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Drones disrupt flights at Germany's Hanover airport

Drones disrupt flights at Germany's Hanover airport

The airspace above the northern German city of Hanover was closed to air traffic after unidentified drones were spotted in the area, an airport spokesman said on Saturday, reported dpa. The closure on Friday evening lasted from 9:47 pm (2047 GMT) to 12:16 am, necessitating the diversion of seven aircraft to Paderborn, Bremen, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt and other destinations. Two flights also did not land in Hanover due to the security measures and were therefore unable to depart on Saturday. These were connections to Frankfurt and Paris, which had to be cancelled, reports said. No official details about the drone sighting were initially available. According to a news report in the Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung, a drone was first spotted near a model aerodrome in the vicinity at an altitude of around 80 metres. An hour later, according to the report, at least two drones approached the actual airport. In November, Hanover Airport was closed for 45 minutes due to a drone sighting. Rogue drone incursions have disrupted services at several German airports in recent months. Suspicions have fallen on Russia but no evidence of this has been provided. Earlier in December, the head of the Federal Criminal Police Office, Holger Münch, said that more than 1,000 suspicious drone flights had been recorded in Germany so far this year. The incidents most frequently involved military facilities and airports, but also other critical infrastructure such as defence companies and port facilities. Asked whether the drone flights could be attributed to Russian actors, Münch said this could not be determined with certainty, citing the difficulty of identifying and questioning drone operators.

German Medical Association calls for ban on private fireworks

German Medical Association calls for ban on private fireworks

The president of the German Medical Association has urgently called for a ban on private fireworks as debate intensifies ahead of New Years celebrations, which are each year marred by serious injuries caused by careless handling of pyrotechnics, reported dpa. "No one has anything against organized fireworks displays in central locations, but illegal fireworks must be banned," Klaus Reinhardt told the RND media group in comments published on Saturday. Reinhardt urged federal and state authorities to finally take action to protect the public from the dangers associated with fireworks. Fireworks may legally be sold in Germany from December 29 to December 31. For many Germans, the use of fireworks and firecrackers is a major source of irritation, particularly among animal welfare and environmental groups. And in large cities such as Berlin, New Years Eve celebrations are frequently likened to scenes from a war zone. Supporters of a ban on private fireworks include the GdP police union, which has warned that police officers are increasingly being targeted with fireworks during celebrations. Reinhardt said a ban on private fireworks had “nothing to do with a culture of prohibition,” but instead reflected “the maturity of a society that understands when to refrain from something dangerous.” Reinhardt warned that unregulated fireworks repeatedly lead to serious injuries, with children and young people often affected by blast trauma. In addition, there are eye injuries and burns. "This fills hospital emergency rooms and costs the national health insurance system millions," he argued.