A convoy of tractors will pass though NRW on Monday and considerable disruption to traffic is expected. The convoy will pass through Bonn and from there to Cologne, Düsseldorf, Essen, Dortmund, Hamm and Hagen to Bielefeld, to participate in a demonstration on Tuesday in Berlin about the government's current agricultural policy. The exact number of tractors in the convoy is still unclear, but about 80 have been registered in the area around Bonn. The convoy will set off at 7 am from Meckenheim for the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture in Duisdorf, where they aim to arrive at about 8 am. and will continue to Bornheim-Hersel via Dransdorf and Buschdort and on to Cologne at about 9.30 am. The farmers will drive from Meckenheim via Heinz-Gottschalk-Straße, Gudenauer Allee, Gerhard-Boeden-Straße, L261, Reichstraße, Provinzialstraße to Rochusstraße. The route will then continue via Rochusstraße, Hermann-Wanderleb-Ring, Auf dem Hügel, Siemensstraße, Grootestraße, L183n, Roisdorfer Straße, Elbestraße to Kölner Landstraße in Bornheim. On Monday, Bonn police will give information about the current traffic situation via Twitter and a telephone information line will be available on 0228/15-3030 from 7 a.m. onwards.

(Original text: Alexander Hertel)

The herald Walther von der Pferdeweide, assisted by Büttel Mollinarius, officially opened the 29th Siegburg medieval market on Saturday morning. Jugglers, acrobats, traders and musicians will revive ancient times and attract visitors from the entire region and neighbouring countries until 22 December. As usual, the opening began with a tour through the stalls to the stage, where the stonemason, blacksmith, basket maker, candlemaker and wood turner were introduced and their craftsmanship was examined on stage by the “Chief Magistrate”, Mayor Franz Huhn, and his deputies. Later, jugglers, dancers, acrobats and musicians mingled with the visitors and provided entertainment. At dusk, the stage and the market were illuminated by torches, oil lamps, candles and tea lights, which created a very special atmosphere. The Siegburg medieval Christmas market is open until 22 December 2019; Sundays to Thursdays from 11:00 to 21:00, and Fridays and Saturdays from 11:00 to 22:00.

(Original text: Paul Kieras)

An extension is being erected for the “Life & Medical Sciences” Institute in Poppelsdorf for basic bio-medical research at the University of Bonn. Construction has been going on for some time, but the official laying of the foundation stone was celebrated on Friday with the sinking of a time capsule. The new Technical Infrastructure Building, TIS for short, will house a teaching and laboratory building for interdisciplinary genetics with about 4,000 square metres of space and will be home to 100 employees and 180 students. It will also contain various event and meeting rooms, a multifunctional room and offices and will be connected to the existing Limes building. The total cost is estimated to be 45 million euros.

(Original text: Stefan Knopp)

Special nesting boxes are currently being used in the Beuel Rheinaue to examine whether bats are active in the area around the Haribo ship. The boxes contain microphones that exclusively record ultrasonic calls. The boxes hang in trees and are former bird boxes, to prevent theft and damage and to protect them from weather damage. They will be used for a survey bats, commissioned by the city in connection with the Rheinaue fast bicycle path, which is a major project that involves extending the existing cycle path from its current width of 1.80 metres to 2 or 3 metres and illuminating it. A footpath will run in parallel, so that cyclists have an unobstructed route. The initiative forms part of the NRW state government's "emission-free city centre" project. Bats are protected animals, since they are a species threatened with extinction according to the Federal Nature Conservation Act. Therefore, before work starts on extending the cycle path, the population of active bats in the area has to be determined.

(Original text: Maximilian Mühlens)

(Translations: John Chandler)