Author: DW

On Monday morning – three days on from the horrors of the Crocus City Hall terror attack – people were still streaming to the site to lay flowers. The makeshift memorial stretched on and on, piles of carnations beside huge bouquets of roses, brightly coloured teddy bears wedged in among the flowers and the occasional photograph of one of the many victims. Around the corner of the huge Crocus City complex, the burnt-out remains of the concert hall stood black and ravaged against the sky.An Orthodox priest burnt incense and led a small crowd in prayers which they sang in…

As she turns 80, Diana Ross is showing the same tenacity she has demonstrated throughout her career, which has spanned well over 60 years.  The singer has always known life is a matter of sink or swim. Grit and determination has seen the soul queen go from the social housing estate in Detroit, where she grew up, to the stages of some of the biggest arenas in the world. “You can’t just sit there and wait for people to give you that golden dream,” Ross once said. “You’ve got to get out there and make it happen for yourself.” Striving for perfection Born Diana Ernestine Earle Ross on March 26, 1944, in…

A winter of heavy storms and flooding, especially in late December, has washed away vast stretches of protective sand dunes and bathing beaches on Germany’s North Sea islands. Coastal areas on islands such as Sylt, Borkum and Norderney, which together attract millions of tourists, will need to be rebuilt before the summer holidays — an extensive and expensive procedure. In what’s known as beach nourishment, load after load of sand will be moved in to reconstruct depleted coasts. The state government in Lower Saxony, where Borkum and Norderney are located, has already said it will provide up to €700,000 (about $760,000) to literally shore…

In the aftermath of the German FA’s (DFB) decision to move on from long-standing German partner Adidas, it’s clear that finance was the overriding factor. The decision has made waves in Germany, with even politicians commenting. Economically speaking though, the deal is logical. Not only were Nike reportedly willingly to offer a lot more than Adidas for the deal, but the former’s profits dwarf that of its German rival. For 2023, Adidas registered a loss of €75 million ($82 million), whereas Nike’s profit was around €20 billion. The difference is undeniable, and even when Nike’s shares slumped at the start…

Almost six months into the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, the UN Security Council on Monday passed a resolution calling for an “immediate cease-fire until the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The resolution, which calls for the truce to lead to a “lasting, sustainable cease-fire,” passed with the votes of 14 Security Council while the United States abstained, marking a key shift in Washington’s stance. The resolution also demands the release of all hostages taken captive during Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel on October 7, although this demand is not linked to the demand for a cease-fire during Ramadan, which ends on April…

The United Nations Security Council has passed a resolution that demands a ceasefire in Gaza for the rest of Ramadan.The Muslim holy month began on 10 March and is set to finish on 9 April – meaning the council is calling for a two-week ceasefire, though the draft said the pause in fighting should lead “to a permanent sustainable ceasefire”. The US abstained from the vote, with the 14 other council members – including Russia, China and the UK – voting in favour.The resolution also demanded the immediate, unconditional release of all hostages and “emphasises the urgent need to expand…

Skip next section ‘Counterproductive’ for Russia to blame Ukraine for Moscow attack — Macron03/25/2024March 25, 2024’Counterproductive’ for Russia to blame Ukraine for Moscow attack — MacronFrench President Emmanuel Macron on Monday warned Russia against any “exploitation” of Friday’s deadly concert hall attack in Moscow in which at least 137 people were killed. Macron said that it would be “cynical and counterproductive for Russia to use this context to try and turn it against Ukraine.” Macron said France had information that “ISIS-K,” an offshoot of the so-called “Islamic State” (IS) had carried out Friday’s attack.  “It was an entity of Islamic State…

In a significant strategic change, Germany is signalling an interest in boosting military relations with India.  Earlier this month, the German ambassador to India, Philipp Ackermann, said in an interview that there is now a “clear political will” in Berlin to improve defense ties with New Delhi, calling it a “huge paradigm shift.” “We have earlier been very hesitant. Now, there is clear political will in Germany to increase defense cooperation with India through military visits, exercises, co-production and other areas, including new ones like cyber,” Ackermann told The Times of India. The defense secretaries of the two countries held talks…

Four men accused by the Russians of carrying out a deadly attack on a concert hall appeared to show clear signs of having been brutally interrogated when they were paraded in court.The suspects, from Tajikistan, were charged with terror offences after Friday’s attack at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, left 137 people dead and at least 182 injured.Russia-Ukraine latest: Terror group behind Moscow shooting attempted attacks in France – MacronDalerdzhon Barotovich Mirzoyev, 32, Saidakrami Murodali Rachabalizoda, 30, Shamsidin Fariduni, 25, and Muhammadsobir Fayzov, 19, appeared at Basmanny district court in Moscow on Sunday.Three of the men were marched…

A Russian and a Belarusian trampolinist have qualified for this summer’s Paris Olympics at a competition in Germany, despite German authorities not giving them visas to enter the country. DW understands the Russian athletes taking part were instead issued visas by Spain, which granted them short-term access to Germany. Iana Lebedeva from Russia and Ivan Litvinovich from Belarus, the reigning Olympic champion, amassed enough points at the weekend’s World Cup event in Cottbus to secure spots at the Games. Both were competing as “Individual Neutral Athletes.” Ukrainian sports officials accuse the pair of supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine, which would violate neutrality rules established…