Author: DW

“What we invest in defense actually shows how we value defense. And for that past decade we haven’t put a very high importance on it,” said EU foreign representative Kaja Kallas when she presented the bloc’s new defense strategy in Brussels on Wednesday. The Estonian diplomat said the world has not experienced such turbulent times since 1945, and that it was time to act. The European Commission presented its strategy paper as a blueprint to bolstering the defense capabilities and readiness of the EU and its member states by 2030. According to the so-called paper, one of the main drivers for the initiative is Russian…

Britain’s Heathrow Airport has completely shutdown and will be closed all day on Friday following a large fire at a nearby electrical substation knocked out power to one of the world’s busiest airports. “To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on 21 March,” Heathrow Airport said in a post on X, adding that “passengers are advised not to travel to the airport and should contact their airline for further information.” Flights being diverted worldwide Scores of flights were already being diverted to land at other airports. According to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, at the time…

US President Donald Trump seems convinced today’s strong dollar is holding back American industry. In his view, the US needs a weaker dollar to push exports, bring back manufacturing jobs, and help reduce the country’s massive trade deficit. But others are not convinced by the simplicity of the argument. David Lubin explained that a strong dollar means it is relatively cheap to buy other currencies, while a weak dollar means it’s more expensive to buy other currencies. The senior research fellow at the London-based think tank Chatham House told DW that it’s “all about exchange rates.” “When the dollar is strong, US imports rise…

A French scientist has been denied entry into the US after he was found to have expressed an opinion about the Trump administration’s research policy, the country’s research minister has said.The unnamed researcher was on his way to a conference being held near Houston when he was subjected to a random check and his work computer and personal phone searched on 9 March, the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency reported. A diplomatic source told the agency the researcher was accused of having messages “that reflect hatred toward Trump and can be described as terrorism”.Another source said the researcher was accused…

Joana Meurkens didn’t have an easy start into the new year. Her landlord raised the rent of her Brooklyn apartment, forcing the 26-year-old actress and singer from New York to move out and temporarily live between her boyfriend’s and her parents’ homes.  “Rent and groceries are really high, eggs are like $1 per egg now, even the subway is more expensive. So I thought, I might as well move out and save money,” she says. Supermarkets in the US are experiencing an egg shortageImage: David Zalubowski/AP Photo/picture alliance Rising prices are just one of the reasons why young Americans like Joana are increasingly dissatisfied — …

The European Space Agency (ESA) on Wednesday released its first batch of data from the Euclid space telescope’s mission to create a 3D map of the universe in unprecedented detail.  The telescope, launched from Florida in 2023, is currently hovering 1.5 million kilometers (932,000 miles) from Earth.  Over the course of its six-year mission, Euclid is expected to chart one-third of the sky, encompassing 1.5 billion galaxies.  While in orbit, it’s tasked with gathering data on how the universe has expanded over time and shedding light on the mysterious forces of dark energy and dark matter. The new data released Wednesday covers only…

The debate about transgender women athletes in competitive sports has been going on for years. In the United States, President Donald Trump recently signed a decree banning trans women athletes from women’s sports nationally.  Many federations have tightened their participation rules. At the World Athletics Association, for example, no one who has gone through male puberty has been allowed to participate in women’s competitions since 2023. And even stricter and exclusionary criteria could soon follow. The results of internal consultations on this could soon become known.  With the new IOC presidency, changes could also be in the offing for the…

Pope Francis no longer requires non-invasive ventilation for breath support and his condition is “improving,” the Vatican said on Wednesday. The Argentine pontiff was admitted to a hospital in Rome in mid-February with a severe respiratory infection, which has required evolving treatment. “The Pope’s doctors have said that his lung infections are under control, although not eliminated,” the Vatican statement read. The pope, who is 88 years old, was assisted by non-invasive ventilation — the supply of oxygen with the help of a mask that delivered air with the help of pressure. He no longer requires that respiratory support, his doctors said, adding that the pope is still receiving oxygen via…

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RI) is suing the administration of President Donald Trump to try to reverse an order canceling funding for the US-backed broadcaster. The media group’s president and CEO Stephen Capus said he believes the network has a “very strong case.” “It is an unlawful act to withhold the funds that have been appropriated by Congress,” Capus told DW from Washington, D.C., where he was holding meetings with congressional staffers to make his case. “It’s time to release the funds. It’s time to respect this work that’s being done, and it’s of vital nature both for the United States…

Germany’s industrial backbone is facing an unprecedented challenge. Once the leader in high-end manufacturing, the country has witnessed a five-year decline in industrial production, which threatens up to 5.5 million jobs and 20% of gross domestic product (GDP), according to a recent report by the London-based Centre for European Reform (CER). Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine forced Germany to reduce its reliance on Russian oil and gas, sending energy prices soaring and severely hurting industrial sectors like chemicals and steel. Additionally, post-pandemic supply chain disruptions reduced demand for German exports. Another major factor is China’s speedy shift from low-value manufacturing to high-tech and…