken against the representatives of the RCB" as well as the event organizers and the state cricket association.

Local media have reported that the four face charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, among others.

Officials suggested that senior police may also be subject to punishment for their roles as well.

The IPL is the world's richest cricket league, with media widely reporting that RCB's T20 victory had secured it a $2.3 million (€2 million) match bonus.

RCB has called the event "unfortunate" and offered $11,655 each to the families of victims, most of whom were men between the ages of 14-49.

Indian Premier League ranks among the world's wealthiestin cost-per-match terms since selling a five-year global broadcast right package for $6.2 billion in 2022.

This has led many in India to demand the league be more forthcoming about Wednesday's tragedy.

TheIndian Expressnewspaper this week wrote: "The world's richest cricket tournament can't cut corners when it comes to fans' safety. A fitting tribute to those dead, therefore, is not mere signing a cheque but holding those in charge responsible."

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Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said migrants are a factor behind the rise of antisemitism in Germany, vowing to combat "this problem." Meanwhile, Lufthansa says it will restart flights to Tel Aviv on June 23.

This blog is now closed. Read about developments fromGermanyon Friday, June 6, 2025:

Firefighters in the eastern German city ofDresdenon Friday evening were tackling a large blaze that has engulfed a building which formerly housed a state operetta.

More than 60 firefighters have been deployed to put out the fire, which sent large plumes of smoke over parts of the city and forced the evacuation of two nearby residential buildings.

"For reasons still unknown, the building, which was once used as a state operetta, caught fire," astatement from the Dresden Fire Department said.

The fire department said that nobody had been found inside the building, and no casualties have yet been reported.

Residents within a 1-kilometer radius have been urged to keep their windows and doors shut due to the "massive" amounts of smoke, the statement added.

Firefighters were unable to access the inside of the building because the heat and smoke "were too intense."

An operation was underway to prevent the blaze from spreading to neighboring buildings.

Pirnaer Landstrasse, where the building is located, has been completely closed off, with public transport services also affected.

Spokesman Michael Klahre Klahre said he expected the operation to continue for several more hours.

The building has been vacant for years. It used to be home to one of Germany's oldest operetta ensembles that dated back more than 240 years.

TUI, the world's largest travel group, is seeing stronger demand for summer holidays, with over 60% of its summer bookings in Germany already sold by early June.

That's slightly more than at the same point last year, CEO Sebastian Ebel told theRheinische Postnewspaper.

The group has sold 90% of its capacity forSpainandPortugal, with Ebel warning that "Mallorca will be the big hit again, soavailability will be tight."

Mallorca is so popular with German tourists that it is sometimes jokingly referred to as "Germany’s 17th federal state [Bundesland]."

In early May, summer bookings were still 1% below 2023levels, particularly in the German market. The company linked this to slow Easter holiday sales and launched a catch-up campaign.

Cruise travel is performing especially well.

"The boom in cruises is strong and sustainable. We are seeing significant growth," said Ebel.

However, demand for trips to the United States is slipping.

While TUI's US exposure is limited, Ebel noted "some shifts" in bookings. He said more travelers are opting for cheaper autumn and winter holidays in Canada, the Caribbean, Gulf States, and Southeast Asia, driven by the stronger euro.

Germany's government says it's moving to tighten rules on the sale oflaughing gas, targeting its growing popularity as a party drug — particularly among young people.

A new draft law from Federal Health Minister Nina Warken proposes a nationwide ban on sales to minors and tighter restrictions on online and vending machine purchases.

The law would also restrict access to chemicals used in so-called date-rape drugs, as they are often used by predators to spike drinks of targets of sexual assault or robbery.

"Laughing gas is no harmless fun," Warken warned, pointing to serious health risks, especially for young users.

The draft, seen by the DPA news agency, notes that intense use can cause unconsciousness.

Meanwhile, inhaling directly from a cartridge can result in frostbite due to temperatures of minus 55°C —as well aslung injuries from gas pressure.

Nitrous oxide (N2O), long used in medicine as a mild anesthetic, is increasingly being misused as a recreational drug. Users typically inhale the gas from balloons to induce euphoria.

Former Health Minister Karl Lauterbach had also proposed a ban, but it was never implemented, prompting some cities and states to introduce their own rules.

The three Somali asylum seekers whose rejection at the German-Polish borderwas ruled unlawful earlier this weekare now in Berlin, officials confirmed Friday.

"The individuals in question have registered in Berlin with a request for asylum, which is now being examined in accordance with the rule of law," the German DPA news agency quoted a Berlin state authority spokesperson as saying. No further details were provided due to data protection concerns.

The Berlin Administrative Court had ruled Monday that German border authorities acted unlawfully when they turned the three men away at the Frankfurt an der Oder railway station near the Polish border. The court said that without determining which EU country is responsible for their asylum claims, the individuals could not be refused entry.

The asylum seekers had previously been sent back to Poland after fleeing Somalia.

The case comes in the wake of a May 7 order by Germany’s new Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt to intensify border controls and reject asylum seekers at the frontier.

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Meanwhile, German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig on Friday condemned "alarming" attacks on the judges who had delivered the ruling challenging. Hubig said in a statement together with the justice ministers of Germany's federal states that "we condemn such attacks on the judicial system and on judges' independence".

The Berlin judges' association had said on Wednesday that two of its members had been "defamed and threatened" after handing down their decision on Monday.

The head of the organization that represents the German armed forces personnel wants to bring back compulsory military service.

Andre Wüstner, from theBundeswehrAssociation, said on Friday that the recently installed German coalition government should start laying down the foundations for the possible reintroduction of conscription.

In an interview with the Deutschlandfunk radio station, Wüstner also called for voluntary military service to be made more attractive to reach NATO targets.

"In the military, those who plan best get better options. Now we have to plan and prepare," Wüstner said. In view of the threats Germany faces, Wüstner argued that speed is of the essence.

