{"id":849412,"date":"2026-03-25T13:44:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T13:44:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/849412\/"},"modified":"2026-03-25T13:44:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T13:44:13","slug":"race-against-time-for-stranded-humpback-whale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/849412\/","title":{"rendered":"Race against time for stranded humpback whale"},"content":{"rendered":"

Skip next section Bielefeld: Unrefrigerated chicken confiscated from van <\/a><\/p>\n

03\/25\/2026March 25, 2026Bielefeld: Unrefrigerated chicken confiscated from van <\/p>\n

Authorities in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW)<\/a> on Tuesday confiscated around a ton of unrefrigerated chicken that was being transported from Belgium<\/a> to Berlin<\/a>.<\/p>\n

After stopping a van on the A2 autobahn near the city of Bielefeld<\/a> due to overloading, authorities discovered the deep-cooled chicken being transported in an ambient temperature\u00a0of 15\u00b0C (59\u00b0F) \u2014\u00a0rather than the legally required -18\u00b0C (-0.4\u00b0F).<\/p>\n

The 42-year-old driver told police that he had already dispatched two pallets of chicken in a vehicle with an appropriate cooling system \u00a0but then simply packed the rest in his van.<\/p>\n

He is being investigated on suspicion of breaching German food safety laws.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5B6De<\/p>\n

Skip next section Germany inland shipping hits record low<\/a><\/p>\n

03\/25\/2026March 25, 2026Germany inland shipping hits record low<\/p>\n

Germany’s inland shipping sector has transported fewer goods in 2025, reaching its lowest level since reunification in 1990.<\/p>\n

The Federal Statistical Office said total freight volume fell 1.3% year-on-year to 171.6 million metric tons.<\/p>\n

The decline was mainly driven by weaker exports, with outbound shipments dropping 4.8% to 41.1 million\u00a0tons.<\/p>\n

Domestic transport remained largely stable at 42.8 million tons, while transit traffic fell 5.4% to 10.7 million tons.<\/p>\n

Imports rose slightly by 0.6% to 77.0 million tons.<\/p>\n

Bulk goods such as ores, coal, and petroleum products accounted for the largest share of cargo.<\/p>\n

Rotterdam<\/a> remained Germany’s most important foreign port by a wide margin, ahead of Antwerp and Amsterdam.<\/p>\n

More than half of all shipments were carried by Dutch-flagged vessels, while German ships accounted for just under one-third.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5B6FI<\/p>\n

Skip next section Berlin court jails Hamas cell members<\/a><\/p>\n

03\/25\/2026March 25, 2026Berlin court jails Hamas cell members<\/p>\n

A Berlin court has sentenced four members of a Hamas<\/a>-linked underground cell to several years in prison.<\/p>\n

The court handed down terms ranging from four and a half to six years for membership in a foreign terrorist organization and related offenses.<\/p>\n

Judges said the men, aged 36 to 58, acted as operatives responsible for weapons depots across several European countries.<\/p>\n

According to the court, the stockpiles were intended for use in potential attacks on Israeli, Jewish or other facilities in Europe over an extended period.<\/p>\n

Possible targets were the Israeli Embassy in Berlin, the US Ramstein Air Base and the area around Berlin’s disused Tempelhof airport.<\/p>\n

The men denied being Hamas members. The main accused did admit to visiting an arms cache in Bulgaria, but claimed his visit concerned “private arms dealing.”<\/p>\n

Read more about the sentencing here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5B4QE<\/p>\n

Skip next section German housing prices rise again in 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

03\/25\/2026March 25, 2026German housing prices rise again in 2025<\/p>\n

House\u00a0prices in Germany have increased again, marking a continued recovery after recent declines<\/a>.<\/p>\n

According to the Federal Statistical Office, residential property prices in the fourth quarter of 2025 were up 3.0% compared with a year earlier, the fifth consecutive quarterly rise year-on-year.<\/p>\n

Prices edged up 0.1% from the previous quarter, while the annual average for 2025 rose 3.2%, the first yearly increase since 2022 after declines in 2023 and 2024.<\/p>\n

Growth was strongest in rural areas, where apartment prices rose 5.4%, compared with 4.8% in large cities and 2.1% in Germany\u2019s seven biggest urban centers \u2014 Berlin, Cologne, D\u00fcsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich and Stuttgart.<\/p>\n

On a quarterly basis, prices fell 1.6% in major cities but climbed 2.6% in rural regions, showing a shift in demand.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5B4F1<\/p>\n

Skip next section Massive police convoy escorts nuclear waste transport<\/a><\/p>\n

03\/25\/2026March 25, 2026Massive police convoy escorts nuclear waste transport<\/p>\n

\"PoliceThe operation is the start of a series of transports, with 151 more Castor containers to be movedImage: Christoph Reichwein\/dpa\/picture alliance<\/p>\n

