Latest news with #GERMAN
The Journal
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Journal
German chancellor pledges to help Ukraine develop long-range missiles
GERMAN CHANCELLOR FRIEDRICH Merz has pledged to help Ukraine develop its own long-range missile systems that would be free of any Western-imposed limitations on their range and target options as the Kyiv government fights to repel Russia's invasion. Some of the advanced weapon systems that Kyiv's Western partners have supplied to Ukraine during the more than three-year war were subject to range and target restrictions. The limits have been a fraught political issue, stemming from fears that if the weapons struck Russia, the Kremlin might retaliate against the country that provided them and suck Nato into Europe's biggest conflict since the Second World War. Merz said in Berlin, alongside visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, that under an intensified cooperation agreement Germany 'will strive to equip the Ukrainian army with all the capabilities that truly enable it to successfully defend the country', including upgraded domestic missile production. Germany has been the second-biggest supplier of military aid to Ukraine after the United States. 'Ukraine will be able to fully defend itself including against military targets outside its own territory' with its own missiles, Merz said at a joint news conference. The German leader's pledge came as the past few months of intense US-led peace efforts have brought no significant breakthrough, and with analysts saying Russia is poised to launch a major summer offensive. German foreign minister Johann Wadephul is set to meet in Washington with US secretary of state Marco Rubio later today. Advertisement Merz greeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Merz declined to say whether Germany will supply its advanced Taurus long-range cruise missile to Ukraine – a longstanding request by Kyiv, and a step that Berlin has resisted. Asked about Germany's offer to fund long-range missile production in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded that the move was an obstacle to reaching a peace agreement. Both Merz and Zelenskyy criticised the Kremlin's effective rejection of an unconditional ceasefire proposed by the US, which Kyiv accepted, and its delay in responding to proposals for a settlement. Merz said last Monday that Germany and other major allies were no longer imposing range limits on weapons they send to Ukraine , though he indicated their use was limited to Russian military targets. The Kremlin called the move 'dangerous'. Then-US president Joe Biden late last year authorised Ukraine to use US-supplied missiles to strike deeper into Russia. The decision allowed Ukraine to use the Army Tactical Missile System, known as ATACMS, against Russia. In Berlin, Zelenskyy called for deeper defence cooperation across Europe and with the United States, stressing the need for long-range capabilities and sustained military funding to ensure Ukraine's resilience. 'We need sufficient long-range capabilities. That's why we must be certain of the financing of our army and the stability of Ukraine,' he said. He added that the cooperation projects already exist. 'We simply want (the missiles) to be produced in the quantity we need,' Zelenskyy told the news conference. The Kremlin has said that Russia is grateful to Trump for his mediation efforts. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo On Tuesday, the Ukrainian President said he is ready to hold peace talks at the highest level, including a trilateral meeting with himself, Russian leader Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump. Related Reads Kremlin says Trump 'emotional' after US President called Putin 'absolutely crazy' over Ukraine strikes Russia says West's decision to lift range limits on weapons sent to Ukraine is 'dangerous' At least 12, including three children, killed in Russian drone-and-missile attack on Ukraine 'We are ready to meet at the level of leaders. Both the American side knows this, and the Russian side knows this,' he said. Zelenskyy said he would accept any configuration of talks, whether that includes one trilateral meeting or separate meetings with Trump. Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said that Russia is grateful to Trump for his mediation efforts. 'At the same time, there is a big number of nuances to be discussed that can't be neglected and which neither party is going to sacrifice, because of its national interests,' Peskov told reporters. 'Just like the United States, Russia has its national interests that are of primary importance to us.' He said that Moscow will 'soon' deliver its promised memorandum on a framework for a peace settlement. Meanwhile, fighting has continued along the roughly 620-mile front line, where Ukraine's army is shorthanded against its bigger adversary. Zelenskyy claimed Russia is mobilising up to 45,000 men every month, while Ukraine mobilises between 25,000-27,000. Both sides are continuing to conduct deep strikes. Russia launched its biggest drone attack of the war against Ukraine on Sunday. Russian air defences downed 296 Ukrainian drones over 13 Russian regions late on Tuesday and early today, Russia's defence ministry said, in what appeared to be one of the biggest Ukrainian drone assaults of the war.
