Germany's Greens withhold backing for debt brake reforms for now
BERLIN, March 5 (Reuters) - Germany's Greens will negotiate hard before potentially giving their much-needed backing to debt reforms proposed by the conservatives and Social Democrats, parliamentary co-leader Katharina Droege said on Wednesday.
The conservatives and SPD, who are in talks to form a government after an election last month, need the Greens to reach the two-thirds majority needed in parliament to pass their plans to reform the debt brake and create a 500 billion euro fund for infrastructure.
"Whether we will ultimately approve these constitutional amendments remains open," Droege told reporters. "We have a number of questions, and you know that we also have our own stance on what is necessary now."
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Scottish Sun
16 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Sir David Murray vows to save Dalzell steel mill as he reveals masterplan
SIR David Murray vowed to be a 'big customer' of Dalzell steel mill if his masterplan to save it becomes reality. The ex-Rangers owner and metal magnate, 73, says he is ready to play a major role in providing Scottish steel for North Sea wind turbines to power the nation's future energy. 4 Sir David Murray vowed to be a 'big customer' of Dalzell steel mill Credit: Andrew Barr 4 The plant in Motherwell is currently mothballed due to cheap Chinese steel imports and a drought in orders Credit: Getty 4 Some 140 workers were furloughed or placed on maintenance duties in April this year Credit: Reuters 4 New Liberty owner Sanjeev Gupta with Nicola Sturgeon Credit: Alan Ewing The plant in Motherwell is currently mothballed due to cheap Chinese steel imports and a drought in orders, with some 140 workers furloughed or placed on maintenance duties in April this year. Sir David has been in talks with Holyrood ministers for a decade over halting the industry's decline. He has now revealed he has held hush-hush negotiations with the UK Government to rescue the mill. His latest intervention comes after PM Sir Keir Starmer and Scottish Secretary Ian Murray blasted SNP ministers in May for allowing the nation's last remaining steel plants — Dalzell and Clydebridge in Cambuslang — to cease production. The Scottish Government orchestrated a takeover of the sites in 2016, putting taxpayers' cash on the line. And Sir Keir insisted last month it was important to 'get those plants up and running again'. Now Sir David has told The Scottish Sun on Sunday: 'There is a lot of political stuff going on over Dalzell. I've been heavily involved in trying to save the plate mill. 'I have spoken to the British Government in the last week and there's a meeting in a few weeks' time. 'The workforce has stayed at home for months and got 80 per cent of their wages. But it could be sorted in a week. We need people in management to work with me. 'I'd be the chairman, I'd help the management, I'd help the business, we'd be a big customer. Former Rangers owner Sir David Murray vows to save Dalzell steel mill with masterplan 'At the time it closed, I was one of its biggest customers. 'At our peak we'd be selling 550,000 tonnes of steel a year. 'That's five Forth rail bridges in weight. Today it's just over one because the fabrication business is diminishing — it's ridiculous that Britain does not have the capacity to roll a steel plate.' Sir David told how there is one mill in the north-east of England which is Ukrainian-owned. He went on: 'The wind turbines being made for the North Sea are much bigger now. 'It's a heavier plate, ideal for Dalzell. There are 50,000 tonnes of steel coming to Teesside this week from Korea to be made into turbines. 'The Scottish Government don't own one wind turbine. Look at the cost of energy. We are buying power from other people who put in these turbines. We need to create growth, jobs and prosperity in this country.' We told last July of fears the Dalzell operation would be mothballed amid a slowdown in work. A report in March by the Community Union, which represents workers at the two plants, said low-cost steel from China and high UK energy prices were hitting British steel production. The union said Dalzell needed investment to become a 'world-leading producer' of a key turbines component. Sir David has long called for an inquiry into the Scottish Government's involvement in the 2016 sale of the Lanarkshire plants to tycoon Sanjeev Gupta and Liberty Steel. The sale was backed by a £7million loan from Scottish Enterprise. MURRAY'S HEART SCARE OP EXCLUSIVE by Rodger Hannah SIR David Murray has lifted the lid on a secret heart op after he was diagnosed with a potentially-fatal medical condition. The businessman fell ill shortly before selling Rangers to Craig Whyte in 2011 — to be told he had an aortic aneurysm. He revealed: 'I was driving home over the Forth Road Bridge and I thought I was having a heart attack. I went into Dunfermline Hospital. I had a scan. It's basically your main blood vessel and the aneurysm makes it expand. 'If it bursts, you've got about half an hour.' Sir David believes the pressure of Rangers' financial issues and the global recession could have contributed to his health scare. He added: 'They told me I needed an operation, which I had in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. 'I shared the information with Craig Brown a few years ago. 