The Bundeswehr Association, with some 200,000 members, speaks for the interests of soldiers and civilian employees.

On Thursday,NATOdefense ministers gathered in Brussels and agreed on the largest rearmament program since the Cold War.

Germany's new chancellor,Friedrich Merz, on Friday said he felt confident the US would remain in the military allianceNATOunderDonald Trump. Speaking one day after his Oval Office meeting with the US leader, Merz said, "I have no doubt at all that the American government will stick to NATO now after we all said we're doing more, we're making sure that we can defend ourselves in Europe."

Merz then commented on earlier Trump grumblings about leaving the Alliance if Europeans did not startinvesting more in their own defense, saying, "I think this expectation was not unjustified. We have unfortunately been free-riders on American security guarantees for years and that's changing."

Merz has personally moved to insure that most new defense spending is exempted from the country's strict budgetary rules to unleash tens of billions of euros in new military spending.

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At least twelve people on Friday were reported as feeling unwell after a suspicious package was found in a DHL distribution center in Langenzenn, which lies some 25 kilometers (19 miles) from Nürnberg.

Among those feeling unwell, seven had to got to hospital, police said.

According to initial investigations, a suspicious package was found on Friday morning, with several employees subsequently suffering from health issues. It is not yet known exactly what was inside the package.

The police, the fire department and hazardous goods specialists were deployed, while the DHL building has been evacuated.

Germany could face two more years of recession if a trade war with the United States escalates, the central bank of Germany said Friday.

If US President Donald Trump's tariffs were to be implemented in full from July, and theEuropean Unionwere to hit back with similar measures, then German output would decline 0.5% this year and 0.2% in 2026, theBundesbankpredicted on Friday.

This would be down to a "marked decline in exports and significant uncertainty weighing on investment," the bank, which shares responsibility with the European Central Bank for the euro, said.

There would be a return to growth in 2027, with a rebound of 1%, the bank forecast.

On Thursday, in an interview with Fox News in the United States, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he was keen to "find ways" to bring the tariffs "down" and that it is mutually beneficial for both the US and Germany to see them reduced.

"These tariffs are, in our view, something which is threatening our economy. Our conviction is that free trade, open markets, is the best thing for the mutual wealth of our countries, and for our continents, so this is an issue which has to be negotiated between the American government and theEuropean Commission. We are a part of Europe so we are in that discussion."

At the beginning of April, Trump threatened to hit the EU with a 20% tariff over its hefty surplus in goods traded with the US.

Trump subsequently postponed imposing the higher rate until July as the two sides sought to find some common ground.

More recently the US president threatened the EU with a 50% tariff rate as talks stalled.

The bloc still faces a "baseline" 10% levy on all its exports to the United States, as well as higher tariffs on specific sectors.

Toward the end of April, the German government cut its economic growth forecast to zero citing the impact of Trump's trade policies.

The Bundesbank — jointly with the ECB — issues euro notes. It acts as a clearing house and bank supervisor, managing currency reserves in Germany. Unlike the US Federal Reserve, it is not officially responsible for maintaining the stability of the financial system and is not a lender of last resort.

Lufthansa said Friday it would restart flights to and from Tel Aviv on June 23.

The German airline group said the resumption would affect Lufthansa, Austrian, SWISS, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, ITA and Lufthansa Cargo but that "for operational reasons" the individual airlines would resume services "gradually."

"The decision is based on an extensive security analysis and in coordination with the relevant authorities," Lufthansa said in a statement.

The Lufthansa group suspended its flights to Tel Aviv in the wake of a May 4 rocket attack launched byYemen's Houthi rebel group, an Iran-backed Shiite Muslim militia that has fought a civil war inYemensince 2014.

The missile landed near a car park at Ben Gurion International Airport, wounding six people.

Germany will remain dependent on the United States, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday.

"Whether we like it or not, we will remain dependent on the United States, on America, for a long time to come," Merz said.

Merz made the comments just hours after returning from his inaugural visit to Washington, where he met with US PresidentDonald Trump.

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ChancellorFriedrich Merzhas told US media that migration is a factor behind the rise inantisemitismin Germany.

In an interview with Fox News, Merz was asked what he was doing to combat antisemitism in Germany and he said: "This is, especially for Germany, a terrible challenge that we are faced with such an amount of cases of antisemitism in Germany."

"We are doing everything we can to bring these numbers down," Merz continued. "We are prosecuting those who are against the law. And frankly, we have a sort of imported antisemitism with the big numbers of migrants we have within the last 10 years, and we have to tackle this and we have to resolve this problem."

"I would like to make it very clear, that the German government, and the vast majority of the German parliament, is strictly against antisemitism and against these people and we are doing everything we can to bring these numbers down."

Merz's comments come on the back of data which earlier this week showed the rising numbers in antisemitic incidents in Germany.

In 2024, 8,627 antisemitic incidents occurred — 77% more than in 2023.

The data published by the Federal Association of Departments for Research and Information on Antisemitism (RIAS) showed that of the cases documented, 5,857 were classified as "antisemitism related to Israel."

A total of 544 cases were attributed to right-wing extremist views.

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Here, you can read the main headlines, analyses, multimedia content, and DW on-the-ground reporting on everything to do with Germany.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is rounding off his trip to Washington and has been speaking to US media.

Elsewhere, Lufthansa said Friday it would restart flights to and from Tel Aviv on June 23, having halted them at the beginning of May amid the ongoing regional conflict.

The highways, railways and bridges that keep economies and communities thriving were not built to withstand rising temperatures. How can we stop them from melting down?

The extreme weather markingten consecutive years of record heatglobally have tested the resilience of the paved roads, steel rail lines and bridges that facilitate mass transport, trade and everyday travel.

