
Germany updates: 19 injured in Düsseldorf fair fireworks – DW – 07/19/2025
A fireworks show at the Düsseldorf city fair, the Rheinkirmes, had to be cut short after 19 people were injured — four of them seriously — when rockets flew too close to the crowd.
Emergency crews have said at least one child was hurt, as videos and witnesses showed fireworks exploding unusually low.
In other news, Germany's Red Cross warns that the population is lacking in people with skills to deal with major emergencies, while German media responds to the latest deportation flight to Afghanistan.A fireworks display at the Düsseldorf Rheinkirmes — a type of town fair — has left 19 people injured, including four seriously.
Emergency services confirmed the injuries late Friday after fireworks reportedly exploded unusually close to the ground. According to police, at least one child was among the injured.
Eyewitnesses told German public broadcaster WDR that some rockets flew sideways or detonated low, with a few even landing in the Rhine River. One video from across the river shows explosions lighting up both the sky and ground at the same time.
"I was at the fair watching the fireworks," said one witness. "Some rockets flew surprisingly low and exploded close to people. I wondered if that wasn't too near the crowd."
Fire officials believe some rockets may have veered off course, with one misfiring directly into the crowd.
Organizers initially kept the fair running to avoid panic but ended festivities early around 10:45 p.m. (2045 GMT). The event had been scheduled to continue into the early morning.
The Rheinkirmes fair, the biggest to take place on the river, is rooted in an annual celebration of the city's patron saint Apollinaris. It started on July 11 and is set to end on Sunday.
Germany has been falling short on preparing its population for major emergencies, according to the German Red Cross (DRK).
Millions of people need training in first aid and self-reliance, said Heike Spieker, head of the DRK's National Relief Society.
"To build these skills sustainably, four million people would need to be trained," she said. That level of preparedness would ensure people could help themselves and others during a crisis.
The courses, supported by federal funding and offered by aid groups, go beyond first aid. According to the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance, they cover how to act when power goes out or flooding follows heavy rain.
To reach a "reasonable level" within five years, around 800,000 people would need training each year, Spieker said.
"In reality, current funding covers an average of fewer than 100,000 participants per year," she added.
She also criticized the government's current budget plans, saying they are "absolutely insufficient and contradict the political promises to strengthen civil protection."
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from the DW newsroom in sunny Bonn on the Rhine River.
You join us as news comes in of a mishap at what was supposed to be a dazzling event at the Düsseldorf Rheinkirmes on Friday night, when a fireworks display went wrong.
Emergency services said the rockets appeared to explode far too close to the ground, and 19 people were injured. According to police, at least one child was among those hurt.
Follow along for the latest on what Germany is talking about on Saturday, July 19.
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DW
a day ago
- DW
Amid Gaza's forced scarcities, Palestinians fight to survive – DW – 07/24/2025
Gaza's displaced are facing severe food shortages and limited aid amid the ongoing conflict. Aid deliveries remain limited, leaving many families struggling to access basic necessities in a worsening humanitarian crisis. Every day is filled with anxiety and exhaustion. The constant Israeli bombardment, lack of sleep and search for food are overwhelming for Gaza's displaced population. "The day revolves around thinking about where to find food for my family," said Raed al-Athamna, a displaced Palestinian father in Gaza City, who spoke to DW by phone since foreign journalists are not allowed in Gaza. "There is nothing to eat. There is no bread, as I cannot afford to buy flour. It is too expensive. Today, we had some lentils for the kids and my mom, but tomorrow, I don't know." Al-Athamna, who previously worked as a driver for foreign journalists in Gaza, said he no longer had the words to describe the situation. "There are Israeli airstrikes and shelling all the time. I've seen people fainting in the streets because they haven't eaten. Social media is full of videos of people just collapsing." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video DW last spoke with al-Athamna in May, just after the Israeli government first permitted some aid trucks into Gaza after a nearly three-month blockade. At the time, he thought the situation could not get any worse for Gaza's 2.1 million people. Two months on, al-Athamna described the situation as "really bad. You cannot find a piece of bread, it is a very difficult situation. I am here with my grandkids, they are crying, they keep saying: 'We want a piece of bread.' And if you cannot give them anything, they don't understand. This breaks your heart." International health and aid organizations have repeatedly sounded the alarm over conditions and the lack of vital supplies in Gaza during the 21-month conflict. According to the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, almost 88% of Gaza is now under evacuation orders or designated as military zones. These areas include most of Gaza's agricultural land, concentrating the displaced population in increasingly limited space and complicating humanitarian access. World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday that a large proportion of Gaza's population was starving. "I don't know what you would call it other than mass starvation, it's man-made and that's very clear," he stated. Ross Smith, emergency director at the World Food Program (WFP), said Monday that Gaza's hunger crisis "has reached new and astonishing levels of desperation." He said that "a third of the population are not eating for multiple days in a row, this includes women and children." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video On Thursday, Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry reported that so far in July 48 Palestinians had died from malnutrition, with 59 dying of malnutrition since the start of 2025. That number is up from 50 in 2024 and four in 2023 when Israel started its war against the Hamas militant group in Gaza following Hamas' attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Israeli officials have disputed such claims, characterizing them as propaganda. Eyad Amin, a father of three young children who has found shelter in Gaza City, is desperate. "Food is unavailable, and when it is available, it's very expensive," the 43-year-old told DW. Amin, a former stationery shop owner, managed to buy some vegetables but at prices most people cannot afford. "Today I bought two potatoes, two tomatoes, and a few green peppers. These simple items cost me 140 shekels [around €36/$42]," he said. Like most Palestinians in Gaza, Amin has no income but gets assistance from relatives abroad. Those without such support face greater hardship. Sherine Qamar, a mother of two children in northern Gaza City, relies on support from her parents. "We practically live without food, and what we eat is just to survive. We have all lost a lot of weight, I personally lost 15 kilograms [33 pounds] in the last four months," she said. Medical care presents additional challenges. "When my children get sick due to malnutrition or things like the flu, we cannot find any medicine in hospitals or pharmacies, and we have to wait long hours at international organizations and hospitals to obtain painkillers," Qamar told DW. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video In March, Israeli authorities closed Gaza's crossing, citing concerns about aid diversion by Hamas. These restrictions were partially lifted in May, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claiming Israel was acting to prevent a "starvation crisis." Aid distribution shifted from established UN mechanisms to the controversial US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which distributes pre-packed food boxes from three locations in Israeli-controlled militarized zones. Currently, an average of 28 aid trucks enter Gaza daily, according to UN figures, which aid organizations have said falls short of population needs. MedGlobal, a US-based NGO operating nutrition centers in Gaza, reported that "cases of acutely malnourished children have nearly tripled" since the beginning of July. "There is no more buffer," John Kahler, MedGlobal co-founder and a pediatrician who worked in Gaza last year, told DW. "When you get a virus suddenly you have diarrhea, that will push you over the edge because you don't have any physical reserve left." "The terrible thing in Gaza," he added, "is that everyone knows that food supplies are just 10 kilometers [6.2 miles] away." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The Coordinator of the Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Israel's military body overseeing crossings, told DW that "950 aid trucks are waiting on the Palestinian side" of entry points. The body claimed that Israel does not restrict humanitarian aid to Gaza, but did acknowledge "significant challenges in collecting trucks on the Gaza side." The UN has repeatedly said the backlog at the crossing was due to multiple difficulties, among them the coordination with the Israeli military. Trucks cannot move without their authorization, to ensure they can travel relatively safely from the crossing to the warehouse and distribution centers without coming under fire from the Israeli military. Due to supply scarcity, looting has increased. On Sunday, a WFP convoy came under fire, resulting in casualties among people waiting for aid. In recent weeks, at least 875 people have been killed by Israeli fire while seeking aid at one of the distribution points by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation or while waiting for UN trucks carrying supplies, according to the UN. "I only went one time to get aid. But I don't go anymore. If you are hit or injured, no one helps you. You will just die there. There is nothing in the hospitals to help you either," said al-Athamna from Gaza City. He added that the broader situation has become impossible. "You either die being bombed, or you die not having food. They keep talking to politicians about a ceasefire, but nothing happens, and things only get worse. What are we supposed to do?"


