Author: DW

“I think it’s really important to keep the fairness in our tour,” said Sabalenka on Monday. “Obviously, biologically, men are way stronger than women, so I feel like it would not be really fair for a woman to compete against a biological man. “I believe it took them a little while to make this decision and I support it,” the Belarussian continued. “If they want to test us all, I’m happy to do that; it’s pretty fair, and let’s keep it that way.” Fact check: Trans athlete ban — fair or not?To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider…

From the headlines in the world’s media, the story seemed simple: A tiny Slovak village wanted UNESCO to remove it from the World Heritage List because of the pressures of overtourism. But that’s not quite what is happening in Vlkolinec, central Slovakia. Interviews with residents, local officials and visitors suggest that the debate was less about UNESCO itself than about how to protect a living community from the pressures of tourism. Accelerated transformation “Those who come with humility, to admire the village and understand how people lived here, are always welcome,” said 68-year-old Anton Sabucha. “They don’t bother me. It’s…

Susanna was just 28 years old when she was diagnosed with bowel cancer. Andre developed lung cancer when he was only 34. Both of them have turned to social media to talk about their fight against the disease. Neither of them are medical outliers — not anymore. The German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) has reported a sharp increase in gastrointestinal cancer cases for patients between the ages of 20 and 39. In the US, researchers have observed a similar development, with an even higher disease ratio than in Germany. Younger people are also increasingly being diagnosed with other types of cancers, including those…

An Indian court on Monday acquitted the former head of the country’s wrestling federation of sexual harassment and stalking charges brought by female athletes. Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a former lawmaker from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had denied allegations that he groped wrestlers and demanded sexual favors. What was the reaction to Singh’s acquittal? Singh’s lawyer Rajiv Mohan said the New Delhi court found “inconsistencies” in witness statements and “contradictions on major issues.” “I had complete faith that justice would be done,” Singh told reporters after the verdict. “I never considered myself a criminal at all.”…

“I would like to state explicitly that Katharina Wagner is changing the culture of remembrance in Bayreuth.” With these words, spoken from the stage of the Bayreuth Festival, German-Jewish author Michel Friedman encapsulated the central message of the festival’s two-day opening celebration. Friedman spoke during a commemorative event titled “Silenced Voices,” dedicated to Jewish artists who worked at the Bayreuth Festival and were later murdered or oppressed under the Nazi regime. Despite initial organizational turbulence, his talk became one of the key events of the opening celebrations on July 26, alongside the concert on the eve of the festival and the…

Charred tree stumps, melted asphalt, burned-out cars and destroyed buildings: The wildfires in southern Europe are leaving a trail of devastation and causing billions of euros in damage. Spain’s economy in particular is at risk of being choked by clouds of ash. According to the EU’s Copernicus Earth observation system, around 206,000 hectares of forest in Spain have already gone up in flames this year. “According to the European Commission, the economic impact of wildfires in Spain in 2022 amounted to approximately €7.1 billion ($8.1 billion), representing around 4.5% of the country’s GDP. This figure reflects not only the direct costs of…

“We must not let it become a pawn in the hands of investors. We must not lose the fans’ support, but we are well on our way to squandering that support. I consider this extremely problematic and unacceptable.” Those were the words of the head of Germany’s football association, the DFB, in response to FIFA’s plan to form a commercial subsidiary to sell to private investors. Bernd Neuendorf, the DFB president, is on the FIFA Council, which FIFA describes as its “main decision making body” but was blindsided by Tuesday’s proposal. The Day with Brent Goff – Missiles from North KoreaTo view…

The Munich Regional Court ruled on Friday that Suno AI, a US-based company, which generates songs from text prompts. has violated copyrights and has to disclose illicit revenues.  The lawsuit initiated in January 2025 by GEMA, Germany’s state-mandated licensing agency, argued that Suno trained its AI models on copyrighted music without obtaining licences or compensating its rights holders. According to the ‌verdict, Suno will have to pay damages that have yet to be quantified. Suno has disagreed with the ruling and said it would evaluate all available options, including an appeal. “This is a verdict of global significance,” Gema CEO Tobias Holzmueller…

Observing recent heatwaves in Europe, one pattern has often been remarked on: More women appear to be dying than men. During Europe’s then-record summer of 2022, a study found 56% more heat-related deaths among women than men, drawing on mortality data from 35 countries. Germany, which has just logged its deadliest heat season since 2016, with close to 9,800 heat-related deaths by mid-July, according to the Robert Koch Institute, is seeing the same pattern again this year. Are hormones making heatwaves more dangerous for women? Some of the recent coverage has leaned on the hormonal reading that women’s bodies simply aren’t equipped for…

Celebrated climber Nirmal Purja and nine other mountaineers have been confirmed dead after an avalanche on Pakistan’s Broad Peak, his expedition company said on Saturday. The confirmation came a day after rescuers located four bodies while searching for the 10-member expedition. How did Purja and the other mountaineers die? “It is with profound sadness and immense heartbreak that we confirm that Nirmal Purja tragically lost his life following the avalanche on Broad Peak,” Purja’s company Elite Expeditions said in a social media post. “We have also received confirmation that other members of the expedition sadly did not survive.” The climbers…