Transport infrastructure has the highest worldwide exposure to climate risks, according to global consultancy the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). From coastal freeways to mountain rail lines and air traffic,extreme heatis having an impact. It reduces road and airport runway traction, deforms and buckles rail tracks, expands the joints that hold bridges together, ages infrastructure and increases the need for maintenance — including on personal vehicles.

One prominent example of infrastructure failure was a New York bridge connecting Manhattan to the Bronx. When it was opened to let ships through during a mid-2024heatwave, high air temperatures caused the metal of the structure to expand. As a result, it got stuck, reducing rush hour traffic to a long standstill.

As the world continues to get hotter, it will be vital to findsolutionsand climate-proof the infrastructure that keep the wheels in motion.

When temperatures remain very high, standard asphalt road surfaces tend to rut, and the bitumen holding it together can crack and bleed. As the binder loosens, asphalt roads not built forextreme heatcan literally melt, and heavy traffic can cause the surface to permanently deform.

One remedy, as suggested by experts including the BCG, includes heat-reflective coatings and so-called cool pavements that absorb less energy from the sun — and are also permeable to offset flooding damage.

Unlike solar-absorbing asphalt made with petroleum-based binding elements, cool pavements comprised of clear, tree-based resins have a more reflective surface. A mix of colored asphalt and light-colored concrete also helps.

Bitumen used on highways and runways can also be enhanced with modifiers that lessen thermal or heat stress and make roads more durable.

Even concrete, despiteits high carbon footprint, has a higher temperature resistance and will last longer in a hotter world.

Traditional roads and pathways can also be made more flexible and stress-resistant by adding paving fabrics, geotextiles, or stress absorbing membrane layers to the asphalt, as illustrated by products like Sealmac Green.

When railway tracks suffer "sun kinks," or  buckling under extreme heat, it results in long train delays, and in extreme cases derailments — as happened last year with a mining freight train in Australia.

Experts have cautioned that if trains, which are critical for economies and communities, are to be a successful low-carbon transport of the future, they have to be able to stand up the impacts of extreme weather connected to rising temperatures.

In the UK, the Network Rail train operator is building resilience to high temperature fluctuations by painting parts of the rail white so it absorbs less heat and expands less. A white rail can stay up to 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) cooler.

Another way to prevent buckling is to substitute any outdated timber sleepers with reinforced concrete slabs.

Meanwhile, the operators of Washington, D.C.'s Metro train system avoided derailment by reducing the maximum speed to 35 mph (56 km/h) when rail temperatures reached above 135 degrees Fahrenheit in summer 2024.

This is according to Suyun Paul Ham, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Texas. The engineer notes that rail expansion risk can also be reduced by using heat-resistant materials such as hard martensite rail steel.

Stretching railway tracks with hydraulic "tensor" machines as they are laid is another way to prevent the line from expanding, and hence buckling, as it heats up.

Constructed largely of steel, bridges that carry roads and trains across rivers and harbors are especially vulnerable to thermal expansion that causes structural deterioration.

According to a Colorado State University study from 2019, a quarter of the 600,000-odd bridges in the US could suffer asection collapseby 2040 due to rising temperatures that increase stress on the joints holding them up.

Expansion joints, or spaced gaps, along the length of a bridge allow flexibility  in the superstructure as temperatures fluctuate. However, these gaps easily become clogged with debris, which prevents the bridge from expanding with rising heat, causing the joints to deteriorate.

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Most bridges have been built without accounting forclimate changeextremes. But researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey are simulatingbridge deteriorationby imposing environmental stresses, including rapid temperature fluctuations between 0 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

The goal is for bridges to be designed with bearings that help take the load and can absorb larger movements without malfunctioning. Regular mandatory on-site inspections during and after extreme temperature events can also help to prevent severe structural stresses.

The researchers note that major bridges in the US are being rebuilt and climate-proofed for the future. Completed in 2018, the Goethals Bridge replacement project, a dual cable-strayed structure linking New Jersey and New York that substitutes the original 1928 bridge, is designed to withstand extreme heat — and to stay upright for at least a century.Edited by Sarah Steffen

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Marco Sturm coached Germany to a silver medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Now former fellow players and officials back home will be closely followng his progress as Germany's first NHL coach.

Marco Sturm has reached his stated goal — becoming head coach of a team in theNational Hockey League.

It's not just another team in the NHL either; the Bruins are an Original Six team and the winner of six Stanley Cups, the last having come in 2011.

"Marco impressed us at every step with his preparation, clarity, and passion," Bruins GM Don Sweeney said in a statement.

"His path — playing for multiple NHL teams,coaching internationally, and leading at both the AHL 8 [American Hockey League] and NHL levels — has shaped a well-rounded coach who's earned this opportunity."

The 46-year-old Sturm said he was "incredibly honored" to be named the 30th head coach in the Bruins' more than a century of history.

"Boston has always held a special place in my heart, and I know how much this team means to the city and to our fans. I've felt that passion as a player, and I can't wait to be behind the bench and feel it again," Sturm said.

"I'm excited to get to work and do everything I can to help this team succeed."

Several former German stars reacted with delight to the news of Sturm's appointment. Many of them, including fellow former Boston Bruins player, Dennis Seidenberg pointed to the fact that Sturm had paid his dues as a coach. They see his move from assistant with the LA Kings to head coach at their AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign as key.

"Marco has worked hard to develop as a coach and hasn't shied away from the step to Los Angeles' farm team," Seidenberg told NHL.com.

"He's learned a lot there in recent years, but also as an assistant coach with the Kings before that… I can only congratulate the Bruins on making the right choice with Marco as their new head coach."

Former Washington Capitals forward Stefan Ustorf noted that not many coaches are willing to take that "step backwards" to fully prepare themselves for the NHL.

