5 individuals injured, two in very critical situation, inside minister confirms
French inside minister Laurent Nuñez is briefing the media now from Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron.
He says he needed to specific his assist for the victims and the primary responders.
Summing up what we all know concerning the incident, he says that round 8.40am native time this morning, a person intentionally drove his automotive into a number of individuals in his path, some on foot, and a few on bicycles.
He says that throughout the 35-minute incident, he hit 5 individuals, and two of them are in very critical situation, together with a 22-year-old girl.
He provides there will likely be additionally “a number of” individuals affected by witnessing the scene.
He commends the primary responders for arresting the suspect, who resisted arrest, and tried to set fireplace to his automobile. The suspect stays in custody, however refuses to talk to investigators. He was not identified to intelligence companies.
Nuñez provides consultant of the Nationwide Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor is at scene, however solely as an observer and never at the moment dealing with the investigation.
He sidesteps a query on whether or not the perpetrator shouted any slogans throughout the incident, saying it will likely be for the investigators to look into the motive intimately and determine whether or not anti-terrorism prosecutors would should be concerned.
Key occasions
Closing abstract
Jakub Krupa
… and on that notice, it’s a wrap!
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5 individuals have been injured, together with two critically, after a person drove his automotive into pedestrians and cyclists on the French island of Oléron this morning (11:50, 14:44, 15:23).
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The suspect, a 35-year-old French nationwide who lived regionally, refused to talk with investigators as they attempt to perceive his motive amid considerations about psychological well being or radicalisation (12:09, 12:23, 13:59).
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A parliamentary assistant to a member of French parliament from the far-right Nationwide Rally celebration is among the many severely injured, the celebration’s parliamentary spokesperson mentioned (13:07, 14:23).
In different information,
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Nato secretary normal Mark Rutte has insisted that “the US drive posture in Europe stays bigger than it has been for a few years,” as he confronted questions over partial US withdrawal from Romania (16:02)
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Former senior minister Wouter Koolmees of the centrist D66 celebration has been picked as “the scout” to steer early exploratory talks on forming the following Dutch authorities, with early disagreements between the events tipped to kind the following administration (11:10, 16:28)
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German overseas minister Johann Wadephul warned that the destruction of Syria was “worse” than “Germany in 1945,” because the co-ruling Christian Democrats celebration continued to grapple with questions on the way forward for a million Syrians residing within the nation.
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The European Fee sketched out a world the place trains may attain speeds effectively above 250km per hour, because it revealed plans to dramatically lower journey instances between main cities (16:47)
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France began proceedings on Wednesday to droop on-line fast-fashion retailer Shein till it complies with French legal guidelines after the invention of childlike intercourse dolls on its web site (16:15).
And that’s all from me, Jakub Krupa, for at present.
In case you have any suggestions, feedback or recommendations, e-mail me at jakub.krupa@theguardian.com.
I’m additionally on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.
Syrian destruction ‘worse than Germany in 1945,’ German overseas minister tells lawmakers
Deborah Cole
in Berlin
A deep rift inside Germany’s conservative co-ruling Christian Democrats (CDU) about the way forward for the round a million Syrians residing within the nation has taken on new fervour because the overseas minister, Johann Wadephul, was quoted with an emotionally charged comparability.
Wadephul instructed MPs the destruction he witnessed on a visit to Syria final week was “worse” than “Germany in 1945”. The remarks, first reported by the mass-selling day by day Bild, got here throughout a heated assembly of the CDU parliamentary group.
Wadephul had beforehand antagonised some hardline MPs with feedback doubting whether or not there could possibly be mass-scale returns to Syria given the “apocalyptic” panorama left behind by the civil conflict in some areas.
Conservatives accused the minister of undermining the federal government of chancellor Friedrich Merz, which has sought to venture a tricky line on migration to beat again the rise of the far-right Different für Deutschland, which is main in some nationwide polls.
This week the chancellor pulled rank on the query of Syrians, stating: “There are actually now not any grounds for asylum in Germany, and subsequently we will additionally start with repatriations,” he mentioned. Those that refused to return may face deportation “within the close to future”.
Wadephul has insisted he and Merz are on the identical web page. However behind closed doorways, he evidently felt a must share the shock and empathy he skilled on his Syria journey together with his fellow Christian Democrats.
