Author: DW

A group of US-based researchers is due to start work at a French university in June, as scientists and academics scramble to deal with massive cuts introduced by President Donald Trump’s administration. France’s Aix-Marseille University said its “Safe Place for Science” scheme, which in March became available to US scientists threatened by cuts to higher education in America, was flooded with applicants.Trump freezes over $2 billion in Harvard University fundsTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video What did the French university say? The “Safe Space for Science” scheme aims to attract…

The building blocks for life are thought have been brought to Earth by asteroids that bombarded our planet long ago.But the amino acids that form proteins, the ring-shaped molecules that make up DNA and other organic compounds are just chemistry. It’s in the oceans of the early Earth that they became biology. Image: An illustration shows a hycean world which could be what K2-18 b is. Pic: Reuters Exactly how isn’t known. But life evolved.And if it did so once, could it have happened again? The evidence from planet K2-18b is tantalising.Analysis of how its atmosphere absorbs light strongly suggests…

The euro has surged over 10% against the US dollar since January, reaching 1.1369 dollars per euro on Monday (April 14). While much of the euro’s rally stems from a flight from the dollar due to US President Donald Trump’s protectionist trade policies — including steep tariffs of 145% on China — part of the single currency’s strength reflects growing confidence in the eurozone economy. The 20-member eurozone is rebounding from a mild recession in 2023, with growth of 0.8% last year and a projected 1.3% expansion in 2025. However, looming 20% US tariffs on imports from the European Union — currently paused for 90 days — could still…

Joseph Beuys’ artworks and performances were already celebrated during his lifetime (1921-1986) — but he was also a controversial figure. He used unusual materials in his artworks, such as felt and fat. He explored natural healing and shamanic rituals. His spectacular performances and ideas shaped the art scene from the 1960s to the 1980s. His concept that “everyone is an artist” remains widely appealing. Some of the controversy extends beyond his artistic pursuits, however, as Beuys has been accused of never clearly distancing himself from the Nazi regime and the role he played during World War II. He was a Luftwaffe fighter pilot during…

It’s not often that a hat trick in a Champions League quarterfinal isn’t enough, but such was the case for Borussia Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy. The Guinean’s treble helped the Bundesliga side win the night but not the tie as Spanish giants Barcelona advanced to the semifinals on aggregate. But, in the aftermath of Barcelona’s first defeat this year, the context of Guirassy’s performance became clear. “It’s an amazing feeling to be the top scorer in the Champions League, especially among so many incredible players. Leading the charts shows I’m a strong finisher, but none of it would be possible without the…

A German high-level business delegation visited Bangladesh this month to explore the possibility of expanding commercial relations between the two countries. The delegation — including representatives from the German Foreign and Economic ministries, as well as officials from the nation’s export credit agency and the international development agency — participated in the Bangladesh Investment Summit 2025 in Dhaka and held talks with the South Asian country’s interim government. The mission was coordinated by the German Asia-Pacific Business Association (OAV), a network that promotes German business interests across Asia. “Bangladesh’s resilience as an emerging market is impressive,” said Thomas Köning, CEO…

As the clash between the world’s richest university and the world’s most powerful man escalates, Harvard University remains, so far, the most prominent institution to stand up to US President Donald Trump and his administration. On April 11, the Trump administration sent Harvard a list of demands, including “shuttering all diversity, equity, and inclusion” programs and having a government-approved external body audit the student and staff for “viewpoint diversity.” Some demands were particularly targeted at Harvard’s handling of international students. They included reforming the admissions process to “prevent admitting students hostile to the American values” and having Harvard report foreign students who commit a…

Spotify is suffering a widespread outage – with the popular music app failing to load for many users.On X, the streaming service confirmed the disruption and said: “We’re aware of some issues right now and are checking them out!” Downdetector showed more than 48,000 outage reports for Spotify worldwide at 3pm.Many of those users reported having problems loading the app or playing songs. “Definitely a gremlin in the works,” one wrote.Another calm user added: “I NEED MY BACKGROUND MUSIC NOW!!!!!!!” Read more from science and technology:Is this the end of 4Chan?Millions tune in to see Sweden’s annual moose migrationCould Meta…

Trade protectionism is nothing new in human history — not even in export-driven Germany, where in the 19th century, then-Chancellor Otto von Bismarck attempted to introduce protective tariffs on wheat imports. Pushed by a strong farmers’ lobby in the parliament, Bismarck’s tariffs were intended to curb growing imports of cheap wheat from other European countries — a goal which eventually failed. Since US President Donald Trump is known for his own, very unique take on history, he didn’t hesitate to usher in a new era of protectionism, aiming to shield and isolate the world’s largest economy through an aggressive tariff policy.Will…

Iran’s Revolutionary Court has sentenced filmmakers Behtash Sanaeeha and Maryam Moghaddam and producer Gholamreza Mousavi to 14 months behind bars on charges of propaganda against the Islamic Republic, as well as to one year of imprisonment on charges of “producing obscene content” with their award-winning film “Keyke mahboobe man” (or “My Favorite Cake”), which premiered at the Berlinale in 2024. The court has ordered the confiscation of all film equipment, but both sentences will be suspended for five years, according to Iranian media outlets. The film violates many taboos of the Iranian theocracy. “My Favorite Cake” tells the story of a 70-year-old widow living alone who…