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German Chief of Defence orders rapid expansion of warfare capability
A document obtained by Sunday shows that Germany's Chief Defence Officer, Carstenbreuer, ordered the German Military to be fully equipped by 2029 with weapons and equipment. Breuer and senior NATO military officials estimate that by 2029 Russia could have reconstituted enough forces to attack NATO territory. Breuer's document, "Directive Priorities to Bolster Readiness", signed on 19 May, states that Germany will achieve its goal by using funds made available through the loosening up of the country’s debt brake. Requests for comment from the Berlin Ministry of Defence were not immediately responded to. Breuer's directive outlines the most urgent weapons to be developed or acquired. This reflects in part the priorities NATO previously set. Breuer mentions the need to strengthen Germany's depleted defences in order to intercept drones. Sources told us last year that NATO would ask Berlin to quadruple the number of air defence systems, from those with a long range like Patriot to those with short ranges. According to the document another priority is the ability to launch deep precision attacks, which can hit targets from a distance greater than 500 km (310 miles), and behind enemy lines. Breuer, in addition to urging Germany to replenish its ammunition stocks, also orders Germany that it raises its stockpiling target for all types. The document also lists the rapid expansion of Germany's electronic warfare capabilities and the establishment a resilient space system with "offensive-defensive capabilities". (Reporting and editing by Barbara Lewis, Sabine Siebold)
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Egypt integrating railways in Asia-Europe trade
Transport Minister Kamel al Wazir stated on Sunday that Egypt is working towards integrating the country into an international railway network. However, a long-planned link between Saudi Arabia and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, which was to connect them, has not yet been finalised. He said that Egypt is expanding its railways on seven different axes. Three high-speed railways would link Sokhna Port, on the Red Sea, with Alexandria and the Mediterranean in the north as well as Aswan in far southern Egypt. Israel and Iraq are also investing billions in rail lines to tap the east-west market. All plans include loading cargo on ships for a part of the trip. Wazir said on the sidelines of an economic event organised by the American Chamber of Commerce of Egypt that "we have completed the planning of the bridge between Egypt & Saudi Arabia, and we are ready to implement this at any time. The Arab Bridge Maritime Co. currently has 13 ships that can transport cargo between Saudi Arabia Jordan and Egypt. During a 2016 visit to Egypt, Saudi Arabia's King Salman revealed the idea of a bridge that would be built in conjunction with a megacity and business zone known as NEOM which the Saudis are building across the Straits of Tiran. Rail cargo will be sent to the ports in the Mediterranean that Egypt has upgraded over the past decade. He said that the high-speed rail line connecting Egypt's South would also serve the site by skirting the area of the desert pyramids. A proposed route that would have taken the first Egyptian pharaohs 5,000 years back to Abydos has been diverted so as to avoid the antiquities and pass above the plateau. (Reporting and editing by Hugh Lawson; Reporting by Patrick Werr)
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Five skiers dead near Zermatt, Switzerland
The Canton Valais prosecutor's office announced on Sunday that five skiers were found dead after emergency services responded to abandoned skis on a Swiss mountain near the luxury resort of Zermatt. Skiers informed the authorities of the skis they found on the Rimpfischhorn Mountain, east of Zermatt. The mountain is located south of Saas Fee. The prosecutor's statement said that rescue workers located the bodies after conducting air and ground searches near the Adlergletscher Glacier in southwest Switzerland, near the border with Italy. Air Zermatt, a local airline, said that three bodies were discovered on debris from an avalanche just a few hundred meters below the spot where the skis had been spotted. It added that the other two bodies were found higher up on the 4,199-metre-high mountain. Aircraft are used for emergency missions, such as search and rescue. In a press release, Valais prosecutors stated that the identities of the five people involved have not yet been determined. An investigation into the cause of the accident has also been launched. Zermatt, Switzerland's most popular Alpine resort, is visited by wealthy British and European skiers. Vera Eckert, Hugh Lawson, and Clelia Oziel edited the report.