Int'l Business Times
a day ago
- Int'l Business Times
Plane Crash In Russia's Far East Kills Nearly 50 People
A passenger plane carrying nearly 50 people crashed in a remote area of Russia's far eastern Amur region on Thursday, killing all on board, authorities said. The plane, a Soviet-made twin-propeller Antonov-24, went down in remote, thickly forested terrain, leaving a column of smoke pouring from the crash site and no signs of survivors, according to state media and videos published by investigators. The Angara Airlines flight was headed to the town of Tynda from the city of Blagoveshchensk when it disappeared from radar at around 1:00 pm local time (0400 GMT). A rescue helicopter later spotted the burning fuselage of the plane on a forested mountain slope about 15 kilometres (nine miles) south of Tynda's airport. Videos published by Russian investigators showed smoke rising from the crash site and what appeared to be fragments of the plane strewn across the forest floor. A search and rescue team arrived only hours after the crash at the remote, hard-to-reach site and found no evidence of survivors, according to the state news agency TASS. Investigators did not say what caused the crash. Weather conditions at the time of the incident were poor, Angara Airlines CEO Sergei Salamanov told Russia's REN TV channel. "The commander made the decision to carry out the flight," he was quoted as saying. Tynda, home to around 30,000 people, lies in an area of thick taiga forest about 200 kilometres (125 miles) from the Chinese border. At least one Chinese national was on the flight, state media in China reported. Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message of condolence to Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. "I would like to express my deep condolences to the victims and sincere sympathy to the families of the victims," Xi said, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. The plane dropped from radar while attempting a second approach to land at Tynda, regional prosecutors said. The forest terrain complicated search efforts, a rescuer told the TASS agency. "The main search operations are being conducted from the air," it said. Angara Airlines, a small regional carrier based in the Russian city of Irkutsk, did not immediately release a statement on the crash. Russia's aviation watchdog has not yet given a definitive number of people on board. The Amur region's governor, Vasily Orlov, said the plane was carrying 43 passengers and six crew members. Among the passengers were five children, he said. The TASS agency cited emergency services as saying the plane was carrying 40 passengers and six crew. Aviation authorities have opened an investigation. The plane appeared to have been manufactured almost 50 years ago, during the Soviet era, according to civil aviation database In 2021, the aircraft's airworthiness certificate was extended until 2036, data from the site showed. AFP was not able to immediately verify this information. The Antonov-24 is a popular, Soviet-designed turboprop plane that first entered into service in 1959. Russia has taken steps to switch from Soviet aircraft to modern jets in recent years, but ageing light aircraft are still widely used in far-flung regions, with accidents frequent.


Local Germany
3 days ago
- Local Germany
Expert tips for your next appointment at a German immigration office
Among the challenges of living in Germany as a foreigner is navigating appointments at the immigration office ( Ausländerbehörde ). Being confronted by immigration officers who seem all too eager to dismiss your case if your German is less than fluent, or if your paperwork is not perfectly in order, is a ubiquitous part of the foreign experience in Deutschland . Unpleasant as it may be, however, there's really no way to avoid at least a few trips to your local immigration authority. Especially in your first few years as a foreigner in Germany, you'll need to secure a residence permit there, and likely also change or renew your residence permit a couple more times before you become eligible for a less temporary solution (like permanent residence or citizenship). READ ALSO: What's the difference between German citizenship and residency? 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The client was a black man from the US who had previously had a decision on his visa deferred for a year despite being eligible for the residence permit. He was allowed to stay in Germany on a temporary stay permit ( Fiktionsbescheinigung ), but the residence permit he had applied for was withheld for reasons that were unclear to him. One year later, Lieder accompanied the man to a follow-up appointment with the goal of securing his residence permit. Lieder described sitting down with an immigration officer who seemed like he was immediately opposed to moving the case forward. 'The officer looked at me and he looked at my client, and just immediately said 'no, no, no,'' Lieder told The Local. 