Latest in World Highlight
Latest in World
At least 120 killed in Paris attacks
Hollande announced a state of emergency and temporary border closure
Merkel: We are crying with France
In the wake of the devastating Paris attacks, the German chancellor has offered her condolences. Standing in solidarity with France, she has called for a fight against terrorism in both words and deeds. On Saturday morning, German Chancellor Angela Merkel addressed the nation in a swift press conference with one message: Germany stands in solidarity …
Right way for refugees with Poland’s new Left
Anti-migrant feelings helped propel a sweeping win for Poland’s right-wing PiS in recent elections. Even so, activists are hopeful that a new, tolerant future lies ahead. Isabelle de Pommereau reports from Wroclaw. There’s a place in this young, dynamic southwest Polish metropolis called Kamienskiego Street that hardly anybody sets foot in. Except, perhaps, for Olimpia …
Paris under siege
More than 100 people have died in at least six terror attacks in Paris, and France has declared a state of emergency. Andy Valvur was at a theater near one of the attacks, and reports on a city on edge. Follow our live ticker for the latest updates. The City of Light has experienced its …
Want to be heard? Surveillance art project wants you to let NSA listen
Cologne’s stone advertising columns are iconic – as iconic as Germany’s loathing of government surveillance. Artist Christian Sievers is using these “Litfaßsäulen” to say: don’t be scared, call this number! The message is loud and clear: we have no fear! “This mobile phone was used to call the personal number of William Binney, a former …
Modi and Cameron reaffirm UK-India ties
The British and Indian prime ministers took to the stage at a packed Wembley Stadium in London. The leaders sought to emphasize the countries’ close cultural and economic ties. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a speech Friday night to an estimated 70,000 people in London, shortly after his British counterpart, David Cameron, espoused the …
Beirut: Shocked but not destroyed by bombings
The terrorist organization Islamic State has claimed responsibility for brutal twin bomb attacks in Beirut. Political scientist Bente Scheller tells DW why she is confident in Lebanon’s resiliency. Bente Scheller is a political scientist who specializes in foreign and security policy. She currently heads the Beirut office of Germany’s Heinrich Böll Foundation, a political think …
US says ‘reasonably certain’ drone strike killed ‘Jihadi John’
The “IS” militant known as “Jihadi John” has very likely been killed in a drone strike, US officials say. The man became an emblem of terrorism after a series of videos released online showing him murdering civilians. Army Colonel Steve Warren said the Pentagon was “reasonably certain” the drone strike carried out overnight on Thursday …
Opinion: Time to act in Burundi
In Burundi, the killing sprees continue with impunity. The UN Security Council deliberated over the issue twice this week but the resolution it eventually passed does not go far enough, says Dirke Köpp. It’s a bare minimum. The resolution unanimously approved by the UN Security Council on Thursday (12.11.2015) calls for an immediate end to …
EU report declares glyphosate herbicides safe despite UN results
The EU has found that glyphosate, the main ingredient in some herbicides and many other products across the world, is not likely to cause cancer in humans. Experts recommend raising the safe limit of exposure. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) said glyphosate, a key ingredient in the Monsanto-made herbicide Roundup, is unlikely to cause …
Wage theft among UK care workers ‘likely to increase’
London continues to cut the elderly social care budget while promising a higher minimum wage to care workers. Analysts think this will mean even more ‘wage theft,’ where workers are cheated out of part of their salary. Britain’s relatively lax labor laws and a near crisis in funding for social care for the elderly is …
Kurdish forces enter Sinjar in northern Iraq
Kurdish forces backed by US airstrikes have entered “Islamic State” controlled Sinjar in northern Iraq. Securing the city is expected to be slow because of improvised explosive devices and booby traps. Kurdish forces entered parts of Sinjar on Friday morning after cutting off the main Highway 47 to the east and west. Nearly 7,500 Iraqi …
Lebanon mourns Beirut bombings as IS claims responsibility
The militant group “Islamic State” has said it carried out a twin suicide bombing in Beirut that killed more than 40 and injured 200. The target of the attack was Iran-backed Hezbollah’s stronghold in Lebanon’s capital. The explosions happened just minutes apart in front of the Burj al-Barajneh shopping center, police said Thursday. The Sunni …
‘Islamic State’ militant ‘Jihadi John’ targeted in Syria by US drone strike
US forces have launched an airstrike in Syria, targeting “Jihadi John.” The British national is suspected of appearing in several “Islamic State” beheading videos. Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said overnight on Thursday that the attack was carried out in the “Islamic State” (IS) stronghold of Raqqa in northern Syria. “We are assessing the results …
EU to hold special summit with Turkey on refugee crisis
EU officials have announced they will hold talks with Ankara over ways to help stem the migrants crisis. Brussels has been courting Turkey’s government as it struggles to cope with the influx of refugees into Europe. European leaders, including EU President Donald Tusk and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said they will meet with Ankara to …
Journalist Coskun: I didn’t insult anyone, I wrote a news article
