Author: DW

Several countries condemned on Thursday Venezuela’s arrest of two top aides of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.  Authorities on Wednesday arrested Henry Alviarez and Dignora Hernandez, the latest in a series of detentions targeting politicians, journalists and rights activists. Caracas says the arrests come in response to conspiracies and plots against Maduro, who is seeking a third term in office during the country’s coming presidential election in July. Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Canada condemned Alviarez and Hernandez’s arrests. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also warned against actions that would interfere with the election process. Who is Machado and why is she being…

Former football star Robinho has been arrested in Brazil, more than 10 years after he was first accused of raping a woman in Italy. The former Manchester City player will start his nine-year prison term after a court decision this week authorised the transfer of the sentence from Italy. In a statement, police said Robinho, 40, will undergo a medical examination and a custody hearing before being sent to prison.Earlier on Thursday, Supreme Court Justice Luiz Fux denied Robinho a habeas corpus that would have allowed him to remain free until he no longer has appeals pending.The former footballer’s lawyers…

Kit McConnell, sports director of the International Olympic Committee, couldn’t have made his position much clearer. “The International Boxing Association will not be involved in any way if boxing is part of the LA28 Olympic Games,” he told a press conference held by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) this week. So far, boxing has yet to be included in the list of sports for the Los Angeles Games in four years’ time. “Unless we have a new boxing body working in partnership with the IOC, we will not be able to have boxing in the LA28 program,” McConnell stressed. The…

The European Union’s highest court upheld a previous decision to have two fingerprints on identity cards after it was challenged at a German court. The European Court of Justice (ECJ)  said the 2019 regulation was in line with fundamental rights to respect for private life and the protection of personal data.  But the underlying legal basis for the 2019 regulation, which is directly applicable in all member states, was faulty, the court said. A German court in the western city of Wiesbaden asked ECJ to review the validity of an EU regulation  calling for two fingerprints to be stored on an individual’s identity card after a…

North Korea has reportedly canceled a football World Cup qualifier game it was hosting with former colonizer Japan, after losing to its eastern neighbor on Thursday. Japan beat North Korea 1-0 in the second round of Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. The game was held in Tokyo. What did Pyongyang say? After the game, the head of Japan’s football association, Kozo Tashima, told Tokyo-based Kyodo news that Pyongyang canceled next Tuesday’s qualifier, which was scheduled to be held in the North Korean capital. North Korea was concerned by “a malignant infectious disease” in Japan, an apparent reference to rising…

Is today the moment the world’s top diplomatic body comes together in a collective call for a ceasefire in Gaza? Or will messy, discombobulating and cynical geopolitics get in the way? Will Russia vote for an American resolution?At 9am New York time (1pm UK time) the United Nations Security Council will vote on a resolution calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Déjà vu? Yes. We’ve been here several times before. Resolutions over the past few months have used different constructions of the same sentences by different countries to find a form of word upon which all sides can…

During the international weeks against racism (March 11-24), the German football association (DFB) is launching a two-pronged strategy against racism and discrimination under the motto “Football time is the best time against racism.” Fans are encouraged to take part on social media, posting photos of themselves with crossed arms to symbolize the removal of racism from society, while a new pilot project delivering anti-racist measures to amateur clubs in the northeast of the country is also planned. The DFB is also offering anti-racism-themed corner flags to clubs that want them. “Everyone can do something to combat racism, not only the players,…

Experts are sounding the alarm: The threat of famine in the Gaza Strip is real. If nothing changes, famine would likely start in the northern end of the enclave by May. Half of the people still living in the area are already in dire straits, say experts from the multinational expert group that works on the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) initiative. The IPC is made up of representatives from 19 international organizations, including the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, Oxfam, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Bank, the World Food Programme, and Save the Children. The IPC defines…

Poverty, political chaos and a high crime rate have plagued the Caribbean country of Haiti for decades. Now, violence has spiraled out of control again. On February 29, acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced new elections — for August 2025. His term of office had been supposed to end in February so many violent gangs interpreted Henry’s announcement as a call to arms. They attacked the National Palace and prisons, which led to over 3,000 prisoners freeing themselves. These armed groups now control large parts of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, and tens of thousands of residents have fled. Henry is currently…

Foreign Secretary David Cameron has accused Israel of delaying UK aid to Gaza, saying some supplies have been stuck at the border for almost three weeks.In a letter to the Commons foreign affairs select committee chair Alicia Kearns, Lord Cameron said it was “of enormous frustration”, blaming “arbitrary denials” by the Israeli government as one of the “main blockers” of the aid. He also contradicted claims by former Israeli spokesperson Eylon Levy – who has been suspended – that the Kerem Shalom crossing in the south of Gaza had been closed on Saturdays at the request of the UN. Please…