标签： Europe

Eva Schloss, the stepsister of Anne Frank and renowned Holocaust survivor who dedicated her life to combating prejudice through education, has passed away in London at age 96. The Anne Frank Trust UK, which she co-founded, confirmed her death on January 3rd.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla led global tributes, expressing profound sadness at her passing. In an official statement, the monarch reflected: “The horrors that she endured as a young woman are impossible to comprehend and yet she devoted the rest of her life to overcoming hatred and prejudice, promoting kindness, courage, understanding and resilience through her tireless work.”

Schloss’s harrowing journey began when her family fled Nazi-occupied Austria for the Netherlands, only to be captured after two years in hiding. Like the Frank family, they were deported to concentration camps. While Schloss and her mother survived Auschwitz, her father and brother perished in captivity.

Following liberation by Soviet forces in 1945, Schloss returned to Amsterdam where her mother married Otto Frank, Anne’s father, making Eva the posthumous stepsister of the iconic diarist. This connection shaped her life’s mission: ensuring the world would never forget the Holocaust’s atrocities.

Over four decades, Schloss became a powerful voice for tolerance education, addressing countless young audiences across Europe. Her message was consistently clear: “Each person you convince not to be racist is a positive.” She co-founded the Anne Frank Trust UK, where Queen Camilla serves as Patron, and worked extensively with Holocaust memorial organizations globally.

Schloss’s legacy intertwines with that of Anne Frank, whose diary has sold over 30 million copies in 70 languages. Together, their stories form a dual testimony to both the unimaginable cruelty of the Holocaust and the resilience of the human spirit.

After studying photography in London, she married fellow Holocaust survivor Zvi Schloss in 1951. The couple established their life in Britain, becoming citizens and raising a family. Schloss is survived by her daughters, sons-in-law, and grandchildren.

A far-left activist organization known as the Vulkangruppe (Volcano Group) has publicly admitted to orchestrating a destructive arson assault on Berlin’s electrical infrastructure, plunging approximately 45,000 households and 2,200 businesses into darkness during sub-zero temperatures over the weekend. The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday when incendiary devices ignited multiple cables on a bridge adjacent to a gas-fired power plant in south-west Berlin. Although emergency crews rapidly extinguished the flames, the damage inflicted was severe enough to trigger a massive power outage.

Berlin’s mayor vehemently condemned what authorities are describing as a premeditated act of domestic terrorism, emphasizing that suspected left-wing extremists knowingly jeopardized human lives, particularly vulnerable patients dependent on medical equipment in hospitals and care facilities. Emergency response teams immediately deployed backup generators to critical healthcare institutions and initiated patient transfers to facilities with operational power capacity within the capital region.

By Sunday afternoon, restoration efforts had successfully reconnected approximately 10,000 households and 300 businesses, though officials from Berlin’s electricity operator indicated full recovery would require until Thursday. The extended outage has forced the closure of some schools scheduled to resume classes after Christmas holidays, disrupting educational continuity for numerous students.

In an online manifesto, the Vulkangruppe framed their assault as an ‘act of self-defense’ against fossil fuel economies, expressing particular apology to economically disadvantaged residents while displaying open contempt for affluent homeowners. German police investigating the incident have assessed the group’s claim as ‘plausible,’ noting the organization’s previous involvement in a similar attack that disrupted operations at Tesla’s Berlin manufacturing facility in 2024.

The picturesque Swiss Alpine town of Saint Christopher remains shrouded in grief as hundreds gathered for a solemn memorial Mass honoring victims of the catastrophic New Year’s Eve blaze at Le Constellation nightclub. Amid snow-covered streets and the continuous operation of tourist cable cars in the background, the community confronted the devastating reality that claimed dozens of young lives.

Forensic teams continue the painstaking process of identifying victims through DNA analysis and dental records, as many remains were severely damaged in the intense fire. Families who had clung to hope for days now receive the most tragic confirmation, with police having identified over 20 victims despite the challenges posed by the fire’s destruction.

Laetitia Brodard, whose teenage son Arthur perished in the incident, attended the service surrounded by supportive friends. Having previously circulated his photograph online in desperate searches, she confirmed his passing with the heartbreaking tribute: ‘He died that first day’ and later expressed on social media that Arthur had ‘gone to party in paradise.’

