Latest news with #MünchnerMerkur
The Guardian
7 days ago
- Automotive
- The Guardian
Mould, vermin and ceiling leaks: German police say they work in ‘embarrassing' conditions
Germany's biggest police union has complained about the dilapidated state of hundreds of police stations across the country and a fleet of aged vehicles, saying conditions are a threat to officers' health and an insult to their dignity. 'Decades-old toilet bowls, mould in the offices, vermin, broken heating units and holes in the ceiling that let the rain in,' said Hagen Husgen of the GdP union, citing just a few of the complaints his organisation had received from members. 'Some of the conditions our people have to endure there are hazardous to their health,' he told the regional daily Münchner Merkur. Husgen said police cruisers in Europe's top economy, which prides itself on its automotive prowess, were often so old and beat-up that they were 'shameful' and 'embarrassing' to officers on their patrols. 'Vehicles with torn seats and half a million kilometres [on the odometer], broken gear sticks. When citizens see this, it does not reflect well on the police,' he said, blaming the problem in part on privatisation of police car maintenance. 'It's a job that's fun when the conditions are right. But when you take a closer look at the circumstances, sometimes I just want to throw my hands up in despair.' Husgen said the dismal conditions in many police stations were compounding 'big problems' recruiting young officers. The trade union supplied Merkur with a series of photos showing what it said were ramshackle police buildings with gaping holes in the ceiling and a mouse under a desk as well as cars with foam spilling out of the seats. The GdP said Germany's 16 federal states needed more support from Berlin to improve conditions for police officers and enable them to carry out their duties. The German parliament in March approved plans spearheaded by the then chancellor elect, Friedrich Merz, to relax the country's strict debt brake, allowing an increase in defence spending and creating a €500bn 'special fund' or Sondervermögen for the next decade dedicated to infrastructure overhauls, including increased financing for the federal police. The GdP has said this spending will be 'far from sufficient' to address the dramatic shortfalls at the state level and indicated a separate Sondervermögen would be required for domestic security. 'In Germany, we in the police forces have an investment backlog in the double-digit billion (euro) range for our property alone,' Husgen said. Asked about the GdP's complaints, a spokesperson for the federal interior ministry said police matters including police stations and the vehicle fleet 'are constitutionally within the jurisdiction of the regional states'. The ministry said the federal government assisted regional police forces in a range of areas including through special programmes for equipment, digital communications and IT infrastructure. The federal government, whose term is due to run until 2029, has also promised to increase financing for special police forces as part of plans to strengthen the domestic security authorities, the spokesperson added. The GdP, founded in 1950, calls itself the 'world's largest police trade union', with more than 200,000 members across Germany.
The Guardian
12-08-2025
- Automotive
- The Guardian
Mould, vermin and ceiling leaks: German police say they work in ‘embarrassing' conditions
Germany's biggest police union has complained about the dilapidated state of hundreds of police stations across the country and a fleet of aged vehicles, saying conditions are a threat to officers' health and an insult to their dignity. 'Decades-old toilet bowls, mould in the offices, vermin, broken heating units and holes in the ceiling that let the rain in,' said Hagen Husgen of the GdP union, citing just a few of the complaints his organisation had received from members. 'Some of the conditions our people have to endure there are hazardous to their health,' he told the regional daily Münchner Merkur. Husgen said police cruisers in Europe's top economy, which prides itself on its automotive prowess, were often so old and beat-up that they were 'shameful' and 'embarrassing' to officers on their patrols. 'Vehicles with torn seats and half a million kilometres [on the odometer], broken gear sticks. When citizens see this, it does not reflect well on the police,' he said, blaming the problem in part on privatisation of police car maintenance. 'It's a job that's fun when the conditions are right. But when you take a closer look at the circumstances, sometimes I just want to throw my hands up in despair.' Husgen said the dismal conditions in many police stations were compounding 'big problems' recruiting young officers. The trade union supplied Merkur with a series of photos showing what it said were ramshackle police buildings with gaping holes in the ceiling and a mouse under a desk as well as cars with foam spilling out of the seats. The GdP said Germany's 16 federal states needed more support from Berlin to improve conditions for police officers and enable them to carry out their duties. The German parliament in March approved plans spearheaded by the then chancellor elect, Friedrich Merz, to relax the country's strict debt brake, allowing an increase in defence spending and creating a €500bn 'special fund' or Sondervermögen for the next decade dedicated to infrastructure overhauls, including increased financing for the federal police. The GdP has said this spending will be 'far from sufficient' to address the dramatic shortfalls at the state level and indicated a separate Sondervermögen would be required for domestic security. 'In Germany, we in the police forces have an investment backlog in the double-digit billion (euro) range for our property alone,' Husgen said. Asked about the GdP's complaints, a spokesperson for the federal interior ministry said police matters including police stations and the vehicle fleet 'are constitutionally within the jurisdiction of the regional states'. The ministry said the federal government assisted regional police forces in a range of areas including through special programmes for equipment, digital communications and IT infrastructure. The federal government, whose term is due to run until 2029, has also promised to increase financing for special police forces as part of plans to strengthen the domestic security authorities, the spokesperson added. The GdP, founded in 1950, calls itself the 'world's largest police trade union', with more than 200,000 members across Germany.
