
Massive World War II bombs spark large-scale evacuation in Cologne
Three World War II bombs were found in Cologne, Germany.
About 20 000 people were evacuated.
Road and train lines were closed.
Around 20 000 people were evacuated from central Cologne on Wednesday after three unexploded World War II bombs were found, the biggest such operation in the German city since the end of the war.
Bomb squad technicians were planning to defuse the three American explosives, two weighing 1 000kg and one 500kg, which were found during building work on Monday in the Deutz area on the east bank of the River Rhine.
Road and train lines were closed and city officials were going door to door to clear the evacuation zone of about 10 000m 2 which included three bridges over the Rhine.
The heart of the city was left deserted, with a hospital, two old people's homes, nine schools, a TV studio and dozens of hotels affected.
Building works in Germany have regularly unearthed unexploded World War II ordnance.
READ | Germany arrests 3 Ukrainians trying to send explosive parcels by mail
In Frankfurt, the discovery of a 1.4-tonne bomb in 2017 led to the removal of 65 000 people, the biggest such evacuation in Europe since 1945.
In 2021 four people were injured when a World War II bomb exploded at a building site near Munich's main railway station, scattering debris over hundreds of metres.
'Everyone involved hopes that the defusing can be completed in the course of Wednesday. This is only possible if all those affected leave their homes or workplaces early and stay outside the evacuation area from the outset on that day,' the city authority said in a statement on Wednesday, appealing to residents to follow instructions, according to Reuters.
The measures caused major disruptions to transport in and out of the city of over a million people, with Germany's national rail operator warning that many trains would be diverted or possibly cancelled.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
WWII veteran celebrates 100th birthday on D-Day anniversary
SMITHFIELD, R.I. (WPRI) — For longtime Rhode Island resident and World War II veteran Maury Boulais, this Friday was meaningful for a number of reasons. Boulais celebrated his 100th birthday at Smithfield Woods Senior Living, surrounded by friends and family — on the 81st anniversary of the D-Day landings. 'He's the best father, he's a gentle man,' said Suzanne Andrews, Boulais' daughter. 'He's just a fantastic dad.' A veteran of the Atlantic Theater during World War II, Boulais was stationed in Trinidad for nearly two years, where he served on an anti-submarine aircraft. When Boulais enlisted, there was no uncertainty when it came to the outcome of the war. 'I think we were overwhelmingly confident that we would win,' he said. 'We never had any doubt about it. The way the country geared up, homefront, warfront, we all got together and made victory.' On June 6, 1944 — Boulais' 19th birthday — the Allied forces carried out the largest amphibious landing in history during their invasion of Normandy. Even after 81 years, he remembers it like it was yesterday. 'We were thinking of the casualties more than anything else. It was a very formidable defense the Germans had made on the various beaches that our boys landed on. Of course, that was number one, I hoped everything would be successful,' Boulais added. Following his time in the service, Boulais married his late wife, Nancy. The two were together for 77 years and raised three children together. In the Smithfield community, Boulais was a strong advocate for children with special needs, which led him to petition the Smithfield School Board to hire its first Director of Special Education. 'He's waited for this birthday for a long time,' Andrews told 12 News. 'It was his goal, and he made it.' As for the key to living for 100 years? 'Beyond exercise and genes, you've got to marry the right person,' Boulais said. ALSO READ: RI veteran recalls landing at Normandy on D-Day Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


Fox News
2 hours ago
- Fox News
On 81st anniversary of D-Day, one US Navy veteran's son is the first American Pope
On this 81st anniversary of D-Day, the Pentagon has shared a powerful connection between the Vatican and the U.S. military. Pope Leo XIV's father, Louis Marius Prevost, served as a Navy officer during the historic 1944 Normandy landings. Prevost, born in Chicago in 1920, was commissioned into the Navy in November 1943. He served as the executive officer of a tank landing ship during Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France June 6, 1944. WORLD WAR II VETERANS TRAVEL TO NORMANDY FOR EMOTIONAL D-DAY COMMEMORATION Later, he commanded an infantry landing craft in Operation Dragoon, the August 1944 Allied landing in southern the war, Prevost returned to Illinois, where he became superintendent of Brookwood School District 167 and later principal of Mount Carmel Elementary School in Chicago. He was also a catechist, teaching Christian SOX INSTALLING POPE LEO XIV GRAPHIC NEAR HIS 2005 WORLD SERIES SEAT Prevost married Mildred Agnes Martinez in 1949, and they had three sons, including Robert Francis Prevost, who was elected Pope Leo XIV May 8, 2025, becoming the first American-born this week, Pope Leo XIV signed a baseball at the Vatican, a nod to his Chicago roots and lifelong support for the White Sox. The team has honored him with a commemorative installation at Guaranteed Rate Field. The Pope's father died in 1997, but his legacy endures through his son's historic papacy and the shared values of service and HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Fox News Digital has reached out to the Vatican for comment but has not yet received a response.