The emotional service witnessed multiple attendees collapsing from overwhelming grief as the community remembered those lost and those still hospitalized with critical burns. Following the Mass, a silent procession advanced toward the fire site, now concealed behind white screening but surrounded by an expanding shrine of flowers, candles, and handwritten notes bearing photographs of victims.

In a poignant moment, uniformed rescue workers received spontaneous applause as they arrived at the memorial site arm-in-arm. One emotional first responder, who contemplated leaving his profession after the tragedy, revealed that the experience had forged an unbreakable bond among emergency personnel: ‘I need them, and they need me. All my thoughts are for the victims and their families.’

Criminal investigators have launched proceedings against the French couple operating the establishment, suspecting them of negligent homicide, arson, and bodily harm. Video evidence appears to show staff delivering champagne bottles with ignited sparklers while elevated on shoulders, with sparks subsequently igniting soundproofing foam ceiling materials that accelerated the fire’s spread.

Authorities are examining multiple safety considerations including compliance with material flammability standards, potential overcrowding, emergency exit accessibility from the basement venue, and the availability of functional fire extinguishers. Additional footage reveals tragic attempts by patrons to extinguish flames using clothing items, while others initially continued dancing and recording rather than evacuating.

Despite the profound sorrow, community members expressed determination for accountability rather than anger. ‘We believe the police will do their work well and we hope there is justice,’ stated Diana, who attended the memorial while friends remain hospitalized fighting for survival.

BERLIN — Critical power infrastructure in southwest Berlin has sustained severe damage from a fire that authorities have attributed to politically motivated left-wing extremists, triggering an extensive multi-day blackout affecting tens of thousands of residents and businesses.

The incident occurred Saturday morning when a cable bridge spanning the Teltow Canal near the Lichterfelde power plant was deliberately set ablaze. Initial impact assessments indicated approximately 45,000 households and 2,200 commercial enterprises across four districts lost electricity, with subsequent disruptions to heating systems and internet connectivity throughout the affected regions.

Berlin’s Senator for Economic Affairs Franziska Giffey characterized the situation as exceptionally severe, noting the outage impacted critical infrastructure including healthcare facilities, hospitals, and numerous social service institutions alongside residential and commercial properties.

Despite restoration efforts that have reconnected thousands of households by Sunday, municipal authorities project many residents could remain without power until Thursday. Restoration operations have been significantly hampered by adverse winter conditions, with snowfall and subfreezing temperatures complicating repair efforts while exacerbating hardships for affected citizens.

Law enforcement agencies are investigating the incident as a deliberate act of arson, drawing parallels to a similar September power outage in southeast Berlin where radical activists previously claimed responsibility. Authorities are currently verifying the authenticity of a responsibility claim letter associated with the latest attack.

Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner, quoted by German news agencies, unequivocally identified the perpetrators as left-wing extremists, condemning the attack on essential energy infrastructure as an unacceptable endangerment of public safety.

Authorities in Switzerland have confirmed the identities of 16 additional victims from the catastrophic New Year’s fire at Le Constellation bar in the upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana. The latest identifications reveal the youngest victim was a 14-year-old Swiss girl, with nine of the deceased being under 18 years old. The multinational group includes citizens from Switzerland, Italy, Romania, Turkey, and France.

This development brings the total number of identified fatalities to 24, with eight Swiss victims having been identified and returned to their families on Saturday. All eight were aged between 16 and 24, according to official statements.

The death toll from the devastating incident stands at least 40 people, with an additional 119 injured. Many victims and those still considered missing are teenagers, reflecting the bar’s popularity with the resort’s younger crowd where the legal drinking age is 16.

A criminal investigation is underway targeting the bar’s French owners, identified in media reports as Jacques and Jessica Moretti. They face potential charges of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence, and arson by negligence, according to the Valais regional prosecutor’s office.

Preliminary investigations indicate the fire likely originated from sparklers on bottles being carried too close to the ceiling during New Year’s celebrations. Video evidence from inside the venue appears to capture the moment the ceiling covering ignited.

Lead prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud confirmed investigators are examining whether the acoustic foam installed on the ceiling was compliant with regulations and potentially contributed to the rapid spread of flames.