"He's very good at assessing himself and knows what he needs to develop further. He's done that," Ustorf told the latest edition of the "Slapshot" podcast.

Christian Künast was Sturm's assistant when he ledGermany to a stunning silver medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. As sporting director of the German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB), Künast credits Sturm with shaking the national team out of its doldrums when he took over as head coach in 2015.

"Duringhis time as national coach, Marco had a great influence on the development of German ice hockey. Marco is largely responsible for the change in the attitude of the German national team toward a team that believes in itself," Künast told NHL.com.

Sturm did indeed bring in a breath of fresh air, when he took over Germany,  remotivating players who had seemed to be reluctant to turn up under a couple of his predecessors. Prior to the 2015 Worlds, then-coach Pat Cortina had 22 players refuse his invitation, albeit some due to injury.

Sturm led Germany to the quarterfinals of his first World Championship as a coach in 2016 — for the first time in five years. Two years later came that Olympic silver medal.

"That (Sturm's influence) was the foundation for our shared silver medal success in 2018 and has continued even after his tenure," Künast continued. "We wish Marco much success with the Bruins."

There's a parallel between Sturm's taking over Germany in 2015 and now his first NHL team 10 years later – as the Bruins are coming off a campaign in which they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

On the positive side, the fact that they have nine first or second-round picks in the NHL Entry Draft over the next three years, means a big part of Sturm's job promises to be developing talented youngsters.

"I love working with young players, and if you look closely at my resume, transitions are my strength," Sturm told the SID news agency last month.

"That was the case with the (German) national team and also in my work as a coach for the (Los Angeles) Kings' farm team," he added, referring to the Reign, where he spent the past three seasons as head coach in the development league.

Strictly speaking, Sturm is not the first German to coach an NHL team. That was Canadian-born Ralph Krueger, who coached both the Edmonton Oilers and the Buffalo Sabres. However, Sturm is the first German-born coach who learned the game in the country.

Sturm spent his first two professional seasons as a player with Landshut, then with Germany's top flight, the DEL, before joining the San Jose Sharks in 1997 — a year after they had made him the 21st overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft.

The centerman would go on to play more than 1,000 games (including playoffs) in the NHL — including five years in Boston — before wrapping up his career in the DEL in 2013 and moving on to coach the national team two years later.

Now, getting the Bruins back into the playoffs will be his first order of business, but that won't cut it in the long term.

"The expectations in Boston have always been clear." Bruins President Cam Neely said recently. "It’s about winning championships."

Edited by Matt Pearson. This story was originally published on June 5, 2025. It was updated with reactions from the German hockey community on June 6.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk spent some $300 million on Donald Trump's campaign, gaining unprecedented access to the Republican president's administration. What does their public row mean for Musk's empire?

Once a vocal critic ofDonald Trumpduring his 2016United Stateselection campaign,Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, pivoted from hisDemocratic Partyroots to embrace Trump’s policies during theRepublican'ssecond term.

Frustrated byObama-eraregulations stifling his ventures, Musk embraced Trump’s agenda of tax cuts and deregulation.

Their bond grew from mutual respect to a robust political alliance, which saw Musk last year back Trump's reelection campaign to the tune of nearly $300 million (€263 million).

When Trump returned to the White House in January, the world's richest man took on an advisory role in the administration, leading the controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Tasked with slashing public spending, Musk's role stirred controversy, impacting Tesla's stock price andauto sales. After months of pressure from investors, Musk agreed last month toscale back his workin Trump's government.

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On Thursday, wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the "The Dogefather," Musk was given an initially cordial farewell by the president in the Oval Office.

But Trump could not contain his frustration at Musk's earlier criticism of his administration'ssweeping tax and spending bill, which the Tesla founder called fiscally reckless and a "disgusting abomination."

After Musk then accused the US president of alleged ties to child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the news conference ended with Trump threatening to revoke Musk's government contracts, which could cost his business empire billions of dollars.

Over the next few hours, therow spilled over to social media, where both men repeated their White House remarks, prompting the SpaceX owner to announce an immediate decommissioning of its Dragon spacecraft, before appearing to back down.

Tesla stock lost about $150 billion in market value on Thursday — the largest single-day decline in its history. The stock closed down over 14%.

However, news outletPoliticoreported Friday that the two men were scheduled to speak later in the day in the hope of defusing the situation, which caused a sharp reversal in the stock's fortunes. Tesla stock was up 5% in pre-market trade.

However, a White House official said later Friday that Trump had no plans for any call, adding that he may get rid of his Tesla bought in March in a show of support against Musk in the face of anti-Tesla protests.

Tesla shares have been on a wild rollercoaster ride this year after a strong performance around the US election. Having peaked at $428 in January, shares in theelectric vehiclemaker plummeted by almost half in March as investors reacted negatively to Musk's involvement in the Trump administration.

Tesla stock then rallied when Trump paused his unprecedented tariffs on the rest of the world and after US regulators eased rules on self-driving vehicles.

The public spat, as well as Trump's budget plans, have left the fortunes of Musk's companies hanging in the balance.

Tesla, Musk's most profitable firm, could be severely impacted by Trump's plans to cut a subsidy on new electric vehicles that is worth up to $7,500 for buyers.

Despite Musk's aggressive criticism and lobbying by Tesla, Trump plans to eliminate the credit by the end of the year, seven years before it was due to expire.

News agency Bloomberg cited JP Morgan analysts as saying that the cut would reduce Tesla's full-year profit by $1.2 billion. Cuts to state-level credits could further impact the EV maker's bottom line this financial year.

It could, however, encourage EV buyers to bring forward their plans and spur demand for Tesla's vehicles in the short term.

Tesla is already being impacted byTrump's tariffsas the firm relies on Chinese parts for its Cybercab robotaxi and Semi electric truck.

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However, it is unclear whether Trump can unilaterally make good on his threat to tear up federal contracts with Musk's firms like SpaceX.

