Author: DW

Ramping up Europe’s defense spending has been a major demand by US President Donald Trump and his administration since day one. This goal has become potentially acceptable to almost all NATO countries thanks to Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s persuasive power, particularly after Germany, the biggest European economy,  threw its weight behind it. Officials at NATO told DW that it’s about giving Trump a win but also “about rebalancing in the alliance,” as one senior diplomat put it, stressing that if that’s achieved, the summit would be a resounding success. Lessons from the G7 in Canada “Hopefully, Trump is not going to leave early like he…

Composer Johann Sebastian Bach reinvented his famous St. John Passion on three occasions, with each version adapted to reflect the spirit of the times. The story, which tells of the Passion of Jesus, is more timely than ever, judging by reworkings of the classic at the Leipzig Bach Festival. In Christian theology, the Passion of Jesus refers to the suffering, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ during his final week on Earth. It includes his arrest, trial, death, and burial, ending with his resurrection, which is a cornerstone to the Christian belief in salvation and redemption. On the opening weekend, the “Queer Passion” — with a new libretto…

The 21 Arab and Muslim-majority countries made it clear where they stood in the Iran-Israel conflict. In a statement published earlier this week, they expressed their “categorical rejection and condemnation of Israel’s recent attacks on the Islamic Republic of Iran,” which started on June 13. The countries spoke of the need to halt “Israeli hostilities against Iran” and expressed “great concern regarding this dangerous escalation, which threatens to have serious consequences on the peace and stability of the entire region.” The signatories included both Jordan and Saudi Arabia. But their stated opposition to Israel’s attacks on Iran has not prevented…

Belarus’ Nasha Niva newspaper on Saturday first reported that opposition leader Siarhei Tsikhanouski and 13 others had been released from prison, where he had been incarcerated since 2020. Tsikhanouski, one of the leaders of the country’s opposition movement, was pardoned, according to rights group Viasna. A regime-critical blogger, Tsikhanouski intended to challenge Alexander Lukashenko for the presidency, but he was locked up by the strongman before the election. Tsikhanouski’s wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who ran against Lukashenko in her husband’s place and has played a leading role in the Belarus opposition since, released a video of his release on Saturday, thanking the US for…

Air travel is widely regarded as the safest way to cover long distances. Statistically, the drive to the airport poses a greater risk to travelers than the flight itself. But when there is a plane crash — such as that of Air India Flight 171 last week (June 12) — statistics offer little comfort. It killed 270 people, including 241 of the 242 people on board.The Air India crash is the first total loss of a Boeing 787-8 aircraftImage: PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP As tragic as such accidents are, their consequences also extend into the economic realm. Alongside efficiency and environmental compatibility, operational safety remains…

Suga, the last member of the K-Pop group BTS to complete his mandatory military service with the South Korean army, was discharged on Saturday, opening the way for the band’s reunion. Suga started his service in 2023.  Earlier this month, BTS members Jimin and Jung Kook were also discharged from their duties. “We confirm that Suga effectively completed his alternative service on June 18 by using his remaining leave. His official discharge date is June 21,” BTS’ label, Big Hit Music, said in a statement. He completed his military duty as a social service agent. Unlike other members, Suga’s discharge was not celebrated with…

Almost two billion words — just under 600 of them swear words — were carefully assessed, and the United States then handed the dubious honor of being the most cursing country in the English-speaking world, at least online. For the Australian duo behind the research, it came as a surprise that the inhabitants of their own country did not lead the way, such is the stereotype that Aussies are easy-going and relaxed, in actions and words. But Australians were only the third-most likely citizens to drop a swear word in conversation online. The reason that America — viewed by some…

“Iran will not surrender and will continue to defend itself,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, told the public in a televised speech this week, following days of Israeli bombing and Iran’s retaliatory strikes. His exact location is unclear. Rumors and hints from the US and the Israeli governments indicate that he could be personally targeted at some point by an Israeli air strike. If Khamenei is assassinated, he would share the fate of many high-ranking members of his regime who have been killed in recent days. And this has prompted many to ask — how can a regime that…

In Germany, there are many people who cannot manage without a car, particularly in the countryside, where public transport networks can be patchy, nonexistent even. Transitioning to electric, or e-, vehicles will not solve the transportation problem on its own. Privately owned electric cars may not run on oil, but they still consume resources, take up space, require roads and parking areas. But much could be resolved if people were able to switch to using robot taxis. For years now, countries like the USA and China have been running pilot projects with self-driving cars and driverless vans. These vehicles are…

The escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, with both sides firing missiles and drones at each other, has unsettled global energy markets.   Israeli attacks on Saturday targeted Iran’s energy infrastructure, including vital oil storage sites, refineries and power stations. Among the locations targeted was the massive South Pars gas field, which is part of the world’s largest reservoir of natural gas. It’s located off Iran’s southern Bushehr province and is the source of most of the gas produced in Iran. Iran shares control over the South Pars gas field with neighboring Qatar, which calls the reservoir under its control North Dome. The attack,…