Author: DW

In a social media video, a young Russian teenager holds a solo protest by showing anti-government slogans that read  “Freedom for political prisoners,” or “I am against Putin.”  We can immediately sense that this boy, Arseny Turbin, who is only 14 years old at the time, is committed to social justice. But few would imagine that his courageous, if somewhat naive, activism might in any way threaten the power of Russian president, Vladimir Putin. Yet in a country where crackdown on dissent is widespread, such posts — even when they don’t go viral — apparently carry enough threat to attract the authorities’ attention. Turbin is currently serving a five-year prison sentence, making him one of Russia’s youngest political prisoners.Arseny Turbin is still…

“VitiVoltaic” projects aim to make viticulture fit for climate change. The term is a portmanteau of the Latin genus name for the grapevine, vitis vinifera, and the word for solar power generation, photovoltaics. This new technology makes it possible to harvest two very different things on two levels: Electricity above and wine grapes below. Pilot projects are underway to test which technology works where — and at what price. In Germany’s southwestern Rheingau region, known for its picturesque vineyards, the Hochschule Geisenheim University (HGU) specializes in all aspects of the wine industry. Here, researchers have created a test facility to determine…

A spokesman for the Iranian Football Association (FFIRI) announced on Friday that it would not be sending a delegation to Washington, DC, for the draw for the group stage of next year’s World Cup. “We have informed FIFA that the decisions taken have nothing to do with sports and the members of the Iranian delegation will not participate in the World Cup draw,” FFIRI spokesman Amir Mahdi Alavi told state television. He said the move was in protest over the fact that several members of the Iranian delegation had not been granted visas to enter the United States. According to…

Oscar-winning British playwright Tom Stoppard, whose celebrated work revolutionized modern theater and earned him one of cinema’s highest accolades for Shakespeare in Love, has passed away at the age of 88. According to his agency, United Agents, the acclaimed playwright passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his family. Stoppard, a Czech-born writer who is often hailed as the greatest British dramatist of his generation, had a career defined by wit, intellectual daring, and a mastery of language. His Academy Award was one of many distinctions he received, including multiple Tonys and Oliviers. Stoppard escaped Nazis as a child Stoppard was…

A group of of young women and girls abducted in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno state on November 22 were freed late Saturday. Their release comes amid a surge in abductions of young people across the country over the past two weeks. “All 12 were released,” Abubakar Mazhinyi, president of the local Askira-Uba council, told the AFP news agency. The Nigeria Army said “the rescued girls have been evacuated to a secure military facility where they are receiving comprehensive medical care, psychological support and debriefing. Upon completion of these processes, they will be formally reunited with their families.”Nigeria: Fighting terror and separatismTo view this…

After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, many Russian-speaking Ukrainians deliberately decided to refrain from using Russian in daily life and to speak only Ukrainian. Over time, this initial emotional impulse seems to have subsided, and some Russian-speaking Ukrainians have reverted to their old ways. A significant proportion of young people in schools, and sometimes even teachers, continue to speak Russian to each other. Nevertheless, the use of Ukrainian in schools continues to increase, according to a study conducted by the State Service of Education Quality of Ukraine (SSEQU) and the Commissioner for the Protection of the Ukrainian Language in April…

Germany has been warned for years that it risks becoming an “industrial museum” unless it embraces radical modernization — and that includes artificial intelligence (AI). Productivity in Europe’s biggest economy has barely grown for 15 years, export share in automobiles and machinery is shrinking and Germany’s energy costs are among the highest in the G7 group of wealthy nations. Together, this has created a toxic mix that is steadily eroding the country’s global competitiveness. Policymakers and business leaders believe a narrow window exists to reverse the slide by fully embracing AI in factories and supply chains, helping the country to play catch-up with the world’s two biggest…

Chemical poisoning — not foodborne disease — is now considered the probable cause of the deaths of a German-Turkish family in Istanbul. The mother and two children died between 13 and 14 November; the father and husband of the deceased passed away on 17 November. Preliminary autopsy reports filed with the prosecutor’s office in Turkey cited the presence of phosphine on samples taken from the family’s hotel room, according to state-run news agency Andalou.  This brings the role of phosphine-producing pesticides back into focus and follows several similar incidents in Turkey, but also elsewhere in the world. Excerpts from the initial report said “primarily, it is…

In years to come, Germany fans will talk about this game against Spain in Kaiserslautern. Not because of how they won it or how impressive Spain were, but because of how truly incredible it was they didn’t win. Whether it was the woodwork,  Spanish goalkeeper Cata Coll, bad luck or their own lack of composure in front of goal, Germany somehow failed to convert any of their 15 shots into goals. In perhaps their most dominant display under head coach Christian Wück, Germany were left scratching their heads at how this game ended goalless. “We are frustrated with this 0-0 draw. I would…

The United States said Friday it will halt all asylum decisions following the shooting of National Guard members near the White House. US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow said asylum decisions would be paused “until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.” “The safety of the American people always comes first,” Edlow posted on X. The decision follows President Donald Trump’s announcement that he would halt migration from what he called “third world countries.” The move is the latest immigration policy change after two National Guard soldiers were shot while…