Since 2000, SpaceX has received more than $22 billion in contracts from the US Defense Department and space agencyNASA.

If Trump were to terminate the contracts, it would have a huge financial impact on SpaceX and disrupt the US government's space ambitions.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon is currently the only US spacecraft certified to carry crew to the International Space Station (ISS).

Any ending of Pentagon contracts involving Musk's Starlink satellite internet service would also be a lose-lose for both Musk and the government.

Starlink provides broadband services to rural areas. Terminals are also deployed on US military bases, ships, aircraft, and armored vehicles. The satellite internet service is often used for disaster response.

Thirty years ago, Germany's parliament building "disappeared" under silver fabric for two weeks. The work of art by Christo and Jeanne-Claude is now celebrated with a light installation.

Anyone who was inBerlinin the summer of 1995 will probably remember it for the rest of their lives: how theReichstag— the seat of the German parliament — disappeared. Not blown up, not demolished, but completely wrapped in silver fabric and tied up with thick ropes, almost like a gift.

A crazy idea? Perhaps. But also one that made history.

Behind this spectacular action was a pair of artists who have repeatedly surprised the world with their ephemeral mega works of art:Christoand Jeanne-Claude. Their vision of a wrapped Reichstag was big, bold — and took 23 years to plan.

2025 is a real anniversary year for fans ofChristo and Jeanne-Claude.

Not only is Berlin marking the 30th anniversary of the "Wrapped Reichstag" with alight installationprojected onto the west façade of the Reichstag building from June 9 to 22, but other cities around the world are also paying tribute to the couple's works: Paris commemorates the wrapping of its Pont Neuf that happened 40 years ago, while New York marked the 20th anniversary of "The Gates," an installation in Central Park featuring thousands of gates on which fabric panels fluttered.

And above all, both artists would have turned 90 this year: They were born on the same day, on June 13, 1935.

Christowas born in Bulgaria and later fled from the communist East to Western Europe, first to Prague, then to Vienna, Geneva and finally Paris. There he met Jeanne-Claude in 1958 — she was French with roots in Morocco. The two became an unbeatable team.

Christo was the artist,Jeanne-Claudethe organizer — whereby both saw themselves as equal partners and later officially signed all projects together.

Their specialty was huge, spectacular art installations in public spaces. They wrapped bridges, buildings or entire coastal strips, stretched gigantic curtains through valleys or erected kilometer-long fabric installations. None of it permanent, all self-financed, without advertisers or sponsors; the money for the projects was only generated through the sale of drawings, collages and designs.

The idea ofwrapping the Reichstagin Berlin was born back in 1971 — in the middle of the Cold War.

At the time, the Reichstag stood right next to theBerlin Wall. It was a symbolic building, but was not actually used. The seat of government of the then Federal Republic of Germany was still in Bonn, and the Bundestag (the German parliament) only moved into the Reichstag building with its characteristic glass dome, remodeled by architect Norman Foster, in 1999.

Christo and Jeanne-Claude were nevertheless fascinated by the building's symbolism and historical role. Time and again, this place has been the scene of significant moments in Germany's history, during the German Empire, theWeimar Republic, the Nazis' "Third Reich" and the Second World War, the division of Germany after the war and its eventual reunification.

Christo and Jeanne-Claude wanted to make this building visible again by concealing it for a brief period.

But a work of art like this required permission — and that took a long time coming. It was not until 1994, after more than 20 years of discussion, that the Bundestag finally gave its approval, following vigorous debate. And this paved the way to one of the most impressive art projects of the century.

Finally, in June 1995, the Reichstag was completely wrapped in over 100,000 square meters of silver fabric and 16 kilometers of rope. The wrapping lasted several days and was followed around the world.

The wrapped Reichstag appeared soft, shimmering, mysterious, like a work of art amid clouds. From June 24 to July 7, 1995, over 5 million people came to Berlin to witness this spectacle with their own eyes. It was like a huge public festival: People were lying on the grass, having picnics, taking photos and discussing it.

Many people who experienced the work later said that they had never viewed the Reichstag as intensely as during these two weeks.

Christo and Jeanne-Claude didn't set out to hide a building — quite the opposite. They wanted to give it a new experience. The wrapping removed everything superficial. You could no longer see the details, only the shape, the silhouette, the volume.

And most importantly, this work of art was also ephemeral. After two weeks, the magic was over, the fabric was dismantled, and no trace remained. Only memories. For the artist couple, this ephemerality was a central part of their work.

"The beauty lies in transience," they often said. You should enjoy the moment because you know it will soon be over.

Although the Reichstag is a political symbol, the artwork itself was not intended to be political. Christo and Jeanne-Claude did not want to dictate an opinion. They wanted their art to be an open space for thoughts, feelings and interpretations.

Nevertheless, many people saw the wrapping as a strong political symbol: for change, for reconciliation, for a new beginning. This had a special effect, especially in reunified Germany.

Jeanne-Claude died in 2009,Christo in 2020, but their art lives on — in photos, memories, exhibitions and now also in a special anniversary year.

The wrapping of the Reichstag was not only a masterpiece of logistics and aesthetics, it was also a moment of collective fascination. It showed what art can achieve in public spaces. It can surprise, connect, challenge. And it can simply amaze people.

Or, as Christo once said: "Our works belong to no one — and at the same time to everyone."

This article was originally written in German.

German anti-fascist activist Maja T. has been held in isolation in a Hungarian prison for one year now. The case highlights the state of the rule of law in Viktor Orban's Hungary.

"I can no longer endure the prison conditions inHungary. My cell was under round-the-clock video surveillance for over three months. I always had to wear handcuffs outside my cell, for over seven months," reads Maja T.'s statement. The non-binary German activist went on a hunger strike on June 5.

