Author: DW

US President-elect Donald Trump on Monday nominated billionare financial executive Warren Stephens as the next US ambassador to the UK.  “Warren has always dreamed of serving the United States full time. I am thrilled that he will now have that opportunity as the top diplomat, representing the USA to one of America’s most cherished and beloved allies,” Trump posted on his Truth Social social media platform.  Stephens serves as chairman, president and CEO of Stephens Inc, a financial services company headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. He has a net worth of $3.4 billion (€3.2 billion), according to US news outlet Forbes.  Arkansas…

The novichok poisonings were an “abject failure” by the UK government to protect the public, an inquiry has been told.Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, his daughter Yulia and former police officer Nick Bailey were among those poisoned by the substance in Salisbury in March 2018. Dawn Sturgess, 44, died after being exposed to the nerve agent, which was left in a discarded perfume bottle in nearby Amesbury.Counsel acting on behalf of her family criticised the response of both the government and police, adding: “We’re lucky no more people ended up dead.”In closing remarks, Michael Mansfield KC told the Dawn Sturgess…

They were just a trickle first, but then hundreds of workers at VW’s factory in Hanover, Germany, came walking out of Gate 3 in large swaths, waving signs reading “We are ready for strike!” and the red flags of Germany’s powerful metalworkers’ union, IG Metall. The Hanover plant is where VW produces light commercial vehicles, including VW’s electric minibus, ID.Buzz, which is the successor to the company’s iconic “Bulli” — short for bus and delivery van in German —  which had been rolling off the assembly line for more than 65 years, but is now produced in Turkey. VW workers in Hanover are joining in…

The frenetic mobile game “Disney Iwájú: Rising Chef” aims to introduce players to Nigerian food culture. They take on the role of a chef and serve street food or other typical dishes from Nigeria, such as jollof rice or deep-fried dough balls known as puff puff. It was developed by Nigerian studio Maliyo Games, which specializes in games for smartphones and tablets. Company founder Hugo Obi says, “My vision is to see the rise of the African games industry. My biggest motivation is creating a pathway for others to succeed.”  Obi grew up in Nigeria and studied in London. “I came back…

Clashes between fans led to troubling scenes after Carl Zeiss Jena’s 5-0 win over visiting Chemie Leipzig on Saturday. Local police said 79 people were injured in the skirmishes, including 10 officers, five stewards and 64 fans from both camps. Police added that 40 criminal and misdemeanor charges were filed. Jena is in the eastern German state of Thuringia, about 100 kilometers from Leipzig. Despite both sets of ultras [hardcore fans] generally holding left-wing political views, some trouble was expected, with the match designated high risk because of the antipathy between fan groups. Pyrotechnics pose threat A large crowd of 7,224 spectators, including 1,084 Chemie supporters, attended…

The wars in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip are primarily driving demand for weapons and military equipment, but growing tensions in East Asia also have a role. In 2023, the total revenue of the world’s 100 largest weapons producers grew to $632 billion (€598 bio) a 4.2% increase from 2022. This is according to a new report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute SIPRI, which analyzes the business figures of the 100 biggest arms makers. “The biggest development in 2023 was how especially European and US companies, are finally able to translate rising demand from the war in Ukraine…

The United States, Germany, France and the United Kingdom have all called for de-escalation in Syria, where rebels have marched on government-controlled areas in the past few days, reigniting violence in the 13-year-long conflict. An alliance of Syrian rebel factions led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) reportedly seized control of Aleppo over the weekend. Syrian President Bashar Assad announced a counteroffensive, launching airstrikes with the help of allies. Syrian and Russian airstrikes on the rebel-held city of Idlib in northwestern Syria killed at least 25 people, the opposition-run rescue service White Helmets, said early on Monday. Assad’s army…

First preference vote shares in Ireland’s election suggest that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are poised to continue their coalition, with Sinn Fein recording its first decline in support in 35 years. Since the foundation of the Irish state, at least one of Fianna Fail or Fine Gael has consistently been in power, and early results indicate this is unlikely to change. However, their combined vote share has declined for the fourth consecutive general election and is now at a record low. The main opposition has performed even worse. At the 2020 election, Sinn Fein benefited most from the drop…

The IG Metall trade union called for widespread labor strikes at all Volkswagen plants in Germany from Monday, after negotiations over looming job cuts fell through last week.  The German automotive giant says it needs to restructure and reduce production capacity amid sluggish car sales that are not expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels. What are both sides saying? VW has demanded wage cuts for workers, and has threatened plants closures and mass lay-offs as part of a major cost-cutting program.  Labor officials have promised to lead a bitter and intense struggle against any such cuts, and on Sunday promised “warning strikes” at all plants on Monday.…

We meet Mahbuba Maqsoodi in her Munich studio, sitting among sketches and colorful mockup drawings. One of this year’s special Christmas postage stamps issued in Germany features one of her artworks. “I’m happy. I feel honored.,” she told DW. Maqsoodi says that while making art, she “always tries to stimulate ideas and encourage the viewer towards contemplation, and also reflection, to move them. In this case, with respect to the subject of birth. It would be nice if this stamp made people think about this heavenly light again.” She was unaware that she is the first female artist ever be chosen for…