Author: DW

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unilateral announcement of a three-day pause to its war in Ukraine around the 80th anniversary of World War II ending was met with no applause in Brussels. “Russia could stop the killing and the bombing at any time. So there’s absolutely no need to wait until the 8th of May,” EU foreign affairs spokesperson Anitta Hipper told reporters on Tuesday. Critics say the Kremlin — which cites “humanitarian reasons” for its latest truce pledge — is simply trying to curry favor with Washington after US President Donald Trump expressed frustration with Russia’s ongoing attacks on Ukraine.…

Three people were killed on Tuesday in a shooting in the Swedish city of Uppsala, near Stockholm. The shooting took place in Uppsala’s center, one day before the city celebrates a spring festival which traditionally draws some 100,000 visitors. According to police, the attack was carried out by a masked assailant, with media reporting he managed to make an escape while riding a scooter. Motive unclear There was no information to suggest the incident was a terrorist attack or a hate crime, local police said, adding a homicide investigation has been launched. The victims are yet to be identified, according to police,…

A paramedic in Gaza who was detained for more than five weeks following an Israeli attack that killed 15 aid workers has been released, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said.Asaad al Nsasrah was one of 17 aid workers who were attacked in Tel al Sultan in southern Gaza by Israeli forces on 23 March.Asaad was one of two first responders who survived – the other 15 were killed.He was initially thought to be missing, as his body was not among the dead. It was not until 13 April, three weeks after the attack, that Israel confirmed Asaad was alive…

As the war in Ukraine grinds into its fourth year, the idea that Russia could pump gas to the European Union via Germany again is not as outlandish as it might have been a few months ago. Amid media reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered to stop his invasion at the current front line in discussions with the United States, speculation continues over the possible reintegration of Russian gas into the European Union’s energy mix. Last month, some politicians from Germany’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) welcomed the idea of repairing both pipelines of the damaged Nord Stream 1 and…

What you need to know A Brazil-led study has found a link showing premature deaths increase as ultraprocessed food consumption rises. Stronger food cultures tend to have lower rates of death attributed to these products. The US is encouraging food manufacturers to switch from artificial to natural additives. An investigation by one of Brazil’s leading health research institutes has linked high intakes of ultra processed foods to greater rates of premature death. For some countries like the US and United Kingdom, as many as 1 in 7 deaths could be attributed to ultraprocessed food consumption. The study led by researchers…

What did Real Madrid’s Antonio Rüdiger do during the Spanish Cup final? The Germany defender has been hitting the headlines after losing his cool as his Real Madrid side lost the 2025 Spanish Cup final. The defender, who had already been substituted, reacted furiously to a refereeing decision against his teammate Kylian Mbappe. Gesticulations and verbal altercations, often bordering on abuse, are fairly common in football but Rüdiger went well beyond that. The 32 year-old was wild eyed as he was initially restrained by teammates and coaching staff before hurling an object, believed to be an ice cube, at referee Ricardo…

Most charges have been dropped after an investigation into last year’s scandal over alleged racist chanting at a bar on the northern German island of Sylt, prosecutors in Flensburg said Monday. Several guests at the Pony Bar in Kampen allegedly sang “Germany to the Germans — foreigners out!” in the Pony Bar in Kampen last May, which led to an investigation on suspicion of incitement to hatred. Who was charged? However, only one 26-year-old man was “publicly charged” for a “waving greeting” with an outstretched arm and the suggestion of a “Hitler moustache,” according to the press release. These gestures were clearly…

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal party won Canada’s federal election, according to Tuesday projections by Canadian broadcasters CTV and CBC News.  Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre conceded defeat after failing to bring an end to the dominance of the Liberal party, but did not suggest he would step down saying that the Conservatives had increased their number of seats by more than 20. It was not yet clear if the Liberals would secure the 172 out of 343 electoral seats needed for a majority, reported CBC. The Liberals were leading in 161 districts with the Conservatives leading in 150.  CTV news predicted Carney would not…

A Palestinian diplomat has told the United Nations’ top court that Israel is “starving, killing and displacing” civilians and targeting aid workers in Gaza.Israel denies deliberately targeting civilians and aid staff and did not attend the hearing at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Monday. At The Hague, Palestinian ambassador to the Netherlands, Ammar Hijazi, accused Israel of breaching international law in the occupied territories.He said: “Israel is starving, killing and displacing Palestinians while also targeting and blocking humanitarian organisations trying to save their lives.” Image: Ammar Hijazi, right. Pic: AP Image: A protester outside the International Court of…

Learning to drive in Germany these days requires more than just patience. It also takes a lot of money. According to Germany’s largest automobile club, the ADAC, obtaining a driver’s license can cost anywhere between €2,500 ($2,839) and €3,500 –– in some cases, even more. For young people, still in education, the license is increasingly becoming a luxury. Although a driver’s license obtained in one EU country is valid across the bloc, how you get there is still regulated nationally. Each country has its own driving school concept, which in turn determines the price. In Germany, driving education is extensive and strictly…