"Non-binary" refers to individuals who identify as neither exclusively female nor male. People like Maja T.* generally have a hard time in Hungary, although it is a member state of theEuropean Union(EU), which has anti-discrimination provisions.

In 2021, Hungary first made legislative amendments to multiple laws, targeting LGBTQ+ individuals. In early 2025, underViktor Orban's authoritarian rule,Hungary passed a law that can be used to ban Pride and similar events.

Maja T. has long given up hope of a fair criminal trial and wants to use the hunger strike to force a return to Germany. In June 2024,T. was extradited from Germany to Hungaryand has been in solitary confinement in a Budapest prison ever since. The activist's trial began there on February 21.

The public prosecutor's office accuses the prisoner from Jena, in Germany's eastern state of Thuringia, of assaulting and seriously injuring several people in Budapest in February 2023. The victims had taken part in the so-called "Day of Honor," an annual march by neo-Nazis from all over Europe.

At the start of the criminal proceedings, T. was led into the courtroom in handcuffs and shackles, and on a leash. The public prosecutor's office offered T. the opportunity to enter a guilty plea and accept 14 years in prison without further proceedings. However, T. declined and instead made a six-page statement containing clear criticism of Hungary: "It is a state that quite openly marginalizes and separates people because of their sexuality or gender. I am accused by a European state because I am an anti-fascist."

T. did not comment on the content of the charges — multiple counts of grievous bodily harm.

Maja T. could now face up to 24 years in prison under Hungarian law. A sentence passed by a German court is likely to be much more lenient.

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What makes the case particularly controversial is that T.'s extradition from Germany to Hungary was unlawful. This was ruled by the Federal Constitutional Court at the end of January. It expressly referred to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (EU) and the associated ban on inhumane treatment.

The court enumerated inadequate hygiene conditions, lack of access to hot water, bedbugs, poor and little food, extreme temperatures in winter and summer, poor lighting and ventilation in the cells, violence against prisoners by fellow prisoners and prison staff, and rule of law deficits.

The Berlin Court of Appeal is responsible for the unlawful extradition. The Constitutional Court accuses the appeals court of ignoring current information on overcrowding and prison conditions in Hungarian prisons.

However, the successful constitutional complaint came too late: Maja T. had already been extradited. Maja T.'s father, Wolfram Jarosch, traveled to Budapest at the start of the trial to offer his 24-year-old child moral support. On the phone with DW, he described the criminal proceedings as a "political trial."

"The worst thing is the solitary confinement," Jarosch said. However, he says he is impressed by his child's self-discipline, which includes a routine of physical exercise, reading and writing according to a daily and weekly schedule. "Nevertheless, I ultimately notice that Maja is suffering more and more under these conditions, both mentally and physically," he added.

Several members of Germany's socialistLeft Partyare taking a keen interest in Maja T.'s case.

Carola Rackete, Member of the European Parliament, has already visited twice and was able to talk to the security staff about the conditions of detention. She was told that the solitary confinement had been ordered "from above," she told DW.

While the other inmates are housed in multi-bed cells and have communal access to the yard, Maja T. is in solitary confinement, allegedly due to T.'s non-binary identity. Rackete believes it is unlikely that this will change.

The MEP calls on German ChancellorFriedrich Merzand the German government to exert pressure on Hungary: If you seriously want to distance yourself from right-wing extremists and stand up for democratic values, you cannot stand idly by while Orban's regime destroys human lives in Hungarian courts, Rackete argues.

Six suspected left-wing extremists, who had been in hiding and are also believed to have been involved in the attacks on suspected neo-Nazis in Budapest in 2023, were luckier than Maja T. The group voluntarily handed themselves in to German authorities in January. They apparently do not have to fear extradition to Hungary, as the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed to DW on request.

Accordingly, the public prosecutors responsible for the extradition proceedings were informed in writing that the investigations in Germany have priority. This means that, should charges be brought, the proceedings would take place in Germany.

*Editor's note: DW follows the German press code, which stresses the importance of protecting the privacy of suspected criminals or victims and urges us to refrain from revealing full names in such cases.

This article was originally written in German.

While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter, Berlin Briefing.

They are hailed as a promising method to restore gut microbiomes, but a study suggests fecal transplants may bring unintended health risks.

Fecal microbialtransplants(FMTs) can be traced back to the 4th century, but it is only since their approval by the US Food and Drug Administration in past decade that the procedure has entered wide practice.

They have been hailed as a treatment forClostridium difficile or C.diff, a commonbacterial infectionthat can cause inflammation and gastrointestinal issues.

The FDA first approved FMTs as a treatment forC.diffin 2013 and approved the first drug for FMT treatment in 2022.

Some think FMTs may also be an option for treatingCrohn’s disease— a chronic autoimmune condition — ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel disorder.

But researchers warned in a studypublishedJune 6, 2025, that FMTs may introduce microbes that could hijack the host environment to suit their needs and thrive, potentially introducing new health risks.

The study, which was performed on mice, human tissue samples and with a small volunteer group, found "mismatches" between the donor fecal matter and destinationgut environmentcould have unintended consequences on the recipient’simmuneand metabolic function.

"Even a single FMT will cause a change in the host-microbe relationships in these very different regions of the bowel that may be very difficult to reverse," said Eugene Chang, the study's senior author and a professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, US, in a press statement.

Every human has a unique mix of microbes in their gastrointestinal tract — the gut. This includes trillions of bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microorganisms that perform biological duties within the body. Collectively, this collection of microbes is called gut flora.

For some people, this ecosystem of microbes is disrupted by infections, autoimmune issues and other problems. This disrupted state is called gut dysbiosis.

FMT donors need to meet a range of requirements: For instance, they must be free of blood-related infections, such as hepatitis and HIV, and they cannot have gut issues themselves.