Scottish Sun
01-07-2025
- Climate
- Scottish Sun
Terrifying vids show flash floods surging through Italian towns leaving at least one dead & dozens trapped after storm
TERRIFYING footage shows flash floods ripping through towns in northwestern Italy. Franco Chiaffrino, a 70-year-old fruit seller, was killed after he was hit by a torrent of water while getting out of his van, local media reported. Advertisement 7 Flash floods in northwestern Italy left one dead and over a dozen trapped Credit: X/Centro Meteo Piemonte 7 Bardonecchia flooded after heavy rains on Monday Credit: X/@vigilidelfuoco 7 Heavy rains burst the banks of the Frejus waterway Credit: X/@vigilidelfuoco Shocking videos show churning black water surging down the Frejus - a tunnel connecting France and Italy. Torrential rain caused the waterway to break its banks, unleashing a violent flood across the region. Rescuers are seen looking on helplessly as entire streets are submerged in the muddy floodwaters. Residents were warned by the mayor to stay in their homes and avoid driving. Advertisement Franco was killed in Bardonecchia - a resort town 56 miles west of Turin, which hosted snowboarding events during the 2006 Winter Olympics. Firefighters rescued at least 10 people trapped in buildings by the floods, along with a few people stuck in their cars, local media reported. Alberto Cirio, President of the Piedmont Region, said on social media: "Today a water bomb hit the town of Bardonecchia suddenly, causing damage and unfortunately a victim." He added: "We are increasingly faced with emergency situations due to weather events that we used to call exceptional but are now more and more frequent." Advertisement A similar disaster struck Bardonecchia in 2023 after heavy rains caused two streams - including the Frejus - to overflow. Although a major landslide swept away cars and debris, no fatalities were reported. Two dead including child as France smashed by storms with Paris hit with flash floods & 39,000 lightning strikes The heavy rains in northwestern Italy come as extreme weather has gripped much of Europe - from thunderstorms in the continent's central countries to scorching heat in the Mediterranean. In France, at least two people - including a child - died after a violent storm caused flash floods in Paris last week. Advertisement According to Lightning Maps, a weather-tracking website, more than 39,000 lightning strikes were recorded across France. Over 100,000 homes were left in the dark after power lines were ripped down and metro stations were turned into indoor rivers. 7 The Frejus also overflowed in August 2023 Credit: X/@mirocale 7 Streets were submerged in dirty water Credit: X/Centro Meteo Piemonte Advertisement Heavy storms also swept across large parts of Germany over the weekend, hitting regions including Saxony, Thuringia, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Lightning strikes also caused fires, including one at a horse farm in Keltern, German Bavarian newspaper Münchner Merkur reports. In Austria, a supercell storm whipped through towns, shattering windows, flooding streets and causing nearly £8m worth of damage to agriculture. The hardest-hit regions were reportedly Styria, Tyrol, and Lower Austria. Advertisement Meanwhile, Greece, Spain and Italy are in the grip of a heatwave, with temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. Wildfires raged for three days on the Greek island of Chios last week - before being brought under control on Thursday. Another wildfire broke out that same day on coastal area of Palaia Fokaia, south of Athens. A motorway in northern Italy was closed on Thursday as temperatures caused roads to melt, local media reports. Advertisement A freak build-up of heat in the North Atlantic is believed to be driving the unusually high temperatures sweeping across Europe - well above the seasonal average. Scientists say that climate change is fuelling extreme weather events. 7 Wildfires raged for three days on the Greek island of Chios 7
Local Germany
15-05-2025
- General
- Local Germany
Why Munich residents are getting yellow recycling bins for the first time
The city of Munich plans to revamp its waste collection system with the introduction of yellow bins from the beginning of 2027. This follows a pilot test in which the city's waste management company (AWM) had placed yellow bins – for collecting a mix of food packaging, metals and plastics – in certain neighbourhoods. Following positive feedback from both residents and AWM, the yellow bin system is to be implemented throughout the Bavarian capital. Perhaps more exciting than the introduction of a new bin in itself, the yellow bins are to be placed in residential buildings alongside other waste bins – so Munich residents can skip those extra trips to the city's infamous recycling islands in future. What are the yellow bins? Yellow bins, as seen in Berlin and other German cities, are for food packaging, metals and plastics. The containers themselves are often called Gelbe Tonne (yellow bin) and the stuff that goes in them is called Werbstoffe (recyclable materials). Or, more specifically, it's Verkaufsverpackungen aus Metall, Kunstoff und Verbundstoffen (sales packaging made of metal, plastic and composite materials). Much of this can be recycled, which is why it's helpful to be pre-emptively separated from the general waste. Things that belong in the yellow bin include: Beverage and milk cartons Plastic packaging (bottles, foils, bags) Plastic objects (bowls, buckets, toys) Tin cans and tubes Aluminium foil and trays Metal objects (cooking pots, pans, tools) Advertisement The end of the infamous recycling islands Waste collection in Germany is organised by local governments, so bin colours as well as the general protocol for separating and organising waste can look pretty different from region to region. Until now Munich residents have had three bins at home: Papier-Tonne (blue bin - for paper and cardboard), Bio-Tonne (brown bin - for compost) and Rest-Müll-Tonne (grey bin - for mixed waste). READ ALSO: Why you'll have to take more care sorting your biowaste in Germany from May Employees of Munich's waste management company (AWM) empty garbage cans in the early morning. In future, plastic and metal recyclables will also be collected by trucks. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Sven Hoppe This leaves glass (in three separate colours) as well as a fair amount of other plastic, metal and composite material that needed to be separated and collected elsewhere. For this purpose, Munich has set up recycling islands ( Wertstoffinseln ) where people can drop their glass and other recycling materials during daytime hours (excluding Sundays). But the recycling islands were problematic in that they smelled bad, often filled beyond capacity and created a bothersome chore for people living further from them. READ ALSO: The changes to Germany's waste and recycling rules in 2025 What do people in Munich think? Bettina Kudla, a tax consultant from Allach who took part in the yellow bin pilot test told the Münchner Merkur that using the yellow bins was a more 'consumer friendly' way to recycle. Kudla noted the distance to recycling islands was too far for some, and added that some packaging didn't fit in the opening to the old containers and often ended up 'in the residual waste, or even worse, next to the containers." Advertisement The pilot test also found that more recyclable material was collected everywhere that yellow bins were put in place. Munich's environmental department therefore suggests that the yellow bins will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. An SZ report quotes positive reactions from members of virtually all major parties in Munich, including members of the Greens, SDP, CSU, Free Voters, FDP and ÖDP - which is the Ecological Democratic Party. "The yellow bin improves the collection quality and quantity of recyclables compared to the delivery system and is very well received by the citizens," ÖDP city councillor Tobias Ruff told the South German newspaper. He says the additional bin should have no impact on waste collection fees. Munich had just increased those fees at the beginning of this year: the weekly emptying of a 120-litre container, for example, costs €440 annually. Munich's city council plans to officially decide on the introduction of yellow bins on June 5th. Vocabulary Waste bin/garbage can - die Mülltonne Yellow bin - die Gelbe Tonne Recyclables - die Werstoffe Packaging - die Verkaufsverpackung Pilot test - der Pilotversuch Cleanliness - die Sauberkeit We're aiming to help our readers improve their German by translating vocabulary from some of our news stories. Did you find this article useful? Let us know .
