Author: DW

A common anti-anxiety drug, which has been found to pollute the world’s waterways, seems to be influencing the migration behavior of wild Atlantic Salmon, according to a  study out of Sweden.  The study, published in the journal Science, found that wild salmon became less risk-averse when they were exposed to the psychoactive drug clobazam. That, in turn, changed the way the fish migrate. “[Salmon exposed to clobazam] were more likely to complete their migration to the sea, and they passed through man-made barriers like hydropower dams faster than fish that were not exposed,” said Jack Brand at the Swedish University…

“Derisk, diversify, and redirect trade” — a mantra once aimed at China’s expanding grip on global trade — is now being applied to the United States. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, currently totalling a staggering 145% on Chinese-made goods, have sent shockwaves through financial markets from Sydney to Sao Paolo.  Capital Economics warned late Thursday that unless the tariffs are rolled back, China’s exports to the US would plummet by more than half in the coming years, cutting Chinese economic growth by up to 1.5%. Many Chinese goods are made specifically for the American market, so economists worry that China will struggle to redirect those products to…

The plan for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, USA is set. Here’s all you need to know about the latest changes and newest additions to one of sport’s biggest events. Which new sports will be included at LA28? Reflecting evolving global interests and aiming to engage younger audiences, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved the inclusion of five new sports. There will be 22 more medal events in LA than in Paris. Baseball/Softball are returning to the Olympic program, with both sports having a strong following in Central and South America, East Asia and the Caribbean.  Another sport also…

The conservative Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and center-left Social Democrats (SPD) have announced a coalition agreement, bringing Germany that much closer to forming a new government. It appears international friction and the recent tariff policies imposed by US President Donald Trump pushed negotiators to reach an agreement sooner, rather than later. Presenting the new agreement on Wednesday, Friedrich Merz of the CDU, likely to become the country’s next chancellor, said Germany was currently facing a “situation of growing geopolitical tensions.”  The response of the coalition-in-waiting to these uncertain times, he said, was that “we want to, and we will, help shape change in the world, for Germany.” …

The latest US-Russia prisoner swap is a further sign of the thawing relations between Moscow and Washington, but I think it’s also an indication of how slow things are moving.Rewind two months to 11 February and you might remember there was another prisoner swap. Out of the blue, 63-year-old American schoolteacher Marc Fogel, who had been imprisoned in Russia on drug smuggling charges, was suddenly released and on his way home to the US.Ukraine war latest: Kremlin rejects Zelenskyy’s China claimIt was part of a deal that had been secured following a secret trip to Moscow by US envoy Steve…

“Derisk, diversify, and redirect trade” — a mantra once aimed at China’s expanding grip on global trade — is now being applied to the United States. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, currently totalling a staggering 125% on Chinese-made goods, have sent shockwaves through financial markets from Sydney to Sao Paolo. As many Chinese goods are made specifically for the American market, economists worry that China will struggle to redirect those products to domestic consumers. Beijing is, instead, rethinking its export strategy to prioritize other global trade partners to help soften the blow of diminishing exports to the US. Diana Choyleva, founder and chief economist at Enodo Economics, a London-based research…

Whether adding bling to Taylor Swift’s cheekbones, pelted by protesters making political statements or stubbornly sticking to your face three days after a music festival, glitter has a magical — and messy — presence in our lives. It features in holiday greeting cards and ornaments, nail polish, fashion accessories, sports events makeup and even food. In marketing and product design, it has been used to convey “premium” or “celebratory” vibes. Think shiny gift wrap, sparkling champagne labels, and limited-edition product packaging — if it glitters, we’re more likely to stop and stare. “My love affair with glitter started over a decade ago…

US President Donald Trump wants other countries to import more American beef and poultry. Several countries have restricted importing these products for decades because they don’t meet their food safety regulations. In an announcement on April 2, Trump called out Australian restrictions on US beef, saying: “We imported $3 billion [€2.7 billion] of Australian beef from them just last year alone. They won’t take any of our beef.”  His administration also singled out the UK and EU for “non-science-based” restrictions on importing US beef, and Argentina for its ban of live US cattle exports. Trump has used these import bans as…

Donald Trump’s suite of so-called “Liberation Day” tariffs may be on hold for now, and somewhat watered down, but consumers outside of America maintain boycotts against products from the United States.  From Canada to Europe — traditional US allies are among the hardest hit — people are rallying behind “buy local” initiatives organized on social media and within bricks-and-mortar shops.   Trump imposed a blanket 10% duty on all imports into the US on April 2. A “reciprocal” tariff began at 12:01 a.m. on April 9 on select nations before the US President announced later the same day that he would now…

Less than a year after Hansi Flick suffered the ignominy of becoming the first Germany head coach to be sacked, the 60-year-old German has restored his reputation at Barcelona and turned a fractured squad into one of Europe’s most exciting teams. Why was Flick’s appointment at Barcelona a surprise?  Germany’s disastrous 2022 World Cup in Qatar was a hit to the reputation of a coach who had previously had so much success at club level with Bayern Munich. Flick’s squad selection drew criticism, and his previously successful pressing game didn’t translate at the international level. Though Germany went undefeated in his…