The identification process has been painstakingly slow due to the severity of burns suffered by many victims, as noted by Italian ambassador to Switzerland Gian Lorenzo Cornado.

Among those potentially affected is Charlotte Niddam, a teenager who previously attended two schools in the United Kingdom—Immanuel College in Hertfordshire and the Jewish Free School in northwest London. Italian media has identified 16-year-old junior golfer Emanuele Galeppini as one of the confirmed victims, with the Italian Golf Federation paying tribute to the ‘young athlete who carried with him passion and authentic values.’

Police have stated they will not release further details about identified victims out of respect for their grieving families.

CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland — The Alpine resort of Crans-Montana stood in solemn unity Sunday as hundreds participated in a silent procession to honor the victims of the devastating New Year’s Eve fire at Le Constellation bar that claimed 40 lives and left 119 injured.

Mourners gathered for a multilingual Mass at Chapelle Saint-Christophe, where somber attendees with reddened eyes filed out to organ music. The service addressed the ‘terrible uncertainty’ facing families, many still awaiting identification of their loved ones. Following the service, participants joined a dense, snaking procession through the town, carrying flower bouquets past shuttered stores in bright sunlight.

At the bar site—now shielded by white screens—the swelling crowd maintained near-total silence before breaking into sustained, gloved applause. Mourners created a makeshift memorial piled with flowers, stuffed animals, and tributes. ‘We are going through a moment of crushing darkness but we are going through it together,’ one speaker acknowledged.

The victims predominantly ranged from teens to mid-20s, with Swiss authorities having identified 24 fatalities by Sunday. The confirmed dead include 18 Swiss citizens (aged 14-31), two 16-year-old Italians, one dual Italian-Emirati citizen (16), an 18-year-old Romanian, a 39-year-old French citizen, and an 18-year-old Turkish national.

Identification efforts continue with forensic teams using DNA analysis due to the severity of burns. The emotional toll was embodied by Laetitia Brodard, who confirmed her 16-year-old son Arthur among the deceased after a frantic search. ‘Our Arthur has now left to party in paradise,’ she shared in a heartfelt Facebook message.

Swiss authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the bar managers for involuntary homicide, bodily harm, and causing a fire. Preliminary findings suggest sparkling candles atop Champagne bottles ignited the ceiling of the crowded bar around 1:30 a.m. on Thursday. Investigators are examining whether sound-dampening materials complied with regulations and whether safety measures including fire extinguishers and escape routes were adequate.

International support has emerged with 17 patients transferred to France among 35 total transferred to five European nations. Swiss President Guy Parmelin has announced a national day of mourning for January 9.

The Brigitte Bardot Foundation has issued an urgent public warning regarding fraudulent merchandise campaigns exploiting the recent passing of the iconic French actress. Following Bardot’s death at age 91 last Sunday, the animal welfare charity she established reported a surge of unauthorized online schemes falsely claiming to benefit their cause.

The organization identified widespread ‘crude fabrications’ circulating across digital platforms, including artificially generated imagery and unauthorized photographs depicting Bardot in fabricated scenarios. These illicit operations allegedly promise proceeds to support animal welfare initiatives but operate without Foundation endorsement or oversight.

‘These vulgar and despicable attempts to exploit her legacy constitute illicit offers and sales,’ the Foundation stated Saturday, threatening legal action against perpetrators. The organization specifically emphasized the disrespect such activities show toward preserving the memory of the deceased cultural icon.

Bardot’s transition from international film sensation to animal rights activism defined her later decades. After revolutionizing 1950s cinema with nearly 50 films including ‘And God Created Woman’ and ‘Contempt,’ she abandoned Hollywood at age 39 to dedicate herself entirely to animal welfare, establishing her foundation in 1986.

Despite her philanthropic work, Bardot’s legacy remains complex due to multiple convictions for inciting racial hatred through controversial statements about Muslims, gay communities, and the #MeToo movement.

French President Emmanuel Macron led national tributes, recognizing Bardot as ‘a legend of the century’ who embodied French cultural identity through her films, style, and eventual representation as Marianne—the national symbol of France.

The Foundation confirmed Bardot will receive a private, ‘no frills’ burial Wednesday in Saint-Tropez, reflecting her straightforward approach to life. The ceremony will occur in a cemetery overlooking her Mediterranean home, where she resided for decades.