Germany at a glance: Major protests against coal power phase out and giraffe who hates grass
Our round-up of the stories from around Germany on Thursday includes major protests against plans to phase out coal power, and a giraffe who doesn't like walking on grass.
Bergheim: Thousands demonstrate against German plans to phase out coal power.
Thousands of people marched through a German city on Wednesday in a protest against plans to phase out coal-fired power generation.
At least 10,000 miners demonstrated in Bergheim near Cologne on Wednesday. They carried banners during the protest, which was planned as a meeting of the German Kohlekommission (coal commission) took place.
The group took part in the protests organized by the IG BCE and Verdi trade unions.
The government's coal commission is to draw up a plan to phase out coal-fired power stations, which will also take account of the loss of jobs.
Union chairman Michael Vassiliadis told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that 100,000 jobs in Germany depended on coal-fired power generation
Energy giant RWE is still mining lignite or brown coal in three open-pit mines at Hambach, Inden and Garzweiler.
It employs around 10,000 people in the mines and nearby power plants.
Munich: Underground train driver imprisoned for raping passenger
A subway driver who raped an 18-year-old woman in his train was sentenced to prison.
On Wednesday, the Munich District Court sentenced the 58-year-old to two years and nine months imprisonment.
The man had confessed to the crime before the Munich District Court.
The young woman had fallen asleep in a Munich subway in mid-June and did not get off at the final stop. He then grabbed and raped the young woman in an area of the underground inaccessible to the public.
When the subway driver had to continue by train, he let go of the woman.
Augsburg: Giraffe is afraid of grass
A new giraffe at Augsburger Zoo has a bit of a problem - she doesn’t like walking on grass and, instead, prefers to use the gravel paths that have been extended especially for her.
A giraffe. Photo: DPA
Gaya, who is 12-years-old, has been living in the zoo since May. But unlike her giraffe pals Zarafa and Kimara, who are not afraid of the green space and can move freely around their enclosure, Gaya will only walk on the gravel paths.
The zoo thinks it may be because she has never experienced grass or meadows in her life before.
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Bergheim: Thousands demonstrate against German plans to phase out coal power.
Thousands of people marched through a German city on Wednesday in a protest against plans to phase out coal-fired power generation.
At least 10,000 miners demonstrated in Bergheim near Cologne on Wednesday. They carried banners during the protest, which was planned as a meeting of the German Kohlekommission (coal commission) took place.
The group took part in the protests organized by the IG BCE and Verdi trade unions.
The government's coal commission is to draw up a plan to phase out coal-fired power stations, which will also take account of the loss of jobs.
Union chairman Michael Vassiliadis told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that 100,000 jobs in Germany depended on coal-fired power generation
Energy giant RWE is still mining lignite or brown coal in three open-pit mines at Hambach, Inden and Garzweiler.
It employs around 10,000 people in the mines and nearby power plants.
Munich: Underground train driver imprisoned for raping passenger
Augsburg: Giraffe is afraid of grass
A new giraffe at Augsburger Zoo has a bit of a problem - she doesn’t like walking on grass and, instead, prefers to use the gravel paths that have been extended especially for her.
A giraffe. Photo: DPA
Gaya, who is 12-years-old, has been living in the zoo since May. But unlike her giraffe pals Zarafa and Kimara, who are not afraid of the green space and can move freely around their enclosure, Gaya will only walk on the gravel paths.
The zoo thinks it may be because she has never experienced grass or meadows in her life before.
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