Oak processionary moth caterpillars can trigger rashes, respiratory problems and, in rare cases, allergic shock An insect infestation is spreading across Berlin, forcing closures and health warnings in parks, sports grounds, and residential areas, German media has reported. The culprit is the oak processionary moth caterpillar, a tree-killing pest covered in toxic stinging hairs. The insect, scientifically known as Thaumetopoea processionea, is a moth species whose caterpillars emerge between May and July. While the moth itself is harmless, the caterpillars develop hundreds of thousands of microscopic toxic hairs that can travel up to 200 meters on the wind and cause rashes, eye irritation, and respiratory problems. In severe cases, exposure can trigger allergic reactions and even anaphylactic shock. The infestation has been spreading across Berlin for years, but officials say several districts are seeing...
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The US secretary of war’s remarks come as Brussels prepares to roll out its most ambitious migration reforms in years US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth used a D-Day ceremony in Normandy to warn that Europe is under a new form of “invasion,” urging EU leaders to confront migration before it’s too late. Speaking on the anniversary of the June 6, 1944 Allied landings in France, Hegseth said, “different European beaches are stormed by different, dangerous ideologies” in Spain, Italy, Greece, and Bulgaria, where “boats and men arrive.” “When will European capitals do something about that invasion? Or is it too late? I pray not, and I believe not,” he added. D-Day marks the beginning of the liberation of France and Western Europe from Nazi rule. The troops who landed on Normandy’s beaches were not invading Europe in the sense used by modern immigrati...
The gaffe-prone former foreign minister has been blamed for Berlin’s failure to win a rotating seat on the UN Security Council German lawmakers want former Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock questioned over Berlin’s failure to secure a seat on the UN Security Council, Bild reports. According to the outlet, the ruling CDU/CSU alliance blames the former top diplomat for the setback and wants her summoned before the Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee. Germany failed to win a non-permanent seat on the UNSC – the UN’s most powerful body, with authority to adopt legally binding resolutions and sanctions – for the first time in modern history on Wednesday, losing out to Portugal and Austria. Germany won all six previous contests it entered since 1977, but this time received only 104 votes, well short of the required two-thirds majority. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul des...
The effort comes in response to delimitation talks between Japan and the Philippines, which Beijing considers illegal China has launched a ‘special maritime law enforcement operation’ east of Taiwan in response to the announcement of maritime border talks in the area by Japan and the Philippines. China – which views the self-ruled island as its own sovereign territory – protested the negotiations, saying they infringe on its sovereignty. The effort was launched on Saturday by China’s Ministry of Transport in coordination with the local authorities, according to Xinhua. The operation is aimed at fully exercising China’s maritime administrative law enforcement jurisdiction and safeguarding national rights and interests, the report said. The operation follows a May 28 summit in Tokyo in which Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos ...
Sam Altman, Dario Amodei, and other executives have said AI advances could weaken biosecurity barriers Executives from leading AI companies have joined biotechnology experts in an urgent call to mandate safety screening for synthetic DNA purchases. In a public letter addressed to the US Congress, the signatories argue that rapid advances in AI could increase the risk of biological weapons being developed. The appeal published earlier this week was signed by Google DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Anthropic’s Dario Amodei, and Microsoft AI’s Mustafa Suleyman and Eric Horvitz. They were joined by dozens of experts from the biotech, DNA synthesis, and national security fields. Synthetic DNA refers to artificially produced genetic material that can be ordered online and shipped much like other laboratory supplies. Although the letter is addressed to Congress, the signator...
Ukrainian forces have frequently targeted vessels, ports, and other infrastructure in and around the peninsula, which voted to join Russia in 2014 A Turkish-flagged fishing boat sank after being attacked in the Black Sea off the coast of Crimea, leaving one crew member dead and four others injured, Türkiye’s Coast Guard has said. In a statement on X, the Coast Guard Command said the trawler DURU 67 came under attack on Friday near Sevastopol. A nearby fishing boat, BURAK KAYA, rescued five wounded crew members from the sinking vessel and headed for the Turkish port of Inebolu. One sailor, who was in critical condition, died during the journey. Following a distress call, the Coast Guard dispatched a rescue vessel carrying a medical team. The ship reached BURAK KAYA around 7:00 PM local time, 115 nautical miles north of Inebolu within Türkiye’s search-and-rescue zone. The de...