Tighter security in place for Cologne carnival

Cologne was scheduled to host its annual carnival from Thursday with beefed-up security to prevent a repeat of the sex assaults that marred New Year's festivities and ignited a debate about Germany's ability to integrate asylum seekers.

Police in the western German city have been struggling to restore public confidence after it emerged that hundreds of women were groped and robbed in a mob of mostly North African and Arab men during celebrations at the start of the year. Around 1,000 complaints have been filed over the crime spree.

All eyes are now on the weeklong event which begins on Thursday with Weiberfastnacht, roughly translated "Women's carnival day", when thousands of female revelers in fancy dress take to the streets, and are invited to cut the ties of men as a symbol of clipping their power.