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Local Germany
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Local Germany
What's on in Germany: Nine unmissable events this August
August is the month to enjoy Germany at its festive best. Don't forget to double check dates and pre-book tickets where needed. Many of these events fill up fast! August 1st -3rd: Berlin Brettspiel ('Board Game') Con Start the month with some friendly competition at Berlin Brettspiel Con , one of Europe's largest gatherings for board game enthusiasts. Held at the Estrel Convention Centre, the get together features new releases, classics, indie prototypes and family favourites. There are also tournaments, giant free-play areas, and the chance to stock up on your favourites. Throughout August: Bayreuther Festspiele ('Bayreuth Festival') The Bayreuth Festival Theatre in Bayreuth, Bavaria. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Daniel Karmann For opera lovers, August is all about Bayreuth. The legendary Bayreuther Festspiele in Bavaria draws fans of Richard Wagner from around the world to its unique hilltop theatre. Expect cutting-edge productions and musical perfection in the only opera house built to Wagner's specification. August 6th – 10th: Open Flair Festival in Eschwege, Hesse A cult (and family) favourite, the Open Flair Festival in Eschwege majors in rock, punk and indie acts alongside poetry slams, cabaret, and art. The lakeside location and relaxed vibe make it a summer highlight—perfect for those seeking great live music in a family-friendly setting. Open Flair is one of dozens of music festivals taking place around the country in August. In Schleswig-Holstein, heavy metal heads will be raising a glass to deceased Black Sabbath front man Ozzie Osbourne at Wacken Open Air at the beginning of the month. MS Dockville takes place in Hamburg in the middle of the month. READ ALSO: Months of disruptions ahead as Berlin-Hamburg railway closes for construction Masses have gathered in front of the main stage in the evening at the Open Flair festival. Photo: picture alliance / dpa-tmn | Paul Ripke Advertisement At the end of August, Berlin Atonal combines electronic music and immersive visual art in a stunning, post-industrial space. August 13th –17th: Weindorf Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Rothenburg, Bavaria Raise a glass at the Weindorf, Rothenburg's beloved wine village festival. Local winemakers set up stalls beneath the towers of this perfectly preserved medieval town on Germany's Romantic Road. Sip Franconian specialties, enjoy hearty regional fare, and unwind to live music as the sun sets over the cobblestones. August 13th –-30th: Tanz im August , Berlin Tanz im August transforms Berlin into a global centre for contemporary dance. READ ALSO: Eight art galleries you have to visit in Germany this year Over two weeks, Germany's capital city hosts international stars, experimental groups, and innovative productions across venues like HAU and Radialsystem. From dazzling solos to daring large-scale works, this festival is a must-visit for anyone who believes in the power of dance to tell a story. Image from the 'Some thing folk' performance to be included in the Tanz im August event in Berlin. Photo: Cullberg / Ligia Lewis | Some Thing Folk August 20th – 24th: Gamescom , Cologne Gamers, mark your calendars! Towards the end of August, Cologne welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors to the world's biggest video game trade fair. Test the latest releases, join e-sport tournaments, spot your favourite streamers, and get exclusive peeks at what's coming next in the gaming world. Expect giant halls, cosplay, esports, and pop culture energy on overload. August 21 st – 25 th : Sandkerwa Folk Festival in Bamberg, Bavaria These days, the Sandkerwa is one of the largest folk festivals in Bavaria, offering five days of celebration in the narrow streets of Bamberg amidst the romantic atmosphere of Little Venice. Think riverside beer tents, colourful folk parades, traditional music, and the lively Fischerstechen ('fishermen's jousting') on the Regnitz. READ ALSO: Five of Germany's busiest tourist attractions and where to go instead Each year, over 200,000 people gather to (re)discover Franconian beer, specialities, music, dancing and traditional garb. Puppet stages, concerts and fishing competitions are also on the agenda this year, alongside an impressive fireworks display. August 23rd –24 th: Open Days of the German Federal Government , Berlin Ever wanted to walk through the corridors of power? The Open Days of the German Federal Government open up rare public access to the chancellery, ministries, and other government buildings in Berlin. Advertisement Explore the inner workings of Germany's democracy, quiz ministers and policy experts, and enjoy hands-on children's activities and live performances. August 30 th : Kölner Lichter , Cologne Kölner Lichter, with Cologne Cathedral in the background, last took place in 2019 and makes its return this August. Photo: picture alliance/dpa / Henning Kaiser Prepare to be dazzled as the Kölner Lichter lights up the Rhine. After a five-year pause, Cologne's legendary fireworks event returns, synchronizing dramatic pyrotechnics with music. Arrive early to find a good spot on the banks of the river! August 29th – 31st: Museumsuferfest Frankfurt , Frankfurt am Main Round off the month on a high at Museumsuferfest, Frankfurt's lively weekend of arts, food, and music along the Main river. READ ALSO: In which German cities can you swim in the river? This art and culture event takes its name from the Museumsufer , the nickname given to the banks of the river due to the large number of museums located there. For the occasion, museums on the northern and southern banks of the Main keep their doors open late into the night. Advertisement Do you have an event in Germany that you'd like us to highlight? Let us know by emailing news@
