Author: DW

Pope Francis lamented the state of democracy around the world on Sunday during a visit to the northeastern Italian city of Trieste. Global democracy ‘is not in good health’  “Democracy is not in good health in the world today,” Francis said during a Catholic event that focuses on social issues.   Speaking to a group of around 1,200 people, he urged citizens to take part in voting and other forms of democracy.  “Democracy demands that conditions are created so that everyone can express themselves,” Francis maintained.  “We cannot be satisfied with a private faith,” the 87-year-old said. “This means having the courage to…

Several people have been injured after an Iranian naval frigate capsized and sunk while repairs were being carried out on it at a port, state media has said.Pictures on social media showed the Sahand destroyer rolled over on its side. The incident happened in the southern port of Bandar Abbas, near the Strait of Hormuz, after water got into the ship’s tanks, said the IRNA news agency.It said it was possible to rebalance the frigate as the incident happened at a low depth in the water.State media also said several people were taken to hospital with minor injuries. “As Sahand…

If you were to listen to many in Germany, you would think the country’s integration of migrants and asylum seekers was going rather poorly. But a new study by the 38-member Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) shows that isn’t the case. Despite a number of challenges — such as further education and training — Germany is doing a better job than many of its European neighbors when it comes to integrating new arrivals, the study finds. Most migrants coming from within the EU For the study, OECD migration expert Thomas Liebig compared data from countries such as Australia,…

Tokyo conservative Governor Yuriko Koike on Sunday clinched her reelection bid for a third term in office, according to an exit poll from Japanese public broadcaster NHK.    ‘I will tackle my third term with all my body and soul’   Koike, a former journalist and minister, has served as Tokyo’s governor since 2016. She will now stay in office for another four years.  “I believe the voters gave me a mandate for my accomplishment in the past eight years,” Koike said at her campaign headquarters in Tokyo.  “I’m fully aware of my heavy responsibility,” she added. “I will tackle my third term…

Skip next section Russia claims to have captured village in Ukraine’s Donetsk region07/07/2024July 7, 2024Russia claims to have captured village in Ukraine’s Donetsk regionRussia’s Defense Ministry on Sunday claimed the capture of another village in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. In a daily briefing on the Telegram messaging service, Russia’s Ministry of Defense said that forces had “liberated Chigari (Donetsk People’s Republic) and improved the tactical situation.” On Saturday, Russia claimed to have taken control of another village in the same region, where Ukraine says fierce fighting is currently taking place. Russian forces have been slowly advancing in the Donetsk region…

Storm Beryl is expected to become a hurricane again as it moves across the warmwaters of the Gulf of Mexico, US authorities said on Sunday. The US government’s National Hurricane Center (NHC) made the assessment as Beryl approached the coast of the southwestern state of Texas. What else do we know about the storm? A hurricane warning was declared for a large stretch of the Texan coast. Tropical storm warnings were issued for other areas. Texas officials warned coastal residents to prepare for possible flooding, heavy rain, and wind. “We’re expecting the storm to make landfall somewhere on the Texas coast sometime on Monday if the…

Persistent rainfall in Nepal has caused flash flooding and landslides that have killed at least 14 people, authorities said on Sunday. Police said the deaths occurred in various locations and that at least nine people are missing.Monsoon season lasts from June through September and deaths from landlsides and flash floods are a frequent occurrenceImage: Niranjan Shrestha/AP/picture alliance At least 50 deaths since June “Our team is working in affected areas, trying to find the missing and move the affected people to safety,” police spokesman Dan Bahadur Karki told German news agency DPA, on Sunday. Parts of Nepal have been experiencing…

An extreme heatwave in the US has seen record-breaking temperatures with warnings issued to around 130 million people and heightened concerns over wildfires.San Francisco saw the thermometer hit a blistering 47C (117F) over the weekend while Las Vegas topped out at 46C – a high last reached in 2007. Phoenix recorded 45.5C, just shy of the record of 46.7C set back in 1942. Image: Some have been able to enjoy the hot weather. Pic: Reuters Image: Pic: Reuters The National Weather Service said it was extending the excessive heat warning for much of the southwest.The agency in Las Vegas said:…

Ahead of the US elections in November, some are sounding the alarm over possible voter fraud. DW takes a look at the most common claims. Are noncitizens ‘stealing’ the elections? Claim: Several posts on social media have warned that noncitizens could be voting in the elections despite laws requiring citizenship to cast a ballot in federal elections. This tweet reposting a New York Post article said: “Welfare offices in 49 states are handing out voter registration applications to illegal aliens.” It’s been viewed over 73 million times so far. “We are looking at, perhaps, the most comprehensive voter fraud initiative in the history…

Ireland’s prime minister Simon Harris has told Sky News that EU leaders will give Keir Starmer a “fair hearing” when it comes to potential changes to the post-Brexit deal with the UK.Sir Keir has targeted a closer trading relationship with Brussels, including a veterinary agreement that would greatly reduce border checks on animal products. The taoiseach said in an interview for Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that in his view there is a space for such a veterinary agreement, something that will be seen as a boost for one of Sir Keir’s campaign pledges.”I do absolutely think there would be…