Author: DW

Every year as Easter approaches, social media fills up with outraged claims that companies, politicians, institutions or individuals are actively avoiding the word “Easter” and therefore downplaying the traditional religious roots of the Christian holiday, supposedly to avoid offending non-Christians. This year is no different in Germany, with a debate breaking out over the traditional chocolate Easter bunny (Osterhase) which, according to some social media users, has been renamed “sitting bunny” (Sitzhase) by leading supermarkets. Have Easter bunnies been renamed in Germany? Claim: “The sitting bunny is forcing out the Easter bunny,” wrote Johann Martel, a member of parliament for…

The recent earthquake in Myanmar has drawn fresh attention to global preparedness for natural disasters, including on the African continent. African experts are concerned about seismic threats and limited local capacity to respond. For Gladys Karegi Kianji, a seismologist at the University of Nairobi, Kenya, who has studied African earthquakes for 15 years, this is far from a new worry. “I don’t hire an apartment in a tall building beyond the first floor in Nairobi,” Kianji said.  Is Africa at Risk of Earthquakes? Earthquakes have struck the continent before. Thousands were killed in Morocco’s 2023 disaster, while Ethiopia’s 2005 quake resulted in the…

Bayern Munich’s dreams of playing in another Champions League final in Munich are over. There will be no chance to avenge the painful defeat of the 2012 finale dahoam (final at home) on May 31, and no fairy-tale farewell for departing legend Thomas Müller. The team looks set to win back the Bundesliga title by the end of this season, but the inquisition as to why Bayern are not seriously challenging for the Champions League title has already begun. South Korean defender Kim Min-jae is in the spotlight, and not in the way he would have wanted when he signed from Italian side…

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated on Friday that his country may be losing patience with the pace of negotiations for a ceasefire in Ukraine . “We are now reaching a point where we need to decide whether this is even possible or not,” Marco Rubio told reporters as he was returning to the US from Paris. “We need to figure out here now, within a matter of days, whether this is doable in the short term, because if it’s not, then I think we’re just going to move on. “If it is, we’re in. If it’s not, then… we have other…

At least 1,024 international students at US colleges, universities and university systems have had their visas revoked or their legal status terminated since late March, according to a review of university statements and correspondence with school officials by The Associated Press. The administration of US President Donald Trump said it should be allowed to deport noncitizens over involvement in pro-Palestinian activism. But in the vast majority of visa revocations, colleges have said there is no indication affected students had a role in protests. OPT program hopes unravel The United States issues the bulk of its foreign skilled worker visas (H-1B) to…

Marco Rubio’s comments are the strongest indication yet of Washington’s apparent growing frustration at the lack of progress in peace talks. It’s been two months since Donald Trump initiated negotiations, with a call to Vladimir Putin, in the hope of bringing the conflict to a swift conclusion. Since then, his team has sat down with both sides on multiple occasions, at multiple levels, in multiple locations.But what have they actually got to show for it?There was a much-touted 30-day ceasefire covering strikes on energy infrastructure, but it never formally began. And with both sides continuing to accuse the other of violating…

Germany’s Federal Cartel Office on Monday gave its approval to UniCredit’s plans for the purchase of a major stake in Commerzbank. The move removes a further obstacle to the Italian bank’s aim to take over its German competitor. Andreas Mundt, head of the Bonn-based antitrust body, said the 29.99% stake has been cleared as “other significant competitors are active in all areas.” The acquisition “will strengthen UniCredit’s market position in the private and corporate customer business in Germany,” Mundt added. The cartel office ruling allows UniCredit to raise its stake to 29.9%, just short of the 30% threshold that would require…

What you need to know Evidence of carbon deposits in the crust of Mars has been found, suggesting the presence of a carbon cycle. Mars once had a far warmer climate with liquid water and a thick carbon dioxide atmosphere. A broken cycle may have contributed to Mars becoming uninhabitable. Scientists studying soil samples from NASA’s  Curiosity rover have discovered that a carbon cycle similar to the one that sustains life on Earth once played out on the red planet. While it’s unclear whether Marsever supported life, its current harsh environment may be due to an “imbalanced” carbon cycle. “Mars seems to…

Bayern Munich’s dreams of playing in another Champions League final in Munich are over. There will be no chance to avenge the painful defeat of the 2012 finale dahoam (final at home) on May 31, and no fairytale farewell for departing legend Thomas Müller. The team looks set to win back the Bundesliga title by the end of this season, but the inquisition as to why Bayern are not seriously challenging for the Champions League title has already begun. South Korean defender Kim Min-jae is in the spotlight, and not in the way he would have wanted when he signed from Italian side…

Venice resumed charging an entry free for day tourists visiting the Italian lagoon city on Friday. The scheme was first introduced in 2024, with the city requiring an “Access Fee” of €5 ($5.69) from day visitors. However, this year last-minute day travelers would have to pay double that entry fee. “For those who pay the Access Fee in the 3 days before the day of access, the amount is equal to €10.00,” the municipality of Venice said on its website. Venice attempting to manage mass tourism The 2024 decision to charge day-trippers made Venice the world’s first city to charge an admission fee…