Here are the major headlines from Germany on February 16, 2026: Carnival traditions differ from city to city, though people in Cologne take pride in hosting the biggest party. In Dusseldorf, the floats are known for being brazenly political, where no one and no theme appears to be off-limits. Germany's public broadcaster WDR put out these numbers for festivities in Cologne, with about 11,500 participants, 1,122 musicians, and 300 tons of sweets distributed. There are about 2,000 police officers