Author: DW

Senior Israeli officials have been threatening a major military operation into the city of Rafah and surrounding areas in southern Gaza for weeks.On Sunday, Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant warned it could take place “imminently” as talks on a ceasefire with Hamas fizzled-out in Cairo. Now, they have taken a major step towards it.War latest: Families flee Rafah as IDF orders 100,000 to evacuateOn Monday morning, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) released a statement instructing people in southeastern Gaza to advance towards an “expanded humanitarian area” to the north, centred around the city of Khan Younis, and a coastal community…

Scientists said they used a human the gene editing tool, CRISPR-Cas9, to restore vision in people with a rare form of inherited or congenital blindness. The researchers said 11 out of the 14 people in a clinical trial experienced improved vision, without serious adverse side effects. They said the study was also the first to use gene therapy to treat children who had been born with a form of blindness. Harvard Medical School’s Eric Pierce, who led the study, said that participants were “thrilled” to be able to see the food on their plates. “These were individuals who could not read any lines on…

What do a tattooed millennial with a bouncing baby, a woman with a carefully curated blue bob, and an army of small children wielding helium balloons have in common? Ludwig van Beethoven, apparently. Bonn’s Main Square was flecked with a myriad of visitors over the weekend, as the notes of the city’s most celebrated son floated through the streets. When concerts were transmitted live to Bonn’s Market Square on the first three days of the Beethovenfest, people listened in attentive silence. The entire square was filled with people seated in folding chairs, and many more standing. Some wore expressions typical of…

Skip next section Von der Leyen says EU is counting on China to influence Russia05/06/2024May 6, 2024Von der Leyen says EU is counting on China to influence RussiaEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that China should do more to pressure Russia to end its war on Ukraine.  “We count on China to use all its influence on Russia to end Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine,” von der Leyen said following a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris. She also said she was confident Xi would de-escalate tensions over nuclear threats made by…

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday that Europe remains a foreign policy priority for Beijing. He made the comments during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Paris. In recent years, trade tensions have intensified between China and the EU and the bloc has increasingly moved to reduce its dependence on the world’s second-largest economy. Xi is scheduled to visit Hungary and Serbia after his trip to France. Xi calls for continued partnership with EU The Chinese leader said that Brussels and Beijing should stay committed to partnership. He said…

Ludwig van Beethoven had his hands full before the premiere of his Ninth Symphony on May 7, 1824. The work was eagerly awaited in Vienna. Copyists were working flat out to reproduce the handwritten score for the performance. Beethoven not only supervised their work, but also took care of finding musicians, singers, and a suitable venue. “The public often sees Beethoven as this lone genius who creates magnificent works all by himself, when in fact he worked with a large team,” says Beate Angelika Kraus, musicologist at the Beethoven Archive, the research department of the Beethoven-Haus in Bonn, western Germany.…

When Chinese President Xi Jinping last visited the European Union in 2019, the world was a simpler place. No one had heard of COVID-19, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine was far off and Brussels and Beijing were eyeing a trade and investment deal. Relations are far frostier now: the deal is on ice after an exchange of sanctions, and an increasingly hawkish EU has brewed a list of new laws to decrease dependence on China. Xi begins his trip in France on Sunday, before heading to Serbia and Hungary. And while he may feel the heat from the EU’s toughened stance in…

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday that Europe remains a foreign policy priority for Beijing. He made the comments during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Paris. In recent years, trade tensions have intensified between China and the EU and the bloc has increasingly moved to reduce its dependence on the world’s second-largest economy. Xi is scheduled to visit Hungary and Serbia after his trip to France. Xi calls for continued partnership with EU The Chinese leader said that Brussels and Beijing should stay committed to partnership. He said…

Joe Biden’s dog – which has bitten US Secret Service staff several times – should be put down, a political opponent, who wrote about shooting her own dog, has suggested.Kristi Noem, the South Dakota governor, who is being vetted as a candidate for Donald Trump’s vice president in November’s election, admitted shooting and killing Cricket, a 14-month-old wirehaired pointer, more than 20 years ago. In her memoir, due to be published this week, the Republican reportedly details how she killed the “extremely dangerous” puppy after the animal attacked and killed a neighbouring family’s chickens. Image: Kristi Noem has defended her…

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned of the consequences of the climate crisis during a Monday visit to Fiji. Fiji officials have long pointed to the risk that extreme weather events and rising sea levels could pose to the Pacific island state. What did Baerbock say during her visit to Fiji? “The climate crisis is literally washing the ground out from under people’s feet here,” Baerbock said. “The climate crisis is the greatest threat for the security of the people in Pacific island states,” she added.  She pointed to the fact that Fiji and other Pacific states have to deal with…