Author: DW

Belgian Vincent Kompany, 38, has been named Bayern Munich coach. Ever since the news was announced that current boss Thomas Tuchel would be leaving at the end of the season, Bayern Munich have desperately tried to find their next head coach. Xabi Alonso, Julian Nagelsmann, Ralf Rangnick, Hansi Flick, Unai Emery, Erik ten Hag, Oliver Glasner and Roberto De Zerbi were all among reported targets who either cooled interest or outright rejected concrete approaches. There were even talks late in the season to try to get Tuchel to stay on, but, in the end, Bayern have continually been left empty-handed. Now, though, the…

Convoys of tractors clogging the streets of European capitals, burning tires, and even manure slinging: Recent farmers’ demonstrations against a law that would restore European nature have become a potent symbol of an apparent backlash against the European Union’s (EU’s) climate policies.  Ahead of the June European parliamentary elections, EU lawmakers watered down the Nature Restoration Law under pressure from protestors and the rise of populist and right-wing voices. The law aims to rehabilitate 20% of European nature by 2030 but restoration targets for agricultural land and peatland were ultimately diluted.  A key tenet of the EU Green Deal — a policy package…

At least 27 people were killed and dozens more were injured when a speeding passenger bus plunged off a highway into a rocky gorge in western Pakistan early Wednesday, officials said. The crash happened as the bus was traveling in Washuk district from Turbat, the second largest city in Balochistan province, to Quetta, the provincial capital. “The driver was navigating a turn in a mountainous area when the vehicle lost control and fell into a ravine,” the French AFP news agency quoted local government official Ismail Mengal as saying. Mengal said rescue workers and police responded quickly and provided first aid to…

The jury in Donald Trump’s hush money trial has completed its first day of deliberations – while the former president once again labelled the proceedings “unfair” as he spoke outside the court.Trump is facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels, as part of an alleged scheme to bury stories that could hinder his 2016 presidential campaign. Prosecutors say the reimbursements, paid to Ms Daniels via Trump’s then lawyer Michael Cohen, were falsely logged as “legal expenses” to hide the true nature of the transactions.Trump denies the affair…

German football club Borussia Dortmund have signed a three-year sponsorship deal with leading German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall. The Düsseldorf-based firm, the fifth-largest weapons manufacturer in Europe, has become a “Champion Partner” of the Bundesliga club in a deal worth between €7 and €9 million per year. Rheinmetall’s logo will be visible on advertising boards and other surfaces at locations such as BVB’s 83,000-capacity Westfalenstadion, its Brackel training ground and other hospitality and marketing events, starting with the club’s preparations for the prestigious Champions League final on Saturday. It will not, however, feature on the players’ kits or training gear. “Security and defense are elementary…

After months of anticipation, the cabinet was made public at 2:00 in the morning local time on May 28. Felix Tshisekedi was sworn in for a second term as president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in January, while Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tulukatook office in early April. Suminwa’s new government is made up of 54 members, including six deputy prime ministers, 10 ministers of state, 24 ministers, four deputy ministers and ten vice ministers.One of the deputy prime ministers is Jean-Pierre Bemba, who takes over the Ministry of Transport. He hands over the Ministry of Defense to Guy Kabombo Mwadiambita, a newcomer…

German inflation slightly increased in May, highlighting the challenge for the European Central Bank (ECB) ahead of its interest rates decision next week. Prices rose 2.4% compared to the same month last year, preliminary figures from Germany’s Federal Statistical Office, Destatis, showed on Wednesday. In line with analyst expectations, the figure was up from 2.2% in April, and the first increase in six months. ECB rates decision next week Germany, the largest economy in Europe, releases its figures before the eurozone inflation data is published. In May, German consumers experienced a 0.6% increase in food prices compared to the previous year.…

Temperatures in India’s capital city Delhi soared to 52.3 degrees Celsius (126.1 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, setting a new national record amid an ongoing heatwave. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of “severe heat-wave conditions” after recording the record temperature in the Delhi suburb of Mungeshpur on Wednesday afternoon. Issuing a red alert for several parts of northwest India, authorities said the temperatures were over nine degrees higher than expected – but said they were double-checking the Mungeshpur reading to determine its accuracy. If found to be accurate, the temperature will not only have surpassed 50°C for the first time in Delhi…

Even if the African National Congress (ANC) retains its parliamentary majority by a small margin, the message of this election is still loud and clear.Thirty years after the ANC was voted in with Nelson Mandela at the helm – effectively ending apartheid and ushering in a new era of democratic freedom for all – support for the party and its government has hit a record low. What remains is largely held together by deep loyalty and desperate hope. Image: Voters line up to cast their ballots in Alexandra. Pic: AP In no place is this felt more than Johannesburg’s Alexandra…

Franz Kafka: a genius plagued by self-doubt Franz Kafka died 100 years ago, but even today millions of readers worldwide are still captivated by his enigmatic stories. Who was this super talent? Why does he still have so many fans? And when is something “Kafkaesque”?   Image: OpenAI/YoutubeDeceptively real videos Creating videos with a simple text prompt – the software SORA makes it possible. It is the next step in the AI revolution, fascinating and frightening at the same time, because the risk of such tools being misused is great.   Image: EPK (jip film & verleih)Documentary film “Dancing Heartbeats”…