Germany news: Temperatures plunge after historic heat wave

Skip next section Stade police warns of inaccurate information regarding shooting June 29, 2026

Stade police warns of inaccurate information regarding shooting

After a shooting incident in the northern German city of Stade on Monday, police warned that unconfirmed information about the situation on the ground was being shared in chat groups and social media.

The shooting left several people dead on Monday, according to local police.

"The accounts [of events] currently circulating do not correspond to the facts as confirmed by the police," it wrote in a WhatsApp statement.

State police urged the public to refrain from sharing unverified reports, voice messages and rumors.

"This can cause uncertainty and hamper police operations," it said.

Read more about the Stade shooting here.

https://p.dw.com/p/5GGAM

Skip next section BREAKING: At least five dead in shooting in northern Germany — police June 29, 2026

BREAKING: At least five dead in shooting in northern Germany — police

Five people have been killed ⁠in ⁠a shooting ​in the ​northern German ​town ‌of Stade, west of Hamburg.

A male suspect ‌has ​been detained, police said.

You can read more in this article: Germany: At least 5 killed in shooting in Stade

https://p.dw.com/p/5GFkT

Skip next section Passenger plane makes emergency landing in eastern Germany June 29, 2026

Passenger plane makes emergency landing in eastern Germany

An Airbus A321 from the British airline Jet2 made an emergency landing overnight to Monday at the Erfurt-Weimar airport in eastern Germany after smoke was detected on board.

No one among the 225 passengers and seven crew on board was injured in the incident, which was first reported by the daily Thüringische Landeszeitung.

The passengers on the flight from Greece to London were accommodated and looked after in the terminal until a replacement plane sent by the airline from the UK arrived, which then flew them to London in the early afternoon.

An airport spokesman gave no details on the cause of the smoke, saying that the fire brigade had not found any fire.

The plane will be examined by technicians from the airline in Erfurt, he said.

https://p.dw.com/p/5GFhe

Skip next section International cooperation vital to beat global challenges — President Steinmeier June 29, 2026

International cooperation vital to beat global challenges — President Steinmeier

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has called for maintaining the rules-based order as the world faces global challenges.

""Without greater international cooperation and mutual trust, we will not succeed in overcoming global challenges such as climate change or the fight against hunger and poverty,"  Steinmeier said at the opening of the third Hamburg Sustainability Conference (HSC) .

He stressed that even straitened economic circumstances should not stop countries from doing all they can to protect the climate.

"Only if we work more closely together internationally and can rely on shared rules, only if we can count on a strong United Nations and its subsidiary organizations — only then will we succeed in achieving the sustainability goals."

This year's conference brings together some 2,000 participants from more than 100 countries, who will discuss making economies more resilient, technology and the future of the planet, according to organizers.

https://p.dw.com/p/5GFFl

Skip next section Germany faces Paraguay in first knockout match since 2014 June 29, 2026

Germany faces Paraguay in first knockout match since 2014

Germany's national football team is to play Paraguay at the Gillette Stadium near the northeastern US city of Boston on Monday in what will be their first knockout match at a World Cup since they beat Argentina in the 2014 final.

The winner of Monday's match will go on to a last-16 clash against either France or Sweden.

Germany topped their group after a decisive 7-1 win against World Cup newcomers Curacao and a coming-from-behind victory against Ivory Coast. A 2-1 defeat to Ecuador came after  qualification for the round of 32 and top spot, had already been sealed.

Paraguay, which lost badly to the US before beating Turkey and drawing with Australia, are appearing in a knockout for the first time since 2010.

Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said that the team, which has won the World Cup four times previously, would be aiming to win every match despite a widespread view that they have little chance of taking the trophy.

"When you talk about the German national team, it is all about trying to win every game. It is all about winning the game tomorrow," Nagelsmann said on Sunday.

"We need a perfect performance tomorrow," he added, "When I looked at the training session, I can tell you that I'm very happy and the boys, they will bring their A-game tomorrow."