Newsweek
07-07-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Publix Food Recall Update as 'Foreign Material' Found in Multiple Products
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Publix Super Markets, one of the largest grocery chains in the Southeastern United States, announced two recalls of Market Ground Beef products in Georgia in less than a week last month following concerns over the potential presence of foreign material. The most recent recall affected beef sold on June 26 at the Limestone Marketplace Publix in Gainesville, Georgia, while an earlier recall impacted ground beef sold on June 25 at the Abernathy Square Publix in Sandy Springs, a suburb of Atlanta. Newsweek has emailed a Publix spokesperson for comment. FILE - Ground beef from a supermarket in a bowl. FILE - Ground beef from a supermarket in a bowl. Daniel Karmann/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images Why It Matters Foreign material contamination can potentially cause injury, and repeated incidents raise questions about the effectiveness of current safety protocols. Food recalls due to contamination or mislabeling can undermine consumer trust and place vulnerable individuals (such as children, the elderly, or those with allergies) at greater risk. Publix has also been the centre of recalls for lead in baby food and other items this year. Food safety remains a paramount concern for American households, and the frequency of such issues may influence shopping habits and regulatory responses nationwide. Full List of Publix Food Product Recalls in 2025 Ground Beef and Pork Products Publix voluntarily recalled a number of ground beef and pork products on January 13 due to the potential of foreign material in those products. The affected products include the chain's Market Ground Beef, Lean Ground Beef (seven percent fat), Ground Sirloin (10 percent fat) and Pork Market Ground, all of which had expiry dates on either January 14 or January 15. The only affected store was Publix on Bayshore in Tampa, Florida. Genova Canned Tuna Products A post on February 10 stated that select canned tuna brands were pulled from shelves due to concerns about contamination that could cause potentially deadly food poisoning. Consumers were warned not to use the product, even if it did not look or smell spoiled. According to a release published by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the products affected by the recall were sold at stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Live Shell-on Oysters A February 6 announcement by the supermarket chain noted that a recall of oysters harvested in Louisiana's oyster harvesting Area 3 since January 2010 had been ordered by the state's department of health, due to reports of norovirus-like illnesses. The recall included shucked, frozen, breaded, post-harvest processed and oysters for the half-shell market. According to the recall notice, 15 people became ill after eating oysters harvested from the area in question at several restaurants in New Orleans. Two people were hospitalized, but later discharged. The entrance to a Publix Super Market on July 30, 2024 in Miami, Florida. The supermarket chain was founded in 1930 and now has 1,375 store locations across the Southeast United States. The entrance to a Publix Super Market on July 30, 2024 in Miami, Florida. The supermarket chain was founded in 1930 and now has 1,375 store locations across the Southeast United Baby Food On May 9, Publix Super Markets announced a voluntary recall of its GreenWise Pear, Kiwi, Spinach & Pea Baby Food due to elevated lead levels. The 4-ounce pouches, produced by Bowman Andros LLC, were sold in Publix stores across eight states. Routine FDA sampling revealed the contamination risk. No illnesses were reported as of May 22, and affected products have been removed from shelves. Customers can return the product for a full refund. The recall covers pouches with GTIN 41415-00901 and a "Best If Used By" date of 11/01/2025. Market Ground Beef Publix voluntarily recalled select Market Ground Beef products from two Georgia stores due to "the potential of foreign material." The affected beef was sold at the Abernathy Square Shopping Center in Sandy Springs on June 25 (sell-by date: June 26) and the Limestone Marketplace in Gainesville on June 26 (sell-by date: June 27). No other locations are impacted. The company has removed the potentially contaminated products from shelves and no further details about the foreign material were disclosed. What People Are Saying Maria Brous, director of communications at Publix, said in the ground beef recall notices: "As part of our commitment to food safety, potentially impacted product has been removed from the store shelves." What Happens Next Publix advised customers to throw away or return the ground beef products to the store for a refund. Any questions can be directed to Publix at 800-242-1227.
