Author: DW

Zoos in Berlin have closed, while the neighboring state of Brandenburg banned animal transport on Saturday following an outbreak of the highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease. Germany recorded its first cases of foot-and-mouth disease in 35 years in a herd of water buffalo in Hönow, Brandenburg, just outside the Berlin city limits. Operators of Berlin Zoo in the city center and the Tierpark wildlife park in the city’s east said they would remain closed for the time being to protect the animals and prevent the disease from spreading. Animal transport banned, pigs culled In the state of Brandenburg, which surrounds Berlin but does…

“Blame Canada!” goes the satirical song from the 1999 animated comedy film “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut,” in which a mother rallies her small Colorado town to confront youth degeneracy. The song humorously shifts blame to America’s northern neighbor rather than US government policies, parenting failures, or media influence, declaring that “we need to form a full assault  — it’s Canada’s fault.” Decades later, US President-elect Donald Trump appears to be channeling a similar energy, blaming Canada for illegal migration and drug trafficking across the northern border. Weeks after winning a second term in the White House, Trump threatened to impose 25% tariffs on all Canadian…

“Blame Canada!” goes the satirical song from the 1999 animated comedy film “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut,” in which a mother rallies her small Colorado town to confront youth degeneracy. The song humorously shifts blame to America’s northern neighbor rather than US government policies, parenting failures, or media influence, declaring that “we need to form a full assault  — it’s Canada’s fault.” Decades later, US President-elect Donald Trump appears to be channeling a similar energy, blaming Canada for illegal migration and drug trafficking across the northern border. Weeks after winning a second term in the White House, Trump threatened to impose 25% tariffs on all Canadian…

Ukraine has captured two North Korean soldiers fighting in Russia’s Kursk region, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.The injured pair are now in Kyiv and communicating with the Security Service of Ukraine, the country’s domestic intelligence agency, he said. Ukrainian special forces and paratroopers captured the North Koreans, Mr Zelenskyy said in a post on X.”As with all prisoners of war, these two North Korean soldiers are receiving the necessary medical assistance,” he said.”I have instructed the Security Service of Ukraine to grant journalists access to these prisoners. “The world needs to know the truth about what is happening.”Mr Zelenskyy said…

The Cook Islands, San Marino, Macau, Aruba, American Samoa and Liechtenstein. All these countries, whether recognized by the United Nations or not, have the chance to play at the World Cup, no matter how unlikely. But that’s not the case for Greenland. The vast island is home to 57,000 people and some of the most extreme weather on the planet, with about 80% of its landmass made up of an ice sheet. Such conditions make outdoor sports, such as football, impossible for 10 months of the year, even on artificial pitches. But, despite the popularity of indoor sports like handball,…

The United States and the United Kingdom imposed further sanctions on Russia’s energy sector on Friday in an attempt to curb funding for Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The US Treasury Department said it was designating two of Russia’s largest oil companies, Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, fulfilling “the G7 commitment to reduce Russian revenues from energy.” The sanctions also apply to 183 vessels that the US government believes are part of Moscow’s “shadow fleet” of ships allegedly used to evade existing sanctions on the transport of Russian oil. In addition, the measures target specific projects and infrastructure for liquefied natural…

Few places embody wealth and glamour quite like the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles. The exclusivity of that neighborhood is one of the reasons why the wildfires which struck the wider Los Angeles area this week could become one of the costliest natural disasters in US history. The wildfires have left at least 10 people dead, and have already destroyed tens of billions of dollars’ worth of property. They’ve even threatened iconic landmarks such as the Hollywood sign, and have reduced several well-known LA locations and buildings to ash. JPMorgan analysts said losses from the fire would cross the tens…

Donald Trump has been handed a no-penalty sentence following his conviction in the Stormy Daniels hush money case.The incoming US president has received an unconditional discharge – meaning he will not face jail time, probation or a fine. Manhattan Judge Juan M Merchan could have jailed him for up to four years.The sentencing in Manhattan comes days before the 78-year-old is due to be inaugurated as US president for a second time on 20 January.Trump appeared at the hearing by videolink and addressed the court before he was sentenced, telling the judge the case has been a “very terrible experience”…

At just 20 years old, Vincent Keymer has been a chess grand master for the past six years. He turned pro after graduating from high school in 2023 and is currently ranked 20th in the world. No German has climbed this high in the rankings since the late grand master Robert Hübner was at his peak some 50 years ago. “Top 20 is nice, but it’s not where I want to be in the long term,” Keymer tells DW. His goal for the next few months is to qualify for the Candidates Tournament for the 2026 World Championship. Many believe that…

The first week of 2025 has been cold in Moldova. Temperatures at night have dropped to around freezing. When the sun shines during the day, they rise a little. On January 7, pensioner Gheorghe Colun and his wife prepared a traditional Christmas dinner of stuffed cabbage. Christmas in the predominantly Christian Orthodox Republic of Moldova is celebrated on January 6 and 7 according to the old Julian calendar. This year, the couple will be cooking on a wood-burning stove because Russia halted gas deliveries to Moldova on January 1.Moldova: village life without Russian gasTo view this video please enable JavaScript,…