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Hostage held at Cologne main train station Hostage safe after Cologne railway station drama
(about 1 hour later)
Cologne's main railway station is being evacuated because of a hostage-taking emergency, German police say. German police say they now have an armed assailant at Cologne's main railway station "under control" and the woman he took hostage is receiving medical treatment.
An armed man has taken a woman hostage at a chemist's there, a police spokesman says. The area in and around the station - a major transport hub - has been cordoned off. She had minor injuries from the incident but he is reported to have serious injuries.
There are unconfirmed reports that some shots were fired. There was a full evacuation of the station, one of Germany's biggest transport hubs.
Extra police have been deployed to the scene. Deutsche Bahn is cancelling or delaying train services in Cologne. Local media say the incident does not appear to have been terror-related.
Police say officers have contact with the man and that trained hostage negotiators are working on the case. Earlier there were unconfirmed reports of shots being fired.
It is not clear whether there is any terror link. No details have emerged yet about the hostage-taker or any potential motive. Police quoted by the Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger daily said a couple were involved, and the man had argued with the woman in a McDonald's restaurant, before holding her in a pharmacy at the station.
Reports speak of at least one explosion during the incident.
Deutsche Bahn cancelled or delayed train services in Cologne during the stand-off.