Latest news with #Dusseldorf
CNA
6 days ago
- General
- CNA
Syrian man pleads guilty to deadly knife rampage at German festival
DUSSELDORF, Germany: A Syrian man suspected of belonging to the Islamic State group pleaded guilty on Tuesday (May 27) to killing three people and wounding 10 more in a stabbing spree at a German summer festival last year. Issa Al Hasan, 27, made the confession at the start of his trial, which was held under tight security at the higher regional court in Duesseldorf. In a statement read out by his lawyer, Hasan, sitting under police guard behind a protective glass screen, admitted having "committed a grave crime". "Three people died at my hands. I seriously injured others," Hasan said of the attack in August in the western city of Solingen. "Some of them survived only by luck. They could have died, too," he said in the statement. "I deserve and expect a life sentence." The stabbing spree at the mid-summer street festival was one of a string of attacks that shocked Germany and stoked security fears. Hasan was an asylum seeker from Syria who had been slated for deportation. German authorities' failure to remove him from the country fired a bitter debate over immigration in the run-up to national elections in February this year. Hasan faces charges including three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and membership of a foreign terror organisation. "REVENGE" FOR MUSLIMS Prosecutors say he set out to harm "nonbelievers" at the "festival for diversity" in the centre of the western city of Solingen. Hasan allegedly saw his targets "as representatives of Western society" and sought "to take revenge against them for the military actions of Western states". A member of IS whom Hasan had contacted that month allegedly encouraged him to go ahead with the plan and promised him that the group would claim it and use it for propaganda purposes. The group later said via its Amaq outlet on the Telegram messaging app that an IS "soldier" had carried out the attack in "revenge" for Muslims "in Palestine and everywhere". Prosecutors say Hasan had filmed videos in which he pledged allegiance to IS and forwarded them on to his IS contact just before he committed the attack. In the statement read out by his lawyer, Hasan recanted his alleged motivation for carrying out the attack. "I killed and injured innocent people, not unbelievers," he said. "Christians, Jews and Muslims, we all are cousins, not enemies." IMMIGRATION DEBATE The Solingen stabbing spree was one in a series of attacks attributed to asylum seekers and migrants that pushed immigration to the top of the political agenda in Germany. In May 2024, a man with a knife attacked people at an anti-Islam rally in Mannheim, mortally wounding a police officer who intervened. The Afghan suspect in the stabbing went on trial in February and is also alleged to be sympathetic to the IS group. In December, a Saudi man was arrested after a car rammed into a Christmas market in the eastern city of Magdeburg, killing six people and wounding hundreds. And in January, a man with a kitchen knife attacked a group of kindergarten children in Aschaffenburg, killing a two-year-old boy and a man who tried to intervene. A 28-year-old Afghan man was arrested at the scene of the attack, which came during campaigning for elections on Feb 23. Just 10 days before the vote, an Afghan man was arrested on suspicion of ploughing a car through a street rally in Munich, killing a two-year-old girl and her mother and injuring dozens. The centre-right CDU/CSU, which demanded tough curbs on immigration in the wake of the attacks, came first in the election with 28.5 per cent of the vote. The biggest gains however were made by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which saw its share of the vote more than double to over 20 per cent.
