Latest news with #Hamburg
Free Malaysia Today
7 hours ago
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Hospital fire in Germany kills 3
Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control before it could spread to other patients' rooms. (dpa/AP pic) BERLIN : An overnight blaze that broke out in a room in a geriatric ward of a hospital in Hamburg, Germany, killed three people and forced the evacuation of several elderly patients, the local fire service said today. Some 34 people were injured in the incident, which saw the fire in the Marienkrankenhaus facility threaten to spread to the first floor, said the fire service spokesman, Lorenz Hartmann. 'Several elderly people with reduced mobility had to be evacuated along the corridors,' he said. The firefighters managed to bring the fire under control before it could spread to other patients' rooms, he said. The cause of the blaze had not immediately been determined.
Independent Singapore
17 hours ago
- Health
- Independent Singapore
Ben Khoo smashes sub-9 barrier, redefines Singapore's Ironman legacy
GERMANY: Beneath grey skies and alongside thousands of fellow athletes, Ben Khoo zipped up his tri-suit for what would become a defining moment in Singapore's endurance sports history. At 6:45 a.m., he dove into the chilly Alster Lake. Just under nine hours later, he would cross the finish line of Ironman Hamburg in 8 hours, 49 minutes, and 46 seconds, becoming the first Singaporean to ever break the sub-9-hour barrier in a full-distance Ironman. It wasn't his first time making history. In 2023, Khoo had already claimed the national record with a 9:02 finish in Copenhagen. A test of the human spirit The Ironman triathlon is one of sport's purest tests of endurance. The Ironman hopefuls begin with a 3.8-km swim, followed by a 180-km bike ride, and end with a 42.2-km marathon run. No breaks, no pause. The race is brutal on the body, but the mental battle is what defines the greats. For Khoo, every stage carried years of preparation. The swim was smooth and tactical. The bike leg — 180 km of speed and solitude — demanded pacing, fuelling, and unwavering focus. Then came the marathon. The final hours on foot are when most athletes confront their limits. See also Max Maeder wins European Open for the 2nd year in a row A journey years in the making Khoo's road to Ironman greatness began in high school, not with triathlons, but with adventure racing. When Singapore offered few options for the sport, he pivoted. The triathlon world became his new terrain. While studying in the United States, he competed on the collegiate circuit, refining his craft against strong competitors and learning to embrace pain as a valuable training tool. However, even with over 100 races under his belt, including favorites like California's Wildflower Triathlon, the sub-9 goal was his white whale. By 2025, Khoo began a new training regimen aimed at surpassing his previous Ironman record. He shared weekly updates on social media, where he documented his preparations for the Ironman in Hamburg. His cycling sessions included threshold intervals, while his run training featured tempo efforts and long-distance endurance blocks, all between swimming sessions at our local swimming pools and East Coast park. In several videos, he was seen completing brick sessions — bike-to-run workouts — under Singapore's hot and humid conditions. The videos included brief recaps of his sessions and outlined the adjustments he was making to pacing, fuelling, and recovery routines. Viewers followed along as his training progressed steadily toward race day. In the comments, messages of support appeared regularly. One follower wrote: 'All the best, Ben! We're rooting for you!' The finish line In Hamburg, the race unfolded like a masterclass. Khoo's discipline paid off. With every checkpoint, he edged closer to the mythical sub-9. Then came the final stretch, the crowds, the roar, the red carpet. Khoo powered through the finish arch, clocking 8:49:46. Behind the athlete Khoo trains in Singapore, a country known more for its humidity than high-altitude conditioning. His ritual? A strong coffee before each race. He had once joked about the most challenging part of the Ironman being the need to pee mid-race, but behind that humor is a methodical athlete, someone who trains with precision, respects the process, and never stops learning.
The Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Sun
Former European champions set to be offered 70,000-seater new stadium as mayor backs ‘$1billion' new project
FORMER European champions Hamburg could be offered a brand new stadium as part of Germany's Olympic bid. The city is set to enter the race to become the nominee for Germany for the second time. 2 2 Hamburg residents previously rejected the opportunity to become the select city for Germany to host the games at the ballot box in 2015. But now they could be persuaded by the promise of a new stadium, which would become home to Hamburg after the Games. The new $1billion arena could boast a capacity between 60,000 to 70,000. And it will be built even if Germany's bid to host the summer Olympics fails, according to Germany Interior Senator Andy Grote. Hamburg mayor Peter Tschentscher has backed the project and handed over the necessary bid documents to the DOSB - Germany's Olympic body. He said: "The bids of previous decades consisted of a city being rebuilt to accommodate the Olympic Games. And we reversed this principle." The city shouldn't adapt to the Games, "but rather we adapt the Olympic concept to our city," he added. The new stadium would be built right next to Hamburg's iconic Volksparkstadion, which has been their home since 1953. A refurbishment of the ground was completed in 2000 for the 2006 World Cup - it seats 57,000 fans. Germany's Olympic body still needs to decide whether to bid for the 2036, 2040 or 2044 Summer Games. Germany last hosted the Olympics in 1972 in Munich. Bids from Berlin for 2000 and Leipzig for 2012 failed, while Munich's bid for the 2022 Winter Games was also stopped by a referendum.
