Vandals set fire to a mouse statue that's a TV star and mascot for a German broadcaster
The cartoon mouse, known only as 'Die Maus,' is the eponymous star of 'Die Sendung mit der Maus' (The Show with the Mouse) since it first aired in West Germany in 1971. Each short episode features other languages and educational segments.
The statue — featuring the character's famous orange body with brown ears, arms and legs — greets families and children outside a media building in Cologne, Germany.
A receptionist for WDR saw several young people standing around the statue in Cologne on a camera feed overnight Friday into Saturday. She then noticed flames and called the fire department, WDR said.
The fire blackened parts of the mouse's face and arm, images show. The station said a police complaint had been filed against an unidentified person.
Matthias Körnich, head of children's programming for WDR, said it's not just a figurine that was damaged.
'A piece of childhood, a symbol of joy and togetherness has been attacked,' he said. 'The mouse belongs to Cologne.'
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Associated Press
28 minutes ago
- Associated Press
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New York Times
28 minutes ago
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As Rodon followed Byram in their group between poles, Farke wandered over to comment with a wry grin, 'Can you be quicker than Byram?' The 31-year-old, who credited Farke with saving his career after last season's title triumph at Plymouth Argyle, will relish beating his younger peers in training through the campaign. Do not forget, Byram has already been filmed putting everyone but Joel Piroe away in the club's pre-season bleep test this summer. Advertisement Once the team got into their drills with the balls, we had a priceless glimpse of Farke as the coach, the manager on the grass invested in improving everyone under his watch. In one exercise, which had seven players passing from various angles in a diamond shape, he insisted: 'Ten passes, not nine or 10 passes. Ten passes.' It's Bornauw, Harry Gray, Sam Chambers, Rhys Chadwick, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Jaka Bijol and Jack Harrison in the group nearest the watching media. 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I will always underestimate how much they want to win every minute aspect of training. Look out for Bornauw's improving English impression and Rodon's nutmeg reaction. #lufc — Beren Cross (@BerenCross) July 21, 2025 Largie Ramazani was never too far away from the needle that lurked in every exercise and had the players facing off with one another. In one particular moment, when something had gone against Wilfried Gnonto, it was Ramazani, Ampadu and even Farke, teasing the Italian. As Bornauw limped away with what we came to learn was a thigh injury that will rule him out for a fortnight, Riemer again divided the squad into four teams for a tournament. Illan Meslier, Karl Darlow, Alex Cairns and Rory Mahady marshaled a full-sized goal each as the outfield teams rotated between them, across two small pitches. Advertisement This is where the fight for goals and wins really ramped up. Ramazani was central to the most eye-catching flashpoint. As he grappled with Bogle for the ball, the winger ended up tearing the full-back's bib, pulling half of it off his back. Riemer whistled and, as he stopped play, Ramazani swivelled to boot the ball at the already-floored Bogle. A penalty was awarded, with the squad gathering to watch it. Bogle vs Darlow. Farke: 'No rebounds!' Rodon: 'All day, Karl. All day!' Ilia Gruev, apparently the most placid member of the squad, went to stand by the ball in an effort to put Bogle off. Ampadu marched over to carry the Bulgarian away. At Leeds United training in Germany. The footage speaks for itself. Ramazani had torn Bogle's bib to give away the penalty. 'Shitbag.' #lufc — Beren Cross (@BerenCross) July 21, 2025 Ramazani, being calmed by Gnonto: 'Watch him f*** it now, s***bag.' Bogle tucks it in the corner and Harsewinkel's residents can hear the roar. Ampadu runs up to Ramazani's face: 'You s***bag!' It's impossible not to laugh at how petty this all is and it must be like this year-round. These are the little moments, no doubt forgotten by the players hours later, which forge their connections, their will to fight for each other when it matters. Aside from that tete-a-tete, there was some superb quality on show. Followers of the club's social media will have seen Darlow's full-stretch parry of James' volleyed rocket. Piroe sent Rodon, Ao Tanaka and Gruev sliding out of the way with one chop of the boot before finishing one of his many goals. 😍 SAVE! @KarlDarlow — Leeds United (@LUFC) July 21, 2025 Harrison and Lukas Nmecha were spotted firing shots at Mahady after the session had finished, squeezing in their extras as club security chief Martin Sykes and kit manager Chris Beasley returned on their bicycles, beaming. Several of the official and expensive Premier League footballs had been lost in the woods behind the pitches. Sykes and Beasley were not to be denied. Advertisement Once the media had been sent packing from that session, club footage would later show Stach got involved in an afternoon knock-around. His transfer would be finally announced on the Tuesday morning. Operations manager Matt Robertshaw said he couldn't help but marvel at his height when he saw the midfielder stood with Meslier at one of their meals. The media had their first look at Stach when he arrived with the squad for Tuesday's friendly against SC Verl. His international clearance had not been received in time, so he watched from the stands with Bornauw, Isaac Schmidt (calf), and Brenden Aaronson, who only arrived that morning after prolonged summer service with the USMNT. There was no access for the media on Wednesday, but we learned this was a key day of social bonding for the players. Aside from a players-against-staff paintball match (Farke not included), which the former predictably took very seriously, there was a raft of initiation songs for any employee to have arrived since last year's Germany trip. Among the players, this meant Tanaka, Ramazani, Schmidt, Nmecha, Bijol, Bornauw, Gudmundsson, Sean Longstaff and Stach were on a chair singing what they desired. The song choices have remained a closely guarded secret, but the Swedish left-back is understood to have been the keenest to get up and get on with his. While this was all unfolding, United executives were accelerating their pursuit of goalkeeper Lucas Perri. It was a move that came together far quicker than any of them expected. Hannah Cox, head of football administration, and Adam Underwood, sporting director, had been in Germany at the start of the week to get the Stach deal over the line. They then flew back to the UK, not expecting any further deals during the training camp. They had to fly back to Germany once the Perri talks entered their final stages. A second significant transfer of the week represented an outstanding week for the club, which was entirely worth the air miles. Perri arrived with his family on the Thursday night, had his medical on the Friday, and signed off on the final bits of paperwork before the club got ready for his announcement on Saturday morning. There was a minor administrative delay, but while Perri was taking in the Paderborn friendly, the announcement was set for that evening. Advertisement Perri was in the stands as Leeds faced a far sterner challenge from the 2 Bundesliga outfit. Luis Engelns, Farke's 18-year-old son, began in the heart of the home midfield. There was nothing over the line, but a couple of firm Ampadu challenges on the teenager caught the eye. There was a knowing grin shared between father and son as the latter walked past the away dugout following his second-half substitution. It proved a valuable test for Leeds at the end of their third week of preparation for the new season. Farke will take a lot more from the forthcoming matches against Villarreal and Milan. We will only see the real impact of a week like this next May.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Passenger Yells ‘Death to Trump' on Scotland-Bound Flight
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