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Libya reports oil leak south of Zawiya
The National Oil Corporation (NOC), which operates in Libya, announced on Saturday that an oil leak had forced the closure of a pipeline located south of the city of Zawiya. Libya's largest refinery is located in Zawiya (40 km/25 miles west of Tripoli), with a daily capacity of 120,00 barrels. The refinery is connected to the country's 300,000-barrels-per-day Sharara oilfield. The NOC published a photo showing a flow of oil leaking in the desert. The company announced in a press release that the flow of oil from the Hamada fields through the affected pipe was immediately stopped. "A team of experts is investigating the cause of the leak in parallel to the maintenance work. The company said that arrangements and coordination were also in place to recover any oil spilled and deal with any environmental pollution. Reporting by Ayman al-Warfali, Ahmed Elumami and Cynthia Osterman; Editing by David Gregorio and Cynthia Osterman
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Documents show that Niger intends to reduce the number of Chinese oil workers
Documents seen by us on Friday show that Niger has requested that Chinese employees who are working on oil projects in the country leave. This could impact dozens of people and strain bilateral relations. Niger, like other West African nations, has tried to gain greater control over natural resources while promoting local employment. Two letters show that the Oil Minister Sahabi Oumarou asked the China National Petroleum Corporation and its refinery SORAZ, to terminate the contracts with expatriates working in Niger since more than four years. A spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry said that China has "always adhered to principles of truth and friendship, sincerity and the correct view on righteousness and benefit when carrying out cooperation with Africa." He added that CNPC made economic and socio-economic contributions in Niger, "for many years." The spokesperson stated that "friendly negotiation" can resolve any issues that might arise. In a May 21 letter to SORAZ, Oumarou said that there would be flexibility. He explained that he understood the necessity to keep certain employees within the country. Decisions on departure would be taken case-by-case. In a letter to CNPC dated 20 May, Oumarou stated that he would not accept a meeting in private with the CEO of the company who asked to discuss tensions. In the same letter, Oumarou accused CNPC for not complying with local regulations. Niger expulsed three Chinese oil executives from the country in March over a dispute involving disparities in salaries between foreign employees and local workers. Sources close to CNPC said that following the dismissal of the executives, the top officials at CNPC have tried to negotiate with the government. Source: If the May 20-21 letters are implemented, Chinese workers would have to return home. (Reporting and writing by Anait Miridzhanian, Portia Crowe and Liz Lee; Additional reporting and writing by Liz Lee and Robbie Corey Boulet in Beijing; Editing and proofreading by Robbie Corey Boulet, Susan Fenton, and Tomaszjanowski)
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Police investigate possible arson attacks as parts of Southern France and Cannes suffer power cuts
The French police are investigating a possible arson as the cause of a power failure that hit the Alpes Maritimes region, in southern France, on Saturday. This includes Cannes where the world-famous film festival is being held. A spokesperson for the French National Gendarmerie said that they were investigating the possibility of the fire being deliberately started. At this point, no arrests have been made. RTE France is working to restore power in the west part of the region, which includes Cannes. This was announced by the local authority earlier that day. The Cannes Film Festival announced that the closing ceremony will take place on Saturday night as scheduled. In a press release, it stated that "The Palais des Festivals switched to an independently powered supply allowing all events and screenings to continue as scheduled and under normal circumstances." (Reporting and editing by Tomasz Januaryowski and David Evans; Sudip Kar Gupta and Michaela Cabrera, respectively)
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Six people confirmed dead in plane crash in San Diego
An official of the National Transportation Safety Board announced on Friday that all six passengers on a private plane which crashed in San Diego's neighborhood had died, but no one on the ground suffered serious injuries. According to NTSB Investigator Dan Baker, the twin-engine Cessna Citation was on its approach for landing at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport early Thursday morning when it clipped power lines and crashed into a military community called Murphy Canyon. This is located just west of a nearby golf course. Baker said at a press briefing that the aircraft crashed into a road and instantly burst into fire, destroying it and damaging nearby homes and cars. Baker said that no one survived the crash, but added that nobody was injured or killed on the ground. Baker didn't give a number, but authorities previously stated that six people, including the captain, were on board the plane. Candace Hadley of San Diego Fire-Rescue said that eight people were treated for minor injuries at the scene or nearby. She also noted that residents played a key role in evacuating neighbors safely as the fire spread. Local media reported that two people were aboard the plane: music industry agent Dave Shapiro and Daniel Williams, former drummer of The Devil Wears Prada. Reporting by Steve Gorman, Portland, Oregon. Editing by Sandra Maler
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United Airlines and its Flight Attendants reach tentative contract agreement with union, says
United Airlines' flight attendants have tentatively agreed to a new contract with the airline, according to their union. The Association of Flight Attendants - CWA, which represents United Airlines' flight attendants, stated that the agreement provides an industry-leading compensation package and retroactive pay. It was also noted that the agreement would result in a 40% financial gain for flight attendants within the first year of their new contract. United's cabin staff, who filed for federal mediator in 2023, demanded a two-digit increase in base pay, higher pay for all time spent at work, including time on the grounds, retroactive payment, schedule flexibility, and improvements to work rules in their new contract. The union had been authorized to strike if the negotiators could not reach an agreement. United's cabin staff has not received a pay raise since 2020. The union has said that its leaders will be meeting next week to go over the details of the contract. The tentative agreement will be sent to a vote for ratification if the union's leadership approves it. (Reporting and editing by Nia William; Rajesh Kumar Singh)
As he begins his Asia trip, French President Macron is hoping to secure deals in defence, energy, and technology
On Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that he hoped for France to make deals in defence, energy, and tech innovation. He was in Vietnam at the beginning of a trip lasting about a week in Asia.
Macron arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam on Sunday. This was the first visit to Vietnam for a French President in almost a decade.
Macron will travel to Indonesia after Vietnam and then finish in Singapore where he'll speak at Asia's premier defence conference, the Shangri-La Dialogue.
Macron's visit coincides with France and the European Union's desire to increase their commercial ties throughout Asia in order to counteract uncertainty caused by President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs.
Macron wrote on X: "I'm coming here to reinforce our ties in critical areas such as defence, innovation and energy transition. I also want to exchange cultural ideas."
Macron will portray France and Europe, as defenders for international cooperation and rules based trade at a moment when other world powerhouses such as the U.S. and China are using more "coercive", "predatory", or "coercive methods.
Macron wrote the same thing on X Sunday: "France is a partner that you can trust, a country that believes in dialogue and cooperation." (Reporting and editing by Zhifan LIu, Elizabeth Pineau, Michel Rose)
(source: Reuters)