Author: DW

New York University’s so-called Litigation Tracker website, listing legal challenges to the Trump administration’s actions, already reads quite impressively. First published by the university’s law school on January 29 and last updated on February 27, it records almost 100 cases in which citizens or institutions have taken legal action against decisions made by the new US president. The lawsuits mainly concern the numerous executive orders Donald Trump has issued since taking office. For example, the dissolution of agencies such as America’s international aid organization, USAID, the dismissal of state employees, and the suspension of government payments, to mention a few.…

Weapons companies’ share prices surged across Europe and the UK’s benchmark stock index reached a record high amid talks of increased defence spending.The FTSE 100 index of the most valuable companies on the London Stock Exchange hit a level never seen before as arms maker BAE Systems saw its share price rise as much as 17.5% on Monday to its record high. That share price rise added about £5.92bn to the company’s total value on Monday from the close on Friday afternoon.Also boosting the FTSE 100 to a never-before-seen level was defence and aerospace firm Rolls-Royce Holdings whose stocks rose…

“Anora,” a drama about a sex worker who elopes with the son of a Russian oligarch, took home five Academy Awards, including best picture and best director for Sean Baker. First-time nominee Mikey Madison, who won best lead actress for her portrayal of a 23-year-old sex worker in New York, honored the sex worker community in her acceptance speech saying that she will “continue to support and be an ally.” “Anora,” which showcases Madison’s character’s struggles following an ill-fated romance, was made for just $6 million (€5.8 million). Baker, who picked up his first Oscar as best director, added: “I want to thank the Academy for recognizing a truly…

A US private spacecraft achieved its first-ever uncrewed lunar landing on Sunday, marking the second commercial moon landing. Firefly Aerospace’s lunar lander Blue Ghost touched down near an ancient volcanic vent on Mare Crisium, a large basin in the northeast corner of the moon’s Earth-facing side. “We’re on the moon,” Mission Control reported, adding the lander was “stable.” The mission is part of a NASA partnership with industry to cut costs and support the Artemis program, which strives to return astronauts to the moon. “We’re going to be putting America first, we’re making America proud, we’re doing this for the US…

The Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) report into the October 7 Hamas terror attacks in southern Israel made for difficult reading for most Israelis. The conclusions in the report, released last week, were not entirely new, but they added another layer after an emotional few weeks in which 30 hostages were returned alive but eight more came home in coffins. And while the first phase of the ceasefire and hostage release deal has come to an end, the next phase remains unclear. Fifty-nine kidnapped soldiers and civilian hostages remain in Gaza, 24 of whom are believed to be alive. After the publication…

Israel stopped the entry of essential aid into the Gaza Strip on Sunday, following a decision by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, drawing a strong rebuke from the United Nations, regional powers Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and humanitarian organizations. The move is in response to what Netanyahu’s office called “Hamas’ refusal” to accept an outline for the resumption of truce talks presented by US President Donald Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. The first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, which included a surge in humanitarian assistance, expired on Saturday. The two sides disagree about the next steps in the…

Earlier this month, Brazil’s state-controlled oil giant Petrobras couldn’t have found a bigger event to unveil a major new customer. At the Brazil Energy Forum in Rio de Janeiro, the company’s director of logistics, commercialization and markets, Claudio Romeo Schlosser, said an agreement had been reached with India’s Bharat Petroleum Corporation for the delivery of 6 million barrels of oil annually between 2025 and 2026. “We are expanding our international customer base. Until now, it has been heavily concentrated on China,” Schlosser said in Rio, before traveling to India 10 days later where the deal was finalized and signed on February…

Boxer Gervonta Davis has held onto his WBA lightweight title despite voluntarily dropping a knee to the canvas and getting hair product wiped from his face.His opponent, Lamont Roach, said the knee position should have counted as a “knockdown”. Had it been, Davis would have lost a point and Roach would have won their bout in New York, leading to Davis’s first career defeat.But the fight was scored as a majority draw, meaning that Davis – nicknamed Tank – held onto his belt.One judge gave the contest to Davis 115-113, the other two scoring it 114-114. Davis willingly took a…

US President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order making English the official language of the United States, a White House official said on Friday, without specifying when it will be signed. Designating English as the national language “promotes unity, establishes efficiency in government operations, and creates a pathway for civic engagement,” according to a White House document.  While acknowledging that over 350 languages are spoken in the United States, the White House document says that English has always been “the language of our nation, with historic documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution written in English.”…

A US private spaceship has achieved its first ever uncrewed lunar landing on Sunday, marking the second commercial moon landing. Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost touched down near an ancient volcanic vent on Mare Crisium, a large basin in the northeast corner of the moon’s Earth-facing side. “We’re on the moon,” Mission Control reported, adding the lander was “stable.” The mission is part of a NASA partnership with industry to cut costs and support the Artemis program, which strives to return astronauts to the moon. “We’re going to be putting America first, we’re making America proud, we’re doing this for the…