Germany updates: Merz to take first trip to Washington – DW – 06/04/2025
06/04/2025
June 4, 2025 Cologne: WWII bombs cause large scale evacuations
The discovery of World War II-era bombs in Cologne on Monday has led authorities to evacuate an estimated 20,000 people from their homes.
City authorities say its one of the largest evacuations in postwar history and affected areas including the entire old part of the city, 58 hotels, three Rhine bridges, the town hall, the railway station in the district of Deutz, which lies across the Rhine from the city center, museums, a hospital and two care homes.
Bomb disposal is a common occurrence in Cologne, which was one of the most heavily bombed German cities during World War II.
Read more here.
A large part of Cologne city centre has to be cordoned off for the defusing of three World War II bombs Image: Thomas Banneyer/dpa/picture alliance
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
DW
15 hours ago
- DW
Chancellor Merz brings new political style to Germany – DW – 06/07/2025
Chancellor Friedrich Merz's visit to Washington was met with favorable coverage back home, with many hailing a new political style that contrasts with that of his predecessors, Olaf Scholz and Angela Merkel. The consensus was that he handled it quite well: The new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz got through his first visit to US President Donald Trump without any heated exchanges or diplomatic faux pas. Although he hardly had a chance to speak during the nearly 50-minute press conference in the Oval Office, he was able to say that Germany will continue to support Ukraine in its defense against Russia. For his part, Trump treated the conservative politician with more respect than he did former Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who was not invited to the White House, or Angela Merkel, whom Trump once famously refused to shake hands with in the Oval Office. Things have been pretty busy in German politics since May 6, when Merz, of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), took office. Since then, Germany's new head of government has made surprising statements and bold announcements nearly every week. 'A very close cooperation' says Merz after meeting Trump To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video This is in contrast to his predecessor Scholz, of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), who became known for his tendency to keep the public in the dark about his plans. Scholz had consistently urged his staff to adhere to the motto: "We will not be upset, we will not become hysterical." In other words, he was at pains to convey a sense of calm. Merz: A politician full of impatience Merz, on the other hand, never hid his impatience at having to wait so long in the wings before finally securing the office he so coveted: In 2002, he lost a power struggle with Merkel for the leadership of the CDU. Frustrated, Merz moved into the private sector and only returned to politics when it became clear that Merkel intended to step down in 2021. Four years later, at the age of 69, he finally reached the pinnacle of power in Germany. The chancellorship is the first public office Merz has held in his life. Scholz and Merz couldn't have more different personalities. The former is a sober, soft-spoken northern German who had plenty of government experience before he became chancellor. Scholz was the mayor of Hamburg and then the federal finance minister under Merkel. By contrast, Merz, by nature very conservative and easily irritated, rose quickly through his party ranks even without administrative political experience. Nor are the two politicians particularly fond of each other. 'What can we do?' versus 'We must do this!' DW Chief Political Editor Michaela Küfner knows both men well, having accompanied the two leaders on several foreign trips. Reflecting on the different styles of the two politicians and their predecessor, she noted: "While Merkel always thought with the outcome in mind and Scholz was reluctant to even describe a political goal before he had paved the way for it, Merz clearly defines his goals." According to Küfner's analysis, this represents a significant political shift in itself. Germany promises Ukraine around €5 billion more in support To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Policy on Ukraine It took Scholz until the summer of 2022 to visit Ukraine, which had been invaded by Russia in the spring of that year. For a long time, Scholz remained secretive about whether he would supply weapons to the embattled country — though in the end he did. Merz, on the other hand, visited Ukraine within days of taking office, together with French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, when they announced that there would soon be a ceasefire and peace talks. But this still hasn't come to pass, while President Donald Trump appears to have backed out of his earlier commitment to forge a lasting peace. Given the US president's unpredictability, this was not really a surprise, something Scholz would certainly have taken into account. "Following the strong performance with Macron, Tusk, and Starmer came this diplomatic embarrassment," says Berlin-based correspondent Küfner. "Merz still has to prove that this defeat can translate into strong leadership." Why is Germany toughening its tone on Israel now? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Germany and Israel The change in style in Germany's policy toward Israel is even more noticeable. After the Islamist militia Hamas attacked Israelin October 2023, Scholz's response was essentially to insist on Israel's right to defend itself. This remained his stance even as the Israeli army took increasingly brutal action against the civilian population in the Gaza Strip. The European Union, as well as the United States, Germany and several other countries classify Hamas as a terrorist organization. As an opposition politician at the time, Merz also showed strong support for Israel and even announced that, unlike Scholz, he would demonstrate that support by inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the chancellery. That stance did not waver even after the International Criminal Court in The Hague issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu last November for crimes against humanity. But soon after taking office, he made something of a U-turn: A few days ago, Merz said he no longer understood Israel's actions in the Gaza war, before adding that they could no longer be justified as a legitimate fight against Hamas terrorism. Never before has a chancellor spoken so bluntly about the actions of the Israeli government. Küfner says: "Merz's criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza is a historic step. He is not afraid to directly criticize the Israeli prime minister about alleged violations of international law. This is a new tone from Germany." With this, Merz begged a question that Scholz had successfully avoided: How far does the German reason of state, the commitment to Israel's security, actually extend? What this will mean in practical terms for German-Israeli relations remains to be seen. Even under Scholz, arms deliveries to Israel had been relatively limited, and Merz has not announced an end to these deliveries. Nor has he repeated his earlier invitation to Netanyahu. In practical terms, not much has really changed, but the tone is definitely different. This is likely to continue over the coming weeks. Germany will have to get used to the chancellor's new political style. Meanwhile, Scholz is now observing all this from his position as an ordinary member of the Bundestag. And he has not yet made any comments on his successor's policies. This article was originally written in German. While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter, Berlin Briefing.
DW
a day ago
- DW
US updates: National Guard reaches Los Angeles after unrest – DW – 06/09/2025
06/09/2025 June 9, 2025 LA mayor says Trump 'provoked' unrest Mayor Bass echoed calls by California's governor for Trump to rescind the order to deploy the National Guard to LA Image: Eric Thayer/AP/dpa/picture alliance Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass has urged protesters to remain peaceful and not "play into [the US President Donald Trump] administration's hands" as she blamed the White House for escalating tensions in the city. Los Angeles police fired stun grenades and tear gas to disperse crowds of protesters who had gathered on a freeway in downtown LA. LAPD confirmed that "a number of people have been arrested" as thousands of protesters continued to demonstrate in the center of the country's second largest city. The unrest began after dozens of people were arrested in multiple raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) federal agents on Friday. Speaking to reporters, mayor Bass said the scenes unfolding in LA were "chaos that is provoked by the [Trump] administration." The White House has deployed the National Guard and threatened to send in Marines if the unrest continues. "When you raid Home Depot and workplaces, when you tear parents and children apart, and when you run armored caravans through our streets, you cause fear and you cause panic, and deploying federalized troops is a dangerous escalation," Bass said. While she appeared to blame the White House for escalating tensions, she said Los Angeles residents had the right to protest "peacefully" but not "to be violent, to create chaos or vandalize property." "I call on all Angelenos to continue expressing your right, your anger, your outrage, but to do it peacefully," Bass said.
DW
2 days ago
- DW
Passau ramming suspect charged with attempted manslaughter – DW – 06/08/2025
A German judge has issued an arrest warrant for the man who drove into a crowd of people, injuring his wife and young daughter, along with several others. The Iraqi national suspected of driving his car into a crowd of people in Passau, southern Germany, will face charges of attempted manslaughter, police said on Sunday. The incident on Saturday evening left five people injured, including the man's wife and 5-year-old daughter. Initial findings, according to the police, indicate that the 48-year-old and his wife may have been engaged in a custody dispute. The man and his wife are separated, the police said. A magistrate has now issued an arrest warrant for the man, and the suspect has been transferred to a correctional facility. Police said three of the injured, including the daughter, have already been released from the hospital. The man's 40-year-old wife and a 39-year-old woman are still receiving treatment, but their lives are not thought to be in danger. This breaking news story will be updated shortly. Edited by: Nik Martin
