Author: DW

A man convicted of stabbing Salman Rushdie, leaving the author blind in one eye, has been jailed for 25 years.Hadi Matar was found guilty of attempted murder and assault in February. Prosecutors had been seeking the maximum sentence of 25 years for the attack in August 2022, along with an additional seven-year term for injuring a second man. Image: Hadi Matar. Pic: AP During the trial, Sir Salman revealed he feared he was dying when the masked attacker plunged a knife into his head and body more than a dozen times.The attack happened as the 77-year-old was introduced on stage…

Eager to avoid a looming 20% tariff on its trans-Atlantic exports, the European Union has agreed to “intensify” trade talks with the United States after being accused of moving too slowly. EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic gave the update Thursday before a meeting of EU trade ministers in Brussels, adding that he and his US counterpart Howard Lutnick were due to meet “very soon.” The EU summit was expected to solidify the bloc’s position in negotiations to avoid the additional levies that kick in from July, after US President Donald Trump sealed his first deals since announcing so-called reciprocal tariffs on most global imports last…

On May 17, 1900, US author Lyman Frank Baum published a tale that has since enchanted readers and viewers over generations with its unforgettable characters, magical settings and universal themes of courage, friendship and the search for home. At the heart of the story is Dorothy Gale, a young girl living on a quiet Kansas farm. When a powerful tornado sweeps her and her dog Toto away, she finds herself in the fantastical Land of Oz, where wonder and danger lurk. Advised by a kind witch, Dorothy sets off for the Emerald City by following a Yellow Brick Road, hoping that the mysterious Wizard of…

What has happened between India and Pakistan? India and Pakistan are engaged in conflict in Kashmir, a disputed territory between the two countries. Parts of Kashmir are controlled by India, Pakistan and China. India has carried out airstrikes, which it says targeted militant groups in the region in recent days, with Pakistan describing them as an “act of war” and vowing to retaliate. Both sides have since been launching attacks on each other. The current flashpoint started in April when 26 tourists in India-administered Kashmir were killed. But the region has been disputed for centuries, eventually leading to the current uneasy three-way administration.How India-Pakistan tit-for-tat military…

Japan’s economy contracted at a higher page than expected in the first quarter of 2025, according to official data for the January to March period released on Friday.  Japan’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contracted by 0.2% compared to the previous quarter, the first quarterly drop since the January-March period in 2024.  However, compared with the same quarter in the previous year, Japan’s economy shrank by 0.7% — much steeper than the forecast 0.2% contraction  Sluggish exports, Trump tariffs  The decline was largely due to a fall in exports, which drive the Japanese economy. Data shows demand for exports was waning even before US President Donald Trump…

A court in Thailand issued arrest warrants on Thrusday for 17 people in connection with the deadly collapse of a Bangkok skyscraper. The 30-story tower, which was under construction and intended to house the State Audit Office, was reduced to rubble in seconds when a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Thailand and neighboring Myanmar on March 28. Authorities say they have recovered 89 bodies from the rubble of the collapsed tower. Seven people are still missing. The tower was the only building in Bangkok that collapsed. The suddenness and speed of its collapse has raised questions about the quality of its construction. Deputy Bangkok…

A senior Hamas official has confirmed the militant group is in direct talks with the United States over peace in Gaza, adding that it believes Donald Trump can help broker a deal. Speaking to Sky News’ lead world news presenter Yalda Hakim, Dr Basem Naim said Hamas has shared its proposed agreement both through mediators and “directly with some persons in the US administration”. They are calling for “a prisoner exchange, total withdrawal of Israeli forces, allowing all the aid to get into Gaza and rebuilding of [the] Gaza Strip without forceful immigration,” he said. Image: Basem Naim Dr Naim…

During a visit to Saudi Arabia, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced plans to lift crippling sanctions on Syria, marking a major policy shift by Washington after 14 years of civil war. The country has been isolated by United States and European Union sanctions over the conflict, a 1979 designation as a state sponsor of terrorism and close ties between Damascus and Iran. These curbs blocked exports, froze assets and restricted access to global payment systems, which further decimated an economy wracked by war. The sanctions also exacerbated humanitarian crises that the UN estimates pushed 90% of Syrians below the poverty line. Trump agreed to lift the sanctions despite reported…

The Eurovision Song Contest is heading into the home stretch, with the second semi-final taking place on May 15, ahead of the final on Saturday, May 17. Before the week of competition, the artists from the 37 participating countries all gathered at the official opening ceremony last Sunday on the stage of the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland. The event was designed to reflect the festive and inclusive nature of the competition. But it did not remain unclouded. Disrupted start to Eurovision For this year’s edition, the organizers came up with something special. Instead of having the artists walk across a turquoise Eurovision carpet in the…

In Kenya last week, four young men were found guilty of attempting to smuggle ants. In two separate incidents, the men — two Belgians, a Vietnamese and a Kenyan — were given the choice of a fine of $7,700 (€6,911) or a year in prison for their misdeeds. The Belgian suspects admitted that they had the ants in their possession but said they were collecting them as a hobby. One of the men is a long-time ant fan and belongs to a Facebook group called “the Ant Gang.” However the Kenyan judge didn’t believe them.  The Belgian men, both 19…