A 250-kilogram British bomb from World War II was discovered in Dresden, Germany, triggering the largest evacuation in the city's history. Authorities have ordered around 18,000 people to leave their homes and workplaces by 9 a.m. on Wednesday. The 1,000-meter evacuation zone includes key landmarks such as the Frauenkirche, Semperoper, police headquarters, and the Saxon state parliament. An emergency shelter will open at the Dresden Exhibition Centre from 7 a.m., highlighting Germany's broader emergency preparedness issues, as none of its roughly 600 public shelters are currently operational.
Meanwhile, Lufthansa pilots have called a two-day strike starting early Thursday, escalating a long-running dispute over pension payments. The walkout, organized by the VC pilots' union, will affect Lufthansa passenger and cargo flights departing German airports from 00:01 on March 12 to 23:59 on March 13. The union claims talks have dragged on without progress, with no improved offer on the table. Flights to parts of the Middle East, including Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Qatar, and the UAE, are exempt due to the current regional situation, following earlier strike action that reportedly hit passengers "extremely harshly."
In another setback, all orange emergency call boxes on Germany's autobahn network are out of service due to a technical problem. Autobahn GmbH announced that the outage resulted from a suspected defect in the central communication infrastructure, advising drivers to use mobile phones to call emergency services at 112 instead. The company stated that officials and a technical provider are analyzing the cause, with no timeline for repairs, though call stations inside tunnels remain unaffected. This incident raises concerns about the reliability of critical infrastructure in the country.
On the geopolitical front, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has spoken out against Israeli annexation plans in the West Bank, calling them a "grave mistake" that allegedly complicates the two-state solution. Merz purportedly urged Israel to refrain from such steps, with Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in Israel to attempt de-escalation. The German government also strongly condemned renewed violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians, reflecting ongoing tensions in the region.
Additionally, the award ceremony for Germany's best independent bookstores was cancelled after Minister of State for Culture Wolfram Weimer removed three left-leaning stores from consideration. A spokesperson claimed the debate over the exclusions was overshadowing the event's purpose, with the stores excluded due to "findings relevant to the protection of the constitution," though allegations remain undisclosed. The stores intend to take legal action, highlighting societal friction over cultural and political issues in Germany.
Source: www.dw.com