The National
a day ago
- General
- The National
German minister warns Israel that no military goal justifies Gaza deaths
Germany's Development Minister Reem Alabali-Radovan, a refugee born of Iraqi parents, was on the verge of tears on Monday as she called on Israel to stop 'destroying lives in Gaza'. Newly appointed as a cabinet minister in the post of Federal Minister for Economic Co-operation and Development, Ms Alabali-Radovan demanded full humanitarian access to the besieged territory. My personal history as a refugee coming to Germany shows the point that if we don't do anything with those crises is that people tend to flee Reem Alabali-Radovan 'There can and must be no military goal that justifies children starving, mothers being unable to receive treatment for their injured children, or entire families being buried under rubble,' she told the Hamburg Sustainability Conference. 'No political strategy must lead to the blocking of humanitarian aid.' Warning of a 'man-made humanitarian catastrophe', Ms Alabali–Radovan said an immediate ceasefire must be followed by permanent restoration of aid flows. 'Without a ceasefire, there will be no protection for civilians, no secure supply, and no prospect of political solutions,' she said. 'The continued violence is not only destroying lives, but also any prospect of peace. The Hamas terrorist attack on October 7 was a barbaric act. Protecting one's own population is a legitimate goal – both military and political,' she added. 'But every state action is subject to international law.' German political culture has been highly supportive of Israel throughout the conflict, with ministers loath to depart from an approach guided by history. Chancellor Friedrich Merz, of the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has entered office at a time of crisis in Germany's position on Gaza. He is reportedly charting a new course with a harder line on aid access. The German leader spoke by phone with Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu to warn of the urgent need to allow sufficient humanitarian aid to flow into the Gaza Strip. Ms Alabali-Radovan was backed up in her assertions by Cindy McCain, the director general of the World Food Programme, who hit out at accusation of looting and diversion of aid on entry to Gaza. 'In the case of Gaza it is such a catastrophe,' she said. 'These people are not terrorists, they are starving to death. If they see an aid truck coming they want food for their families. I would do anything to feed my family. I think you would too.' The Social Democrat politician is the first from her Middle Eastern background to have reached the highest rung of German politics. She was born in Moscow, where her Chaldean Iraqi parents were exiled in the Soviet Union, having fled the regime of Saddam Hussein. The family then moved to Germany, where she grew up. In the early part of her career she worked with refugees before entering politics and working for a spell as minister for integration. Now as a development minister at time when the US and other major allies have cut spending designed to assist the world's poorest, Ms Alabali-Radovan is seeking to use Germany's strong budget for global assistance to build trust. 'It is my job to explain why it is important to Germany that we cope with the crisis we are speaking about,' she said. 'My personal history as a refugee coming to Germany shows the point that if we don't do anything with crises then people tend to flee, they don't want to but they have to, and I give this example to show why it's important.' Sponsors of the Hamburg conference hope the meeting can provide a counter-balance to the dramatic move by the Trump administration to withdraw from the multilateral international institutions.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hamburg sign Nicolai Remberg
Hamburg have announced the signing of Nicolai Remberg from Holstein Kiel after activating the player's reported €2.5m release clause. The 24-year-old joins the Bundesliga returnees as the club's first signing of the summer. 'Nicolai has continued to develop and work his way up over the past years thanks to his strong work ethic and eagerness to learn,' said board member for sport Stefan Kuntz. Advertisement 'His physicality and resilience will be a great addition to our squad and our game.' Remberg played 32 Bundesliga games for Holstein Kiel last season but was unable to prevent the club's relegation back into the second division following their maiden top-flight campaign. Nevertheless, the 24-year-old was a standout performer and will add an engine room to Hamburg's midfield. 'I want to bring my strengths to the team, show my physical presence, and win as many battles as I can out on the pitch,' said Remberg. 'It's a real honour to wear the HSV shirt. In my conversations with the club's management, it became clear what kind of role I can take on here and the journey we want to go on – both as a team and personally. I'm excited and ready for what's ahead!' GGFN | Daniel Pinder
