Italy's Mount Etna Erupts
Open Interest
Italy's Mount Etna erupted Monday, setting off large clouds of smoke and causing tourists to seek shelter. Located in Sicily, Mount Etna is Italy's biggest volcano and one of the world's most active. There are no reported injuries or disruptions to air traffic reported yet. (Source: Bloomberg)
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Associated Press
2 hours ago
- Associated Press
The Dutch government has collapsed. What happens next?
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch opposition parties called Wednesday for fresh elections as soon as possible, a day after anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders sparked the collapse of the country's four-party coalition government. Prime Minister Dick Schoof's 11-month-old administration fell apart when Wilders withdrew his Party for Freedom ministers. Schoof and the ministers of three remaining parties remain in power as a caretaker Cabinet. The government, with limited powers, now has to lead the country for months before new elections and during what could — again — be protracted talks to cobble together a new coalition in the fragmented Dutch political landscape after the vote. Lawmakers can declare some policy areas 'controversial' during the caretaker period. That restricts the government from taking concrete action on those issues. What happens now? The Dutch electoral commission will schedule a general election for all 150 seats in the Second Chamber of parliament. It is very unlikely to happen before the fall because of a parliamentary recess that starts July 4 and runs to Sept. 1 and that will be followed by several weeks of campaigning. What does Schoof want? In a statement to lawmakers, Schoof said he wants to keep control, even in caretaker mode, of vital policies over the coming months. 'As far as I'm concerned, it's about security, both nationally and internationally, including support for Ukraine and everything that's needed for defense,' he said. He also wants to be able to act on the economy, including the global trade war unleashed since the start of U.S. President Donald Trump's second term, 'because that can have a direct effect on the Dutch economy and on our business community.' But Schoof acknowledged that some other policies will be put on ice until there is a new coalition. 'The last thing we want now is postponement, but it is unavoidable in some cases,' he said. What do opposition lawmakers want? They want to go to the polls. 'I hope we can organize elections as quickly as possible, in the shortest possible time,' said Frans Timmermans, the former European Commissioner who now leads a two-party, center-left bloc. Timmerman's bloc of the Labor Party and Green Left is challenging Wilders' party for top spot in Dutch polls. Wilders won the last elections in November 2023. Lawmakers used Wednesday's debate to attack Wilders for failing to make good while in office on his 2023 election pledges — in what sounded like a proxy electoral debate. 'You turned your back on these people,' Jimmy Dijk of the Socialist Party said, suggesting that Wilders apologize to his voters. And it's not just the opposition that wants elections. Wilders also is looking forward to campaigning. 'Let's go back to the voter,' he said. What about the NATO summit and support for Ukraine? The government remains committed to hosting the meeting of government leaders from the NATO alliance in The Hague later this month. Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp took to X soon after the administration's collapse to stress that the meeting will go ahead despite the political turmoil. 'We remain fully committed to organising the #NATOsummit in The Hague. We look forward to welcoming all NATO Allies on 24 June,' he wrote. He also said the Netherlands will continue to support Ukraine in its war against Russian aggression. The Netherlands has provided key arms to Kyiv, including F-16 fighter jets. 'We remain committed to European cooperation and security. Dutch support for Ukraine is a key part of that,' he wrote.
CNN
2 hours ago
- CNN
Cologne evacuates 20,000 people after three World War II bombs discovered
The German city of Cologne is moving 20,500 people in its largest evacuation since World War II, after officials discovered three massive, unexploded bombs. The American bombs – two 20-ton weapons and another that weighs 10 tons – were found in a shipyard on Monday, the city said, causing a huge 'danger zone' to be sealed off on Wednesday morning. A hospital, two retirement centers and the city's second largest train station were among the facilities emptied out. Schools, churches, museums and two of the city's cultural landmarks – the Musical Dome theater and the Philharmonic Hall – also fell within the evacuation zone. The discovery of unexploded weapons is a frequent phenomenon in Cologne, which was decimated by Allied bombing during World War II, but no operation of this size has been carried out since the end of the war, the city said. 'Everyone involved hopes that the defusing can be completed by Wednesday,' city authorities said in a statement. 'This will only be possible if all those affected leave their homes or workplaces early and stay outside the evacuation area from the outset.' The city told residents to 'stay calm (and) prepare yourselves' for the evacuation, recommending they visit friends or family and avoid workplaces in the sealed-off area. Officials said they 'cannot make any reliable predictions' about how long the operation will take, adding that specialists cannot begin to defuse the bombs until the entire area has been evacuated. 'If you refuse, we will escort you from your home – if necessary by force – along with the police,' the city's statement said. Allied nations conducted 262 air raids of Cologne during World War II, killing approximately 20,000 residents and leaving the city in ruins. Nearly all of the buildings in the Old Town were destroyed, as were 91 of the city's 150 churches. A massive reconstruction effort took place after the war, with the Old Town rebuilt and major landmarks restored. But small evacuations still take place on a regular basis when unexploded ordnances are found. Around 10,000 residents had to leave their homes in October when another American bomb was found, and in December, 3,000 people were asked to evacuate.
Axios
2 hours ago
- Axios
Indian general admits "tactical mistake" and loss of jets in Pakistan clash
The Indian military in recent days confirmed some of its fighter jets were shot down during clashes with Pakistan last month. Why it matters: It's the first time the country acknowledged the losses, purportedly French-made Rafale warplanes. The latest: Chief of Defense Staff Gen. Anil Chauhan told Bloomberg on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue that what really matters is how fast troops identified the "tactical mistake, which we made," and its solution, allowing for renewed "targeting at long range." Chauhan said claims that Pakistan downed six jets are "absolutely incorrect." Social media was flooded with misinformation — flowing from both sides — during the May 7-10 skirmishes. Catch up quick: The fighting killed dozens of people. It was the most recent flashpoint between the nuclear-armed neighbors. The two have been feuding for decades. Border skirmishes between 2016 and 2018 displaced thousands of people on both sides of the Line of Control. What we're watching: What the blows between New Delhi and Islamabad mean for larger tech-supremacy debates between the West and China.