After the assembly, a number of of the MPs revealed Wadephul’s remarks referencing the aftermath of the second world conflict and the autumn of the Nazi regime with Bild, a few of them expressing shock concerning the drastic comparability.
Bild mentioned Wadephul appeared to be pushing again towards conservatives who had argued that simply as Germans rebuilt their nation after the conflict, albeit with large overseas help, so too should Syrians return to do their bit.
Wadephul pressured, in accordance with the accounts, he supported the deportation of convicted criminals, which has already begun, in addition to those that depend on state advantages.
Merz, who took half within the assembly, reportedly praised Wadephul for his “excessive standing” within the area however reiterated that the top of the civil conflict meant Syrians now not had grounds for searching for asylum in Germany.
Wadephul has acquired some assist from main Social Democrats, junior companions within the ruling coalition.
However the AfD noticed an opportunity to pile on, with co-leader Alice Weidel on X calling for the minister’s resignation: “A disrespectful overseas minister who tramples on the exhausting work and sacrifice of the postwar generations who rebuilt this nation. Wadephul is totally unsuitable for his place within the overseas workplace.”
Analysts mentioned the episode has compounded a way of drift and division inside the authorities, one yr after the earlier centre-left-led coalition collapsed in rancour, paving the way in which to the snap election in February that introduced Merz to energy.
Excessive-speed rail community doable by 2040, says European Fee
Jennifer Rankin
Brussels correspondent
Breakfast in Berlin, lunch in Copenhagen, with a quick and simple practice journey to move the morning? Or a noon meal in Sofia, then taking the high-speed line to reach in Athens simply in time for a night aperitif? Each could possibly be doable if a imaginative and prescient for European high-speed rail journey ever turns into a actuality.
A quicker, “really European” high-speed rail community could possibly be doable by 2040, the EU government mentioned on Wednesday, because it revealed plans to dramatically lower journey instances between main cities.
The European Fee sketched out a world the place trains may attain speeds effectively above 250km per hour, when possible, to make sure quicker connections throughout the continent.
If the plan is realised, rail passengers may journey betweenthe German and Danish capitals in 4 hours by 2030, as a substitute of seven hours at present, whereas Sofia and Athens can be simply six hours aside by 2035, as a substitute of practically 14.
New cross-border hyperlinks would dramatically velocity up journey between Tallinn and Riga to 1hr45 in comparison with 6h10 now. On the opposite facet of the continent, a journey between Lisbon and Madrid can be lower to 3 hours, down from 9.
The EU transport commissioner, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, a self-declared “train guy”, mentioned the plans set out create “a quicker, really European high-speed rail [network] by 2040”. The fee has predicted this may make rail journey a extra interesting various to short-haul and probably longer flights on many routes.
Regardless of repeated calls to spice up rail journey, fast cross-border train journeys remain rare. Operators centered on nationwide priorities, insufficient infrastructure, incompatible methods, clashing rules and fiendishly difficult ticketing implies that high-speed rail has not taken off as shortly, nor unfold as broadly, as advocates hoped.
The 12,128km of Europe’s present high-speed rail community, the fee mentioned, is essentially concentrated in 4 western EU member states – France, Germany, Italy and Spain – whereas central and japanese Europe stay “poorly linked”.
Exterior specialists cited by the fee estimate that €546bn (£481bn) is required to triple the dimensions of the high-speed community, permitting trains to run at speeds in extra of 250km an hour. As a part of a prolonged listing of actions, the EU government has promised a financing technique and can search to make use of EU funds to incentivise nationwide authorities and personal funding, specifically to pay for infrastructure and rolling inventory.
Miranda Bryant
Nordic correspondent
Authorities in Denmark are urgently finding out shut an obvious safety loophole in lots of of Chinese language-made electrical buses that permits them to be remotely deactivated.
The investigation comes after transport authorities in Norway, the place the Yutong buses are additionally in service, discovered that the Chinese language provider had distant entry for software program updates and diagnostics to the autos’ management methods – which could possibly be exploited to have an effect on buses whereas in transit.
Amid considerations over potential safety dangers, the Norwegian public transport authority Ruter determined to check two electrical buses in an remoted surroundings.