Doctors usually perform a colonoscopy to extract the donor's stool and, after further preparation, insert the donor microbes via a long tube into the recipient's gut.

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In the study, microbes were taken from three separate regions of the small and large intensities and implanted into mice recipients.

Each batch of newly introduced gut flora appeared to take over — or, as described by the researchers, "terraform" — the entire intestinal tract of each mouse, rather than simply occupying the same region they originated from in the donor's gut.

The colonizing microbes also transformed genes and proteins in the tissues of the recipient mice to make a more accommodating environment — even at a microbial level, these introduced species appeared to thrive.

An assessment in seven human volunteers over a month also found high levels of microbe colonization in the small intestine.

Because this caused modifications to immune and metabolic functions, the researchers say greater care should be given todesigning fecal transplantsthat use specific, targeted microbes for the intestines.

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The study’s lead author, Orlando DeLeon at the University of Chicago, said it was a "wake-up call to the field that maybe we shouldn't willy-nilly put large bowel microbes into different parts of the intestine that shouldn't be there."

OMT — omni microbial transplantation — administers a batch of good gut flora as a pill or through endoscopy, targeting specific intestinal regions with "matched" microbes. DeLeon said it's a better way forward for fecal transplants.

"The microbes that were supposed to be there are better suited for it," said DeLeon, "so they're more naturally going to fill it even in the presence of other microbes."

DW approached the research group for further comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.

Ed Kuijper, an expert at the Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands, who was not involved in the study, told DW via email that the research "clearly demonstrates that FMT […] affects the microbiota composition throughout the entire intestinal tract, in both humans and mice."

But Kuijper said he had concerns with the conclusion that FMT leads to "microbiota mismatches" and  "unintended consequences" in various regions of the intestinal tract.

Just as the research team acknowledged the limitations of only investigating seven human subjects over a month, Kuijper said a more extensive assessment in patients would be important to conclusively assess the potential negative health outcomes of fecal transplants.

"A more appropriate conclusion would be that FMT induces changes in both the small and large intestines in mice, with systemic effects that vary depending on the region affected. It remains unclear if these changes persist in humans."

In Europe, an inter-organization group called EurFMT exchanges research and information, and maintains a continental registry for patient follow-up.

Many young Russians fled their home country after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, finding refuge in Germany. Now some of them are engaged in local politics. DW tells their stories.

InRussia, speaking out against thewar Moscow has been waging in Ukrainesince February 2022 can quickly get you targeted by the authorities.

Over the last three years, tens of thousands of war-critical Russians have fled their home country to escape repression andcriminal prosecution, andfound a new home in Germany. Some of them now want to make a difference in German politics.

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Ilya Makarov, 21, became politically active in his hometown of Izhevsk in the Ural region shortly after Russia launched its invasion ofUkraine. First, he tried to participate in local elections, but was denied registration as a candidate.

He didn't give up and ran for municipal council inMoscowwith an anti-war campaign. The response from the authorities came swiftly. A week after the elections in September 2022,Makarov faced administrative charges and was detained for 15 days.

After a second arrest in January 2023, Makarov's lawyer warned him that he could face potential criminal prosecution, so he decided to leave Russia and ended up in Worms, a town in the southwestern German state of Rhineland-Palatinate.

Makarov said he wasn't sure at first whether he wanted to stay in Germany. But "the urge to take an active stance" in the country he lived in took over eventually, he added.

Inspired by theEuropean Parliament elections in July 2024, Makarov joined Germany'sSocial Democratic Party (SPD). The center-left party's program aligned the most with his own views, Makarov told DW.

Makarov was assigned to work on the party's information stands while campaigning in Russian and Ukrainian, which he said he had learned while talking to local Ukrainians, ahead of theGerman parliamentary elections in February 2025. His info booths were mostly set up in districts with large populations of Russian- and Ukrainian-speaking voters. Makarov said the work reminded him of street politics in Russia, with voters sharing their problems that he helped collect and solve.

Going forward, he wants to create a working group of Russian- and Ukrainian-speaking SPD party members on the local level, which would involve translating campaign materials from German and hosting discussion clubs for Russian-speaking activists and party members.

Makarov said he would like to develop his career within the SPD after obtainingGerman citizenship, which he intends to apply for in the future.

Anastasia Lukomskaya, a 35-year-old artist and activist from Moscow, had left Russia for theUnited Arab Emiratesbefore the war in Ukraine began. After Russia's invasion of its neighbor, she realized that coming back home, where she had been detained a few times for attending opposition rallies, could be dangerous.

In summer 2023, she went to Georgia and joined the youth political movement Vesna, or Spring, now labelled an "extremist organization" by the Russian authorities. Later, Lukomskaya relocated to Germany.

After getting to know Germany's political landscape at her government-mandated integration courses, she decided to join the neoliberalFree Democratic Party (FDP).

"Even in Russia there was no political force that matched my views so closely," she said, explaining her choice to DW. She could relate, for example, to the party's economic views and its support for Ukraine and Israel.

During the parliamentary election campaign in February, Lukomskaya, too, was engaged in street-level campaigning, putting to use the experience she had gained as a volunteer for the 2018 presidential campaign of late Russian opposition politicianAlexey Navalny.

Even though Lukomskaya is uncertain about her political future, she would like to produce creative content. She hopes to create art that will convince Germans to vote for the FDP, which did not make it into Germany's parliament in the 2025 election.

Ilya Zernov, 21, was born in Tolyatti, an industrial town in Russia's southwest. He went to college in Kazan, the capital of Russia's Tatarstan republic, where he participated in anti-war activities. As a result, his home was searched by the police. He said officers threatened him and brought him to the police station.

After his release, Zernov spoke to his lawyer and family, and fled toSerbia. In March 2023, he moved toLeipzigand has been living there ever since.