'My feeling was that he wasn't willing to look at the documents we had brought.' Advertisement According to Lieder, the officer tried multiple times to claim that something was missing from his application, whereas she was sure that her client met every requirement and had all of the documentation to prove it. READ ALSO: 'Traumatising' - Foreign residents share stories from German immigration offices 'I did my best to be polite,' she said, 'Because getting into a heated discussion is not the best strategy there…' Lieder highlighted a document showing that her client had a good work contract lined-up. She knew that the work offer was solid and that his other documents were in order – there would be no good reason, in her opinion, to reject his application. In the end, the officer did grant the client his residence permit, but not before pushing back about multiple requirements, each of which they had prepared documentation for. For anyone with an upcoming appointment at an immigration office in Germany, The Local asked Lieder to share a few best practices that may improve your chances of success. Tips for your next appointment at the immigration office: Advertisement 1) Bring support The experience Lieder described won't come as a surprise to many of Germany's long-term foreign residents, but it does highlight the value of having someone on your side who speaks fluent German and knows the rules. 'My perspective is that it's always better not to come alone,' Lieder said. 'I don't think everybody needs a lawyer, but bringing a friend or someone who speaks German is very important if you don't speak German yourself.' Newcomers in Germany might expect personnel at a German immigration authority to speak English or another language at a practical level, but that's not always the case. Having a German speaker with you can help avoid complications due to misunderstandings, or even wasting an appointment due to the language barrier. If possible, attending with someone who has a good understanding of immigration law is even better. Sometimes simply having someone who can push back, based on an understanding of the rules and your rights, is all it takes. Lieder added that if you aren't sure about your rights, the best case would be to bring a lawyer with you. 2) Be prepared It should go without saying that you'll want to double check you've got all of your documents in order before your appointment. Advertisement EXPLAINED: How to apply for a residency permit online in Berlin And in Germany, an extra paper or two never hurts. Along with the documents that the immigration office tells you to bring, you may want to bring anything else that supports your case. You can check the 'preconditions' or Voraussetzungen for the specific residence permit you are applying for here , and bring any documents that show you meet each of them. 'The law allows immigration officers to decide on things like the length of a visa depending on the case,' Lieder said. So the more evidence you can present as to the strength of your case, the better off you may be in the end. It's also advisable to bring records of your correspondence with the immigration office, such as the invitation to your appointment that you received in the mail, or any official notices that contain details about your case. In the aforementioned case, the immigration officer had asked Lieder's client to produce a printed photo despite a note on his appointment invitation which explicitly said not to bring physical photos. In this case, showing the letter helped them confirm that they had done everything as instructed. READ ALSO: 'Machines don't work!' - The problem of getting digital ID photos in Germany You may also want to bring a notebook and a pen in case you need to write something down. This has the bonus of making you appear more prepared, even if you don't end up needing it. View of the front of the Foreigners' Registration Office and the Public Order Office of Frankfurt am Main. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Sebastian Gollnow 3) Be on time This one goes for just about every meeting in Germany, but the stakes are higher at the immigration office. 'Be 15 minutes early so that you have time to find the right room,' Lieder said. READ ALSO: Q&A - What are your rights while waiting for a German residence permit? Advertisement 4) Appear professional Think of your appointment at the Ausländerbehörde like a job interview – at the very least you want to look put together and professional. You don't need to wear a suit, but a nice shirt and slacks as opposed to a t-shirt and sweatpants is a good best practice. 'No shorts, no jeans with holes in them…don't wear hats inside or chew gum,' Lieder said. She added, 'It might appear superficial but those small things actually do matter I think." 5) Speak respectfully Being mindful that the officer across the desk from you has a fair amount of influence over your fate in this given moment, you'll want to make an effort to address them respectfully - or at least avoid coming across as disrespectful or argumentative. As a final tip, Lieder pointed out that the officers often have their names on a sign on their desk. 'It might help to read their name and address the officer respectfully by name,' Lieder said, 'Saying things like 'Herr Müller, thank you' for example.'