Author: DW

Former US President Barack Obama has sought to quench online speculation about comments he made on aliens on a podcast over the weekend.  During a round of quickfire questions with podcast host Brian Tyler Cohen, Obama was asked whether aliens were real.  “They’re real,” Obama began. “But I haven’t seen them. And they’re not being kept in Area 51.”  Despite Obama making clear that he had not seen aliens at any of the suspected sites in the US while in office, his definitive opening to the answer prompted speculation that the former president might have some kind of knowledge on the…

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has granted 10 athletes from Russia and Belarus wildcard spots for the upcoming Winter Games in Italy from March 6-15.  The IPC on Tuesday told news agencies AFP and SID that the limited number of athletes would be allowed to compete under their own flags. The athletes would be “treated like [those from] any other country,” the IPC told AFP.  This contrasts with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) requiring the limited number of Russians and Belarussians at the main Winter Olympics to compete under a neutral flag. An 11-year-old with paraplegia’s sporting journeyTo view this video…

A last breakfast in her small house in Mazan, southern France. That November morning in 2020, Gisele Pelicot would have had no idea that her life as she had known it was about to end. She had an appointment — a summons to a local police station. Two months earlier, her husband, Dominique Pelicot, had been arrested. He’d been caught filming under women’s skirts in a supermarket. A one-off incident, he’d sworn. He’d promised to attend therapy. His wife intended to support him. When a police officer led Gisele Pelicot into a separate room, she had no idea she would…

Iran on Tuesday announced it would partially close the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, a critical waterway for the world’s oil trade. Iranian state television framed the closure as a “security” measure due to military drills by the country’s Revolutionary Guards, which began a day earlier. It was unclear how long the partial closure would last. The Associated Press reported that the curbs would last several hours. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait, signalling that it can disrupt the key maritime artery that carries a fifth of the world’s oil. The curbs come as Iranian…

A poison found in threatened frog species in the Ecuadorian foothills has been named as the cause of Alexei Navalny’s death in prison. Scientists from Germany, France, the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK performed a postmortem analysis of the Russian pro-democracy campaigner and opposition leader, who died on February 16, 2024. In a joint statement, released during the Munich Security Conference, they declared traces of the chemical epibatidine had been detected in Navalny’s tissue samples and that “poisoning was highly likely the cause of his death.” As Navalny died while imprisoned in Siberia, the five nations accused Russia of having deliberately administered…

It’s the kind of story that only the Olympic Games seem to produce: A talented ski jumper, who had yet to win anything of significance, delivers the performance of his life to win Olympic gold. “I don’t know how I did it. But I’m so, so proud that I managed to do it,” Philipp Raimund told German public television moments after his his gold medal triumph in Predazzo, Italy. “Now I’m simply an Olympic champion. Not having won a single World Cup (race) and then to be standing on the top step of the biggest stage, it’s unbelievable.” Even harder to…

Robert Duvall, the Oscar-winning American actor known for landmark films including “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now”, has died. He was 95. His death was announced in a statement posted by his wife, Luciana Duvall. “Yesterday we said goodbye to my beloved husband, cherished friend, and one of the greatest actors of our time. Bob passed away peacefully at home,” she wrote.  “For each of his many roles, Bob gave everything to his characters and to the truth of the human spirit they represented. In doing so, he leaves something lasting and unforgettable to us all,” Luciana Duvall added.  Son of admiral…

How did Jeffrey Epstein, a college dropout who started off teaching math and physics, make a huge fortune? At least at the beginning, the man from a working-class family in Coney Island, New York, had luck on his side. Through connections, Epstein got a job at investment bank Bear Stearns, which gave him insight into high finance. In 1980, he was made a limited partner. After five years, he left the bank but used his time there and contacts as a sign of credibility. Jeffrey Epstein was a man of mystery and finance After he left Bear Stearns, Epstein’s name resurfaced…

The curling competitions at the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy, were mired in controversy this weekend after some athletes accused each other of cheating by illegally “double-touching” the stones as they were released down the ice. The most recent case came in a game between Britain and Germany on Sunday, with Scottish curler Bobby Lammie being accused of double-touching with his team eventually winning 9-4. How did the Winter Olympics’ curling controversy start? The issues began on Friday night when Sweden’s men’s team accused their Canadian opponents of the infraction, triggering a heated clash between players and a subsequent media frenzy.…

Nigeria’s Argungu Fishing Festival was officially back in action for its 61st iteration on Saturday in Argungu town in northwestern Kebbi state. The UNESCO-listed festival has not taken place for the past six years due to regional insecurity and funding shortages. Parts of Kebbi state have experienced jihadist attacks in recent years, with analysts blaming the Lakurawa terror group for the deadly violence.Fishermen prepare to begin their attempt to bag the biggest fishImage: Emmanuel Osodi/Anadolu/picture alliance Tens of thousands gather for drawcard festival But, the festival was again making waves as thousands of people descended on the area to attend…