Author: DW

Scrapping public holidays is in vogue. In July, French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou proposed eliminating Easter Monday and Victory in Europe Day (May 8) from France’s annual list of 11 public holidays. Outrage ensued, with political leaders from across the spectrum attacking the plan. Bayrou said the move would help France ease budgetary pressures. He is not the only one to have come up with such a proposal. Earlier this year, Slovakia cut one of its public holidays in an effort to improve its fiscal position, mirroring a move made by Denmark in 2023, when it removed a post-Easter holiday. Copenhagen’s reasoning was that…

German basketball star Dennis Schröder was subjected to racist abuse during his team’s 107-88 win over Lithuania at the 2025 EuroBasket championship. “You can insult me, do whatever you want, but monkey noises are not acceptable,” he told reporters after the Group B game in Tampere, Finland. “Racism simply does not belong in this sport.” What do we know about the racist incident? Schröder, 31, said he and members of Germany’s coaching staff had heard the noises coming from the Lithuanian fan block while the teams were leaving the court at half-time. “I wish the people who made the monkey noises…

When EU foreign ministers meet, their agenda often reads like a world atlas. There are dizzying lists of statements and actions to sign off on, and points to tackle about every corner of the globe — and much time is usually eaten up in negotiations to cajole 27 states into a unanimous position. But a couple of times a year, ministers put their heads together at “informal” talks — so-called not because they ditch the suits and show up in jeans, but because no official decisions can be taken. The idea? Leave space for reflections and discussions that fall through the cracks of daily business.EU foreign and defense ministers descended…

An earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale jolted eastern  Afghanistan near the Pakistan border late on Sunday. At least 250 people have died in the Kunar province, the Taliban-run Bakhtar state news agency said on Monday as it reported a much higher toll than what was initially reported. About 500 people are said to be injured, the agency added.  What do we know about the earthquake in Afghanistan? The quake’s epicenter was near Jalalabad in Nangarhar province, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). Jalalabad is about 119 kilometers (74 miles) away from the capital city, Kabul. The quake occurred at a depth of 8 kilometers…

The news spread quickly: Taylor Swift is engaged! Fans of the singer immediately took to social media to share their personal reactions. Thousands of posts showed people screaming with joy or with tears in their eyes. One TikTok video — later reported to have been a skit — showed an American professor canceling an exam because, he said, neither he nor his students could possibly focus after hearing the news. Certain themes recurred again and again, such as: “Why am I as excited as if it was my own engagement?” or “How am I meant to focus on work right now?”…

Despite studies, research and recommendations, there are still no uniform international rules on how much screen time is safe for children. Not only does every child have different needs, but by the time science has collected enough data to make a recommendation, technology and social norms are already several steps ahead. But there are a few principles that doctors, psychologists, addiction researchers, and media educators agree on. These are closely linked to the stages of childhood development and follow the principle of precaution. The consensus: It is better to act on the scientifically based suspicion that electronic devices cause harm than…

A dissident Belarusian sports official who went missing in Turkey is believed to have traveled to Sochi in Russia, DW can reveal. Anatol Kotau, the former secretary general of the Belarusian Olympic Committee, was last heard from shortly after arriving in Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, on August 21. While Kotau’s wife and colleagues fear he was abducted, reports in the Turkish media claimed that Kotau flew to Trabzon, on Turkey’s Black Sea coast, on the same day he landed in Istanbul. DW has now discovered that Kotau left Turkey for Sochi, the southwestern Russian port city, on a private yacht…

In 2011, Germany ended compulsory conscription. But the largest economy in Europe now wants to move toward what the German Ministry of Defense is calling a “new military service.” This would emulate a system used in Sweden, where a questionnaire is sent out to anybody aged 18. The process will be voluntary — at least, at first.  Starting July 1, 2027, it becomes mandatory for all men of that age. “Young men are required to complete the questionnaire,” Germany’s Ministry of Defense says on its website. “For persons of other genders, answering the questions is voluntary, as they are not…

China welcomed world leaders as they arrived for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit Sunday in Tianjin. The two-day gathering will bring together leaders from more than 20 nations, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The SCO comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus, with 16 more countries affiliated as observers or “dialogue partners”. On Saturday, Chinese President Xi Jinping began receiving foreign leaders, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly. Others in attendance include Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian.…

A vibrant video showing a bustling street scene in Jerusalem from 1897 has captivated numerous users on the social media platform X.  The clip, which appears to depict the Jaffa gate , shows people walking through the frame in full color — and has prompted both fascination and skepticism. While some users marvel at the historical glimpse, others question its authenticity, wondering whether footage could exist from that era or whether it’s AI-generated. Others point out that there were no videos back in 1897. DW Fact check took a closer look at the video. A glimpse into the past? The video does indeed…