Local Germany
16-05-2025
- Business
- Local Germany
Why does Germany issue by far the most EU Blue Cards to skilled workers?
Considered the European version of the US Green Card, the Blue Card was established in 2009 and reformed in 2021 to make it more attractive for highly qualified individuals. To obtain a Blue Card , non-EU citizens need a university degree or an equivalent qualification, have a job offer and a salary meeting the threshold set by the EU country of expected residence. Besides the right to work and reside in a given EU country, the Blue Card holders can also visit another EU member state for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Blue Card holders have equal working conditions to national citizens. In case they lose the job, they can remain three months in the country to look for another one and claim social security benefits. The EU Blue Card can be obtained in 25 EU countries, but not in Denmark and Ireland, which have opted out. In 2023, EU member states issued around 89,000 Blue Cards, according to the latest data issued by the EU statistical office, Eurostat. Germany alone issued some 69,000, 78 per cent of the total and 6,000 more than in 2022. READ ALSO: What you need to earn to get an EU Blue Card in Germany in 2025 Poland followed, with 7,000 Blue Cards issued (8 per cent of the total and 2,400 more than in 2022). France was the third country by the number of permits given out, with around 4,000 issued (4 per cent). Austria issued 1,135, more than doubling the 501 of 2022. In comparison, Italy issued 747 Blue Cards (compared to 572 in 2022), Spain 370 (58 in 2022) and Sweden 106 (83 in 2022). German MEP Damian Boeselager, from the transnational pro-European party Volt, told The Local that 'Germany is one of the few countries that are actually promoting the EU Blue Card and has therefore seen a generally higher adoption, even if still rather limited in absolute numbers.' Advertisement As a reference, Germany issued about 177,000 work visas in 2023, and it is estimated to have some 400,000 open positions for skilled workers. In 2023, Germany also started to implement the Skilled Immigration Act to make it easier for qualified professionals from outside the EU to move to the country, including an expansion of the use of the EU Blue Card. Two Blue Cards for foreign skilled workers are on a table at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees in Bavaria. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Daniel Karmann Although the new German government announced restrictions to immigration, Boeselager says that 'the current take-up of the Blue Card will likely remain on a similar level, unless Germany changes something about the current rules.' 'So far, the new German government has not targeted highly qualified labour migrants in its rhetoric,' he added. READ ALSO: Which German jobs have a lower salary threshold for an EU Blue Card? Spain also eased rules in 2023, abolishing the requirement for employers to conduct a labour market test before sponsoring Blue Card employees, allowing six-month (instead of 12-month) contracts, reducing the salary threshold, and extending the validity of Blue Cards from 1 to 3 years. Sweden introduced new Blue Card rules on 1 January 2025 to attract highly skilled workers. These include lower salary requirement and contract length (from one year to six months), the possibility for people to change to another highly skilled job without applying for a new Blue Card, and a simpler process for those with a Blue Card issued in another EU country to obtain a new one in Sweden. Advertisement The revised EU directive entered into force on 27 November 2021 and EU member states had until 18 November 2023 to adapt the national legislation. As a result, the number of Blue Cards might increase in the future. In 2023, the most common nationalities of recipients were India (21,000), Russia (9,000), Türkiye (6,000) and Belarus (5,000). READ ALSO: Blue Card jobs, residence permits and prefixes - 6 essential articles for life in Germany
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Funkel's Cologne leave it late to win and move to brink of promotion
Cologne players celebrate their victory after the German 2nd Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Nuernberg and 1. FC Cologne at the Max Morlock Stadium. Daniel Karmann/dpa Cologne moved to the brink of promotion to the Bundesliga with a 2-1 comeback win at Nuremberg in Friedhelm Funkel's first game back in charge on Friday. Janis Antiste put the hosts ahead just after the break but Florian Kainz's double, including a winner on 90 minutes, lifted the Billygoats on to 58 points. Advertisement Elversberg and Paderborn are six points adrift with two to play and if both fail to win on Saturday at home to Eintracht Braunschweig and Magdeburg respectively, Cologne are back in the top flight at the first attempt. Second-placed SV Hamburg can leapfrog Cologne and secure promotion on Saturday if they win at home to Ulm. Cologne wrap up the season on May 18 at home to Kaiserslautern. Funkel, 71, was drafted in for his third spell in charge on Monday after Cologne took a huge gamble and sacked Gerhard Struber after two games without a win - despite still being in a promotion spot. Funkel is currently only in charge until the end of the season. Cologne players celebrate their victory after the German 2nd Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Nuernberg and 1. FC Cologne at the Max Morlock Stadium. Daniel Karmann/dpa