Bernt Reitan Jenssen, Ruter’s chief government, mentioned: “The testing revealed dangers that we are actually taking measures towards. Nationwide and native authorities have been knowledgeable and should help with extra measures at a nationwide degree.”
Their investigations discovered that distant deactivation could possibly be prevented by eradicating the buses’ sim playing cards, however they determined towards this as a result of it might additionally disconnect the bus from different methods.
Ruter mentioned it deliberate to usher in stricter safety necessities for future procurements. Jenssen mentioned it should act earlier than the arrival of the following era of buses, which could possibly be even “extra built-in and tougher to safe”.
Movia, Denmark’s largest public transport firm, has 469 Chinese language electrical buses in operation – 262 of which have been manufactured by Yutong.
Conservative-liberal VVD celebration guidelines out forming coalition authorities with centre-left GL-PvdA
There’s additionally an extra replace on the Dutch coalition forming course of, as Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, chief of the conservative-liberal VVD celebration, appeared to double down on her refusal to interact in talks about becoming a member of a authorities with centre-left GL-PvdA celebration.
In a letter to the “scout” taking a look at potential coalition combos (11:10), she insisted that “a left-wing coalition with the GreenLeft-Labour Get together is incapable of fixing the issues which have lengthy frightened many Dutch individuals.”
“This has not modified because the elections,” she mentioned, stressing that the VVD “will neither take part in such a coalition nor facilitate it from the Home of Representatives.”
As an alternative she prompt a broader right-leaning coalition with the exhausting proper JA21 celebration, saying it might be simpler to handle as “these events agree on substance” in terms of defence, migration, and financial system.
“This provides this coalition the clout to shortly attain an settlement and implement it decisively,” she mentioned.
The talks are anticipated to proceed for nearly per week earlier than the scout stories again to the parliament.
France strikes to droop Shein over intercourse dolls as Paris retailer opens
In different French information, the French authorities began proceedings on Wednesday to droop on-line fast-fashion retailer Shein till it complies with French legal guidelines, the finance ministry mentioned.
Reuters reported that the invention of childlike intercourse dolls on Shein’s web site on Saturday fuelled an outcry. Shein mentioned it had sanctioned the sellers and applied a full ban on intercourse dolls.
A Shein spokesperson instructed Reuters the corporate was searching for pressing consultations with authorities over the suspension.
Protesters bearing “Disgrace on Shein” placards had gathered outdoors BHV on Wednesday as the net fast-fashion retailer opened its first store amid fierce criticism of its low-cost enterprise mannequin.
Reuters famous that it was not instantly clear if the deliberate suspension would impression its Paris retailer, which opened at 1 pm on Wednesday.
Nato’s Rutte performs down fears about US troops discount in Romania
Nato secretary normal Mark Rutte has insisted that “the US drive posture in Europe stays bigger than it has been for a few years,” as he confronted questions over partial US withdrawal from Romania.
Throughout his go to to Bucharest, Rutte insisted that drive posture critiques and changes “are usually not uncommon,” and insisted that the US dedication to defending Nato members stays in place.
“I actually assume we’re making a bit bit an excessive amount of out of this [decision],” he mentioned, including that it was all about the US “at all times trying how they’ll make the perfect use of their sources they’ve in Europe.”
“Please don’t learn an excessive amount of into that,” he urged the host nation.
He additionally pointed to Nato’s new initiatives on the Jap flank, together with the brand new Jap Sentry mission, as causes to be reassured.
Talking alongside Romanian president, Nicușor Dan, Rutte mentioned that “there needs to be little question of Nato’s resolve to guard the alliance,” and to “defend each inch of allied territory.”
“If an assault would happen from whoever, be it the Russians or whoever, would assault Nato or would assault Romania notably, it’s not solely Jap Sentry which is able to make it easier to; not solely the Ahead Land Forces which is able to make it easier to – it’s then the entire of Nato which is able to come to the rescue, with its fleet of F-35, its full naval capability and its full land forces capability,” he mentioned.
Jakub Krupa
Let’s check out different information now.
Christophe Sueur, mayor of Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron, instructed reporters that he struggled to understand how one thing like this occurred in “a small city” like his on “a peaceful, reasonably peaceable island.”
However he additionally pressured that the incident was now contained, and this could reassure people who there was no additional hazard.
