Author: DW

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…

Images have revealed damage caused to a Singapore Airlines plane after Flight SQ321 from London Heathrow was caught in turbulence.One person was killed during the incident, with multiple people injured. Images from inside the plane, which was heading to Singapore – but diverted to Bangkok, Thailand – reveal the damage caused during the turbulence.One passenger on board said the plane suffered a “dramatic drop”, suggesting people not wearing a seatbelt were “launched immediately into the ceiling”. Image: Pic: Reuters Image: Pic: Reuters Image: Pic: Reuters Images showed damage to the ceiling of the cabin, and food, cutlery and other debris…

Authorities at a popular Japanese town known for one of the most scenic views of Mount Fuji completed the erection of a giant mesh barrier on Tuesday to dissuade poorly behaved tourists from overwhelming the town. Rowdy crowds at Fujikawaguchiko have frustrated locals for years, with people littering the roads and breaking traffic rules to get the best photo for social media. Ignoring parking rules and smoking bans, tourists often crammed into a particular spot in the town for a picture of the sacred snow-capped mountain. The AFP news agency reported the net measures eight feet (2.5 meters) high and 65 feet across (20 meters). Authorities create barricades to erect a barrier to prevent…

Singapore Airlines said on Tuesday that one person had died and more than 30 others were injured after a flight from London to Singapore encountered “severe turbulence.” The Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, which was carrying a total of 211 passengers and 18 crew members, was diverted to Bangkok, Thailand, where it landed at 3.45 p.m. local time, according to an airline statement. “Singapore Airlines offers its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased,” it said. “Our priority is to provide all possible assistance to all passengers and crew on board the aircraft.” Local emergency crews from Bangkok’s Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital were…

The trial of nine Egyptian men accused of causing a shipwreck that killed hundreds of migrants in the Mediterranean last year was dismissed on Tuesday in Greece. On June 14 2023, the fishing trawler “Adriana” sank with an estimated 750 people on board. Some 104 survivors were rescued, mostly migrants from Pakistan, Syria and Egypt. A further 82 bodies were recovered. The defendants, aged between 21 to 37 years old, were among the survivors and face multiple charges including negligent homicide, participation in a criminal organization and facilitating illegal entry into the country. A judge dropped the charges against the…

Syrian first lady Asma al Assad has been diagnosed with leukaemia, according to a statement from the president’s office.Mrs al Assad, who was born in the UK and is a British citizen, will “temporarily withdraw from all direct engagements” and “adhere to a specialised treatment protocol”. She has previously been treated for breast cancer and in August 2019 announced she was “completely” free of the disease, a year after her diagnosis.The Syrian first lady has been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, an aggressive cancer of the bone marrow and the blood.Since Syria plunged into war in 2011, Mrs al Assad…

People who quit smoking and then took up vaping were more likely to develop lung cancer than those who did not vape, according to the study conducted in South Korea. “This is the first large population-based study to demonstrate the increased risk of lung cancer in e-cigarette users after smoking cessation,” said Yeon Wook Kim, who led the study at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. Ex-smokers who vape at higher risk of lung cancer The researchers examined 4,329,288 individuals in South Korea, who had a history of conventional smoking. They took readings at two time points: 2012-2014, 2018, and in a follow-up in December 2021. By the time…

Authorities at a popular Japanese town known for one of the most scenic views of Mount Fujicompleted the erection of a giant mesh barrier on Tuesday to dissuade poorly behaved tourists from overwhelming the town. Rowdy crowds at Fujikawaguchiko have frustrated locals for years, with people littering the roads and breaking traffic rules to get the best photo for social media. Ignoring parking rules and smoking bans, tourists often crammed into a particular spot in the town for a picture of the sacred snow-capped mountain. The AFP news agency reported the net measures eight feet (2.5 meters) high and 65 feet across (20 meters). Authorities create barricades to erect a barrier to prevent…