The Journal
24-05-2025
- The Journal
Woman accused of mass stabbing attack in Germany to appear in court today
A GERMAN WOMAN accused of a mass stabbing attack at a train station in Hamburg is to appear before a judge today, while the number of victims wounded rose to 18, police said. The suspect, a 39-year-old woman, was arrested at the scene of the attack yesterday at Hamburg's main station, which stunned the city in the middle of the evening rush hour. Hamburg police spokesman Florian Abbenseth said there was no evidence of a 'political motive', and the woman may have been 'experiencing a psychological emergency'. She was arrested without resistance after the attack, which emergency services said had left at least four victims with life-threatening injuries. The toll from the stabbing spree – the latest in a series of violent attacks to stun Germany – has now risen to 18 wounded, from an initial figure of 12 and then 17, police said. The suspect 'remains in custody and is due to appear before a judge on Saturday,' they said in a statement. The suspect is thought to have 'acted alone', police said in a post on X. Busy station The attack was reported by German media to have taken place yesterday evening on one of the platforms in front of a standing train. The suspect was thought to have turned 'against passengers' at the station, a spokeswoman for the Hanover federal police directorate, which also covers Hamburg, told AFP. Some of the victims in the attack were treated onboard waiting trains in the station, German daily Bild reported. Advertisement Images of the scene showed access to the platforms at one end of the station blocked off by police and people being loaded into waiting ambulances. Forensic police could also be seen walking up and down the platforms where the attack took place. German rail operator Deutsche Bahn said four platforms at the station had been closed while investigations were ongoing, adding that it was 'deeply shocked' by the incident. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also expressed his shock in a call with the mayor of Hamburg. 'My thoughts are with the victims and their families,' Merz said, according to a readout from his spokesman Stefan Kornelius. Germany has been rocked in recent months by a series of violent attacks with often jihadist or far-right extremist motivations that have put security at the top of the agenda. The most recent, on Sunday, saw four people injured in a stabbing at a bar in the city of Bielefeld. The investigation into that attack has been handed over to federal prosecutors after the Syrian suspect told the police officers who arrested him that he had jihadist beliefs. The question of security – and the immigrant origin of some of the attackers – was a major topic during Germany's recent election campaign. The February vote saw Merz's conservative CDU/CSU top the vote as well as a record score of more than 20 percent for the far-right, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany. - © AFP 2025
Scottish Sun
17-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Tourist, 27, jailed after killing Brit dad, 31, with vodka bottle on Prague stag do in horror ‘blind attack'
KILLER BEHIND BARS Tourist, 27, jailed after killing Brit dad, 31, with vodka bottle on Prague stag do in horror 'blind attack' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A GERMAN man has been jailed for seven years after killing a Welsh dad on a stag do in the Czech Republic. Joel Hoppe, 27, was sentenced this week at a Prague court for the murder of David 'Dai' Richards in September last year. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 David, a father of three, tragically died in September 2024 Credit: WALES NEWS SERVICE 2 David 'Dai' Richards with his partner Jola Simms Credit: WALES NEWS SERVICE David was a 31-year-old father-of-three from Mountain Ash in Rhondda Cynon Taf. Czech Police spokesman Jan Daněk said: "At first, everything was calm and the tourists were chatting normally. "Then there was a rift between them and one of them hit the other in the head with a vodka bottle. "The blow was so strong that the injured person immediately fell to the ground and unfortunately died in hospital."
The Irish Sun
17-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
Tourist, 27, jailed after killing Brit dad, 31, with vodka bottle on Prague stag do in horror ‘blind attack'
A GERMAN man has been jailed for seven years after killing a Welsh dad on a stag do in the Czech Republic. Joel Hoppe, 27, was sentenced this week at a Prague court for the 2 David, a father of three, tragically died in September 2024 Credit: WALES NEWS SERVICE 2 David 'Dai' Richards with his partner Jola Simms Credit: WALES NEWS SERVICE David was a 31-year-old father-of-three from Mountain Ash in Rhondda Cynon Taf. Czech Police spokesman Jan Daněk said: "At first, everything was calm and the tourists were chatting normally. "Then there was a rift between them and one of them hit the other in the head with a vodka bottle. "The blow was so strong that the injured person immediately fell to the ground and unfortunately died in hospital."
Scottish Sun
15-05-2025
- General
- Scottish Sun
German discovers Scots brown bin in his home village – 1,000 miles away
The council say they are baffled by the far-travelled trashcan WHERE HAVE YOU BIN? WHERE HAVE YOU BIN? German discovers Scots brown bin in his home village – 1,000 miles away Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A GERMAN has told how he found a Scots brown bin in his home village — 1,000 miles away. Christian Kuhne was stunned to spot the North Ayrshire Council trash container outside his office. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Christian Kuhne was stunned to spot the North Ayrshire Council trash container Credit: Alamy 2 He took a pic of the recycling aid and posted it on social media Now the businessman, who has visited Scotland and recognised the local authority name, is keen to know how it ended up in tiny Viernau, in the state of Thuringia. He took a pic of the recycling aid and posted it on social media to see if anyone could shed light on the mystery. Christian said: 'A wheelie bin from the North Ayrshire Council appears in front of my company. "In the middle of Germany. "I'm curious about what the story behind it may be. 'Is someone in North Ayrshire region missing his wheelie bin?' Christian said his investigations led to a waste disposal firm that sends bins to residents. He added: 'The colour's blue, like the UK. But there was a shortage, so locals got colour combinations, like a brown bin with a blue lid.' But North Ayrshire Council offered an alternative theory. A spokesperson said: 'This German street is definitely not part of our regular collection route so we're very curious as to how it ended up here. Scotland's £45 Garden Waste Bin Charge Sparks Outrage 'We can say that this bin was manufactured more than 20 years ago by a German company, SSI Schaffer, so it may have been a spare by the manufacturer which found its way into local use. 'As bins are the property of residents, it's also possible that it could have been taken to Germany by a former resident moving to the area and may have been used to store items in the move. 'However the bin ended up here, we would be delighted to find out.'
