Author: DW

South Africa’s National Results Operation Centre in Johannesburg has been the site of collation, criticism and chaos, and now, a ceremony declaring the historic election outcome that has been steadily shared with the world from its main room.One that sees the African National Congress (ANC) lose 17% of its 2019 vote share and lose 71 seats in parliament. The highest ranks of the ANC government gathered to hear the outcome and a speech from their party leader and sitting President Cyril Ramaphosa in the front rows of neatly-placed chairs.It was a line of the country’s liberation leaders who were now…

Spain fined four budget airlines, including Ryanair and Easyjet, more than €150 million ($163 million) on Friday over luggage fees that consumer groups deemed “abusive.” The airlines affected are Ryanair, Easyjet, Vueling and Volotea, Spanish media reported. Spain’s Consumer Affairs Ministry issued the fines after consumer watchdog Facua launched a campaign six years ago, alleging that the airlines violated passengers’ rights when charging extra fees to print boarding passes at the airport or to bring larger pieces of carry-luggage. It looked into seat selection fees for people who are accompanying minors or those who require special assistance. “This is exactly what we are campaigning…

South Africa is entering a new political period after the African National Congress (ANC) lost the parliamentary majority it had held for 30 years.Official results announced on Sunday showed it had taken 40.2% of the vote in the country’s general election – down from 57.5% in 2019. It means the party of Nelson Mandela has won 159 seats in the 400-seat National Assembly – a steep drop from the previous 230.The ANC must now share power – a new development in South Africa’s post-apartheid history.Its closest rival – the broadly centrist Democratic Alliance (DA) – received 21.8% of the vote.…

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday called for members of the military alliance to maintain current levels of aid for Ukraine as Russia continues its invasion. He made the comments in the Czech capital, Prague, following an informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers. What did Stoltenberg say about Ukraine aid? Stoltenberg said that NATO will take on a greater role in coordinating the provision of military aid to Kyiv and the training of Ukrainian forces. He argued that such a move will “provide more predictability for Kyiv and address both immediate and longer-term needs.” The NATO chief pointed to the…

“No one is looking at the sofa or the television. Everyone is searching for photos or keepsakes. Absolutely everyone,” says Gustavo Oliveira, the founder of a volunteer group helping clean up flood-ravaged homes in the southern Brazilian city of Novo Hamburgo. People here have lost not only material possessions, but spaces and memorabilia that define their identity and the meaning of their lives. “One of the most impressive scenes I saw was a man who found his wedding ring in the mud. He immediately put it back on his finger,” added Oliveira, whose group has already helped clean up more…

A police officer who was stabbed during an attack at a far-right rally in Germany has died.The 29-year-old was one of six people who suffered serious injuries in the central square of Mannheim on Friday. He was placed in an artificial coma but died on Sunday, officials said.Chancellor Olaf Scholz posted on X, formerly Twitter, that he was “deeply grieved” and said the officer’s “commitment to the safety of us all deserves the highest recognition”.The officer was stabbed several times in the head and neck. A 25-year-old suspect from Afghanistan was shot and wounded at the scene.He remains in hospital…

The African National Congress, which came to power in 1994 after the end of Apartheid in South Africa, lost its parliamentary majority for the first time, partial results from the general election showed on Saturday. With 99% of the votes from Wednesday’s election counted, the party, once led by Nelson Mandela, secured just over 40%, a far cry from the 57.5% it won in 2019. The party also lost its majority in two of the nine provinces, while the opposition pro-business Democratic Alliance (DA) retained control of a third. The independent electoral commission that ran the election said it would formally declare the results by…

On Sunday, Mexicans will be voting for a new president in an election that marks a major milestone. For the first time in the country’s history, the race has come down to two female candidates: Claudia Sheinbaum (above), of the ruling Morena party, and Xochitl Galvez, of the opposition alliance.Xochitl Galvez is currently polling second though her campaign rallies, like the above, draw many fansImage: Carlo Echegoyen/AFP/Getty Images Claudia Sheinbaum: The favorite The clear favorite in the election is Claudia Sheinbaum, candidate of the left-wing populist Morena party. The granddaughter of Jewish immigrants from Lithuania, Sheinbaum is an experienced politician, having…

Three friends were seen hugging each other moments before being swept away by flash flooding.The two women and a man, all aged in their 20s, were captured on camera embracing after finding themselves suddenly surrounded by rapidly rising waters in Italy. The trio got into difficulties after going for a walk along the Natisone River, near Udine, on Friday afternoon, local media reported.As the water levels suddenly swelled, the group realised they were trapped and alerted passers-by.Firefighters were called and crews quickly arrived at the scene. They attempted to rescue the group by throwing them a rope – but the…

Presidential elections wrapped in Iceland after a day of voting, with businesswoman Halla Tomasdottir projected to win the race, national broadcaster RUV reported. Tomasdottir secured 32.1% of the votes, RUV said. Former Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir, who got 25.8% of the votes, conceded victory to her. In April, Jakobsdottir stepped down as prime minister to run for president. The third closest contender was Halla Hrund Logadottir, an environmental expert and a Harvard University professor. There were 12 candidates in total in the race for president. President Gudni Johannesson was not seeking reelection. The hugely popular president has held the job since 2016…