Author: DW

Lara Schenk has never been one to be afraid of upping roots to pursue a new challenge in a foreign land. So perhaps it is not that surprising that the 25-year-old German took a leap of faith earlier this year, signing on to play in the world’s newest women’s professional soccer league, the Northern Super League (NSL). Since crossing the pond in April, Schenk has established herself in the starting 11 of the Montreal Roses, one of the NSL’s six founding clubs. For the only German player in Canada’s topflight, who describes herself as a “two-footed and aggressive defender,” the…

Two weeks after the European Commission laid out a plan to impose first-of-their-kind penalties on Israel, the proposal remains stalled due to disagreements among the bloc’s members. Germany is among the hold-outs asking for more time to review, European Union (EU) diplomats told DW. Without Berlin’s backing, the plan is unlikely to advance. “Humanitarian suffering in Gaza has reached unimaginable levels, with famine unfolding before our eyes,” the EU’s executive warned on Tuesday. In a bid to pressure Israel to change course, it proposed barring Israeli startups from accessing part of a pot of EU research funding known as “Horizon…

Kim Jong Un’s sister denied claims North Korea had removed some of its loudspeakers along its border with the South, saying Seoul is wrong to think of renewed dialogue between the two countries. “We have never removed loudspeakers installed in the border area and are not willing to remove them,” Kim Yo Jong said on Thursday. Kim Yo Jong, the North Korean leader’s powerful sibling, repeated previous North Korean statements that Pyongyang has no interest in reviving negotiations with the US and South Korea. She said an upcoming military drill planned between the two countries at the end of August is…

Needing to fill some space in the first issue of Germany’s Bild tabloid newspaper in 1952, comic artist Reinhard Beuthien came up with Lilli, a sensual character designed to attract male readers. Lilli’s titillating comic strip adventures were like scenes from an erotic film: Sometimes she talked about a long-distance truck driver who “helped out” when her car broke down, leaving her dress covered in oily hand prints. Another time she teases a policeman on a beach where two-piece swimsuits are banned, asking him: “Which part should I take off?” Who would have thought that a version of this sexualized caricature…

Fraudulent scientific research is on the rise and is jeopardizing medical research, experts have warned. A new study has found that networks of bad actors work together to publish bogus research. The findings, published in the journal PNAS this week, came from analyzing more than 5 million scientific articles published across 70,000 journals. “There are groups of editors conspiring to publish low-quality articles, at scale, escaping traditional peer review processes,” said the study’s lead author Reese Richardson, a social scientist at Northwestern University in the US. The research uncovered evidence of networks of scientific journal editors who frequently publish research that is…

A compensation claim that could be worth billions of euros and involve 100,000 footballers who have played professionally in the European Union over the last 23 years may alter the financial landscape of the sport. The Dutch foundation Justice for Players (JFP) has launched a lawsuit against global governing body FIFA. Also named as co-defendants in the case are the German Football Association (DFB) and those of France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark. “It will amount to billions,” Dolf Segaar, a lawyer and board member for JFP, told DW. “It’s not only about money. It is about fair rules, which we believe are…

French President Emmanuel Macron admitted his country used “repressive violence” in Cameroon during the 1950s, as the West African nation fought for its independence. In a letter sent to Cameroonian counterpart Paul Biya last month, Macron acknowledged the actions of French colonial troops. The letter was made public by Macron’s office on Tuesday, and comes at a time when France’s current presence in its former African colonies has become increasingly contested. This comes following an official report, commissioned by France in 2022, which found that France used mass forced displacement, pushed scores of Cameroonians into internment camps and supported militias known…

South Korea’s former first lady Kim Keon Hee became the first in the country’s history to be arrested. The charges against the wife of impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol include stock fraud, bribery and influence peddling, charges punishable by years in prison. The 52-year-old has denied the accusations against her, according to a special prosecutor leading the investigation. Kim underwent hours-long questioning last week, with the prosecutors filing for her arrest warrant the day afterwards. “I sincerely apologize for causing trouble despite being a person of no importance,” Kim said upon arrival at the prosecutors’ office. What are the allegations against Kim…

After months as a trade pariah, China is now at the heart of US President Donald Trump’s efforts to reset relations and avoid another tariff spiral. Back in April, Trump labeled China “the greatest threat to America,” saying it had “cheated” the world’s largest economy for decades. He then slapped massive tariffs of 145% on Chinese goods. Just months later, the tone has shifted. Trump has extended the tariff pause on China, praised President Xi Jinping as “a strong leader,” and floated the idea of a US-China summit this fall. Meanwhile, countries like India and Brazil now face the steepest penalties — up to 50% tariffs — while China’s…

Germany can appear relatively laissez-faire compared to other countries. It’s still possible to smoke in some bars and sunbathe nude in public parks, while 16-year-olds can legally drink beer or wine — the age limit is 21 in the United States.     But Germany is also heavily regulated — especially on Sundays and public holidays. From dancing bans to sandcastle building edicts and enforced silence on public holidays, the German rule book is also full of quirky, often outdated laws. 1. Good Friday dancing — and movies — ban In most of Germany’s 16 states, Good Friday is regarded as a “silent public holiday”…