The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility after a Syrian blew himself up outside a wine bar, injuring 15 people.

Cologne’s police chief has been removed amid criticism of his force’s handling of a string of New Year’s Eve assaults and robberies.

The UN has warned that it could see no easing of the flow of refugees into Europe, with 8,000 arrivals daily, and that problems now facing governments may turn out to be only “the tip of the iceberg”.

Germany has said it is prepared to arm Kurdish fighters battling Sunni insurgents in northern Iraq.

BlackBerry Ltd, pushing further into security services, has agreed to buy Secusmart GmbH, a provider of anti-eavesdropping technology whose clients include German officials such as Chancellor Angela Merkel.