The Sun
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Khloe Kardashian looks incredible in skin tight purple dress after its revealed mom Kris has ‘chosen' her as family heir
KHLOE Kardashian looked sensational in a purple sequin halterneck dress as she stepped out at an event in Germany. The mom of two, 40, ramped up the glam in her figure-hugging gown, which she teamed with strappy sandals and diamond earrings. 7 7 The Keeping Up With The Kardashians alum beamed as she addressed the crowds at the German Perfume Awards in Dusseldorf. Khloe, who has her own XO Khloe fragrance range, swept her brunette locks into a high ponytail before giving a speech on-stage. Fans on Reddit were quick to praise the Hulu star's colorful look and one wrote: "Love the purple dress on her." A third then wrote: "Damn Khloé." Her European outing, which came after she stripped down to a bikini to show off her toned look, was scheduled amid suggestions she will become the new head of the Kardashians clan. ON THE KARDS? According to sources, Khloe is a shoo-in to take the Kardashians crown over from mom Kris, who has praised their special "bond". 'Khloe's always been the one with Kris' big personality,' an insider close to the famous family exclusively told The Sun. 'She's got a lot to say for herself.' As it stands, the 40-year-old is bossing her way to the top of the pile, career-wise. As well as starring on her family's fly-on-the-wall Hulu series and recently launching her own health snack, Khloud protein popcorn, she also fronts her own podcast, Khloe in Wonder Land. Khloe Kardashian reveals exactly how she found out husband Lamar Odom was a cheat & was left with 'bloody knuckles' after 'going ballistic' And now, it seems she's branching out again, with the announcement of her upcoming TV project, Calabasas Behind The Gates. The Hulu show is still in the early stages of development but, according to Disney executive Rob Mills, it will shine a spotlight on 'people in the extended lives of the Kardashians', with Khloe inviting us behind the gates to get to know the very wealthy enclave where she and her family live. Perhaps surprisingly, rather than sister Kim, it seems Khloe is leading the charge. 'Khloe's the one being groomed as the successor to the Kardashian brand,' says our insider. Kardashian/Jenner kids As of November 2023, there are 13 Kardashian-Jenner grandchildren. Kourtney Kardashian has three kids with her ex Scott Disick: Mason, 14, Penelope, 11, and Reign, nine. In November 2023, she welcomed her first son with her husband Travis Barker: Rocky Thirteen. Kim Kardashian has four children with her ex-husband Kanye West: North, 11, Saint, eight, Chicago, six, and Psalm, five. Khloe Kardashian has two children with her ex Tristan Thompson: True, six, and Tatum, two. Rob Kardashian has one daughter with his ex Blac Chyna: Dream, seven. Kylie Jenner has two children with her ex Travis Scott: Stormi, six, and Aire, two. 'She's really in her element doing her podcast. She loves letting rip and tapping into her creative entrepreneurial energy. It's unleashed all her Kris-inspired girl boss ambitions.' Since first launching her family into the spotlight almost two decades ago, momager Kris has continued to oversee all Kardashian-Jenner dealings, as head of Jenner Communications. As well as being co-producer of their eponymous reality series, The Kardashians, she also manages all six of her children's careers, and has a stake in their personal and joint businesses. That means she gets 10 per cent of gross revenue from every product, modelling job, and TV show concerning her daughters. She also has some equity in their massively successful enterprises, including a 1 per cent stake in Kim's shapewear brand Skims (valued at $3.2billion), 5 percent of Kylie's $900m make-up brand Kylie Cosmetics, and 10 per cent of Khloe's fashion firm Good American. All that means Kris is sitting atop a very pretty pay packet - making her heir apparent very powerful in the process. 7 7
Daily Mail
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Elizabeth Hurley looks glamorous in a busty gold gown as she brings son Damian - and not new boyfriend Billy Ray Cyrus - as her date to attend charity gala in Germany