'He had an identical thing. His burst but they managed to get him in on time.' Former Scotland manager Brown needed life-saving surgery in 2020. He told the Scottish Sun at the time: 'They say only about three out of ten survive it.' Brown died in 2023 aged 82. But Sir David claims ministers rejected his rival bid because it was potentially incompatible with state aid rules, and has criticised Mr Gupta's management since. He said: 'Ten years ago, I met the Scottish Government and the First Minister [Nicola Sturgeon]. I put a proposal to them and I was told they couldn't do it because they couldn't give state aid. 'Then they lent somebody else £7million who hasn't paid it back.' Mr Gupta, executive chairman of GFG Alliance which owns Liberty Steel, is being prosecuted by Companies House for failing to file accounts for more than 70 companies listed in Britain. He denies any wrongdoing. Ayr-born Sir David spoke exclusively ahead of this Thursday's July publication of his autobiography 'Mettle: Tragedy, Courage and Titles. He remains chair of his family firm, Murray Capital Group, albeit his son, also David, runs day-to-day operations as managing director. He reveals in his new book that some of his teenage grandkids have already attended board meetings. He added: 'There is an opportunity for young people but you better come to the table with a skill. 'You're not coming, as my great friend Sean Connery said, as a member of The Lucky Sperm Club.' The UK Government confirmed Sir David had met with MP Ian Murray. A source said: 'David Murray has met Ian Murray to discuss his concerns about the Dalzell works being mothballed because the SNP cut a bad deal. We encourage the SNP Government to take advantage of the trade deals the UK Labour Government has cut and the industrial strategy which present a huge opportunity for Scottish steel.' Liberty Steel declined to comment. The Scottish Government said its 2016 intervention 'sustained over 100 jobs at Dalzell and retained steelmaking capacity in Scotland.' Scottish Enterprise confirmed: 'We remain in discussion with Liberty Steel regarding repayment of the loan funding.'
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Shocking photo emerges of former Greens candidate who faces losing her sight after being injured during a violent arrest at an anti-Israel protest
The former Greens candidate who is at risk of losing vision in her right eye after suffering facial injuries at an anti-Israel rally has undergone surgery. Hannah Thomas, who challenged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the seat of Grayndler at the last election, is in a stable condition in hospital after Saturday's procedure. On Friday, in south-west Sydney, she and about 50 others were protesting outside Lakemba business, SEC Plating, which the Greens have accused of supplying materials used by the Israeli military. The NSW Greens claimed the business was involved in the supply chain to make Israeli fighter jets. Police issued a move-on direction to the group at about 5.35am on Friday to disrupt the alleged unauthorised protest. Ms Thomas allegedly refused to comply with the order and sustained facial injuries when she was arrested before being taken to Bankstown Hospital for treatment. A new photo of Ms Thomas on Saturday showed the severity of her injuries, with her entire right eye closed, swollen and bloody, while she sat in the back of an ambulance. The right side of her face was also covered in blood while her eye was black. NSW Greens MP Sue Higginson wrote to NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb and Police Minister Yasmin Catley to complain about the actions of the officers at the rally. 'I am writing to you to express my deep concern that no critical incident has been declared following the (alleged) assault by NSW Police against a community member at a public assembly in Belmore,' Ms Higginson wrote. 'As you know, a critical incident is an incident involving a NSW police officer that results in the death or serious injury of a person. 'Having witnessed the grievous injuries (allegedly) caused by the police to Hannah Thomas, spoken to on ground witnesses who witnessed what occurred and with the knowledge that Hannah has experienced serious injuries and hospitalisation, I am calling for a critical incident to be declared urgently.' Four others were arrested and charged during the protest, including a 24-year-old man who was allegedly found in possession of a stolen police body-worn camera. Police said the camera was stolen by an unknown protester during a scuffle and was tracked to the 24-year-old's location. It is not clear exactly what caused Ms Thomas' injuries but doctors are reportedly fearing she may not regain sight in her right eye. The Greens meanwhile have said they have spoken with lawyers to potentially represent Ms Thomas and the other protesters who were arrested during the incident. Ms Thomas has attended anti-Israel protests in the past, having called on Australia to impose sanctions on Israel, whose government she accused of genocide. She was among dozens of demonstrators who descended on Albanese's electorate office to demand action after Greta Thunberg's 'Freedom Flotilla' was seized by Israeli defence forces earlier this month. A spokesperson for NSW Police told Daily Mail Australia Ms Thomas had not been charged following the incident. 'She sustained facial injuries while being arrested for allegedly failing to comply with a police direction and the arrest was discontinued and (she) was taken to Bankstown hospital for treatment,' they said.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Humiliation for Putin as £37m jets destroyed in strike before vengeful tyrant kills two in blitz on Ukraine tower block
