Author: DW

Condemnation poured in after Iraq’s Parliament altered pre-existing laws to criminalize homosexuality, with the US warning  that the move “threatens those most at risk.” The legislation explicitly criminalizes homosexuality, already taboo in the largely conservative Arab country. The amendment to a 1988 anti-prostitution law was passed quietly on Saturday. It punishes same-sex relations by a jail term of 10 to 15 years. Gender-transition is meanwhile punishable by one to three years in jail, alongside the “intentional practice of effeminacy.” The law also bans organizations which promote “sexual deviancy,” punishing them by at least seven years in jail and a fine of a minimum of 10 million dinars (approximately…

The commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces on Sunday said that the situation on the frontline had worsened and reported that Russian forces had made battlefield gains. “The situation on the front has escalated,” Oleksandr Syrsky said in a Facebook post on Sunday. “Seeking to seize strategic initiative and break through the frontline, the opponent focused major efforts in multiple directions, creating a significant advantage in forces and resources,” Syrsky said.Kyiv’s rules for military-age men abroad causes anger, doubtTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Russian forces ‘achieved some tactical…

Two Russian journalists could face at least two years in prison after they were arrested on “extremism” charges, accused of working for a group founded by the late Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny.Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin are accused of preparing materials for a YouTube channel run by Navalny’s Foundation for Fighting Corruption, which has been outlawed by Russian authorities. Russian courts have ordered them to remain in custody pending an investigation and trial.They will be detained for at least two months before any trial begins. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:33 What happened to Alexei Navalny?…

The UAE city of Dubai is set to invest $35 billion (€32.7 billion) into expanding its second-largest airfield, aiming to make it the city’s main international airport within the decade, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, announced on Sunday. The project to construct new passenger terminals at the location of Al Maktoum International Airport, located amid desert expanses 45 km (28 miles) from the current one known as DXB. The current main international airport, Dubai International Airport, is the world’s busiest for international travel. Some 89.1 million passengers passed through it in 2018, setting a record, but the numbers have…

Armed assailants kidnapped a senior judge in Pakistan’s restive northwest, news media reported on Sunday, as the county experiences a surge in violence. Some 15 men on motorbikes stopped the vehicle of Judge Shakirullah Marwat, according to officials cited by the AP news agency. He was ambushed en route to the Dera Ismail Khan district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the agency said. The assaliants set his car on fire and fled with him, leaving his driver behind, unharmed. The police has launched a rescue operation, Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper reported. It cited a police official as saying that security personnel cordoned off the area…

Pope Francis has made his first trip out of Rome for seven months with a visit to Venice where he asked worshippers to “pray for me”. It was a rare acknowledgement of the strains of the job as he told thousands of the faithful gathered in St Mark’s Square: “This work is not easy”. During a five-hour visit on Sunday, the pontiff visited an art exhibition and prison as well as conducting mass.The 87-year-old unexpectedly withdrew from a Good Friday procession in March “to preserve his health”.He had been battling respiratory problems all winter that made it difficult for him to…

The Archbishop of Canterbury has criticised Israel over the arrest of a young Palestinian Christian woman in the occupied West Bank.Justin Welby, the head of the Anglican Church, says the plight of Layan Nasir is a breach of assurances made by Israel about the treatment of Christians.The case highlights the controversial Israeli practice of administrative detention used to hold thousands of Palestinians for months without charge. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:44 Layan Nasir’s mother Lulu on her daughter’s arrest Ms Nasir, 23, was taken from her home in the early hours on 6 April.Her…

Ireland is pledging emergency legislation enabling it to send asylum seekers back to the UK.More than 80% of recent arrivals in the republic came via the land border with Northern Ireland, Irish justice minister Helen McEntee told a parliamentary committee last week. Rishi Sunak told Sky News it showed the UK’s Rwanda scheme was already working as a deterrent after it finally became law last week. Read more: Anti-immigrant camp in Dublin ‘not about racism’, residents say Ireland’s deputy prime minister has said the threat of deportation to Rwanda is causing migrants to head for Ireland instead of the UK.Micheal…

Russian journalists Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin, both of whom have worked for DW and other international media in the past, have been arrested by Russian authorities over accusations of “extremism.”   The accusations against both are linked to YouTube videos published on the channel that was once run by late opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Navalny died in an Arctic penal colony in February, but the YouTube channel is still active and managed by his aides and allies. Navalny’s movement is designated by Russian authorities as an “extremist” group, meaning his staff and supporters can face prosecution. Gabov was detained in Moscow, while Karelin, who also has Israeli…

British troops on the ground delivering aid to Gaza is “an option” but there has been no approval for the move, a Whitehall source has told Sky News.The British military is already helping with the construction of the offshore pier, alongside US colleagues, which is designed to increase the amount of aid getting into Gaza via sea routes. Whitehall sources added that no decision had been made on the use of British troops and there was still “plenty to work out”.The Israeli offensive in the territory has killed over 34,000 Palestinians, displaced about 80% of the population and pushed hundreds…