Local Germany
29-04-2025
- Health
- Local Germany
Q&A: What to know about the roll out of Germany's electronic patient file
Germany's new electronic patient file ( Elektronische Patientenakte ) has been made available throughout the country from Tuesday. Written as ePA for short, the electronic patient file is basically a digital database designed to allow doctors to access patient records and share them with others involved in a patient's care (other doctors, pharmacists, health insurance companies etc.) From Tuesday the software is being rolled out nationwide, but it will still take some weeks or months before the ePA is accessible in all of Germany's clinics. Participation in the digital system will be legally mandated for all medical offices from October. What's in my ePA? According to DPA , a patient's initial file will include include records of prescriptions for medications they take. Over time more content will be added, including records of medical treatments, vaccination history, medication plans, X-rays and other images from medical checks or screenings, etc. The idea is that over time, your ePA accumulates records and effectively allows your doctor to review your medical history during treatments. READ ALSO: What to know about Germany's new electronic patient records Who can see my medical information? With the ePA in place, when you visit a medical practice and they scan your health insurance card, doctors there will normally be able to access your electronic records for 90 days. Patients can review their own records in an ePA app provided by their health insurance provider ( Krankenkasse ). In the same app, patients will be able to adjust some settings around who can access their records and for how long. For example, you can extend or shorten the length of time a doctor can review your records. Additionally, during a medical consultation, patients may decide if a finding should be included in their file. For sensitive data, patients must be informed of their right to have it withheld. Advertisement Do I need to opt-out? The ePA is set to be an opt-out system, meaning all patients in Germany will automatically have their file saved in the system unless they explicitly withdraw their consent. Former Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, who brought forward the electronic patient file initiative, says that patients' data will be stored on secure servers and that foreseeable security issues have been worked out during the ePA's testing period. But anyone who objects to their information being stored in this way can opt out of the ePA system completely. A family doctor loads documents into an electronic patient record 'ePA' in his practice. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Daniel Karmann Most critics of the electronic filing system have highlighted the risk of sensitive health data being leaked in the event of hacks. Some organisations have voiced concerns about the potential misuse of data when medical records are compiled and shared. If you do want to opt out of the ePA, you should consider how it may affect the quality of medical care you can get in specific situations. For a standard visit to the doctor, the difference could be simply that you need to answer more questions about your medical history. But in an emergency situation, for example, without access to your ePA medical personnel could be missing vital information about medications you're taking. READ ALSO: The big healthcare changes in Germany in 2025 How do I opt-out? If you do want to opt out of the electronic patient file, you can do so at any time and have your digital medical records completely wiped. Health insurance providers should allow you to opt out of the ePA system on their website or in their patient apps. You may have also received a letter in the mail with instructions for doing so. Advertisement If all else fails, try calling your health insurance provider for more information, or sending them a letter. If you send a letter, be sure to include your full name, your health insurance number ( Versicherungsnummer ), and your date of birth. You'll also want to write a line clearly stating that you object to the creation of an electronic patient record by them. In German, you could write: "Ich widerspreche der Erstellung einer elektronischen Patientenakte durch die [Name der Krankenkasse]." You will need to sign the bottom of the letter and include the date and location as well.
