Friday's top story: Germany's highest court limits use of police spy software
Germany's highest court found in a ruling published Thursday that police and other security services can only use telecommunications spy software to investigate very serious crimes.
Investigators have long used secretly installed surveillance software on phones and computers to monitor suspects' encrypted messaging services and other communications.
The Constitutional Court has now found that this is allowed only in cases where a conviction would lead to jail sentences of more than three years.
The judges said such surveillance represents a serious invasion of privacy and must be limited to particularly serious crimes.
However, current rules will continue until the law is changed, the ruling said.
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The court pointed to the "extraordinary reach" of telecoms surveillance in an age where all kinds of individual actions and interpersonal communications can be tracked digitally.
The data privacy group Digitalcourage had launched the case, supported by journalists and lawyers.
The group had urged more sweeping restrictions but nonetheless welcomed the ruling and vowed that "anyone who attacks our freedom must expect resistance".
The German police union welcomed the decision to allow the continued use of the software in major cases.
Adidas leaves collective bargaining agreement – union criticizes move as 'unsportsmanlike'
Sportswear manufacturer Adidas is leaving the collective bargaining agreement, the company told the AFP news agency on Thursday. The change will take effect on September 1st.
The Mining, Chemical and Energy Industrial Union (IG BCE) called the company's decision “highly unsportsmanlike and lacking solidarity with its own team.”
In future, employees be “completely at the mercy of their management” when it comes to the development of their wages and working conditions, said deputy union chair Birgit Biermann. “We will not accept that.”
According to its own statements, the union wants to secure a seven percent wage increase for employees covered by the regional collective agreement for the sporting goods and footwear industry, as well as benefits for union members. It also wants to bring more pay groups under the collective agreement.
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Adidas stated that “a demand for more pay groups and thus a significant expansion of collective bargaining coverage to non-collectively bargained employee groups” would deprive the company of the flexibility to “offer salaries outside of a collective bargaining structure and create attractive development opportunities for all employees, both collectively bargained and non-collectively bargained.”Â
Adidas also described the bonus for union members as “unequal treatment of our employees.”
The group therefore declared that the demands were non-negotiable, but added that any wage increases agreed in the upcoming collective bargaining round “would of course still apply to the approximately 4,600 employees at Adidas in Germany who are covered by collective agreements.”
Survey shows 'average German' has become increasingly unhealthy
A recent report by the German Health Insurance (DKV) found that just two percent of the German population fits their criteria for an all-round healthy lifestyle.
The finding is based on a survey of 2,800 people aged 18 and over which looked at diet, physical activity and sitting behaviour, among other things.
READ ALSO: How the 'average German' lives
Among the findings of the survey were that most Germans spend about ten hours sitting on weekdays, and that only about a third of Germans completely abstain from alcohol.
According to the results, women tend to have a healthier diet whereas men tend to do sports more often.
Three arrested over 'coup plot' linked to German prince
German police said Thursday they had arrested three more suspects in an alleged far-right coup plot linked to a prince that has seen 27 people go on trial.
The plot was allegedly an offshoot of the German Reichsbuerger, or Citizens of the Reich, movement of extremists and gun enthusiasts who reject the legitimacy of the modern German republic.
READ ALSO: Who are 'ReichsbĂĽrger' and how big a threat do they pose in Germany?
The three men arrested Thursday are part of a group of six suspected of "belonging to a terrorist organisation" and of "preparation of high treason", police and prosecutors in Munich said in a statement.
Some 300 police took part in the operation that saw raids on locations in the states of Bavaria, Saxony and Thuringia.
Those involved are said to have taken inspiration from conspiracy theories, including the global QAnon movement, and drawn up "lists of enemies".
Rare fox photographed in Bavaria
A rare fox with white fur and blue eyes was photographed in Bavaria.
Experts say the fox has a genetic defect called "leucism" which results in animals losing their regular pigmentation, but is different than albinism.
A white fox runs through tall grass in the district of Munich. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/LBV | Dominik ReiglImages of the fox were taken by Dominik Reigl, a photographer who said he had previously seen the fox while on a tour in the area.
Reigl has refrained from disclosing exactly where the little fox lives in order to protect the animal.
Police spend €14,000 on a coffee machine
Costs for a police "Innovation Lab" in Duisburg NRW, initially projected at €250,000, skyrocketed to about €4.66 million following major expenditures including video conferencing technology costing €3.7 million, a built-in kitchen for €35,000, two chairs at €6,900 each, and notably, a coffee machine priced at €14,600.
The fully programmable, app-controlled coffee machine, a "La Cimbali S20," offers over 96 coffee specialties and can produce up to 200 cups per day.
The NRW State Audit Office is not impressed, however, and condemned the spending as excessive and poorly documented, highlighting that a €1.5 million budget increase was approved through a phone call without formal paperwork.
The Ministry of the Interior defended the coffee machine, justifying it as necessary for serving large events and groups of 300 to 500 monthly visitors in the lab, according to reporting in T-Online.
NRW Interior Minister Herbert Reul signaled a review of the case to ensure more economical fiscal management in the future.
With reporting by DPA, AFP and Paul Krantz.
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