Business Wire
25-04-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Law Firm Rechtsanwälte Steinhöfel: a German Newspaper Retracts Allegations Referenced in a Judicial Investigation Against Businessman Alisher Usmanov
PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--German newspaper Münchner Merkur has retracted in writing a number of statements about Alisher Usmanov, signing three cease-and-desist orders and deleting 15 articles released March through November 2022. Some of the deleted materials were used by German law enforcement authorities to initiate preliminary investigations against A. Usmanov and constituted a ground for EU sanctions against him and his sister. Münchner Merkur (Merkur) is a German daily newspaper, part of the Münchner Merkur/tz media group and the most read subscription-based publication in Bavaria. А. Usmanov has been repeatedly targeted by Merkur publications, especially after his inclusion in the EU sanctions lists in February 2022. Merkur has now simultaneously signed three cease-and-desist orders to stop unlawful acts, including dozens of false allegations about A. Usmanov and his relatives. Merkur had earlier signed yet another five of such orders. These include claims that A. Usmanov allegedly owns luxury vehicles and real estate acquired 'with the help of a network of sham and offshore companies,' which have allegedly been 'seized' thereafter. Airbus A340 airplane, two helicopters and several cars were named among such assets, along with several villas on Bavarian Lake Tegernsee allegedly acquired by him from 2011 through 2018 through figureheads and sham companies for over EUR 23 mln, as well as real estate on Sardinia, a mansion in British Surrey, 'villas in London,' Croatia and Latvia. In addition, the deleted Merkur articles claimed that A. Usmanov allegedly transferred title to the above property to a trust in favor of his sisters, from whom he then leased it out. That being said, one of the sisters, Gulbakhor Ismailova was named as the owner of the Dilbar yacht. In addition, among Merkur's false reports were allegations that in 2015 A. Usmanov allegedly acquired a multimillion-dollar property in Bavaria 'from a professor at the University of Salzburg' and another one from 'the man from Cologne' in 2016. In the spirit of convoluted detective novels, the German outlet, citing rumors, published reports that A. Usmanov allegedly 'transferred his trust to his sister G. Ismailova and that she, in turn, to her sister Saodat Narzieva,' and that 'valuable artifacts such as alleged Fabergé eggs' had been discovered in Usmanov's 'properties in Bavaria.' All these allegations have been repeatedly refuted in court and out of court. The Merkur outlet was the champion for the intensity of their dissemination in Germany, and later also became the champion for the number of their deletions and signed cease-and-desist orders. In reality, the said properties do not belong to A. Usmanov and are held in irrevocable discretionary trusts. Neither A. Usmanov nor his relatives has any control or ownership interest, with all rights vested in independent trustees. The articles in Merkur were used by German law enforcement authorities to take on preliminary investigations, including for taking such serious investigative actions as searches against A. Usmanov on suspicion of tax evasion and violation of the German Foreign Trade and Payments Act. Investigative material, based among other things on deleted articles, was illegally transferred by the German side to the EU Council, which included it as 'evidence' in the dossier on A. Usmanov and G. Ismailova to justify sanctions against them. For the third year now, the German prosecutor's office has been trying to prove to no avail that A. Usmanov was a tax resident of Germany, evaded the relevant taxes, and violated sanctions restrictions. A. Usmanov's representatives have repeatedly denied these accusations. In November 2024, the Public Prosecutor General's Office in Frankfurt am Main after almost two and a half years of barren searching efforts dropped yet another money laundering investigation against A. Usmanov without finding any evidence to support its accusations.. This was preceded by the Frankfurt am Main Regional Court's recognition of the series of searches conducted as part of the investigation as illegal. Since 2023, A. Usmanov's lawyers have secured 9 orders and injunctions against media outlets which attributed to A. Usmanov real estate in Germany and other property actually owned by the independent trustees. Besides, about 40 cease-and-desist orders have been signed. Hundreds of media have deleted or edited their reports. In 2022, the EU Council lifted sanctions on S. Narzieva, and in 2025 – on G. Ismailova. Joachim Steinhöfel, a media lawyer representing A. Usmanov, noted that 'it is highly unusual for an important regional newspaper to delete 15 of its articles for false factual claims after legal action. A journalist who has now completely discredited himself was so enamored of the Russian, rich and guilty narrative that truthful reporting could not be allowed to stand in the way. Alisher Usmanov was the victim of this attack on truth and decency. Journalistic failure is one thing, but the fact that the public prosecutor's office responsible made these grotesque media blunders the basis of its investigation and referred to the deleted newspaper articles discredits the justice system. For a judge to sign a search warrant, as happened in the Usmanov case, and refer to a newspaper article that has now been deleted, is simply ridiculous.'