Canan Coskun wrote a story saying officials bought homes from a state-owned firm at discount prices. Now, she’s on trial – not for false claims, but for insulting the officials. Kürsat Akyol reports from Istanbul. “I’m not afraid, and because I am not afraid I will continue to write and report.” These words belong to …
Twin blasts in Beirut kill scores of people
Two attackers activated their bomb vests during rush hour in a densely populated quarter of the Lebanese capital, killing dozens of people, officials said. The area is a known stronghold of the Shiite Hezbollah militia. The explosions happened just minutes apart in front of the Burj al-Barajneh shopping center, police said Thursday. At least 37 …
Ghanaians respond to EU migrant fund with caution
The European Union believes dedicating millions of euros to African governments can help ease the migration crisis. Ghanaians don’t totally agree. After two days of negotiations and deliberations, European Union leaders approved a 1.8 billion euro ($2 billion) ‘trust fund’ for Africa. The funds will be used for supporting efforts at preventing conflict, creating jobs, …
Iraqi Kurdish forces take key highway connecting IS strongholds in Syria, Iraq
Kurdish forces in Iraq have gained control of parts of the main highway connecting two “Islamic State” strongholds in Iraq and Syria. Backed by US airstrikes, the operation aims to take back the town of Sinjar. Kurdish peshmerga troops in Iraq, backed by US airstrikes, have taken control of a key highway connecting “Islamic State”-controlled …
Rabobank raids rural Romania
A small and poor village in Romania has become the focus of a story involving land grabbing by foreign-owned multinationals and mafia-style corruption. Luke Dale-Harris investigates. On the unpaved streets of Zarand, a village in Western Romania where hundreds of subsistence farmers scratch a living on tiny plots of land, everyone is telling the same …
How joining the WTO could impact Afghanistan
After nearly 11 years of negotiations, Afghanistan and the World Trade Organization (WTO) have finally agreed on the country’s terms of accession to the global trade body. But will this help revive the flailing economy? “Our country’s accession to the WTO will serve as a catalyst for domestic reforms and transformation to an effective and …
Refugees opting for Bulgaria route exposed to violence
Asylum-seekers with limited funds or fears of sea travel are bypassing Greece for a land route through Bulgaria, but the risks remain high. Diego Cupolo reports from Dimitrovgrad, Serbia. Refugees opting for a land route to Europe are hiking in and out of Bulgaria, where they must cross dense forests and lightly populated areas that …
UN’s Ban Ki-moon picks Italy’s Filippo Grandi to head UNHCR
Italian diplomat Filippo Grandi is to head the UN refugee agency, succeeding Antonio Guterres. The appointment is a defeat for Helle Thorning-Schmidt, former leader of migrant-restrictive Denmark. UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Thursday appointed Grandi as the new UN refugee chief, tasked with handling the world’s largest ever set of refugee crises, according to a …
Money on the agenda as Modi visits the UK
Despite recent controversies over religious intolerance in India, the British government will focus firmly on trade and strengthening ties during Modi’s visit. Samira Shackle reports from London. This week, Narendra Modi will make his first visit to the UK since winning the Indian premiership in 2014. His packed schedule will include lunch with the queen, …
What Libya can teach Europe about refugees
Mattia Toaldo is a policy fellow for ECFR’s Middle East & North Africa program where he focuses on Libya, Israel/Palestine and migration issues.
Russia’s President Putin orders doping investigation ahead of IAAF meeting on ban
The Russian president has formally called for an investigation into ‘state-supported’ doping following WADA allegations. The move comes ahead of a possible Olympics ban for Russian track and field athletes. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered an inquiry into allegations of systematic “state-supported” doping following a report by an independent commission from the World …
Kremlin admits TV accidentally showed secret weapons plans
Two Russian television channels have unintentionally aired footage containing confidential information on military weapon systems, Russian officials said. The pictures allegedly showed plans for a nuclear torpedo. The televised images show a military officer looking at a confidential document during a meeting of President Putin with army top brass in Sochi. “It’s true some secret …
Sieren’s China: Helmut Schmidt, Mao & Co
No other German politician followed China’s transition to becoming a world power as early on, for as long and with such personal interest as Helmut Schmidt, says DW’s Frank Sieren. Helmut Schmidt was always curious about the changes in China. His personal interest in the country and its 1.4 billion people never ceased. Just a …
EU invokes ‘dark memories’ in labeling Israeli products from the West Bank
Israeli wineries prepare to pursue new markets as European Union passes guidelines requiring clear settlement indications. Daniella Cheslow reports from Israel. Ester Kluge was visiting Israel from her native city of Ulm in Germany this month when she heard about the European Union regulations that require labeling the products of Israeli settlements in the West …
World nations agree on a new way to track planes via satellite
A new global deal has open the way for nations to track civilian planes by using satellites. The breakthrough was motivated by the disappearance of the Malaysian airliner, according to the UN communications agency. Delegates from over 160 nations agreed to dedicate part of the radio spectrum to a global flight tracking system at the …