German police have mounted a large-scale operation to escort the first nuclear waste transport from\u00a0an ex-research reactor site in the western city of J\u00fclich in\u00a0North Rhine-Westphalia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Around 100 vehicles, including dozens of police units, formed a convoy protecting the heavy-load transporter carrying the radioactive cargo on its way to\u00a0an interim storage facility in the town of Ahaus.<\/p>\n

Authorities deployed extensive security measures, with officers guarding access points and even mobile toilets included in the convoy.<\/p>\n

Highway exits were repeatedly closed, leaving drivers with limited options and in some cases forcing them to turn around.<\/p>\n

The operation marks the start of a series of transports, with 151 more Castor containers set to be moved to the Ahaus interim storage site.<\/p>\n

Police deployed about 2,400 officers, while unions warned of potential strain on personnel amid growing security demands.<\/p>\n

The first container reached Ahaus after about four hours, as small groups of protesters demonstrated along the route and at the destination.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5B3iA<\/p>\n

Skip next section Greenpeace climate protest in Berlin<\/a>03\/25\/2026March 25, 2026Greenpeace climate protest in Berlin\"FourThe activists mounted a 100-square-meter banner, visible from afarImage: Michael Kappeler\/dpa\/picture alliance<\/p>\n

Early Wednesday morning, four activists from the environmental group Greenpeace were suspended from a massive construction crane right next to the Chancellery in Berlin \u2014 a crane that has been there for some time due to renovations at the building, which was swaying dangerously in the fierce wind on this gloomy morning.<\/p>\n

The activists mounted a 100-square-meter (around 1000 square feet)\u00a0banner, visible from afar above the government district, reading: “Freedom instead of fossil fuel politics.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

They want to draw attention to what they see as the shortcomings in the new climate protection program of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s<\/a> government, which is set to be approved by the cabinet at midday this Wednesday.<\/p>\n

By 2030, the government promises to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 65% compared to 1990 levels; 48% of that target has already been achieved. But Greenpeace is certain: the 65% target is virtually impossible to meet.<\/p>\n

Greenpeace energy expert Mira J\u00e4ger wrote in a press statement released simultaneously with the crane protest:\u00a0 “There is a looming massive gap in the CO2 targets. So far, no measures are known that could even begin to close this gap. The rising prices for fuel and gas show everyone: The climate protection program must provide a clear roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels. We cannot afford to ‘carry on as usual,’\u00a0neither ecologically nor economically.”<\/p>\n

https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5B3qj<\/p>\n

Skip next section Stranded humpback whale waits for rescue in Germany<\/a><\/p>\n

03\/25\/2026March 25, 2026Stranded humpback whale waits for rescue in Germany<\/p>\n

\"The The 10-meter-long humpback whale is probably a young maleImage: Jens B\u00fcttner\/dpa\/picture alliance<\/p>\n

A stranded humpback whale has been fighting for survival off Niendorf beach in northern Germany, with rescuers forced to wait for better equipment.<\/p>\n

A rescue attempt with a suction dredger failed because it was not powerful enough to remove the compact sand.\u00a0Larger machinery is expected to arrive, likely on Thursday, to continue efforts.<\/p>\n

Carsten Mannheimer\u00a0from the marine conservation organization Sea Shepherd said the situation was\u00a0difficult. “I would like to do more,” he said, adding that there was\u00a0little to do for now.<\/p>\n

The group said the animal\u00a0probably got stuck while migrating, and that it might be the same whale repeatedly sighted in the area this month.<\/p>\n

The young whale has been stuck on a sandbank since Monday, with its back visible above water and its low sounds audible from hundreds of meters away.<\/p>\n

Mannheimer said such incidents are hard to prevent, though improved equipment could help, adding he still hopes the whale will make it back to deeper water.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5B3oJ<\/p>\n

Skip next section Welcome to our coverage<\/a>03\/25\/2026March 25, 2026Welcome to our coverage<\/p>\n

Guten Tag from the DW newsroom here in Bonn.<\/p>\n

You join us as we follow the plight of a humpback whale stranded off the coast of the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein.<\/p>\n

Special machinery is on its way, but it’s a race against time to save the animal that became stuck in shallow water on Monday.<\/p>\n

Stay with us for the latest on this and other news from Germany.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5B3q9<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Skip next section Bielefeld: Unrefrigerated chicken confiscated from van 03\/25\/2026March 25, 2026Bielefeld: Unrefrigerated chicken confiscated from van Authorities…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":849413,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3843],"tags":[728,70,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-849412","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-environment","8":"tag-environment","9":"tag-science","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/116290117070681399","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/849412","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=849412"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/849412\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/849413"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=849412"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=849412"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=849412"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}