The match starts in Boston at 4:30 p.m. local time (2030 GMT).

https://p.dw.com/p/5GEWm

Skip next section Wadephul heads to US for talks with Rubio June 29, 2026

Wadephul heads to US for talks with Rubio

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is to meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday at the start of a trip to North and South America.

The meeting with Rubio is expected to focus on burden-sharing within the NATO alliance as Washington increasingly voices dissatisfaction with the current system.

Their talks come ahead of a planned NATO summit in Ankara in July.

Before his departure, Wadephul emphasized the need for unity in the Western military alliance, saying, "Our Euro-Atlantic security depends decisively upon whether we in NATO stand together in the future as resolutely as we have done up to now."

Also on the agenda will likely be the renewed escalation of tensions between the United States and Iran, with both sides accusing the other of violating a ceasefire even after the signing of a framework agreement aimed at consolidating the truce.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman said Wadephul's talks with Rubio would also cover the issue further support for Ukraine as it fights against a yearslong Russian invasion.

Following the meeting with Rubio, Wadephul plans to travel on Monday afternoon to the Paraguayan capital, Asuncion, for a Mercosur summit on Tuesday.

The European Union and the Mercosur states of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay formed a huge new free trade zone in May.

Under the agreement, trade barriers and tariffs are to be gradually reduced to facilitate the exchange of goods and services.

Talks are also planned in Argentina and Brazil.

EU-Mercosur free trade deal: Who gains the most?

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

https://p.dw.com/p/5GE5L

Skip next section At least 15 dead in swimming accidents since Friday — police June 29, 2026

At least 15 dead in swimming accidents since Friday — police

Swimming accidents have caused the deaths of at least 15 people across Germany since Friday as extreme heat sent many people to seek relief in lakes, rivers and outdoor pools, police reports say.

In one of the latest cases, a 17-year-old was retrieved dead from a quarry lake in Peine in the northern state of Lower Saxony on Sunday.

Several deaths were reported in the capital, Berlin, and there were also fatalities in a number of other western states.

Many of the deaths occurred in unsupervised bodies of water, such as rivers and lakes left by mining activities, which are particularly treacherous for swimmers.

Water, hats, cool rooms: Germany rides out extreme heat

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

https://p.dw.com/p/5GDuu

Skip next section Temperatures go down in Germany after massive heat wave June 29, 2026

Temperatures go down in Germany after massive heat wave

Germany is to see normal summer temperatures once more on Monday, with highs of between 25-29 degrees Celsius (77-84.2 F) expected across most of the country, according to the German Weather Service (DWD).

The drop comes after days of extreme heat, with a record temperature of 41.7 C hit on Sunday in the eastern state of Brandenburg, according to preliminary data.

That was the third temperature record for Germany in three days, with 41.3 C measured in the western city of Saarbrücken on Friday and 41.4 C in the same location on Saturday followed by 41.5 C in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, all according to preliminary readings.

A DWD spokeswoman said June 2026 would now likely be among the "Top 3" Junes since measurements began.

The end of the heat wave in Germany was accompanied by major storms in many locations.

It has now moved on to eastern Europe and the Balkans.

Germany has already warmed by 2.5 degrees C (4.5 degrees F) in comparison with the pre-industrial era — more than the global average.

Europe as a whole is also warming faster than any other continent, according to the World Health Organizaton.

Extreme heat: Can Europe adapt to climate change?

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

https://p.dw.com/p/5GDtD

Skip next section Welcome to our coverage June 29, 2026

Welcome to our coverage

The DW newsroom says guten Tag and a big "Phew!" to all our users as the temperatures go down at last at the start of the week.

The fallout from the heat wave, which saw temperatures in Germany reach record highs on three consecutive days, will be a major topic in today's blog.

But the similarly heated global political climate will also be in focus, with Germany's foreign minister headed to Washington for talks touching on the US' ever more strained relations with Europe and NATO.

You can follow here to find out more about what is happening in Europe's biggest economy on Monday, June 29.

https://p.dw.com/p/5GDrq

Show more posts