Author: DW

Skip next section EU agrees to fresh Belarus sanctions to step up pressure on Russia06/26/2024June 26, 2024EU agrees to fresh Belarus sanctions to step up pressure on RussiaThe European Union agreed on new sanctions on Belarus over the Ukraine war, as it tries to tighten sanctions imposed on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. Belgium, which holds the bloc’s rotating presidency, said EU ambassadors have agreed to the new package in principle.  “With this package, we just closed the biggest loophole of our sanctions regime,” the EU presidency said in a statement. European Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen welcomed…

The beach, the sun and even the festive street atmosphere are likely among the first things travelers want to see when they visit Barcelona. However, their reception has been a bit different for the past few weeks. As tourists land in the city, a different kind of message greets them at the airport: “Drought alert. Save water during your stay.” Catalonia has been in a critical situation for three years and has seen its worst drought in 200 years. Although the rains of the last few weeks have helped ease the situation, the region remains alert to what the future may bring. In the context…

North Korea launched early on Wednesday a weapon that intelligence agencies believe was an advanced hypersonic missile, although the test ended in failurewhen the missile blew up off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula. The launch came a day after the74th anniversary of the start of the Korean War.It is widely considered to have been a defiant show of force by the North after the US Navy aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt had docked at the South Korean port of Busan this week ahead of trilateral naval exercises with South Korea and Japan. The latest failed missile launch could lead North…

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has arrived in his home country Australia to be reunited with his wife and children as a free man.The 52-year-old landed in the capital Canberra on Wednesday after an extraordinary few days following his release from Belmarsh prison in London. Assange was seen passionately kissing his wife Stella after stepping off a plane at the city’s airport.The Wikileaks founder earlier held up a fist in the air to applause and shouts of “welcome home” from his supporters.They could also be heard shouting “Thank you Julian” and “We love you Julian”. Assange later hugged his father John…

The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday issued a guilty verdict in the case of an al-Qaeda-linked jihadist accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity during an alleged reign of terror in Mali. Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud will be sentenced at a later date, but the crimes he is convicted of could amount to life imprisonment. The charges brought against him included torture, rape and sexual slavery, as well as destroying religious and historic buildings. The crimes are believed to have taken place when al-Qaeda-linked insurgents, a group known as Ansar Dine, took over the Malian ancient…

Kenya finds itself plunged into uncertainty a day after protesters stormed Parliament amid violent demonstrations over a controversial tax plan. How did we get here? Kenya’s controversial finance bill A finance bill outlines how the government wants to spend money. It is often presented to Parliament before the beginning of the fiscal year, which, in Kenya, runs from July to June. Young protesters in Kenya identifying as Generation Z have for days rallied against the country’s finance bill, which they argue will raise taxes on already overtaxed Kenyan workers. Following a public outcry, the government abandoned its plan to put…

Skip next section Kyiv hails Rutte’s appointment as NATO’s new head06/26/2024June 26, 2024Kyiv hails Rutte’s appointment as NATO’s new headKyiv hailed the appointment of outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as NATO chief, describing his role as “crucial.” “Congratulations to Mark Rutte on being elected as the new Secretary General of NATO. Your leadership and dedication to democratic principles are crucial for our shared future,” the Ukrainian presidency’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said on social media. Rutte was officially named the new NATO secretary general on Wednesday. A staunch backer of Ukraine, the 57-year-old Rutte staked his claim for the…

A proposed finance bill has sparked mass anti-government protests in the streets of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, and across other cities in Kenya. The demonstrations in Niarobi took a violent turn on June 25, with rights groups accusing officers of firing live rounds at demonstrators. At least 13 people were killed during protests across Kenya on Tuesday, according to a doctors’ association. Angry over proposed tax hikes related to the cost of living crisis that has been simmering for years, protesters stormed the nearby parliament complex, which was then set ablaze.Footage broadcast on Kenya’s privately owned Citizen TV showed police trying to douse the flames with…

Newly released footage shows the search for missing British teenager Jay Slater continues by both land and air.The search for the 19-year-old from Lancashire, who is missing in Tenerife, has now entered its tenth day. He has been missing since Monday 17 June.The friends he was holidaying with last heard from him at around 8.30am that day.He told them he planned to walk back to his accommodation after missing a bus – a journey of around 11 hours by foot. The search currently centres on Masca, a mountainous area on the western tip of the island.The village, which is home…

NATO allies on Wednesday selected outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte for the alliance’s top job, as members and NATO itself continue to face the repercussions of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Rutte’s eventual appointment to the secretary general position was clear last week after his only rival for the post, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, stepped out of the running. Stoltenberg hands over to Rutte The Dutch politician described his appointment as a “tremendous honor.” “The Alliance is and will remain the cornerstone of our collective security,” he said on social media. “Leading this organisation is a responsibility I do not…