Author: DW

Thousands of people have been told to leave their homes after an Indonesian mountain erupted, sending ash thousands of feet high.Ruang mountain, a 725m volcano on the northern side of Sulawesi island, has erupted at least five times in 24 hours, according to Indonesia’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation. Authorities are concerned part of the mountain could collapse into the sea and cause a tsunami.People were told to stay at least 3.7 miles away, and a nearby airport – Sam Ratulangi in Manado – has been closed, affecting nine flights so far.Among 11,000 people ordered to leave the…

Skip next section Scholz asks EU countries to send more Patriot systems to Ukraine04/18/2024April 18, 2024Scholz asks EU countries to send more Patriot systems to UkraineGerman Chancellor Olaf Scholz called on EU leaders on Wednesday to send more Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine after Kyiv said it is running out of weaponry to withstand Russian attacks. Scholz emphasized the urgency of immediate action at an EU leaders’ summit in Brussels, while reiterating Germany’s commitment to support Kyiv’s defense against intensified Russian attacks. “Now it is about doing it quickly and not at some point in the future,” the German leader…

Thousands of people in Georgia have protested for the third consecutive night over a bill they say is inspired by laws used in authoritarian Russia to crush dissent.The law would force non-government organisations and media outlets that get more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as an “organisation serving the interests of a foreign power”. It is seen as a major test of whether Georgia will move closer to the West or to Russia. It is also being watched closely by the European Union, as it considers the country’s bid for full membership.Some 10,000 people were on…

04/17/2024April 17, 2024Zelenskyy: Israel showed Ukraine’s ‘real need’ is aerial defenseUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told leaders in Brussels of Russia’s overnight cruise missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Chernihiv.  He said more than 60 people were injured and 17 were known to have been killed.  Zelenskyy said this was “what’s happening every day” in Ukraine and that it “reflects our current key need — the need for air defense.”  “Here in Ukraine, in our part of Europe, unfortunately, we do not have the level of defense that we all saw in the Middle East a few days ago. When, thanks…

A record amount of rainfall was said to have caused “absolute carnage” in Dubai on Tuesday – with schools closed, flights suspended and people working from home.More than 14cm (5.6 inches) of rain soaked the United Arab Emirates (UAE) city on Tuesday – the heaviest rainfall there since records began in 1949, the state-run WAM news agency said. As people in Dubai continue to face disruption due to the downpours, some have suggested the rain could have been caused by a practice carried out by humans known as “cloud seeding”.Here we take a look at what the process involves and…

04/17/2024April 17, 2024Zelenskyy: Israel showed Ukraine’s ‘real need’ is aerial defenseUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told leaders in Brussels of Russia’s overnight cruise missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Chernihiv.  He said more than 60 people were injured and 17 were known to have been killed.  Zelenskyy said this was “what’s happening every day” in Ukraine and that it “reflects our current key need — the need for air defense.”  “Here in Ukraine, in our part of Europe, unfortunately, we do not have the level of defense that we all saw in the Middle East a few days ago. When, thanks…

Leaders of the European Union (EU) urged Israel and Iran to de-escalate mounting tensions at a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday. Originally dedicated to sharpening the bloc’s economic competitiveness, the EU summit was overshadowed by the recent turn of events in the Middle East. The EU is eyeing fresh sanctions on Iran after the Islamic Republic fired over 300 missiles and drones toward Israel on Saturday. These were overwhelmingly shot down by Israeli air defenses, backed by a coalition of allies led by the United States. Tehran said the attack was retaliation for an air strike on its embassy complex in Syria on April 1,…

Lebanon is balanced as though on an earthquake faultline right now – whatever Israel decides to do next will have massive repercussions throughout the entire region.That’s how critical the situation is in Lebanon and the surrounding countries, as described by one seasoned Lebanese political analyst.Khodor Taleb is also the former adviser to three different Lebanese prime ministers, so knows a thing or two about what is at stake.Follow live:Israel ‘considered revenge attack on Monday’Lebanon – like the entire region – is at the crossroads and it is Israel in the driving seat over which road is travelled.’The situation will be…

A woman has been arrested in Brazil after she brought a 68-year-old man who had been dead for hours into a bank to sign for a loan.Erika Vieira Nunes wheeled the corpse into the bank in a suburb of Rio de Janeiro and told an employee that the man wanted a loan for 17,000 reais (£2,600), security camera video showed. She then held a pen to the man saying: “Uncle, are you listening? You need to sign,” according to the footage.”He doesn’t say anything, that’s just how he is,” she said, adding: “If you’re not okay, I’m going to take…

A Frenchman who confonted the Sydney shopping centre attacker – earning the nickname “Bollard man” – has been offered Australian citizenship. Damien Guerot used a bollard to try to stop the killer from hurting more people during Saturday’s attack at the Westfield Shopping Centre in Bondi Junction. Joel Cauchi, 40, fatally stabbed six people and injured 12 others, including a nine-month-old baby, before he was shot dead by a police officer.Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hailed Mr Guerot’s “extraordinary bravery” and said he was welcome to stay in the country “for as long as you like”.After the attack, Mr Guerot had…