Author: DW

Beverages bearing the name “gin” must contain alcohol, Europe’s top court declared on Thursday.  The VSW German business association had appealed to the court, saying that a product sold by PB VI Goods and called “Virgin Gin Alkoholfrei” (“Non-alcoholic Virgin Gin”) was in breach of a 2019 EU definition of gin.  This states that “gin should be produced by flavouring ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin with juniper berries, and the minimum alcoholic strength by volume of that ethyl alcohol must be 37.5%,” as the court put it in a press release.Juniper berries and 37.5% alcohol content are needed to meet the…

Eighty years after Adolf Hitler’s death, a new documentary by British public broadcaster Channel 4 claims to reveal medical facts about the dictator. “Hitler’s DNA: Blueprint of a Dictator” also attempts to explain his behavior based on genetic analysis. But from a scientific point of view, this is a highly questionable endeavor. Kallmann syndrome: The dictator’s rare disorder According to DNA sequencing, Hitler suffered from Kallmann syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that leads to lower production of sex hormones. This prevents or significantly delays puberty, in addition to causing low testosterone levels, an underdeveloped sense of smell (anosmia), undescended testicles, and…

The British government on Saturday announced far-reaching changes to the United Kingdom’s asylum policy in an attempt to reduce irregular immigration and counter the growing popularity of the far-right. Under the new plans, which are modelled on Denmark’s strict asylum system, refugee status for asylum-seekers arriving in the UK will be cut from five years to 30 months, while those granted asylum will have to wait 20 years to apply for permanent residency rather than the current five years. Those protections will be “regularly reviewed” and refugees will be encouraged to return to their home countries, once they are deemed…

Thousands of people took to the streets of cities across Mexico on Saturday to protest against government security policies which they say have failed to curb increasing violence in the country. The protests, which took place under the banner of “Generation Z” in the style of other such youth movements around the world, were prompted in particular by the murder of an anti-crime mayor earlier this month. “Carlos did not die; the government killed him,” chanted demonstrators in Mexico City, referring to the late mayor of Uruapan in the western state of Michoacan, who was shot dead at a public Day…

Prague is inextricably linked to Franz Kafka, one of the best-known German-language authors in the world. Born in the Czech capital in 1883, Kafka attracts many visitors to Prague even 100 years after his death. Kafka was part of the city’s German-speaking Jewish minority and wrote novels, short stories and letters in German, including the world-famous “The Metamorphosis” and “The Trial.” Fans of the author can go on Kafka-related tours that take in the various stations of his life or visit sights such as the Statue of Franz Kafka, the house where he was born or the Franz Kafka Museum.The Statue of…

When Starbucks opened its first store in Beijing in 1999, it wasn’t just selling coffee; it was selling Western aspirations to China’s rising middle class. The Seattle-based giant expanded rapidly to dominate China’s premium coffee scene. That early-mover advantage has, however, since eroded. Chinese competitors like Luckin Coffee and Manner have overtaken Starbucks in store count and captured market share, thanks to aggressive pricing, mobile integration and a sharper understanding of Chinese consumer habits. Luckin drives more than 90% of sales via its app, while Starbucks still relies on in-store traffic. The Financial Times reported recently that Starbucks’ China revenues plunged nearly 19% from 2021 to 2024 to $3 billion (€2.58 billion). The coffee retailer’s market…

“I decide whether he took his chance or not,” Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann had said before Germany’s 2-0 win over Luxembourg.  Eighty minutes later, the verdict on Leroy Sané’s return to the Germany team was in. “He had two good moments that led to goals,” Nagelsmann told RTL afterwards. “The first goal is exceptionally worked. His touch is brilliant and to play the cross so quickly on his right foot is really strong. He had a good game and that’s what it’s about.” Nagelsmann had spent much of the week facing questions about the selection of Leroy Sané, with many fans and some parts…

Several UN agencies responsible for supporting refugees and displaced people say their capacity to deliver services will be pushed to the limit as winter approaches in many of the most vulnerable encampments around the world. This week, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), World Food Programme and Food and Agriculture Organization each highlighted the pressure that aid cuts are putting on their food and shelter resources for millions of displaced people. The strain has been further spurred by the worsening situation in Sudan, Central and West Africa, and ongoing crises in the Middle East.Chad overwhelmed by Sudanese fleeing RSF: UN refugee…

She is an enduring global symbol of beauty, power and mystery who has fascinated Hitler, Beyoncé and Arab Spring activists alike: Queen Nefertiti, whose name translates to “the beautiful one has come,” is one of the most iconic figures of the ancient world. The Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten — who radically transformed Egyptian religion by promoting the worship of the single sun god, Aten — ruled more than 3,300 years ago. But Nefertiti’s current fame is largely due to the discovery of a painted stucco-coated limestone bust in 1912 by a German archaeological team led by Ludwig Borchardt. The bust was then brought to Berlin. Today,…

The US State Department said on Thursday that it was moving to designate four self-styled “antifa” (anti-fascist) groups as terrorist organizations, citing Germany-based Antifa Ost by name.  It also said it was pursuing three other violent antifa groups in Italy and Greece. The Italian group is known in English as the Informal Anarchist Federation/International Revolutionary Front, or as FAI/FRI, to use its Italian language acronym. The State Department translated the two Greek groups’ names as Armed Proletarian Justice and Revolutionary Class Self-Defense. What the State Department said about the move The State Department intended to designate all four groups as…