Author: DW

On May 20, the hearing of a French billionaire before a parliamentary inquiry committee was intended to lift the lid on what the committee had earlier called an “outright ecosystem of political conquest.” The lid, however, had to be kept tight because Pierre-Edouard Sterin didn’t show up to the National Assembly. Originally, French lawmakers wanted to question the billionaire founder of Smartbox — a company that sells experience gifts — on his Pericles project, through which he’s invested about €30 million ($34.24 million) in initiatives promoting his conservative values. “Yesterday, Mr Sterin told us he wanted to testify via video link for security reasons,” the…

The head of the UN says he is “appalled” by reports of Palestinians killed and injured while seeking aid in Gaza on Sunday.Secretary general Antonio Guterres called for an independent investigation, and said: “It is unacceptable that Palestinians are risking their lives for food.” At least 31 people were killed yesterday near an aid distribution centre in the Rafah area of southern Gaza, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.The intervention by Mr Guterres came as 14 people were killed in an Israeli strike, mostly women and children, on Monday.Meanwhile, a funeral has been held for Gaza doctor who lost…

In the annals of World War II history, few would have expected a British-born Sikh princess from a dethroned royal family to quietly resist Nazi Germany, and live openly with a female partner long before LGBTQ+ rights were acknowledged — let alone accepted. Yet, that is precisely what Princess Catherine Hilda Duleep Singh did. The daughter of the last Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, Catherine blazed her own trail and defied social norms.  The recognition of her legacy is relatively recent. Among those who’ve brought her acts to the forefront is British biographer Peter Bance, who has spent over two…

Light consists of individual particles that propagate in waves. The wavelength determines the color and energy of the light. The human eye can only perceive a small section of this spectrum, approximately the range between 400 and 700 nanometers. Because of that, we humans are unable to see the infrared range, with its longer wavelengths of 750 nanometers to one millimeter. So in order to see infrared light, we have needed comparatively bulky night-vision goggles or night-vision devices with their own energy source — until now. Infrared contact lenses from China Researchers at the University of Science and Technology in…

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) won the Champions League for the first time by thrashing Italian side Inter 5-0 on Saturday. It’s the most one-sided final in the tournament’s history, eclipsing Inter’s city rivals AC Milan’s 4-0 win over Barcelona in 1994. PSG gave their opponents no chance from the start of the match in Munich, Germany. PSG are just the second French club since Marseille in 1993 to win European club football’s top trophyImage: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images The 19-year-old French forward Desire Doue scored twice for PSG and set up the opening goal for Achraf Hakimi in the stadium usually used by Bayern Munich before…

At least 21 athletes were killed on Saturday after the bus they were traveling on drove off a bridge in the northern Nigerian state of Kano, the state governor said. The athletes were returning home from the National Sports Festival that they had been participating in for the previous week in Ogun state, in the country’s southwest. Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf said that the driver of the bus appeared to lose control while crossing over the Chiromawa Bridge on the Kano-Zaria expressway. Several other passengers were injured in the crash. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said the accident may have…

Several people were injured in an attack at an outdoor mall in Boulder, Colorado, police said on Sunday. The attack occurred at the popular Pearl Street pedestrian mall known for attracting tourists and college students. FBI Director Kash Patel said an investigation had been launched following a “targeted terror attack.” “We are aware of and fully investigating a targeted terror attack in Boulder, Colorado,” Patel said on X.  He added: “Our agents and local law enforcement are on the scene already, and we will share updates as more information becomes available.” He did not provide any further information while Boulder police said it was too soon to speculate about…

Ukraine hit more than 40 Russian bomber aircraft at four bases across Russia, using drones smuggled into the country and launched remotely off the back of trucks, security sources said.It is one of the most audacious Ukrainian special operations since the start of Vladimir Putin’s war more than three years ago – and is a huge breach of Russia’s national defences. The targeting of the bomber force will degrade the Russian military’s ability to launch missile strikes against Ukraine.Ukraine war: Kyiv ceasefire plan calls for meeting with PutinVideos shared with Sky News by Ukraine’s SBU Security Service purport to show…

If the famous composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart were a child prodigy today, he would probably have millions of followers and “friend” requests on social media. But even in the 18th century, Mozart’s father Leopold warned his son against false friends — people who envied him, but also flatterers who only told him what he wanted to hear. This year’s Mozartfest Würzburg, which started this week and runs through June 22, is about Mozart’s friendships. The festival in Würzburg is the oldest and largest Mozart festival in Germany, held every year at the Würzburg Residence, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The festival’s…

This was a night of firsts. A first Champions League for Paris Saint-Germain. The first time a final has been won by five goals. And a first European trophy for Qatar. “Everyone doubted us,” said Qatari club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi after the match. ” A lot of people didn’t have faith in our project. Today we’ve proved it. Honestly, I can’t believe it, we won 5-0. It’s a dream, As PSG coach Luis Enrique and his players bounced joyfully on the Munich pitch before lifting up Al-Khelaifi after a stylish 5-0 dismantling of Inter on Saturday night, Qatar Airways advertising provided both backdrop and…