Author: DW

The family of murdered Muriel McKay say they’ve been given a boost in their campaign to search the farm where they believe her body is buried.Mrs McKay’s grandson Mark Dyer had threatened to sue landowner Ian Marsh for access, but when the two men met on a public footpath that runs through the farmyard, he was invited in for coffee and a chat. Image: Muriel McKay. Pic: Getty Images/Sky UK Businessman Mr Dyer said afterwards: “If the police decide they aren’t going to do a second dig, then I will come and speak to Ian because Ian and I now…

The Biden administration will cancel $7.4 billion (€6.9 billion) in student debt for 277,000 borrowers, the White House said on Friday. It is the latest in a series of debt cancellations, which US President Joe Biden has been keen to highlight with the November presidential election getting ever nearer. The Biden administration has been making fresh declarations on debt relief on a regular basis in recent months, as the president attempts to woo young voters. “From day one of my Administration, I promised to fight to ensure higher education is a ticket to the middle class, not a barrier toopportunity,” Biden said in…

Israel remains on high alert, with a growing number of media reports indicating that the Islamic Republic is preparing to retaliate for a recent missile barrage on its diplomatic compound in Syria. Iran has accused Israel of carrying out the deadly airstrike, but Israel has so far denied responsibility. Quoting a US intelligence report on Friday, The Wall Street Journal suggested Iran could launch a retaliatory attack within the next 24 to 48 hours. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian conveyed Tehran’s determination to respond to the bombing of its consular building during a phone call with his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, on Thursday. A day earlier, Iran’s…

Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli has died aged 83, the company has announced.”The Roberto Cavalli company shares condolences with Mr Cavalli’s family loss,” Sergio Azzolari, chief executive of Roberto Cavalli said in an Instagram post. Cavalli died at his home in Florence, Italy.He had been ill for some time and his health conditions had significantly worsened in recent days, Italian news agency ANSA reported.Cavalli was known for exotic animal prints and for creating the sand-blasted look for jeans. The company he founded sells luxury clothing, handbags, shoes and perfume. Image: Pic: Cover Images/AP “It is with great sadness that today…

“Adopt this law, we need it urgently. We are defending ourselves with our last ounce of strength,” Lieutenant General Yurii Sodol stated before a vote in the Ukrainian parliament on April 11. He added that there were seven to 10 times more Russian soldiers than there were Ukrainian ones on the battlefield, and that the Ukrainian army did not have enough troops. Ukraine’s lawmakers heeded his appeal and approved stricter mobilization rules as put forward by the government at the end of January. The bill will come into force once month after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signs it.Experts say that…

The US House of Representatives voted to reauthorize a controversial surveillance program on Friday. The bill would reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which is set to expire on April 19. It was approved 273-147 in the Republican-controlled house and will now head to the Senate where it faces an uncertain future. What is FISA? FISA sets out rules for gathering foreign intelligence. Section 702 of FISA was created in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks. It allows the US government to use electronic surveillance without a warrant on foreign nationals located outside the…

“Significant progress” has been made towards a post-Brexit deal for Gibraltar, Spain, the EU and the UK have said.In a joint statement following talks in Brussels, the parties said they had agreed “general political lines” on the territory’s future status and said a final deal could be reached within weeks. Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron was among those taking in part in the talks about Gibraltar’s relationship with the EU – which remains unresolved after the UK officially left the bloc in 2020.The joint statement said: “Discussions took place in a constructive atmosphere, with significant progress achieved. General political lines have…

The atmosphere across Lebanon is heated following this week’s killing of Pascal Suleiman, a local politician belonging to the Christian nationalist Lebanese Forces party. On Sunday, Suleiman was kidnapped and killed near Byblos, some 38 kilometers north of Lebanon’s capital Beirut. On Monday, his body was found across the border in Syria. Lebanese officials allege that the slaying was part of a car theft, but Suleiman’s party suspects political motives. Some sections of the population, however, have started blaming the country’s large contingent of Syrian refugees. A myriad of footage on social media shows angry crowds yelling at Syrians to leave…

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced a probe on Friday into suspected Russian interference in the upcoming European Union elections. De Croo said investigators found that Russian groups are meddling in the elections to promote pro-Russia candidates, in an attempt to weaken European support for Ukraine.  “Belgian intelligence services have confirmed the existence of pro-Russian interference networks with activities in several European countries and also here in Belgium,” De Croo told reporters. “The objective is to help elect more pro-Russian candidates to the European Parliament and reinforce a certain pro-Russian narrative in that institution,” he continued. “The goal is very clear — weakened European support for Ukraine…

A producer of the hit animation Bluey has reassured parents and kids “it’s not the end” after worried fans were left confused by a cryptic conclusion to the latest episode.Bluey, the animated children’s TV show which features a playful family of animated dogs, left fans concerned the popular Australian series could be coming to an end. The latest episode of the current series showed a ‘For Sale’ sign outside the Heelers’ much-loved home in a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland.It was also the first episode in all three series to end without any music. Image: Bandit reading a bedtime story to…