News

Knife attack at German festival leaves 3 dead and 5 seriously wounded

Published

5 months ago

August 24, 2024

editor

An attacker with a knife killed three people and seriously wounded at least five late Friday at a festival in the western German city of Solingen, authorities said.

Witnesses alerted police shortly after 9:30 p.m. to an unknown attacker having wounded several people indiscriminately with a knife on a central square, the Fronhof. Police said the perpetrator was on the run, and they had only very little information on the man so far.

They said they believe the stabbings were carried out by a lone attacker.

One of the festival organizers, Philipp Müller, appeared on stage and asked festivalgoers to “go calmly; please keep your eyes open, because unfortunately the perpetrator hasn’t been caught.”

He said many people had been wounded by “a knifeman.”

At least one helicopter was seen in the air, while many police and emergency vehicles with flashing blue lights were on the road and several streets were closed off.

Police put the number of seriously injured at five. The region’s top security official, Herbert Reul, gave a figure of six as he visited the scene in the early hours of Saturday.

“None of us knows why” the attack took place, said Reul, who is the interior minister of North Rhine-Westphalia state.

“I can’t say anything about the motive now” and it isn’t clear who the assailant was, he said, but the attacker left the scene “relatively quickly.”

Mayor Tim Kurzbach said in a Facebook post, “This evening, we in Solingen are all in shock. We all wanted to celebrate our city’s anniversary together and now have dead and wounded to lament.”

“It breaks my heart that an attack on our city happened,” he added.

Local newspaper Solinger Tageblatt quoted Celine Derikartz, its reporter covering the festival, as saying that “the atmosphere is spooky.” She said a party atmosphere had turned to shock within minutes and she saw festivalgoers weeping.

The “Festival of Diversity,” marking the city’s 650th anniversary, began Friday and was supposed to run through Sunday, with several stages in central streets offering attractions such as live music, cabaret and acrobatics.

The city canceled the rest of the festival after the attack. Solingen has about 160,000 residents and is located near the bigger cities of Cologne and Duesseldorf.

There has been concern about an increase in knife violence in Germany recently.

In May, a knife attack by an Afghan immigrant on members of a group that describes itself as opposing “political Islam” left a police officer dead.

Germany’s top security official, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, proposed toughening weapons laws to allow only knives with a blade measuring up to 6 centimeters (nearly 2.4 inches) to be carried in public, rather than the length of 12 centimeters (4.7 inches) that is allowed now.

(AP)

News

“Better if MR vacates residence on his own accord”

Published

12 hours ago

January 21, 2025

editor

It is better for former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to leave his residence before he is asked to do so, Cabinet spokesman Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said today (Jan. 21).

Speaking at the weekly Cabinet briefing, Dr. Jayatissa stated that the people have given a mandate to the government to abolish privileges of politicians and ease the politicians’ burden on the people.

He explained that according to the provisions of the Presidents’ Entitlements Act, former Presidents or their widows are entitled to one-third of their salary.

“Although Mr. Rajapaksa was not in the Parliament that passed this Act, he had been in several governments and therefore, should understand its provisions… If he understands this, it is better for him to leave on his own accord without waiting until he is told to vacate the residence,” he said.

News

Several politicians linked to Papaverine supplying company – Nalinda

Published

12 hours ago

January 21, 2025

editor

Cabinet Spokesman – Minister of Health and Mass Media – Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa today (Jan. 21) stated that several politicians are linked to the company which had supplied the ‘Papaverine’ injection.

Speaking at the weekly Cabinet briefing held today (Jan. 21), he said that government has spent Rs. 342.49 million to import the drug from 2019 to 2023.

“There was no pricing formula earlier and the government had purchased the medicines at the price determined by the companies,” he added.

He also said that an investigation will be initiated to find out how approval was given to this company to purchase the drug at such higher prices.

Dr. Jayatissa further said that he also will make a special statement in this regard at Parliament tomorrow (Jan. 22), as the Health Minister.

Earlier, it was reported that the vaccine, which was once sold for Rs.76,000 now being reduced to Rs. 370.

News

Court order issued over MP Archchuna

Published

13 hours ago

January 21, 2025

editor

The Anuradhapura Magistrate’s Court has ordered the police to act under existing laws with regard to Jaffna District Independent MP Ramanathan Archchuna and to investigate the incident involving his alleged obstruction of police duties and traffic violations in Anuradhapura.

Additionally, the magistrate has instructed Anuradhapura Police to report facts to the court by February 03, 2025.

Police launched an investigation against the parliamentarian for allegedly obstructing the duties of traffic police officers in the Rambewa area in Anuradhapura last evening (20) and facts related to the incident was presented before the court by Anuradhapura Police.

Following this, the Anuradhapura Magistrate’s Court issued the arrest order, according to Police Media Spokesman SSP Buddhika Manathunga.

Earlier today, it was reported that a heated situation had occurred involving MP Ramanathan Archchuna in the Rambewa area, while he was on his way to participate in today’s parliamentary session.

The MP reportedly had a heated confrontation with traffic police officers who had stopped and inspected his vehicle as the MP was allegedly driving a vehicle with ‘VIP lights’ on, and in a manner that obstructed other vehicles.

(adaderana.lk)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by adaderana.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)