In early 2025, Zernov joined the environmentalistGreen Party, which he says addresses the issues that are important to him.

"I am a vegetarian, and I care about the environment, human rights and international thinking," Zernov told DW. "I don't consider myself completely left-wing, our values just match."

Zernov acknowledged that it's still difficult for him to fully participate in German politics because of the language barrier. But he attends events organized by the party's youth organization, the Green Youth. Recently he was offered to join its working group onmigrant affairs, but has not yet decided whether to accept.

"I have experience as a migrant, but I lack a structural understanding of local problems," Zernov explained, adding that he didn't know yet what new insights he had to offer to the party.

But that doesn't mean he's sitting idly by. Zernov wants to organize letter-writing evenings to support imprisoned left-wing activists in Russia. Long-term, once his German language skills improve, he would like to pursue a career within the Green Party.

But most importantly, he wants "to remain free and find some minimal satisfaction in life."

Chancellor Friedrich Merz's visit to Washington was met with favorable coverage back home, with many hailing a new political style that contrasts with that of his predecessors, Olaf Scholz and Angela Merkel.

The consensus was that he handled it quite well: The new German ChancellorFriedrich Merzgot through hisfirst visit to US President Donald Trumpwithout any heated exchanges or diplomatic faux pas. Although he hardly had a chance to speak during the nearly 50-minute press conference in the Oval Office, Merz was able to say that Germany will continue to supportUkraine in its defense against Russia.

For his part, Trump treated the conservative politician with more respect than he did former ChancellorOlaf Scholz, who was not invited to the White House, or Angela Merkel, whom Trump once famously refused to shake hands with in the Oval Office.

Things have been pretty busy in German politics since May 6, when Merz, of the center-rightChristian Democratic Union(CDU), took office. Since then, Germany's new head of government has made surprising statements and bold announcements nearly every week.

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This is in contrast to his predecessor Scholz, of the center-leftSocial Democratic Party(SPD), who became known for his tendency to keep the public in the dark about his plans. Scholz consistently urged his staff to adhere to the motto: "We will not be upset, we will not become hysterical." In other words, he was at pains to convey a sense of calm.

Merz, on the other hand, never hid his impatience at having to wait so long in the wings before finally securing the office he so coveted. In 2002, he lost a power struggle with Merkel for the leadership of the CDU. Frustrated, Merz moved into the private sector and only returned to politics when it became clear that Merkel intended to step down in 2021.

Four years later, at the age of 69, he finally reached the pinnacle of power in Germany. The chancellorship is the first public office Merz has held in his life.

Scholz and Merz couldn't have more different personalities. The former is a sober, soft-spoken northern German who had plenty of government experience before he became chancellor. Scholz was the mayor of Hamburg and then the federal finance minister under Merkel.

By contrast, Merz, by nature very conservative and easily irritated, rose quickly through his party ranks even without administrative political experience. Nor are the two politicians particularly fond of each other.

DW Chief Political Editor Michaela Küfner knows both men well, having accompanied the two leaders on several foreign trips.

Reflecting on the different styles of the two politicians and their predecessor, she noted: "While Merkel always thought with the outcome in mind and Scholz was reluctant to even describe a political goal before he had paved the way for it, Merz clearly defines his goals."

According to Küfner's analysis, this represents a significant political shift in itself.

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It tookScholz until the summer of 2022 to visit Ukraine, which had been invaded by Russia in the spring of that year. For a long time, Scholz remained secretive about whether he would supply weapons to the embattled country — though in the end he did.

Merz, on the other hand, visited Ukraine within days of taking office, together with French PresidentEmmanuel Macron, British Prime MinisterKeir Starmerand Polish Prime MinisterDonald Tusk, when they announced that there would soon be a ceasefire and peace talks.

But this still hasn't come to pass, with PresidentDonald Trumpappearing to have backed out of his earlier commitment to forge a lasting peace. Given the US president's unpredictability, this was not really a surprise, something Scholz would certainly have taken into account.

"Following the strong performance with Macron, Tusk, and Starmer came this diplomatic embarrassment," said Küfner. "Merz still has to prove that this defeat can translate into strong leadership."

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The change in style in Germany's policy toward Israel has been even more noticeable. After theIslamist militia Hamas attacked Israelin October 2023, Scholz's response was essentially to insist on Israel's right to defend itself. This remained his stance even as the Israeli army took increasingly brutal action against the civilian population in Gaza. The European Union, as well as the United States, Germany and several other countries classify Hamas as a terrorist organization.

As an opposition politician at the time, Merz also showed strong support for Israel and even announced that, unlike Scholz, he would demonstrate that support by inviting Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahuto the Chancellery. That stance did not waver even after theInternational Criminal Courtin The Hague issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November for crimes against humanity.

But soon after taking office, Merz made something of a U-turn. A few days ago, he said he no longer understood Israel's actions in the Gaza war, before adding that they could no longer be justified as a legitimate fight against Hamas terrorism. Never before has a German chancellor spoken so bluntly about the actions of the Israeli government.

"Merz's criticism of Israel's actions in Gazais a historic step," said Küfner. "He is not afraid to directly criticize the Israeli prime minister about alleged violations of international law. This is a new tone from Germany." With this tone, Merz raised a question that Scholz had successfully avoided: How far does the German reason of state,the commitment to Israel's security, actually extend?

What this means in practical terms for German-Israeli relations remains to be seen. Even under Scholz, arms deliveries to Israel had been relatively limited, and Merz has not announced an end to these deliveries. Nor has he repeated his earlier invitation to Netanyahu.

In practical terms, not much has really changed, but the tone is definitely different. This is likely to continue over the coming weeks. Meanwhile, Scholz is now observing all this from his position as an ordinary member of the Bundestag. And he has not yet made any comments on his successor's policies.

This article was originally written in German.

While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter, Berlin Briefing.