Author: DW

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has increasingly relied on a so-called shadow fleet to bypass Western sanctions and transport its oil around the world. Other heavily sanctioned countries, including Iran and Venezuela, have also been accused of using such vessels to export petroleum products. These tankers often rely on deceptive practices like turning off their location transponders to evade detection and conceal the cargo’s true origins or destinations. The fleet, which consists largely of aging, uninsured and poorly maintained tankers, has raised widespread concern across the shipping industry. Yet it has expanded rapidly in recent years and now accounts…

For Star Trek fans, he was the legendary Captain Picard; the British actor and director Patrick Stewart, longtime member of the  Royal Shakespeare Company, died on Thursday at the age of 86 following a “brief and poignant journey” with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia, according to an official statement on his social media accounts. In Los Angeles, California, far away from the small English village of Mirfield where he was born, Stewart achieved world fame. He was 47 years old when he landed the role of a lifetime in the legendary science fiction series Star Trek: Playing Captain Jean-Luc…

Kimi Antonelli became Formula One’s youngest world champion at 20 years and 68 days old on Sunday when he finished third in the Mexico City Grand Prix behind race winner Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. The previous recordholder was Germany’s Sebastian Vettel, who first became a world champion at age 23 in 2010. Antonelli is also the first Italian champion since 1953. “I’m speechless. I’m trying to process what has just happened,” said Antonelli after finishing the race. His parents and sister were there to embrace him when he stepped out of the car. He was then mobbed by his…

India’s Ministry of Finance expects India’s economy to grow at a pace of 7.3% in the current fiscal year based on its latest assessment of current data, it said in its October economic review.  The estimate is a slight increase on the previous forecast of 7.1%.  India’s current fiscal year, known as FY27, runs from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027. The report contrasted these figures with global growth predictions of nearer 3%, saying “India’s growth momentum, by comparison, has held firm.”  The ministry said growth in various key indicators like energy consumption, port traffic, goods and services tax (GST) collections, and…

Gen Z regelt called on people to take to the streets again on November 14 for more demonstrationsImage: Uli Deck/dpa/picture allianceThe group that organized this weekend’s protests, “Gen Z regelt” roughly “Gen Z takes charge,” distanced itself from violent riots that occurred after the rallies and called for new demonstrations later this month. The initiative’s organizers issued a positive assessment of protests across Germany. “Today, 100,000 people showed why they’re taking to the streets,” a spokesperson for the initiative said Saturday, adding that estimates of participation in six to eight cities would come later.  At a rally in Münster, protesters…

In a statement published on Friday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport(CAS) said it had overturned International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) decisions, which exclude Russia from events during the 2026-27 season, including the men’s and women’s world championships. In the statement, the CAS cited a lack of sufficient evidence to support security concerns cited by the IIHF in its decisions to exclude Russian teams from competition. Specifically, it ordered the IIHF to allow Russia to participate in five upcoming tournaments, including the Men’s Ice Hockey World Championship in Germany next May and the Women’s Ice Hockey World Championship scheduled for…

The German chancellor has been calling for a new global free trade networkImage: Kay Nietfeld/dpa/picture allianceDuring his final day of a whirlwind Asia tour this week, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told the Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business in Seoul on Friday that Germany and Europe are ready to cooperate with Asian economies to foster a rules-based economic order.  Merz said the European Union is ready to take the lead in shaping a better deal for countries in Asia feeling the pressure of a destabilized rules-based trade order. “Competition between the US and China is ramping up. Tariffs, technological decoupling strategies and a tough race for…

“In the entire film industry, whoever works without aligning with us, or works with Salman Khan, will be killed.” This warning was delivered in an audio message by presumed attackers on Indian actor Tiger Shroff in Mumbai earlier this month, as they claimed responsibility for the shooting. The apparent perpetrators said they were connected to Lawrence Bishnoi, a student-politician-turned-gangster who has been in prison since 2014. Notably, police have not confirmed the gang’s involvement. The shots fired at Shroff, which injured his driver, were only the latest in a string of attacks targeting prominent figures from the Mumbai-based film industry,…

Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich are to travel to Nairobi, Kenya during the winter break to play a friendly that opens the newly finished Raila Odinga International Stadium in the capital city. The German side will face Ajax Amsterdam as the game acts as part of the country’s preparations for the 2027 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), which will be held in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania next summer. “Bayern has millions of fantastic fans in Africa with whom we feel a close connection – it’s a continent with a huge passion for football,” Rouven Kasper, Bayern board member for marketing and sales, said in…

The German chancellor has been calling for a new global free trade networkImage: Kay Nietfeld/dpa/picture allianceDuring his final day of a whirlwind Asia tour this week, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told the Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business in Seoul on Friday that Germany and Europe are ready to cooperate with Asian economies to foster a rules-based economic order.  Merz said the European Union is ready to take the lead in shaping a better deal for countries in Asia feeling the pressure of a destabilized rules-based trade order. “Competition between the US and China is ramping up. Tariffs, technological decoupling strategies and a tough race for…