Author: DW

Albanian forward Mirlind Daku has been handed a two-match ban for the national team, UEFA officials said on Sunday.  The 26-year-old footballer previously sparked controversy by leading nationalist chants about Serbia and North Macedonia following their Euro 2024 group game against Croatia. Daku took the megaphone and joined in on the chants after the game in Hamburg. UEFA said the chants brought soccer “into disrepute.” The Kosovo-born player, who switched from playing for Kosovo to Albania last year, later apologized on social media.  “Like any footballer, in those moments the emotions are on another level, which can only be understood on the field,” he…

For a long time, Germany’s match against Switzerland looked like it would be as frustrating and unlucky as a journey on German trains often is.  By full time though, the draw provided both Julian Nagelsmann’s side and the country with the one thing it had been missing, namely a moment for the memory books. Niclas Füllkrug’s header in the 92nd minute of the Euro’s game was not only deserved – Germany had 18 attempts on goal to Switzerland’s four and enjoyed over 60% of the ball – but it also served up a classic tournament memory.  In a wild game that…

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te said on Monday China “has no right to punish” Taiwanese people for their views after China threatened some supporters of Taiwanese independence with the death penalty. Lai’s statement came after Beijing introduced new judicial guidelines on Friday that included the death penalty for some “diehard” separatists supporting Taiwanese independence, according to Chinese state media. Reacting to the latest development, Lai asserted that “democracy is not a crime; autocracy is the real evil.”  “China has no right to punish the people of Taiwan just because of what they advocate. China has no right to pursue cross-border prosecution…

Vogue World took over a square for the last day of Paris Fashion Week on Sunday night, putting on a spectacle themed around the Olympics.One month ahead of the opening of the Games in Paris, the show marked 100 years since the last Olympics in Paris in 1924. It also nodded to 23 June 1894, the day the founder of the modern Games French nobleman Pierre de Coubertin launched the International Olympic Committee.Each decade since 1924 was reflected on the catwalk in the city square of Place Vendome, with the 20s featuring a cycling theme and the 90s focusing on…

The condition of Hungary striker Barnabas Varga, who was seriously injured in the second half of Sunday’s Euro 2024 group game between Scotland and Hungary in Stuttgart, is stable, the Hungarian Football Federation announced on X, formerly Twitter. “Barnabas Varga suffered several facial fractures and a concussion during the match. He will most likely have to undergo surgery,” the federation said, adding that the player would spend the night in hospital and that the whole team was rooting for him. What happened during the match? In the 68th minute of the match, Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn collided with teammate Anthony…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a lengthy television interview on Sunday that the intense fighting in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah was coming to an end. “The intense phase of the fighting against Hamas is about to end,” Netanyahu told Israel’s Channel 14, without giving a clear timeline. He added, however, that “It doesn’t mean that the war is about to end.”How much danger does Hamas still pose to Israel?To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Netanyahu eyes moving forces north According to Netanyahu, fewer troops would be needed in…

For most people, labor law can be boring. But when someone suggests working an extra day, people start to pay attention. In Greece, new regulations are coming into effect on July 1 that make this possible. After that day certain industrial and manufacturing facilities, as well as businesses providing 24/7 services, can move to a six-day workweek instead of the traditional five, says Emmanouil Savoidakis, head of the labor law practice at Politis & Partners, a law firm based in Athens that specializes in business law. Tourism and food service industries are excluded from this new arrangement. For those impacted,…

North Macedonia’s parliament elected right-leaning Hristijan Mickoski as the new prime minister on Sunday. The vote tally in the 120-seat parliament was 77 lawmakers in favor and 22 against, with 21 absentees. Following the results, Mickoski said it was time to “roll up the sleeves and start solving problems in the country.” He added that the immediate government priorities were to attract new investment, cut taxes and increase pensions and wages. Replacing the previous Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) government, the nationalist-dominated government coalition includes the Albanian alliance VLEN and the liberal party ZNAM, an ethnic Macedonian splinter from…

Six police officers have been killed and 12 were wounded after gunmen opened fire in a series of shootings in Russia’s Dagestan region, its interior ministry says.The attacks targeted a synagogue and an Orthodox church in Derbent as well as a police post later in Makhachkala.A priest was also killed in the attacks, according to reports.Two of the gunmen have reportedly been shot dead.It was reported attackers were holed up in a building in Derbent, which police were preparing to storm. Image: The scene in Derbent. Pic: BNO News A counter-terrorist operation is ongoing to search for gunmen in Makhachkala…

Deutsche Bahn doubled its beer sales in the first six days of Euro 2024, the country’s national rail operator said on Sunday. The European soccer championships are being held at stadiums in 10 cities across Germany, until July 14. Bahn said in a statement that fans had necked 44,588 liters of beer — twice the usual volume — that were bought on board between June 14 and 19. That’s in addition to alcohol carried on board from outside vendors. Snack and beverage sales have also been boosted by the tournament, with a 63% increase in demand for Bratwurst sausage in rolls.Deutsche Bahn is the official mobility partner of…