5 individuals injured, two in very critical situation, inside minister confirms
French inside minister Laurent Nuñez is briefing the media now from Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron.
He says he needed to specific his assist for the victims and the primary responders.
Summing up what we all know concerning the incident, he says that round 8.40am native time this morning, a person intentionally drove his automotive into a number of individuals in his path, some on foot, and a few on bicycles.
He says that throughout the 35-minute incident, he hit 5 individuals, and two of them are in very critical situation, together with a 22-year-old girl.
He provides there will likely be additionally “a number of” individuals affected by witnessing the scene.
He commends the primary responders for arresting the suspect, who resisted arrest, and tried to set fireplace to his automobile. The suspect stays in custody, however refuses to talk to investigators. He was not identified to intelligence companies.
Nuñez provides consultant of the Nationwide Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor is at scene, however solely as an observer and never at the moment dealing with the investigation.
He sidesteps a query on whether or not the perpetrator shouted any slogans throughout the incident, saying it will likely be for the investigators to look into the motive intimately and determine whether or not anti-terrorism prosecutors would should be concerned.
Two individuals severely injured, junior minister says
Moments in the past, junior inside minister Marie-Pierre Vedrenne provided a quick replace to lawmakers gathered within the Nationwide Meeting.
Responding to a query from the Nationwide Rally celebration, she confirmed that two victims remained in “critical situation,” together with the parliamentary assistant to a RN lawmaker, as reported earlier (13:07, 14:23).
Clearly moved by the scenario, she condemned what she referred to as “a tragic and heinous act,” as she mentioned that the perpetrator was a 35-year-old French nationwide, who lived on the Oléron island. He was identified to native authorities for “widespread legislation offences,” however not identified by intelligence companies, she mentioned.
Inside minister Laurent Nuñez is now on scene as effectively and we should always hear from him quickly.
Brussels drone sightings a part of ‘hybrid risk,’ defence minister tells lawmakers, with dialogue on Nato Article 4
Briefly going again to drones in Belgium, defence minister Theo Francken instructed lawmakers that he thought-about the drone sightings that disrupted air visitors in Belgium to be part of “hybrid risk” towards the nation, which he pressured was “actual and critical.”
“The use of drones close to airports, airbases, and barracks not solely poses a safety danger, but additionally immediately impacts our nationwide safety and prosperity,” he mentioned in feedback reported by Nieuwsblad and VRT News.
He mentioned the authorities believed the drone sightings to be “intentional and disruptive,” with “semi-professional, skilled giant drones” flying “in formation.”
He instructed lawmakers that the nation was contemplating triggering Article 4 consultations inside Nato, however no selections have been made but.
Beneath Article 4, “the events will seek the advice of collectively every time, within the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or safety of any of the Events is threatened.”
It has been solely used 9 time in Nato’s historical past, however twice this yr as Poland and Estonia triggered the method in September after incidents of their airspace.
It’s a separate mechanism to Nato’s higher identified Article 5 mutual defence clause.
President of the Nationwide Meeting, Yaël Braun-Pivet, has expressed her solidarity with the individuals affected by the Oleron incident.
She pointedly talked about the Nationwide Rally MP Pascal Markowsky and his crew, after a parliamentary aide was one of many individuals caught up within the incident (13:07).
We’re getting a bit extra element on the suspect within the Oleron incident.
Le Parisien newspaper cited police as saying they have been trying into the likelihood that the suspect is likely to be mentally unwell. BFMTV reported that he was beforehand identified to police for petty crime together with drink-driving and drug offences.
The mayor of St Pierre d’Oléron, Christophe Sueur, mentioned the suspect was “well-known, notably by the gendarmerie, for downside behaviour, for issues with alcohol”.
The prosecutor mentioned the suspect “was not on the S watchlist”, an investigators’ listing of radicalised people. The Charente Libre newspaper mentioned he was a French nationwide.
The place is Île d’Oléron?
A parliamentary assistant to a neighborhood MP from the far-right Nationwide Rally celebration is among the many injured, the celebration’s parliamentary spokesperson said on X.
Individually, the celebration’s president and potential 2027 presidential candidate, Jordan Bardella, expressed solidarity with all injured within the incident, and referred to as for “an exemplary punishment” for the perpetrator.
