Volkswacht Bodensee - News from Lake Constance, St. Gallen, Thurgau, Schaffhausen, Switzerland, Europe and the whole world

Shruti Sharma tearfully hugged her family goodbye and fled her home near the contested border in Kashmir with her three children on the first night of India and Pakistan's worst conflict in decades.

Germany under new Chancellor Friedrich Merz surprised NATO allies on Thursday by signalling plans to massively boost defence spending to five percent of GDP as demanded by US President Donald Trump.

Thyssenkrupp's shares slumped Thursday after it reported worse-than-expected earnings and its steel business took a fresh hit, in more bad news for the struggling German industrial titan.

French politicians were divided on Thursday over the marathon hearing of Prime Minister Francois Bayrou, who was grilled by lawmakers about claims of sexual abuse at a Catholic school.

A chauffeur faces trial later this year charged with stealing money and baggage from Britain's top diplomat after driving David Lammy and his wife hundreds of kilometres from Italy to an Alpine ski resort in France, a prosecutor said.

Internet giant Alibaba posted on Thursday a six percent increase in annual revenue, the latest positive sign for China's tech sector despite persisting economic uncertainties that include sluggish spending and threatened trade.

Unsubstantiated claims of supposed cocaine use by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on a train to Ukraine last weekend may have started from a French account.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the most decorated woman sprinter in history, admitted on Thursday she finds it increasingly challenging to balance family life with her career on the track.

Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday announced an extension to coach Dino Toppmoeller's contract by two years until 2028, days out from a season-defining match at Freiburg.

Dressed as a Gallic warrior fighting Roman invaders or wearing the yellow of the Commerzbank logo, employees from the German lender protested Thursday against any takeover attempt by Italy's UniCredit.

Lasting peace in Syria depends on the country building a strong judicial system giving justice to the victims of all crimes committed during the Assad era, a prominent Syrian human rights lawyer told AFP.

Palestinian rescuers reported 94 people killed Thursday in Israeli strikes on blockaded Gaza, where a US-backed organisation said it intends to begin distributing aid by the end of the month.

China urged parties involved in Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison's sale of Panama Canal ports to exercise "caution" Thursday, warning of legal consequences should they proceed without clearance from Beijing.

Internet giant Alibaba posted on Thursday a six percent increase in annual revenue, the latest positive sign for China's tech sector despite persisting economic uncertainties.

Russia and Ukraine traded insults on Thursday as negotiators were due to meet in Turkey for the first direct peace talks in more than three years.

India and Pakistan accused each other Thursday of failing to control their nuclear weapons, calling on the world to monitor their neighbour's arsenal just days after their most serious military confrontation in two decades.

The EU accused TikTok on Thursday of breaking digital rules after concluding that the Chinese-owned social media platform is not transparent enough about advertisements.

Lewis Ferguson put his injury nightmare behind him on Wednesday when he won the Italian Cup with Bologna, ending the storied Serie A club's 51-year wait for a major honour with a 1-0 win over AC Milan.

The next edition of sailing's America's Cup will be held in Naples, Italy, in 2027, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced on Thursday.

England's Test captain Ben Stokes believes he is in his best ever physical condition and can dominate with bat and ball on his latest comeback from injury.

US President Donald Trump said Thursday a deal was close on Iran's nuclear programme that would avoid military action, sending oil prices tumbling as he boasted of raising "trillions of dollars" on a Gulf tour.

Russia's former culture minister and Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky took part in failed talks with Ukraine at the start of Moscow's invasion in 2022 and has built a career promoting an ultra-patriotic version of Russian history.

Erling Haaland said Manchester City must deliver in the FA Cup final on Saturday to salvage something from a "horrific" season that saw them deposed as English champions for the first time in five years.

Pakistan's nuclear arsenal should be under the surveillance of the UN's nuclear watchdog, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Thursday, following a four-day conflict between Islamabad and New Delhi last week.

Thai police have arrested a man suspected of smuggling two baby orangutans into the kingdom, they said Thursday, in a case linked to an international wildlife trafficking network.

Britain's economy grew more than expected in the first quarter, official data showed Thursday, covering the period before business tax hikes and US President Donald Trump's tariffs blitz took effect.

A vast bloom of toxic algae is killing more than 200 species of marine life off the southern coast of Australia, scientists and conservation groups say.

Oil prices sank Thursday on hopes for an Iran nuclear breakthrough after Donald Trump said a deal was "getting close" and US media reported Tehran had indicated it could be open to curbs on its atomic programme.

A Russian delegation landed in Istanbul on Thursday for the first direct peace talks with Ukraine in more than three years, Russian state media reported, but without President Vladimir Putin as many world leaders had urged.

China's emissions fell in the first quarter of 2025 despite rapidly growing power demand thanks to soaring renewable and nuclear energy, a key milestone for world's top emitter, analysis showed Thursday.

Groans and giggles typically greet votes at the annual Eurovision Song Contest, loved and mocked for its kitsch music and seemingly partisan outcomes.

Sixteen countries are competing in the Eurovision Song Contest's second semifinal on Thursday, with viewers deciding which 10 go through to the grand final.