Author: DW

At least 27 people died on Friday after a boat capsized in the Niger River in centralNigeria.More than 100 others — mostly women — are still missing, authorities said. Some 200 passengers were taking the boat across the river — which acts as a border between the states of Kogi and Niger — to a food market when it capsized, Ibrahim Audu, the Niger State Emergency Management Agency spokesperson said. None of the passengers were wearing life jackets. The final toll is likely to increase, Kogi state authorities warned, as local divers were still looking for the missing and no survivor…

An explosion damaged a canal supplying water to Kosovo’s two main coal-fired power plants on Friday, leading Prime Minister Albin Kurti to accuse neighbor and rival Serbiaof being behind what he called a “terrorist act.” “This is a criminal and terrorist attack aimed at damaging our critical infrastructure”, Kurti said in a press conference. “The attack was carried out by professionals. We believe it comes from gangs directed by Serbia,” Kurti said, without giving more details. Serbian officials are yet to publicly comment on the allegations. What do we know about the blast? The explosion occurred in Kosovo’s troubled northern region…

A cryptocurrency entrepreneur has kept his promise and eaten a banana he bought for $6.2m (£4.9m). Justin Sun snapped up viral art piece Comedian – consisting of a single banana duct-taped to a white wall – in an auction at Sotheby’s in New York last week. The Chinese-born businessman immediately revealed his plan to destroy the artwork by enjoying the fruit as a snack and at a news conference today, he delivered on his word.At a Hong Kong hotel, the 34-year-old took a bite and told reporters: “It’s much better than other bananas. It’s really quite good.”After purchasing Comedian, Mr…

Africa is back in the spotlight as a continent of opportunities, with German Economy Minister Robert Habeck traveling to Kenya to open next week’s two-day German African Business Summit (GABS). The gathering, which is held in a different African country every two years, is Germany’s largest business event focused on the continent, bringing together business and government leaders from Germany and Africa.  Perceptions of Africa’s investment climate “The perspective on Africa is one of exaggerated political, policy and economic risks: politically unstable, corrupt, weak infrastructure, bureaucratic hurdles and high-risk environment,” said Serwah Prempeh, a senior fellow at the Africa Policy Research Institute’s (APRI) economy and society program.…

After more than five years of reconstruction work, Notre Dame cathedral offered its new self to the world on Friday.  French President Emmanuel Macron was guided around the world-famous monument in a tour that was broadcast live on television. “Sublime,” said a visibly pleased Macron. He added that the restored building, clean of weather and soot pollution, was “much more welcoming.”French President Emmanuel Macron has championed the reconstruction of the cathedralImage: Christophe Petit Tesson/AP Photo/picture alliance Rebuilt soaring ceilings and creamy, new stonework erased somber memories of its devastating fire in 2019. The some 850-year-old cathedral will welcome back visitors and worshippers over the December 7-8…

New data published in The Lancet journal has found that 828 million adults around the world live with type 2 diabetes — an increase of 630 million people between 1990-2022. While diabetes is a global health concern, research is finding that people from South Asian populations have particularly high health risks associated with the condition. The research suggests that people from a South Asian background may be four times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared to people from a European background. People from a South Asian background may also develop the disease 10 years earlier than other populations,…

Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek accepted a one-month suspension after testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine, a heart medication known as TMZ, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced on Thursday.  Swiatek failed an out-of-competition doping test in August. The ITIA said it had accepted her explanation that the result was unintentional and caused by the contamination of a nonprescription medication, melatonin, that Swiatek had been taking for issues with jet lag and sleeping.  The ITIA said it determined her level of fault to be “at the lowest end of the range for no significant fault or negligence.”  Players…

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu arrived in France on Thursday for a two-day state visit, with both sides looking to deepen their economic and diplomatic ties. It is the first official state visit to Paris by a Nigerian leader in over two decades.   French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed his counterpart with a warm greeting in Nigerian Pidgin English, stressing the cultural connection between the two leaders. “Na big honor for France,” he wrote on social media “to welcome you for dis state visit.” Both leaders participated in the Nigerian-France Business Council meeting at the Elysee Palace on Thursday. Nigeria and France…

Chad said on Thursday that it was ending its defense cooperation pact with former colonial power France in a decision that could see French soldiers withdraw from the Central African country. “The government of the Republic of Chad informs national and international opinion of its decision to end the accord in the field of defense signed with the French Republic,” Chad’s Foreign Minister Abderaman Koulamallah said in a statement on his ministry’s official Facebook page. However, “This is not a break with France like Niger or elsewhere,” Koulamallah told AFP. Chad spurns French support The former colony said that the…

A doctor in Germany is suspected of killing eight patients and in some cases trying to cover up his alleged crimes by setting their homes on fire.The doctor, aged 40, and who in line with Germany’s privacy laws hasn’t been named, was arrested in August on suspicion of killing four elderly patients in June and July, and then attempting to set fires at their apartments. The doctor, who was part of a nursing service’s palliative care team, is now suspected of having killed double that number as prosecutors and the police said more cases surfaced when they examined patients’ files…