Author: DW

When Russia’s parliamentary elections are held from September 18 to 20, Alexander Ovechkin won’t be there to cast his ballot in person. On Monday he took his first few strides back on the ice in the United States as he starts gearing up for a new National Hockey League (NHL) season with the Washington Capitals, his 22nd in the world’s best league. Before leaving his homeland, where he spent his summer break, he did make his contribution to the election campaign, however, appearing in a video promoting the ruling United Russia party, which steadfastly supports President Vladimir Putin. In the video,…

“The present moment is much like the 11th century. … We don’t want to fight, but, like our fellow Christians a thousand years ago, we must.” Those are the words of US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in his 2020 book, “American Crusade: Our Fight to Stay Free.”   Hegseth has repeatedly used the biblical language and symbolism of the Crusades to frame both domestic and foreign policy, from the current war in Iran to the “fight” against the “scourge of leftism.”   Nearly 1,000 years have passed since the November day in 1095 when Pope Urban II delivered the fiery speech that would ignite…

When the world’s largest pension fund changes its investment strategy, the financial world pays close attention, especially when it plans to drastically reduce its holdings of US government bonds.  According to Reuters, Norway’s sovereign wealth fund wants to cut its US bond holdings — which totaled about $215 billion (€186 billion) at the end of June — by $80 billion. Global investors are increasingly viewing the debt binge with suspicion, especially as the US’s national debt passed $40 trillion in August. This week, the yield on 30-year US Treasury bonds climbed to nearly 5.4%, the highest level since 2007. How much debt is too much? For highly indebted…

A storm is gathering. Most likely a very big one. El Nino is a natural climate phenomenon that occurs every two to seven years, toward the end of the year. It comes in various different strengths — depending on the prevailing conditions. El Nino patterns are considered strong if the surface temperature of the water off the west coast of South America is over 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 F) above average. In July this year, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was already observing temperature increases of greater than three degrees Celsius in the eastern and central Pacific.…

The world’s best players showcased their sport at the Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin, which wrapped up on September 13. Germany, led by Leonie Fiebich and Nyara, improved with every game throughout the preliminary and intermediate round of the 10-day tournament. In the quarterfinals, Germany beat European champions Belgium, delivering what was arguably their best-ever performance. The final weekend though, revealed the team still isn’t quite ready to compete with the world’s elite over a full 40 minutes. Germany lost to France in the semifinals before losing to Spain in the match for third place. Despite their disappointment, the…

Skip next section Compulsory troop deployments in Lithuania: German Defense Ministry09/14/2026September 14, 2026Compulsory troop deployments in Lithuania: German Defense MinistryGerman Defense Minister Boris Pistorius will order compulsory troop deployments in Lithuania. According to the Defense Ministry, this is intended to fill gaps in the German armoured brigade’s complement. Several hundred military personnel would be affected, with the shortages in logisticians and IT specialists being the main reason for the move. The ministry said that 80% of the Lithuanian brigade’s positions are filled with volunteers. “The principle of voluntariness remains unchanged as our guiding principle,” the ministry said.   https://p.dw.com/p/5MaXsSkip next section…

The industrialist Aliko Dangote is turning to Nigerians to help finance the next growth phase of his oil refinery: The richest man in Africa announced that he is seeking to attract about $1.6 billion (€1.4 billion) by going public. This initial public offering of Dangote Industries is intended to help support a $14.3 billion expansion, which would more than double the refinery’s production capacity. In absolute numbers, it would increase capacity from 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 1.4 million bpd. It would also include new petrochemical and refining units designed to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imports of some petrochemical…

Germany’s Goethe-Institut is set toclose all Russian branches by Sunday, amid one of the worst spats in the history of relations between Russia and Germany. The Russian Foreign Ministry ordered the closure of the German cultural centers in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Novosibirsk in response to Berlin’s reaction to the attempted drone attack at Leipzig airport in early August. In early September, German authorities blamed Moscow for organizing the attack and announced sanctions, which included closing the Russian culture and education center in Berlin, known as the Russian House, and the Russian Consulate General in Bonn, as well tightening visa restrictions for…

The demonstration was peaceful, according to the policeImage: Thomas Banneyer/dpa/picture allianceWith the slogan “Not a Step Back! No to the AfD and Right-Wing Hate Speech!” around 20,000 people marched through downtown Düsseldorf, according to reports from the police and organizers.  Several political initiatives called for the protest rally to send a united message of support for an open, democratic society. Among the participants, who marched peacefully without any counter-demonstrations, according to police, were the “Grandmas Against the Right.” On their poster, which was secured with a small piece of fabric and pins, they proclaimed: “The right is only for knitting.”…

Balancing motherhood and work is a challenge in any profession. But for footballers, whose peak sporting years coincide with their peak fertility, the choice can feel stark. “For a woman whose sports career might last, say, 10 years at a high level, she starts thinking that getting pregnant really isn’t an option,” former Real Sociedad player, Larraitz Lucas, told DW. “When you are competing at a high level, all you are focusing on is the present.” Until the last few years, only about 2% of footballers got pregnant during their careers, with many leaving the sport to pursue motherhood. But with…