Author: DW

Synthetic hair products are in the spotlight after a study found some materials sold to US consumers contain cancer-causing chemicals.  For African women, braiding has for decades helped them maintain their natural hair — keeping it protected from breakage and damage. Many women use “synthetic hair” to make braiding easier. The materials most used for synthetic braids are Kanekalon and Toyokalon, which were developed by Japanese chemical manufacturers in the fifties. Unlike real hair, synthetic weaves retain their shape longer and require little maintenance, making them a convenient option for those who want to keep a particular hairstyle for a…

Cricket’s governing body (ICC) has announced it will form a dedicated task force to support Afghanistan’s women cricketers who have been displaced by the Taliban. The news is a joyful surprise to many of the women battling to represent their nation over the last three years. “I can’t describe my feelings when I heard the news,” Firooza Afghan told DW. “I cannot say that it’s just three years. I think it’s more than 20 years.” “When we were in Afghanistan, other women before us … were fighting for this team since 2010. They were fighting to have a team so…

Former US President Joe Biden spoke out against Donald Trump’s policies, especially regarding Social Security, during a speech in Chicago on Tuesday — his first major public appearance since leaving office in January. Addressing disability advocates, the 82-year-old Democrat said Trump had “taken a hatchet” to Social Security. Millions of US citizens are reliant on Social Security to cover their basic needs, but there is a fear that Trump’s cost-cutting policies and the efforts by his advisor Elon Musk to shrink the government will cripple the system. Some 73 million elderly and disabled citizens are provided annually with around $1.4 trillion (roughly €1.15…

Member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday finalized a historic agreement to prepare the world forfuture pandemics following negotiations that spanned over three years. The proposal will now be considered before the World Health Assembly — the decision-making forum of the global health body — in May. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the draft agreement “demonstrated that multilateralism is alive and well, and that in our divided world, nations can still work together to find common ground, and a shared response to shared threats.” What’s in the draft WHO pandemic agreement? The Pandemic Agreement maps out measures to thwart pandemics…

Meta could be forced to sell Instagram and WhatsApp if it loses a landmark trial that just started in the US. So, what is the social media giant accused of, and what could the court case mean for all of us? What is Meta accused of?The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is accusing Meta of buying Instagram and WhatsApp over a decade ago to neutralise its competition, in line with Mark Zuckerberg’s alleged 2008 directive that “it is better to buy than compete”.When Facebook bought Instagram in 2012, emails read out in court show that Zuckerberg was worried about Facebook’s performance…

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…

Universal basic income — or “free money” for everyone, without needing to work for it — might feel like an unrealistic dream. But economists have been seriously reflecting on its advantages and developing models for how it could work. Public figures who have claimed support for the idea range from Marxist thinkers to the Pope to Elon Musk. Germany has been discussing the concept since the 1970s. In a way, the country already offers a form of basic income to those who are unemployed. Those benefits are considered relatively high by international standards, but unlike such current unemployment compensation systems, universal…

What you need to know A US study says that CT scans could account for 1 in 20 cancer cases diagnosed each year if current overuse doesn’t change. CT scans are an essential tool used to diagnose a range of medical conditions, but ionizing radiation exposure occurs as a result. Stringent use of CT scanning could help mitigate risk. US researchers are warning of the potential risks from CT scans, a standard method used to create detailed images of the body for diagnosing diseases. Computed tomography (CT or CAT) scans use X-rays to create a three-dimensional image of a patient. The…

Skip next section Russia says 1 dead, 9 injured in drone strike on Kursk04/15/2025April 15, 2025Russia says 1 dead, 9 injured in drone strike on KurskAt least one person was killed and nine others were injured in an overnight Ukrainian drone attack in the city of Kursk in Russia’s west, regional authorities and Russian state news agency TASS said on Tuesday.  An 85-year woman died in the attack, the regional government said in a post on Telegram, calling the strike “massive.” Fires broke out in some apartment blocks across the city, the statement added.  A multi-story apartment building was damaged in…

The United States federal government on Monday announced it is to freeze more than $2.2 billion (€1.94 billion) in grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard as the university has said it won’t stymie activism on campus, a key demand from the Trump administration. On Monday Harvard rejected numerous demands from the Trump administration with the Donald Trump administration subsequently making the decision to halt the funding. How did Harvard react to the demands from the Trump administration? The move came hours after university president, Alan Garber, said in a letter to the Harvard community, “The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish…