Author: DW

The first of several funeral ceremonies began in Iran on Tuesday for President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and other victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash near the Azerbaijan border. It comes after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared five days of mourning for the late president. State TV broadcast live images of mourners, many of them dressed in black, gathering in the city of Tabriz on Tuesday. Raisi’s body was later flown from Tabriz, the closest major city to the remote crash site, to Tehran airport before heading to the holy Shiite Muslim city of Qom. From there,…

In the wake of a thwarted coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over the weekend, Congolese and foreign observers alike are expressing uncertainty about the future. On Sunday, the Congolese army announced that it had foiled a coup attempt in Kinshasa involving both Congolese and foreign citizens — including three US nationals and a naturalized British subject. A group of approximately 50 men in camouflage had allegedly attacked the residences of the prime minister, the defense minister and the likely future President of the National Assembly, Vital Kamerhe. They later breached the Palais de la Nation in central…

Israeli authorities have shut down a live broadcast by the Associated Press (AP) and seized camera equipment, accusing the organisation of breaking laws because it provides material to the Al Jazeera news station.The incident happened in the town of Sderot, on the Gaza border, from where the AP has provided a near constant live picture of the northern Gaza skyline throughout the war. Officials from the Communications Ministry handed over an order signed by the Communications Minister on Tuesday morning.A verbal order to stop broadcasting had previously been issued last Thursday, which the AP refused to follow. Image: The AP’s…

Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has announced that he will retire from professional football after representing Germany at the European Championship this summer. Announcing the news on his weekly podcast, the 34-year-old said: “I’ve thought long and hard about it and I’ve come to the conclusion in the last few days that this season, this wonderful season, my tenth season with Real Madrid, will be my last with Real.” He added: “Those who have followed me over the last ten years will have heard me say now and again that I would only ever want to end my career at Real ……

05/21/2024May 21, 2024Baerbock says situation in Ukraine has ‘worsened dramatically’ German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock arrived in Kyiv on Tuesday morning for an unannounced visit in a show of support for Ukraine. In Kyiv, she called for increased international support for Ukraine’s air defense amid the ongoing Russian offensive. “To protect Ukraine from the hail of Russian missiles and drones, it urgently needs more air defense,” she said, urging Kyiv’s allies to “join forces.” The trip had not been announced for security reasons. German FM makes unannounced visit to KyivTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a…

The White House on Tuesday criticized Donald Trump for reposting a video with Nazi-era language on his social media account. The video, reposted by Trump on his Truth Social media account, referred to a “united reich” if the Republican former president wins the 2024 election against incumbent Democratic President Joe Biden. The German word “reich,” meaning “empire,” is associated with the Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler from 1933 to 1945, during which 6 million Jews in Europe were murdered in the Holocaust.  White House: Trump repost is ‘abhorrent, sickening and disgraceful’  “It is abhorrent, sickening and disgraceful for anyone to promote content associated…

Jailed dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza has lost an appeal to force Russian authorities to investigate two alleged poisonings that left him with a nerve disorder.The dual British-Russian national is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence for treason. Appearing in court in Moscow via a video link from a penal colony in Omsk, Siberia, the opposition activist looked gaunt and thin.The 42-year-old was arrested in April 2022 after criticising Russia’s war in Ukraine.Since Aleksei Navalny’s death, he is regarded by the West as Russia’s most prominent political prisoner, with the UK among those to call for his release. As well as launching…

Toni Kroos’ retirement announcement signals the coming end to a footballing career marked by timing, precision and decisiveness. “At the end of the season this chapter comes to an end,” the 34-year-old wrote on his Instagram page in reference to his decade at Real Madrid. “This decision means that my career as an active footballer will end this summer after the Euro championship.” From the moment he became Bayern Munich’s then-youngest debutant in 2007 at age 17, immediately laying on two goals for Miroslav Klose, it was clear that Kroos had the potential to make it to the top. Ultimately, he went…

Ten years since Thailand’s military overthrew the democratically elected government, the political landscape in the southeast Asian country has seen many changes. Thailand’s coup leader-turned-Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha retired from politics after a failed bid to extend his rule in last year’s election. Pheu Thai, the same party ousted by the last putsch, is back in power under Srettha Thavisin — Thailand’s first civilian prime minister in nearly a decade. The country’s royal family, under King Maha Vajiralongkorn, has faced unprecedented public criticism since the 2020-2021 youth-led pro-democracy protests.Netiporn was jailed in January on contempt of court charges, amid her trial…

The government in Tel Aviv has cast a cautious eye toward The Hague, Netherlands, home of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, has requested arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. They are accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip. Khan also requested arrest warrants for three Hamas leaders — Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismael Haniyeh — on similar charges related to the Islamist militant group’s October 7 attacks on Israel. What type of criminal case could the ICC bring against Netanyahu? The International Criminal Court…