UKRAINE has successfully blitzed a pair of Russia's prized Su-34 fighter jets - costing a humiliated Vladimir Putin £74million. Russia's despot hit back with a terrifying revenge strike which killed a married couple in a deadly attack on a Ukrainian tower block. Advertisement 6 Russian Su-34 bomber Credit: Getty 6 The Russian despot hit back with a terrifying revenge strike which killed a married couple in a deadly attack on a Ukrainian tower block in Odesa Credit: Reuters 6 A resident walks inside his decimated apartment building in Odesa Credit: Reuters The twisted tyrant decimated a 21-storey residential block in Odesa and left it up in flames as 14 others, including a child as young as 3, were rescued and rushed to hospital. Two other children were also among the wounded in the overnight attack, regional Governor Oleh Kiper said. Russia has drastically increased its drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks amid growing issues around securing a lasting ceasefire. Kyiv has continued to defend themselves valiantly against enemy attacks with them landing a humiliating blow to the Kremlin. Advertisement They launched a tactical drone attack on Russia's Marinovka military airfield in the Volgograd region in Friday. Ukraine used long range drones to fly 200 miles to inflict millions of pounds worth of damage to Putin's aerial firepower. The blitz targeted a set of four Su-34 fighter jets which are each worth a reported £37million. Furious Russian military analysts confirmed that two of the Su-34 multi-role fighters used on the frontline for bombing missions against Ukraine were destroyed. Advertisement The two others also suffered damage. Pro-war Russian Telegram channel Fighterbomber raged that the hit 'could and should have been prevented'. Bodies pulled from under rubble after Vladimir Putin bombs Kyiv killing 28 as EU chief says 'fight or learn Russian' The channel expressed fury at the 'multi-billion dollar' losses Putin's forces are suffering each week to their military arsenal. Ukraine's SBU security service also commented on the successful strikes as they said: 'The Ukrainian Special Operations Forces and the SBU used long-range drones to attack Russian fighter jets. Advertisement 'The attack also caused a fire in the technical and operational part of the enemy airfield, which is a critical infrastructure for a military facility. 'This is where the enemy prepares aircraft for flights, carries out their routine maintenance and repair work.' It came less than a month after Russia supposedly tightened its military air base security after 40-plus strategic bombers and spy planes were hit in Kyiv's audacious Operation Spiderweb. In Operation Spiderweb - one of the most stunning attacks of the war - drones were launched from trucks positioned close to at least four Russian airfields. Advertisement It crippled much of Putin's doomsday bomber flee with 41 of his most prized aircraft lying in smouldering wrecks on tarmac. Ukraine said the sneak attack was worth $7bn (£5.2bn) in damage to Russia - caused by only 117 cheaply made drones. 6 The twisted tyrant decimated a 21-storey residential block in the overnight attack Credit: Reuters 6 Ukraine used long range drones to fly 200 miles to inflict millions of pounds worth of damage to Putin's aerial firepower Credit: East2West Advertisement Putin has launched countless revenge strikes since he was embarrassed by the attack. Last week, he unleashed the deadliest Russian strike on Kyiv in 2025 as 28 people were killed in airstrikes. Russia blasted 27 locations in Kyiv, with 440 drones and 32 missiles hammering the city for nine hours, according to Ukrainian officials. Buildings and critical infrastructure facilities were damaged. Advertisement Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called it 'one of the most terrible strikes on Kyiv'. Days earlier, Ukraine's second largest city Kharkiv was bombarded with 48 kamikaze drones, missiles and guided bombs. The assault killed three people and injured 21. Inside Russia's faltering war By Sayan Bose, Foreign News Reporter THE Russian invasion of Ukraine has been advancing at an incredibly slow pace - with Kyiv's "dronegrinder" warfare miring Putin's summer offensive. The rate at which Moscow is capturing land has been dubbed "slower than a snail" - all while the human cost of Russian casualties is sky high. After 448 days of fighting inside Chasiv Yar in Donetsk Oblast, the Russians reportedly only managed to take control of 50 per cent of the city. Which means the troops, on average, are only able to take 0.00629 square miles of land per day - which is a painfully low conversion rate. Even snails, which have a speed of 0.03 miles per hour, can cover more land than what the Russians have gained in the region. Meanwhile, Kyiv has ramped up its defences as it seeks to thwart Vladimir Putin's final killer summer offensive, which military analysts say could start as early as July. Ukraine's fierce resistance forced Russian troops to stop in the Sumy region's border area, Kyiv's military Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky revealed. The military boss said that the Ukrainian armed forces managed to tie down a 50,000-strong force and stabilise the frontlines "as of this week". But, some 125,000 Russian soldiers are reportedly now massing along the Sumy and Kharkiv frontiers, according to Ukraine's military intelligence. Ukrainians have tasked a special defence group to strengthen fortifications near the frontlines, build anti-drone corridors and 'kill zones' It comes amid fears that Vladimir Putin may launch a fresh summer offensive to try and take as much land as he can before agreeing to a ceasefire. 6
