Author: DW

Even the world’s established democracies are increasingly sliding into corruption. Transparency International’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), published on Tuesday, shows a troubling erosion of leadership in combating corruption in the West. The 31st edition of the CPI ranks more than 180 countries and territories on perceived levels of public sector corruption, showing declines for longstanding strong performers, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Sweden. The 2025 index found that the number of countries scoring above 80 — once a benchmark for clean governance — has shrunk dramatically from 12 a decade ago to just five this year. Although Denmark achieved…

The high-stakes match between India and Pakistan at the T20 World Cup is back on after the Pakistani government on Monday directed its national cricket team to play India. The announcement ends a week-long boycott that had threatened one of the highlight events at the tournament, which is being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The decision came after a phone call between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Pakistan’s government said in a statement posted on X. The talks involved the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), the…

The NFL Super Bowl is one of the biggest sporting events in the world — and the halftime show remains the most-watched TV moment of the year in the United States. This year, Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny (Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) delivered a historic performance, becoming the first artist to sing an entire halftime show set in Spanish. His theme centered on unity across the Americas, underscored by a large billboard above the stage reading: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.” Following the performance, US president Donald Trump criticized the show on his platform Truth Social. Bad…

In early February, German media outlets reported on the strains affecting Germany’s gas reserves. The news magazine Focus warned that the “cold snap devours our gas reserves.” At the same time, the TV broadcaster ntv said that “Germany’s gas reserves would theoretically last for about six more weeks,” and warned: “There is hardly any room for additional strain.” The focus on gas reserves is a consequence of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In 2022, the German government decided that it no longer wanted to buy oil and gas from Russia. That led to the question of whether Germany could satisfy its energy…

German skier Emma Aicher won silver in a dramatic Olympic downhill race in Italy’s Cortina d’Ampezzo on Sunday, securing Germany’s first medal of the 2026 Winter Olympics. However, celebrations on the podium were somewhat overshadowed after US star Lindsey Vonn suffered a fall and was taken to the hospital. How did Germany win its first medal of the games? Aicher finished second in the downhill, earning a silver for Germany. The 22-year-old was beaten by just 0.04 seconds by US world champion Breezy Johnson, who clinched gold. Italy’s Sofia Goggia took bronze in front of a home crowd. The result marks…

Anger over scam texts, chat messages and fraudulent calls has been easing, though it remains widespread, according to new figures from Germany’s Federal Network Agency. The regulator said it received 85,158 complaints about number misuse last year, down from a record 154,624 in 2024. The agency did not give a specific reason for the sharp decline. Most attempts involved scam SMS messages, such as fake parcel notices claiming a customs fee is still owed, as well as contact via chat apps or direct calls. Parcel-related fraud, which was especially common in 2024, has decreased, with criminals apparently shifting tactics. The…

In a classroom in Chennai, India, around 20 nurses are learning German at breakneck speed. They have six months to become fluent enough to work in Germany. Ramalakshi, one of the nurses, says her family struggled financially, but still managed to pay the equivalent of several thousand euros for her nursing college. Ever since completing her education, she felt the need to give back.  “My aim is to work abroad,” she told DW. “I want to settle my family financially, and I want to build my own house.”Why are skilled workers from India coming to Germany?To view this video please enable…

The Epstein-Barr virus is a herpes virus and is considered a contributory cause of various cancer and autoimmune diseases. It is transmitted via droplets such as in saliva. That’s why one of the diseases caused by the virus, Pfeiffer’s disease, or Pfeiffer’s glandular fever, is also known as the kissing disease. It has been known for a long time that the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is also a contributing cause of multiple sclerosis. The problem, however, is this: Almost every human is infected with EBV and carries it in their body for life. Multiple sclerosis, however, affects less than 1% of the population. How…

Protests take to the streets to show their displeasure at the presence of ICE in MilanImage: Alkis Konstantinidis/REUTERSBefore the show tonight, there were protests on the streets of Milan as hundreds of people, mostly students according to reports, voiced their unhappiness at the presence of American ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents in Italy. Our correspondent Elisabetta Galla was at the protests today and passed on the following information: Many were protesting about the social issues in Milan, such as rising rent costs and how spending money on an Olympic Games was not the right choice right now. Others were upset…

A reward of up to €1 million has prompted a wave of tip-offs, Germany’s interior minister said. In other news, experts say pandemic, war, and trade-related disruptions cost the German economy €1 billion. DW has more.