Author: DW

The price of gold broke the $2,300 (€2,212) level for the first time this week as geopolitical issues, expectations of US interest rate cuts and China’s accumulation of the precious metal spurred interest from speculators. Gold is seen by investors as a safe haven in times of turmoil and a hedge against currency devaluation, so the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine have helped the recent price rise, along with the post-COVID inflation spike. The move by China’s central bank, the People’s Bank of China (PBC), has been mirrored by other mostly emerging market central banks, who are all keen to up their gold…

The European Union and United States pledged ongoing support for Armenia on Friday as the country shifts away from its traditional ally Russia. At a meeting with Armenia’s leadership in Brussels, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen announced a €270 million ($290 million) package of financial grants to boost “resilience and growth” in Armenia over the next four years. “Europe and Armenia share a long and common history and the time has come to write now a new chapter,” von der Leyen said. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also announced that Washington would bolster its economic support for Armenia…

A key witness who has given crucial evidence in the Madeleine McCann investigation is dying from cancer, a court has been told.It could set back investigators who have struggled for several years to find enough evidence to charge the main suspect, German drifter Christian B. He is currently on trial for unrelated sex crimes – three rapes and two sex assaults – which he denies.A former friend Helge Busching triggered police focus on Christian B seven years ago when he told Scotland Yard his pal had “confessed” to Madeleine’s abduction by revealing “she didn’t cry when I took her”. Image:…

Around midday on April 8, 2024, the sky over parts of North America will suddenly go dark for a few minutes. The reason is a total solar eclipse that will begin over the continent from near Mazaltan, Mexico to beyond Montreal, Canada, passing through nearly a dozen states in the US. The path along which the total solar eclipse can be seen is approximately 115 miles wide, according to NASA. For the millions of people in the path of the eclipse, sunshine will be blocked momentarily, causing a momentary dark dusk-like state during the prime of the day. Residents will…

This is the type of message one might come across on Ukrainian Telegram channels:  “The Armed Forces of Ukraine are recruiting homeless people.” “Ukrainians are going to surrender Kharkiv.” “Ukrainian border guards were allowed to open fire on those trying to flee Ukraine.” These messages, monitored by the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation, are distributed by allegedly pro-Russian Telegram channels, apparently to sow panic and disinformation about Ukraine’s military affairs and political establishment. The speed and anonymity of Telegram have heightened the debate over whether to block the platform in Ukraine. This issue has reached political circles, with discussions now…

US Treasury chief Janet Yellen on Friday warned that China’s huge subsidies for its industry could pose a risk to the global economy, and called for a “level playing field” above all for American firms. Yellen was speaking to a gathering of the American business community in the city of Guangzhou, where she will hold several days of talks with Chinese officials during what is her second visit to China in less than a year. What did Yellen say? In her speech at the American Chamber of Commerce, on Friday, Yellen accused China of disadvantaging foreign firms in favor of its…

The European Union’s law enforcement agency Europol on Friday published an analysis of 821 criminal groups that it says pose a major threat to the bloc’s internal security. The Hague-based agency — which wants the study to be a springboard for more finely tuned investigations — found that crime networks vary significantly in structure, activity, territorial control, and longevity. What the analysis found Some 25,000 individuals were found to be involved in the identified networks, which were selected for the threat they were thought to pose. In terms of membership counts for each group, these were thought to most often…

Ukraine has conducted “coordinated strikes” overnight against a military airbase inside Russia, targeting Russian fighter planes, a Ukrainian source has told Sky News.The operation, which took place early on Friday morning, included attacks against Russian SU-34 fighter-bombers, which have been used by the Russian military to hit Ukrainian forces in Ukraine, the military source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Image: Map showing the Morozovsk airfield “The Morozovsk military airfield hosts potent fast jet capabilities, SU-34s, which launch strikes on to frontline Ukrainian troops,” the source said.”This strike will impede Russia’s ability to conduct such strikes in the future and…

Can someone who committed genocide ever be reintegrated into society? The people convicted of genocide in Rwanda have served the maximum sentence and have been released.  The authors of DW’s Science unscripted podcast, Conor Dillon and Gabriel Borrud, discussed this with Hollie Nyseth Nzitatira, professor of sociology at Ohio State University. She interviewed 168 convicted Rwandans before and after they were released from prison. DW: How were the individuals who once used a machete against former neighbors welcomed home in Rwanda? Or, what exactly is a successful reintegration into society after genocide? Hollie Nyseth Nzitatira: It’s a dual process. As they’re coming back from prison, they…

The trunks worn by boxing legend Muhammad Ali in his famous “Thrilla in Manila” boxing match with rival Joe Frazier are now on auction at Sotheby’s in New York. Ali’s shorts are expected to be sell for more than $6 million (€5.5 million). The auction of the Muhammad Ali’s shorts from an iconic fight comes as Sotheby’s has decided to auction off a bunch of sporting items. Bids have been arriving online since March 27, and the auction is open until April 12. The white shorts with black stripes have an inscription by Ali’s assistant trainer and corner man, Drew “Bundini” Brown…