Author: DW

Pablo Picasso was renowned for having numerous muses — mostly women with whom he also had harmful relationships. But there’s at least one of these muses who was freed from toxic romantic entanglement: a cute dachshund called Lump. Before becoming his most famous canine model, Lump originally belonged to US photojournalist David Douglas Duncan. The dog and the photographer visited Picasso at his villa in Cannes in 1967. According to Duncan, upon their first encounter, Lump jumped right onto Picasso’s lap. He apparently “decided” to stay with the painter, and they lived together for six years. The story does not…

German tennis star Alexander Zverev is set to become the new world No. 1 in tennis, capping a successful year where he won two Grand Slams. Zverev is the second German man, after Boris Becker, to clinch the top spot in the sport. Becker reached No.1 some 35 years ago. Zverev replaces Italy’s Jannik Sinner, who previously held the world’s No. 1 spot. Zverev got there by reaching the quarter-finals of the Erste Bank Open in Vienna this week. He is also the second-oldest first-time No. 1 ranked player after Australian John Newcombe. “(It is) very special. To have the feeling to…

The Volkswagen Group on Thursday posted its worst quarterly numbers in more than a decade.  The company reported an operating loss of €5.86 billion (roughly $6.53 billion) during July, August and September. One-off costs, not least a massive writedown in its stake in struggling sister company Porsche, explained the vast bulk of the losses.  The world’s second-largest carmaker is battling mounting competition from and falling demand in the core Chinese market. It is pursuing a major restructuring and downsizing program, trying to bolster falling profit margins, and executives said the difficulties highlighted the urgency of this process. “The nine-month results make…

Ines Claus is being touted as Germany’s first female presidentImage: Michael Kappeler/dpa/picture allianceCould the name of the next German president be Ines Claus? The discussions around Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s successor, whose term ends next year, have reached the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on his trip across the Indo Pacific. Steinmeier will have spent two terms in office when he retires next year. And while the president’s role is largely a ceremonial one in Germany, the process of picking a suitable candidate is a highly political affair, happening largely behind closed doors, unlike in many other countries. That process is now in full…

On the final day of October, what may well be the final Summer Youth Olympics ever will begin. It will be the first on African soil as around 2,700 athletes aged 15-17 arrive in Senegal to compete across a total of 153 events in 25 sports. Hosted in eight venues across three locations – Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly, 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the capital – these Games are seen by many as a prelude to Africa hosting a full Olympics one day in the future. “I’m really excited about the Youth Olympic Games because, for the first time, I’ll be representing our country,” 15-year-old judoka Aisha…

It is meant to save Europe’s auto industry from China’s unfair trade practices. The European Union’s Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), proposed in March, seeks to upgrade European car factories and only subsidize vehicles produced in Europe. Yet, the EU’s “Made in Europe” plan is causing deep concern among other allied carmaking nations — such as Turkey, Morocco, Japan and South Korea — all of them deeply embedded in European supply chains. After months of deadlock over the IAA’s potential impact on their own vehicle production, Germany and France earlier this month reached a key compromise that would allow suppliers from non-EU members like the United Kingdom and Norway to qualify for “European…

France striker Kylian Mbappe apologized after apparently referring to China’s founding leader Mao Zedong as a dictator in a video that circulated online. The controversy prompted three major Chinese companies to sever sponsorship ties with the Real Madrid forward, while Chinese state television suspended broadcasts of Spain’s La Liga. What did Mbappe say about Mao? The controversy began when a video circulated showing Mbappe discussing his favorite internet meme featuring himself. In the clip, apparently filmed ahead of an appearance on the French online talk show The Bridge, Mbappe referred to an image depicting his face superimposed on the body of…

1. What is Audi’s $4 billion US investment plan? US President Donald Trump announced the investment on Saturday, during a campaign rally in Georgia, a key battleground state for his Republican Party in the midterm elections next week. Audi quickly confirmed the plan, saying it would build its first US factory near Macon, Georgia, costing around $4 billion (€3.6 billion) and creating some 4,500 jobs. The German automaker said construction would begin next year, with a planned annual production of up to 200,000 vehicles due to start in the early 2030s. The firm plans to build premium SUVs for the US market at…

England captain Harry Kane won the men’s Ballon d’Or for the first time on Monday, becoming the first English player to receive the prestigious football award since 2001. The 33-year-old Bayern Munich striker was honored at a ceremony at the London Palladium after scoring 73 goals in 65 appearances for club and country last season. The Ballon d’Or, awarded by French magazine France Football, is one of football’s most prestigious individual honors, recognizing the world’s best players. The last English player to win the award was former Liverpool striker Michael Owen, who claimed the prize 25 years ago. Why did…

Germany’s export-led economic model faces unprecedented strain just as support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party reaches a new peak.  Chinese rivals are steadily eroding the market share of major German industrial players, while persistently high energy prices, elevated labor costs and excessive red tape are adding to the structural crisis. After two years of contraction, real GDP edged up only 0.2% last year, according to the Federal Statistical Office, Destatis. Exports to China fell 9.7% in 2025, withGerman vehicle and part shipments plunging by a third. While there are signs the German economy is turning the corner, the government’s latest forecast of 1.3%…