Elizabeth Hurley looked ravishing in a busty gold gown as she made a glamorous appearance with her son Damian at a charity gala in Germany on Thursday. The British actress, 59, proudly took Damian, 23, as her date to the Umbrella Foundation's first night at The Wellem Hotel in Dusseldorf - amid her shock new romance with Billy Ray Cyrus. The Austin Powers legend looked incredible as she slipped into the bejewelled plunging garment, which featured a feathered shawl. Elizabeth smiled next to her director son, finishing off with dazzling pendant earrings to complete the show-stopping look. She appeared in her highest spirits while Damian, who is also a model, donned a plunging black shirt with a cross-pendant necklace. The mother and son pair were snapped making the most of their time at the star-studded glitzy gala night. Elizabeth shocked fans in recent weeks when her romance with country music star Billy Ray, 63, which she made public with a cosy Instagram post. She has since revealed the true depth of her feelings for new boyfriend Billy, sharing a very loved-up snap of them packing on the PDA to Instagram on Wednesday. And the model revealed it's true love as she took to the comments sharing a black heart emoji before writing 'you xx'. And Elizabeth has the full support of her son as Damian also commented on the snap as he penned: 'Awwww ❤️.' Their unexpected romance comes just over two years after the pair fatefully met on the set of their 2022 holiday movie Christmas in Paradise, which was shot in the Caribbean. Last week, Billy Ray broke his silence over his new relationship while appearing on Apple Music Country's The Ty Bentli Show. The Achy Breaky Heart crooner, who finalized his divorce from ex Firerose in August 2024, revealed Elizabeth reached out during a difficult period in his life. 'I felt like, ''Wow, can life get any harder? Can it get any tougher?'' For me, at a certain point it was like, you can't get knocked down any flatter than laying on your back when life is kicking you,' he said. 'And in this moment... a friend reached out.' According to Billy, Elizabeth's message read something along the lines of: ''Hey, it looks like life might be a little bit tough and just wanted you to know I'm in your corner; you've got a friend in your corner''.' Upon getting her text, the father-of-five admitted he 'didn't even know the number'. He shared: 'So, I text back, I go, ''Who is this?'' And it's like, ''Elizabeth Hurley.'' Of all the people to reach out to me in that second that maybe I needed most… this friend who made me laugh.' Although they hadn't spoken in 'two years' after wrapping their holiday film, Billy instantly remembered 'there was a chemistry' between them on set during their 'very few scenes together'. 'We just laughed, and it was at a time I wasn't laughing a lot,' he noted. 'The oddest part was first, how much we laughed. Second, I figured we were so different but in some very strange way we had way more in common than we had different.' Christmas in Paradise was shot in the Caribbean, and was filmed not long after he separated from ex-wife Tish in April 2022 after 28 years of marriage. He went on to have a short-lived relationship with Firerose but he filed for divorce in May 2024 after seven months of marriage. A source recently revealed Elizabeth 'spent a beautiful couple of weeks in Tennessee with Billy Ray' and that they would be getting back together soon after she jetted off. 'She loved being surrounded by nature in a more laid-back environment. She had a great time with Billy Ray,' the insider told People. As their love for each other continues to blossom, the pair are reportedly not deterred by navigating long distance or either of their demanding schedules. 'They are keeping in touch now and plan on seeing each other soon again,' the source explained. 'They both believe they were meant to connect again.' The insider also revealed that the stars 'appreciate each others' love and friendship' and have formed a 'very special connection.' It is unknown at this time if he will be joining her on her 60th birthday celebrations, which she plans to keep intimate with just her closest loved ones. Billy Ray also described the actress as a 'a great human being' and insisted he would have been satisfied just being friends. 'She's so impressively brilliant. She reminds me a lot of Dolly Parton. She's a very smart businesswoman,' he gushed. 'If you can laugh together, you can make it through everything.' Billy Ray also teased that there would be more photos of them coming since taking their relationship public on Easter with a sweet photo of him giving her a kiss on the cheek. 'There will be one coming where she's kissing me because people have been saying, 'Why's he always kissing her?' Unfortunately when I see her, when she puts her cheek out there, I don't know what happens, I just kiss it,' he mused. The singer raved that their relationship has 'been beautiful' and also said he loves her son, Damian, 23, 'a lot'. 'It's great that God brought them into my life when he did. It's just a good thing. It's been a long time since I've been this happy,' he said of his new relationship. A source told Us Weekly that the pair 'bonded over life experiences' as they've 'both been through a lot in life' adding that the relationship is 'very recent.' 'They really understand each other and Liz is a very compassionate person, which Billy Ray adores,' the insider added.
