Latest news with #GermanPressAgency
Barnama
6 hours ago
- Business
- Barnama
Musk On Trump's Tax Bill: 'Bankrupting America Is Not Ok'
WASHINGTON, June 5 (Bernama-dpa) -- Tech billionaire Elon Musk has called on United States (US) citizens to pressure lawmakers to vote down US President Donald Trump's key tax and spending bill, German Press Agency (dpa) reported. In a post on his platform X on Wednesday, Musk wrote: "Call your Senator, Call your Congressman. Bankrupting America is NOT ok! KILL the BILL." Musk, who was recently involved in federal cost-cutting efforts, has sharply criticised what Trump calls the "Big Beautiful Bill" for raising the debt ceiling without sufficient spending cuts.
Shafaq News
a day ago
- Business
- Shafaq News
NATO aims 30% boost in military capability
Shafaq News/ NATO plans to raise its military capability targets by around 30% as part of a broader push to reinforce deterrence and defense in light of persistent security challenges from Russia, according to the German Press Agency (dpa). The updated objectives focus on expanding stockpiles of long-range missiles and drones, alongside upgrades to air defense systems and artillery across the alliance. While the shift marks a significant escalation in planning, senior military officials have pointed to major implementation hurdles. Many countries are currently falling short of existing goals, with an average shortfall of about 30%, raising concerns over how quickly the new benchmarks can be met. Specific details of the updated national targets remain classified, though limited information is expected to be made public following the defense ministers' meeting on Thursday in Brussels. In Germany, military sources estimate that the Bundeswehr (Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Germany) will need to expand its personnel by tens of thousands to align with the new requirements. The German armed forces currently number around 182,000 troops. Additionally, plans are moving forward for substantial investment in air defense systems.
Local Germany
a day ago
- General
- Local Germany
Cologne sees largest evacuation for bomb defusal since 1945
The largest evacuation for a bomb defusal since 1945 began in Cologne on Wednesday morning. A large part of the city centre was closed off so that three American World War II bombs could be defused. According to reporting by the German Press Agency (DPA), more than 20,000 people have been evacuated from their homes -- including all residents within a 1,000-meter radius around the site in the Deutz district. The city of Cologne announced on its website, "The evacuation is the largest measure after the end of the Second World War. All those involved hope that the defusal can be completed in the course of the day on Wednesday." A city spokeswoman told DPA that it's not yet possible to say when the defusal will begin. City officials must first check that all people have been evacuated, which could take several hours. Kai Kulschewski, head of the department for explosive ordnance disposal at the Düsseldorf district government, told WDR that the duration of the operation "depends on how successful the evacuation is, and whether the population adheres to the when there is no one left in the radius, then we can start working." Roadblocks have been erected around the containment area since 8 am on Wednesday morning. In the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, 1,500 to 2,000 bombs from the Second World War are found per year, of which around 200 are as large as those that are set to be defused in Cologne. Cologne has the most densely populated city centre in all of Europe, said Ralf Mayer, head of the Cologne public order office, in ARD's Morgenmagazin . EXPLAINED: How many WWII bombs are still being found in Germany? Advertisement Disruptions in Cologne and in regional railway traffic The potential blast zone in this case includes a hospital, two retirement and nursing homes, museums and the television station RTL as well as the Hohenzollern Bridge, which is the busiest German railway bridge. Deutsche Bahn expects "considerable restrictions in local and long-distance traffic in North Rhine-Westphalia", especially since the Cologne-Messe/Deutz station is also closed. Passenger trains were initially allowed to continue over the Hohenzollern Bridge after 8 am, but did not stop at Cologne Messe/Deutz station, the railway announced. From the start of the defusal, the Hohenzollern Bridge is to be temporarily closed to passing traffic. Some trains may have to be diverted, and individual train cancellations are also possible. From this point on, Cologne Central Station can no longer be approached from the direction of Deutz. Shipping on the Rhine is also set to pause temporarily, and the airspace overhead will be closed for a short time. With reporting by DPA.
Malaysiakini
6 days ago
- Climate
- Malaysiakini
Swiss valley to prepare for evacuation after glacier collapse
Residents in several Swiss Alpine communities remain on high alert on Friday as a local river swelled dangerously behind a natural dam of rubble, rocks and ice following a glacier collapse earlier this week, German Press Agency (dpa) reported. 'We ask residents to make personal preparations so that they can leave their homes as quickly as possible,' the municipalities of Steg-Hohtenn and Gampel-Bratsch in the Lotschental valley said on their website late Thursday.
The Sun
6 days ago
- Climate
- The Sun
Second Canadian province declares emergency state amid wildfires
NEW YORK: The Canadian regional government in the province of Saskatchewan declared a state of emergency on Thursday, the second province to do so, as wildfires continue to rage in its northern regions and drive thousands from their homes, German Press Agency (dpa) reported. 'Today, we declared a province-wide state of emergency as wildfires threaten our communities and have already forced thousands of our residents from their homes,' said Scott Moe, premier of Saskatchewan, on social media platform X. He added that this allowed authorities to mobilise 'the resources necessary to safely evacuate Saskatchewan residents and to protect our communities.' This can include requesting additional resources from Ottawa, such as personnel, equipment and use of the military, according to Canada's national broadcaster CBC. The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) said as of Thursday night local time, there were 16 active wildfires in the province, with three of them considered contained. The Canadian province of Manitoba, located east of Saskatchewan, declared its state of emergency on Wednesday as wildfires forced some 17,000 people from their homes.
