Author: DW

The closure of the US Embassy in Jordan has heightened the frustrations of Jordanian football fans hoping to see their team make their World Cup debut in three months’ time. While the US-Israeli and Iranian attacks that caused its shuttering on Friday dominate headlines and thoughts, fans looking forward to an escape are left in the dark. The US embassy site simply says that “all immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments are canceled until further notice”. Having spoken to a number of Jordanian fans, DW understands that many had already had visa applications rejected for the tournament, in which their national team…

Jürgen Habermas, world-renowned German philosopher and sociologist, has died in the town of Starnberg near Munich, where he has lived since 1971, the Suhrkamp publishing house said. One of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century, he remained active until his final years, and was one of the few public intellectuals in Germany to regularly take a stand on political issues. Having advocated for the right to asylum during the 2015 migrant crisis, and for a unified European Union in the face of right-wing populism and nationalism, Habermas remained actively committed to his cosmopolitan ideal of an open and rigorous…

The easing of sanctions on Russian oil by the United States is aimed at cooling global energy prices as the US-Israel war on Iran continues. It also provides a significant boost to the Kremlin at a time when Russia desperately needs it. The measure, announced by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on social media on Thursday, has been widely expected since the United States eased sanctions on Russian oil sales to India last week. The decision is a broadening of that original waiver, which focused on cargoes of Russian oil already at sea, to include countries other than India. Bessent said the…

You know that colleague you see Monday through Friday? The one who keeps telling you about their relationship drama, monopolizing lunch-break conversation and expecting sympathetic commentary about the same issues every single day? Or what about your dad, who calls with tech questions multiple times a week, then proceeds to criticize your lifestyle but still expects you to schedule his doctor’s visits?   A new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, confirms what many of us have long suspected: These people may make you age faster. While having healthy social relationships is actually good for you…

There is a phrase you often hear from the girls at the Impact Academy in Cairo. “I won’t stop until I’m a champion.” The girls in Cairo learning to box seem determined and confident. It could be an everyday scene, a training session like any other—but it’s not. Many of the girls in southern Cairo come from socially disadvantaged backgrounds. They often experience gender-based violence and are pressured to marry at a very young age—usually at the expense of their education and independence. Choosing boxing, a male-dominated sport in a traditional society, is tantamount to rebellion. The Impact Academy offers the girls much more…

Every year, ahead of the Oscars, movie geeks get to act like sports fans, discussing the Academy Award “race,” talking odds and percentages, debating which films and which stars are frontrunners in the cinema Olympics. The 98th Academy Awards, which will be held on Sunday, March 15, have all the makings of an epic Oscar showdown. Two brilliant, original and tremendously successful movies — Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” and Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” — are facing off for best picture. And two of the most exciting and original Hollywood performers under 40 — Michael B. Jordan, star of “Sinners,” and Timothee Chalamet, nominated for Josh…

When 32 countries this week moved to tap their emergency crude oil stockpiles in an effort to steady soaring oil prices, the gesture was quickly overshadowed by Iran’s escalating strikes in the Strait of Hormuz. The members of the International Energy Agency (IEA), a coalition of major energy‑consuming nations, agreed on Wednesday to release hundreds of millions of barrels of oil from their strategic oil reserves. Instead of helping oil prices lower, the price of Brent crude rose around the $100 (€87.30) a barrel mark toward the end of the week, having spiked to $119.50 for a short time on Monday. Around the announcement, Iran intensified its attacks…

The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) was originally due to kick off on March 17, with 16 nations from all over the continent set to compete in Morocco. But just 12 days before the opening game, the Confederation of African Football (CAF), postponed its biggest women’s football tournament until July. In a statement, the body cited “unforeseen circumstances” but gave no details for the decision. In the absence of an explanation, rumors were soon circulating among fans and journalists alike.  One rumor had it that the relationship between hosts Morocco and CAF had been severely damaged by events that occurred during…

Elon Musk, who this week topped Forbes’ Billionaires list for the second year in a row, is on course to become the world’s first trillionaire. On top of his extreme wealth, Musk is bound to remain in the spotlight due to his polarizing views, including his active support for Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany party. His Tesla plant near Berlin also recently made headlines, as a works council election that concluded on March 4 left the factory non-unionized. Germany’s largest union accused Tesla of intimidating staff. Ahead of the vote, Musk himself warned that if the union gained influence, the expansion of the…

Honda has warned it expects a huge hit to its finances because of a major reorientation of its electric vehicle (EV) strategy.  Japan’s second-largest carmaker tried to lead the charge on electric motoring but it says that US policy changes and tariffs, coupled with reduced competitiveness in Asia, are forcing it to adjust.  German performance carmaker Porsche suffered a similar hit to its balance sheet in 2025 amid the same bid to partially pull the plug on EVs, with news of its almost obliterated annual profits released earlier this week.  What did Honda say on the matter?  “Honda believed EVs…