Author: DW

Two Japanese military helicopters crashed into the Pacific Ocean late on Saturday, with one crew member confirmed dead and seven others still missing. The two helicopters were conducting training “to counter submarines at night” when the incident occurred, said Defense Minister Minoru Kihara. What do we know about the crash? The helicopters were training off the Izu Islands when communication was lost with them. Rescuers “spotted what are believed to be part of the aircraft in the sea, and we believe that the two helicopters crashed,” Kihara said. He added that the flight recorders were retrieved and the ministry was…

The US House of Representatives passed on Saturday a bill that could see the wildly popular video creation and sharing app TikTok banned in the country unless it divests from its Chinese parent company ByteDance. The bill passed with 360 votes in favor, and merely 58 against. It is expected to go to the Senate for a vote next week. TikTok, whose popularity is particularly huge among younger generations, criticized the bill, which was part of a larger bill providing aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The app warned that, if passed, the legislation would “trample the free speech rights…

A river boat capsized in the Mpoko river in the Central African Republic’s capital Bangui, killing at least 50 people en route to a funeral, civil protection said on Saturday. Authorities said they were still searching for people in the water, as the incident is believed to have occurred on Friday. What do we know about the accident? Eyewitnesses and videos on social media suggest the boat was carrying over 300 people, en route to a funeral of a village chief some 45 kilometers (28 miles) from Bangui. Some passengers were standing, while others were perched on wooden structures. The…

Thousands of people have taken to the streets on the Canary Islands to protest against tourism and say the region is “not for sale”.The residents are calling for the Spanish group of islands to temporarily limit tourist arrivals in a bid to stem a boom in short-term holiday rentals and hotel construction – which is driving up housing costs for locals. Tourism accounts for 35% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in the Canary Islands, but demonstrators say changes to the industry must be made.Groups protested in Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and La Palma on Saturday. Image: Protesters in…

The US House of Representatives has approved sending $60.8bn (£49bn) in foreign aid to Ukraine.Democrats and Republicans joined together after months of deadlock over renewed American support to help Ukraine fend off Russia’s invasion. Representatives could be seen waving small Ukrainian flags as it became clear the package was going to pass. Image: Representatives wave Ukrainian flags Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted to say he was “grateful” for the decision, which he said “keeps history on the right track”.He said: “Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to protect it.…

As well-supplied Russian troops fire away, Ukrainian soldiers are getting pounded. Fighter jets bomb Ukrainian positions with glide bombs triggered from well behind the front lines, beyond the reach of Ukraine’s air defenses. “Without artillery munition, every front is doomed,” an artillery officer in eastern Ukraine told DW on condition of anonymity. “Losses will go up because it is not possible to respond to firepower with firepower appropriately.” “At some point, we will find ourselves in a situation where no one can defend the front, where everyone is either dead or wounded,” the officer said. That would mean “the loss of positions…

On Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, people took to the beach in Tel Aviv. Under the hot spring sunshine, the tensions between Iran and Israel seemed a world away. Most of the people there are hoping that the worst of this phase of the crisis has passed.Follow latest: Ten militants killed in Israeli raid in West BankAs he rested on the sand between surfs, Jonathan Weiss said: “I definitely hope this direct bit is over. “We have enough things to worry about – internally and with our direct borders.”Lebanon, Hamas, Gaza… we don’t want to add anything to that.”Lior…

The US House of Representatives on Saturday approved a bill clearing the way for billions of dollars in funding for Ukraine. The $61 billion (€57 billion) package, that includes economic assistance and weapons, had been delayed by Republicans for months It was passed with a bipartisan majority of 311 to 112 votes. The bill also allows Biden to confiscate and sell Russian assets and give the money to Ukraine for reconstruction. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was grateful to the US lawmakers for the decision “that keeps history on the right track.” The bill is part of a foreign aid and arms package valued…

The impact of this American blockage has been profound. I have had multiple conversations with diplomats and military officials in Washington DC and all have said the same thing: the situation for Ukraine is depressing, Russia has the upper hand and prospects for Kyiv, without more weapons, are bleak. The Ukrainians have been running low on all weapons types, even small arms – bullets for their soldiers’ rifles.Before the House of Representatives approved the $60.8bn aid package on Saturday, it had been more than 480 days since Congress last passed a bill allowing for American weapons to be sent to Ukraine.There…

Tens of thousands of people protested across the Canary Islands on Saturday to demand changes to the mass tourism model they say is overwhelming the archipelago. There is a demand for a reevaluation of the tourism strategy in the Spanish archipelago, as well as a pause on the number of visitors. Police said 20,000 demonstrators turned out for the rallies, while organizers put the number closer to 50,000. There were also demonstrations in Madrid and Barcelona in support of the rallies on the Canary Islands.Demonstrators demanded an eco-tax, a tourist moratorium and a better redistribution of incomeImage: Europa Press/ABACA What…