CNN
2 hours ago
- CNN
Trump Admin targets LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month
Trump Admin targets LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month CNN's Ben Hunte breaks down how the Trump Administration has targeted the LGBTQ+ community with its policies in just the first few days of Pride Month. 02:09 - Source: CNN See reactions to the Trump-Musk feud See some reactions to the intense public feud that erupted between President Donald Trump and his one-time ally, billionaire Elon Musk. 01:05 - Source: CNN Trump on Musk: 'The poor guy's got a problem' In a phone call with CNN's Dana Bash, President Donald Trump said he is 'not even thinking about' billionaire Elon Musk and won't be speaking to him in the near future. The comments come a day after Trump and Musk traded barbs on social media as their relationship deteriorated in spectacular public fashion. 00:43 - Source: CNN Trump and Musk escalate public feud An intense public feud erupted between President Donald Trump and his one-time ally, billionaire Elon Musk, with an argument about Trump's massive tax and domestic policy bill raging across social media and in the Oval Office. CNN's senior White House correspondent Kristen Holmes reports. 03:03 - Source: CNN Kara Swisher on the 'nuclear' feud between Trump and Musk CNN's Anderson Cooper talks with Kara Swisher about the stunning public feud between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. 01:30 - Source: CNN German leader on 'terrible' impact of Trump's tariffs In an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz talks about the impact President Trump's tariffs are having on the auto industry. 01:13 - Source: CNN Curtis Yarvin is inspiring a new generation of MAGA CNN's Hadas Gold interviews anti-democracy author Curtis Yarvin about his argument for an all-powerful executive in the White House. 02:24 - Source: CNN DNC Trolls Trump with Taco Truck The Democratic National Committee parked a taco truck outside the RNC headquarters in Washington DC Tuesday, as a way to troll the president over an acronym created by a Financial Times commentator about the president's frequent walk backs and pauses to his tariff's. 00:52 - Source: CNN Musk calls Trump's bill 'disgusting abomination' Elon Musk lashed out at President Donald Trump's agenda bill — which the president is pressuring GOP senators to support — calling it a 'disgusting abomination.' CNN's Kaitlan Collins reports. 00:59 - Source: CNN ICE chief defends agents wearing masks during immigration raids Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons is defending federal immigration agents for wearing masks during raids across the US, citing safety concerns. The tactic has sparked backlash and raised questions about transparency and accountability. 00:58 - Source: CNN Dana Bash presses Trump's budget chief about cancer cuts CNN's Dana Bash presses Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought on the Trump administration's proposal to cut non-defense spending by more than 22% — including deep reductions to education, food assistance, and billions in cancer research funding. As Vought defends the cuts and criticizes the NIH, Bash challenges him on the real-world impact to life-saving medical research. 01:35 - Source: CNN Trump reacts to video of Macron's apparent shove from wife President Trump was asked by reporters about the viral video appearing to show French President Emmanuel Macron being pushed by his wife Brigitte as they disembarked from a plane in Vietnam. Macron, at the time, quickly dismissed the video. 00:34 - Source: CNN Trans high school athlete wins events amid controversy A transgender athlete, whose participation sparked a national controversy and a temporary rule change, took first place in two of her three events in the California High School Track and Field Championship. 01:09 - Source: CNN South Carolina voter says 'no' to moving center South Carolina has often bucked the electoral trend – voting for candidates who lost in Iowa or New Hampshire and thus helping pick which candidate will move on to the general election. CNN's Jeff Simon spoke to multiple voters at a Democrat dinner in Columbia, South Carolina about the party's leadership and future. 01:25 - Source: CNN Hegseth warns 'threat China poses is real' US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking to Asia's premier defense forum in Singapore, delivered a dire warning to the world: China's designs on Taiwan pose a threat to global peace and stability that requires 'our allies and partners do their part on defense.' While Hegseth made clear that Washington does not seek conflict with China, he stressed the Trump administration would not let aggression from Beijing stand. 00:50 - Source: CNN GOP senator pressed on Medicaid in heated town hall GOP Sen. Joni Ernst faced concerns from town hall attendees over potential cuts to Medicaid and SNAP programs as a result of President Donald Trump's sweeping domestic policy bill, saying at one point, 'Well, we all are going to die,' and insisting that those who are eligible for Medicaid will continue to receive payments. 01:12 - Source: CNN Fareed Zakaria breaks down Trump's tariff battle CNN's Fareed Zakaria breaks down what's going on with President Donald Trump's battle with the Supreme Court over tariffs. 00:58 - Source: CNN President Trump's timeline for things seems to almost always be 'in two weeks' President Donald Trump told reporters it will take about 'two weeks' to determine whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is serious about ending the war in Ukraine. That two week timeline, CNN's Abby Phillip says, is a familiar one. 01:48 - Source: CNN President Trump is on a pardoning spree President Donald Trump used his pardon power to grant clemency to a wave of individuals who had been convicted of crimes that range from public corruption, guns and even maritime-related offenses, according to multiple officials. CNN's Kaitlan Collins reports. 00:53 - Source: CNN Trump responds to Wall Street term 'TACO': Trump Always Chickens Out President Donald Trump was asked about "TACO," an acronym that means "Trump Always Chickens Out," which is used by Wall Street workers for his on-and-off approach to tariffs. Calling it "the nastiest question," Trump defended his tariff policy by calling it "negotiation." 01:13 - Source: CNN Harvard students and faculty speak out against Trump Harvard students and faculty spoke to CNN ahead of commencement as Donald Trump said the university should cap foreign enrollment. The Trump administration has recently sought to cancel $100 million in contracts with the school. 02:03 - Source: CNN